Recalling The Good Old Days Of The Dept Store Hosiiery Counters

[Roberta Thomas]

Who recalls those halcyon pre internet days when tights/pantyhose/stockings departments in big stores were places of wonderment? I first noticed this when I used to go shopping with my mother when I was in my late teens.As she used to pass through those departments I used to take sidelong glances at the huge range of lovely tights on offer.I couldn’t linger as my mum didn’t know I was a crossdresser.When I was about 21 I plucked up the courage to browse at the hosiery departments of UK stores such as House Of Frazer, Alder’s and Marks And Spencers.Eventually I got the confidence to buy tights for myself.I was always a little nervous going to the counter thinking that they suspected they were for me.Range was incredible,I always favoured brands such as Pretty Polly and Aristoc.Unlike today’s hosiery counter there were many variants of shades.In the case of natural coloured tights I remember shades like Tivoli,Persian Delight.With darker tights I remember a pair by Pretty Polly in a shade called Bitter Chocolate.Remember trying them on in my bedroom at my parents house at age 22 and being blown away at how flattering they looked on my legs.Although I am only about five foot six I felt like a leggy chorus girl.The mid eighties was a period when coloured tights were very fashionable with girls of my age.I loved bright red,navy and wbite and cream.My favourite place locally was at my Co-Operative Store.Bought a load of tights there.I was visibly nervous going to the counter with my purchases.Girls behind the counter were horrible and not a bit helpful.In other stores staff were helpful and less judgemental.Hosiery depts in House Of Fraser and Debenhams these days are not the same.Limited range too expensive and unattractive presentation.Only exception is Marks  And Spencers who have a good range throughout the year but sadly quality has gone downhill on certain lines.I guess that online is better these days.U.K.Tights is a fantastic website but I have yet to purchase from them.

[Jackie]

I always liked going shopping with my wife for clothes. Gave me a reason to linger in the womens section and the opportunity to take those side long glances. I always got bored easy tho as I could go through the mens section in minutes as all the clothes looked the same and didn’t want to be seen digging through the womens clothes since she didn’t know at the time. I am hoping now that i have told her in time I will be able to look as t clothes with her

[Anonymous]

<p style=”text-align: left;”>Hi Roberta, what a lovely post. I remember those days. It wasn’t ’til I was 18 that I lived in a town big enough to have a Marks. There was no Debenhams but there was a local department store which had a womens department with seperate lingerie and hosiery departments. I didn’t go with my mum but I used to pluck up courage to go myself and just look at the underwear and stockings and tights. I was too scared to go near to the clothes but I eventually plucked up courage (and saved the money) when I was about 20 and went to the local store and bought my first bra and brief set. For those in the UK who might remember it was a Gossard Ritz underwired bra with matching knickers. They were gorgeous! I was absolutely petrified I’d be caught out! When I go shopping now the smell of the new clothes takes me back to those years when I hadn’t a clue what I was doing. Tanya.</p>

[Roberta Thomas]

Thanks for your kind words Tanya.Loved your story about your first bra purchase.Sounds lovely.Before I ventured into the department stores my first ever purchase was a pair of fifteen denier tights in Woolworths.I was extremely nervous taking them to the counter.In my slight sense of panic I imagined that the lady assistant was giving me a dirty look.In retrospect she probably didn’t do any such thing.Unfortunately,when I took the tights home I was disappointed with them.The denier was too thin.I didn’t realise at the time that it was the 40 or 60 denier that I craved.They were the ones that I envied on girls of my age.The only tights that I had worn previously was my  mums natural colour tights that I secretly took out of her underwear drawers.As for the black tights from Woolies I purged them next day but went on a tights spree two days later in M&S and Boots.I was far from an expert in those days.In Boots the lady on the checkout looked very kindly and non judgemental,probably thought I was buying them for my mum.I had a bit of a close call at my local Co-OP.I was taking a number of pairs of tights to the counter and saw  the postmistress from my village post office.She was a very nosey and gossipy woman.I often wondered if she thought they were for me.I hsd to go the post office every week.

In one respect I didn’t want sales assistants to think that tights were for me but sometimes I would ask the assistants for help with my purchases.It gave me a little bit of frission if I thought that they suspected they were for me.With the benefit of hindsight most of the assistants that I dealt with were very nice to me.Only the odd one or two give me a look of disdain.

Love your comments about the smell of new ladies clothes.I still love that nowadays whenever my wife buys me new femme clothes.

[Nikki Dahl]

I miss those days!!:(  I loved going to the local mall just for that reason. JCPenney, Sears, Macy’s, they all had sections devoted to hosiery. Now Macy’s is the only one that carries hosiery in the store. They’ve whittled it down to just one aisle of hosiery!:( I can still get hosiery from JCP and Sears online, but it’s not the same!! The thrill of actually seeing and touching is absolutely divine!!  My female friends get a kick out of taking me shopping. It obviously shows when I enter the lingerie department.

[Author]

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