How Well Do You Know Your Stockings?

RHT Stockings

5 Main RHT Styles

Like many people I thought that the world of stockings was a simple one. How wrong I was; I found that many of my clients actually knew more about stockings than I did! In the process of understanding the fetish and all its aspects, there’s a whole world of complexity out there.

FFNs & RHTs – Know The Difference?

So what’s the basic difference? – Any guesses?

So, the main difference is that FFNs (Fully Fashioned Nylons) don’t have any seam as they are knitted on a circular sewing machine, whereas RHTs (Reinforced Heel and Toe) are what for many are the sexiest types of stockings, with their distinctive seams.

I have to confess, that it wasn’t until I started speaking to a good friend of mine, Noa, who loves vintage stockings that I realized that RHTs also have at least 5 styles which you can see in the image below…

These tiny details are missed by many but loved by any fetishist. I would love to know what you favourite style is…..let me know in the comments box below and maybe I’ll wear some just for you in one of my next photo shoots!

Stockings, Pantyhose & Tights

Prior to the 1940’s stockings were made of silk or rayon and then came pantyhose, which first appeared in the 1960’s as an alternative to nylon stockings. They were marketed as being more attractive in appearance, hid more imperfections, reduced panty line and eased the friction between the thighs and feet and heels.

The main feature though was that there were not any suspenders and they were self supporting up to the waist.

However, depending on where you come from, particularly the US or the UK. The difference between the two is made slighty more complicated as in the US, what are called pantyhose is referred to as tights in the UK, which is the US means ‘opaques’

To make it even more confusing, you’ll find some Americans see pantyhose as stockings as similar things (you can even see this on some Instagram accounts) and as as a further twist, the US refers to holdups as thigh-highs and suspenders as garter belts!  I’ve also included below some of the equivalents and differences in other languages:

Stockings (Translations)

Pantyhose(US)/Tights(UK)/Collants(France)/Collant(Italy)/ Strumpfhose(Germany)

Pantyhose (Translations)

Stockings/Nylons(US)/Stockings(UK)/Bas(France)/Strumpfe(Germany)/Calzette(Italy)

The Art of Putting On (& Taking Off) Stockings

Like me, most stocking lovers have often wrestled with putting on stockings and for some inexplicable reason, you always seem to ladder the most expensive pair on the most important occasions.

Over the centuries, women and fetish lovers have realized that that practicalities of putting on and taking off stockings can be a sensuous act and even an art form. Any burlesque performer would agree with you here. If done well, you’ll capture the heart of your lover or your audience and have them spell bound before you’ve even started.  Here’s a modern take in a retro style that I think you’ll love…..

….and of course, if you really want to impress…..you have to know how to take them off too…..

The Top 10 Stocking Wearing Countries

As a French woman….with a British heart, I always thought that the UK and France would be the countries where stockings were most worn. Well, I was only partly right, and quite shocked too.  The results are in:

  1. UK
  2. USA
  3. Canada
  4. Australia
  5. Sweden
  6. Germany
  7. Norway
  8. France (shock, horror – OMG!)
  9. Ireland
  10. Singapore…..and for my Swiss clients….Voila! at No 18 is Switzerland

I’m not surprised in some ways as my UK clients are true feet, heels and stockings fetishists, but the French and Swiss positions are very surprising as they love their stockings just as much.

Further Reading

Wikipedia History & Technical
How Stockings Changed the World – 75 Years Ago

Mistress Nikky French’s Recommended Stockings

 

Foot Fetishism – It’s A Brain Thing!

What is it about feet that drives many of us (mainly men) to the point of distraction?

As a professional dominatrix I’ve always been fascinated by many of my male clients’ love and obsession for feet, particularly when there is the added excitement of stockings (particularly nylons ☺) and heels.  It wasn’t until I came across an image created by Emily Nagoski, a self proclaimed ‘sex nerd’ that things started to make sense…….

Emily created the graphic above to show that the part of the brain that processes sensory (touch) information about feet and genitalia are very, very close to each other, so whilst you feet are nowhere near each other, your brain thinks they are!

Without being too much of a geek, when many people get sexually aroused, this causes the foot part of the brain to be stimulated, so all of a sudden there is a direct link (in your brain) between feet and sex…it’s literally like getting your wires crossed.

This is most common in men apparently and the feelings created by feet are almost the same as those for sex.

So, for many men Feet/Heels/Stocking/Pantyhose = Sex

Women’s Thoughts On Foot Worship – The Results Are In!

Channel 4 recently undertook a sex survey of the UK’s biggest fetishes which included over 2,000 adults and in particular the feedback from 406 women on the subject of feet and foot fetishism.  The results may be a bitter disappointment for foot fetishists out there:

Have Not Tried Foot Worship – But Would Like To: 3.7%

Have Not Tried Foot Worship – & Would NOT Like To: 80.3%

Have Tried Foot Worship – & Would Try Again: 10.6%

Have Tried Foot Worship – & Would NOT Try Again: 5.4%

Devastating news for those men who have a foot fetish, but encouragingly 2/3rds of women who did try it, would do it again…..there’s hope for everyone!

For those of you that missed the Channel 4 clip on foot fetishism, click on the video below for a brief insight into the world of foot fetishism:

 

Louboutins – Ecstasy for Foot Fetishists

Loubs, Loubous….whatever you call them…. it doesn’t get better than this in the world of shoes.  If you really want to impress your mistress and win her heart, then think seriously about these babies.  It’s one area when the foot fetishist and heel lover are a match made in heaven.  Slaves and women alike go wild to see their favourite footwear, particularly the famous red soles being seen on an elegant pair of feet.

Louboutins look is partly ‘La Revolution’ and partly fantasy and each pair has it’s unique element of both combined with a sense of fun and humour.  Louboutin is quoted as saying “Really good taste, you have to forget about it.  We have a phrase in French, le petit quelque chose qui fout tout par terre (the little things that fuck everything up)”

They tread the line between good taste and being totally outrageous, which as a professional dominatrix, provides a touch of fantasy to all my foot fetish clients.

The Obsession Isn’t Just For Men

It is fascinating to know that many women rarely wear the shoes they love.  Many of us covet them like a work of art, to be looked at and even occasionally touched…..but very rarely worn!

For many women, the very thought of shoe shopping gets the heart racing and the adrenaline pumping, which by the time you reach the shoe department of your favourite store, you’re feeling the full rush of a load of feel good endorphins.

Many women see shoes as an extension of the body and which expresses a lot about their attitude, aesthetics, social status and sexuality according to Dr Valerie Steele of New York’s Fashion Institute…whereas for men as mentioned above see feet and heels as an erotic experience.

Further Reading

Your Brain & Foot Fetish

Dating A Foot Fetishist

 

Mistress Nikky French Recommends

                   

 

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