Garter Belts and Stockings

Garter Belts and stockings have been given a naughty reputation, mostly because of misinformation. Functional as well as fun, this pretty, comfortable, and sexy attire is the best way to keep your stockings up.

Beyond its functionality, it is a much healthier alternative to panty hose and should be revisited as a regular undergarment for today’s fashion conscious woman.

In the early 1960s garterbelts and stockings were replaced by pantyhose to complement the mini-skirt. Shortly thereafter everyone was wearing pantyhose even if they weren't wearing a mini skirt. Soon wearing a garter belt took on a strictly sexual connotation, whether deserved or not, and those who wore them were regarded as being risqué, openly inviting, and probably promiscuous.

OK, they are a lot cuter than panty hose, although today's crotchless panty hose are very exciting and beautiful. And fortunately, they too, are a healthier alternative than regular pantyhose because they allow the woman’s genitals to air dry.

The vagina, like our eyes, is a self-cleaning organ. All day, everyday, it regulates its pH balance by cleaning itself out. The secretions that come down and out need to air dry so the area doesn't stay moist.

Moisture breeds bacteria. Regular pantyhose, the crotch of which is covered in cotton, is the perfect breeding ground for a bacterial build up, an imbalanced pH, vaginitis, and yeast infections. Easily preventable!

Instead of being encouraged to prevent recurring yeast infections, the pharmaaceutical companies encourage us to buy over-the-counter creams and solutions to clean up our imbalance. I say stay balanced! Keep the area dry by wearing stockings, thigh-highs, suspender hose or a crotchless body stocking.

To be fair, pantyhose aren’t entirely to blame for all vaginal ailments. Many maladies are caused by a poor diet, stress, lack of sleep, and prescription medications. These triggers are exacerbated when the right conditions are created.

But if you don't feel fresh 'down there' regularly, pantyhose could very well be what's causing the problem.

The biggest problem with garter belts is whenever they are featured on models, including in these pictures, they are always shown worn incorrectly.

Lingerie manufacturers’ want to feature the garter belt so they put it on the outside of the panty. But worn this way makes it difficult to remove underwear, so it becomes a hassle.

Worn properly, the garter belt is on the inside of the panty so the garters don’t interfere with pulling panties up or down.

Another consideration to wearing this apparel is to position the garters for comfort and style. The front two must come straight down to grasp the stocking top at mid-thigh. The rear garters come around the buttock, accentuating it, not down the middle of the cheek. Worn improperly, there’s an obvious line on your bottom and you end up sitting uncomfortably on garters.

As a consumer who has worn both, practically speaking, garter belts are more comfortable and considerably more economical than pantyhose.

Find one that comfortably fits your waist and with two rows of eyes and hooks adjust as you gain or lose weight.

Unlike pantyhose, there’s never a low hanging crotch.

The more you wear it, the more money you save. If one stocking runs, you don’t have to throw both of them away. Buying the same color gets two to three times the wear.

Thigh High stockings are different than regular stockings since they feature a wide elastic band at the top to keep them up.

Unlike stockings these are worn up to the hip flexor in the front and the butt cheek in the back and are meant for leaner legs.

On chubbier thighs, Thigh Highs can leave a temporary, but ugly, red line that itches like the dickens!

Worn regularly, they can eventually lead to varicose veins. When it comes to being fashionable, it’s best to know your body and choose what works for you.

If it’s comfortable and sexy, what’s wrong with feeling desirable everyday? With so many styles to choose from, garter belts are fun, functional and enticing apparel.