What do you look for when buying tights? For many, it might be appearance, texture, fabric and style. One tight style that is worth checking out that's a bit different yet quite glamorous is hold ups


If you're unfamiliar with holdups, they're stockings that support themselves due to a secure yet comfortable silicon grip inside and are slightly longer than knee highs. They first appeared in the 1940s-50s but started going out of fashion in the 1960s. However, now they're popularity is returning with lots of fabulous styles available. 


This hosiery piece can make you look chic, add warmth, and be worn in the day or evening based on your outfit. But if you've never worn holdups before, it can be a little bit daunting and confusing if you don't know how to wear them.


Keep on reading to learn more about how to wear hold ups, the best rated hold ups, and more. 

 

Black Hold UpsBlack Hold Ups
Patterned Hold UpsPatterned Hold Ups
Lace Hold UpsLace Hold Ups
Sparkly Hold UpsSparkly Hold Ups

 

Beginners guide on how to wear hold ups 

Fashion hold ups can really transform your appearance and make you look chic, all based on the length of the outfit you're wearing. To truly know how hold ups look on you, should do the following:


Mix and match 

You should aim to mix and match your hold ups with different outfit combinations before going out. Doing this in advance will save you from awkward situations where you might reveal your stockings when sitting or standing. Ideally, you will want to wear a skirt or dress that is long enough to cover the thigh band, unless you intend to show this off for a flirty finish!


Keep your hands clean and your nails trimmed

When wearing the best rated hold ups, you'll want to keep your hands in top order. This means you should have well trimmed nails and clean hands. If you have any sharp edges, it could cause your hold ups to tear. Similarly, you might want to have your hands well moisturized, so you don't catch them, run ladders or add dirt onto them. You should also make sure your legs are clean, dry and free from slippery moisturiser or oils to ensure the hold ups stay in place. 


Add talc or deodorant

If you want your hold ups to stay up properly, you might want to add deodorant or talc to your thighs. Doing this will save you from any frustration of the thigh band slipping and you having to pull them them up and down. To put your hold ups on, you'll want to ruffle them gently at the bottom, put your toes at the end, and slowly unroll them as you move them up your leg. 

 

Stockings vs Hold Ups

People can get slightly confused when it comes to stockings and fashion hold ups. The main difference between the two is stockings require a belt and hold ups have a silicone band to keep them in place. If you want to wear stockings, then you must have a suspender belt to keep them upright, as they cannot stay up on their own. They're not superior to each other; it's just a matter of style and practicality. 


Tights vs Hold Ups

Sometimes you might find slight similarities between tights and hold ups. While both tend to be made of nylon, there is a big difference. The main difference is tights are joined together and cover up to your waist with no disturbance, whilst hold ups are separate legwear pieces which stop at the thigh area. There tend to be more varieties of tights than hold ups, and they serve multiple purposes. 

 

Black StockingsBlack Stockings
Shiny TightsShiny Tights
Opaque StockingsOpaque Stockings
Crotchless TightsCrotchless Tights

How many types of holdups are there?

If you're looking to buy hold ups, you should know there are different styles to choose from with more designs emerging in the market all the time. The main types of fashion hold ups are the following: 

 

Black Hold Ups

A timeless, classic style of hold ups is plain or lace top black hold ups. A highly versatile piece, black hold ups can be worn day to day or dressed up with an evening outfit. You may also want to opt for sparkly or patterned black hold ups to add a bit of wow factor to your outfit and really accentuate your legs!


Sheer Hold Ups

If you have nice legs you want to flaunt, you may want to opt for sheer hold ups. These tights are quite transparent, showcasing your legs in the best light thanks to their flawless, barely there finish. 


They're designed to give your legs a natural  look. Also, if you have a nice dress or skirt, wearing these tights really helps bring them to the centre of attention, whether you choose a matt or glossy finish. The sheer yarns perfect your skin tone and appearance.


Fishnet Hold Ups

If you want to add an element of seductiveness, then you may be interested in wearing fishnet hold ups. Fishnet hold ups place a stronger emphasis on your curves, and allowing your legs to be the main attraction of your outfit.


Opaque Hold Ups

One form of hold ups which is slightly a bit more subtle, is opaque hold ups. Hold ups can provide you with well needed winter warmth when desired and are soft to wear. They're also a good neutral option if you have a brighter colored outfit, to ensure your outfit doesn’t clash. 


Seamed Hold Ups

Do you want to make your outfit look a little bit more sophisticated? Then if so, you might want to wear seamed hold ups. Sexy seamed hold ups tend to have a black seam from from heel to the top of the thigh. They provide a look with subtle elegance, with a vintage, pin-up girl feel. If you want to look a bit sexier, you should consider these hold ups.  

 

Sparkly Hold UpsSparkly Hold Ups
Seamed Hold UpsSeamed Hold Ups
Lace Top Hold UpsLace Top Hold Ups
Coloured Hold UpsColoured Hold Ups

How to Put Hold ups On

If you're interested in wearing hold ups but not too sure how to wear them, it's really easy. Just do the following: 

  1. Roll your hold ups before putting them on. When rolling, you should not aim to stretch the fabric and do it gently. Make sure the fabric sags at the bottom, slowly rolling from your toe to thigh.
  2. Before putting your hold ups on, you should keep your legs dry. If they're dry, they're more likely to stay put on your leg for longer. Another trick is to use deodorant or talc for them to stick.
  3. Don't put on any oils on your legs before wearing hold ups. If you put oils on your legs, the silicone might stick, making it difficult to wear hold ups.
  4. Wear special gels on your legs if you find it difficult to keep hold ups on. To make sure this is effective, you'll specifically want to search for hold up gels.
  5. Always keep your hold ups clean. You must treat your hold ups like underwear and hosiery, keeping them intact and not washing in the basket immediately after wear. Try to clean them as soon as possible to remove any excess skin flakes, sweat, body oils and more. 

What is The Procedure Of Cleaning your Hold Ups?

If you want to clean your hold ups, then you should try and do the following: 

  1. Fill up a tub with mild detergent and luke warm water if your hold ups have an 8 to 40 denier. If your hold ups are over 40 deniers, then you should place it in your washing machine on a gentle wash at 30 degrees on a slow spin. They should be placed in a special bag in the washing machine, so they don't get damaged.
  2. Get your hands and wash your hold ups gently. 
  3. Use a delicate setting on a tumble dryer to dry your hold ups. 
  4. Do not dry clean or iron them. 

 

What is The Best Way To Store Your Hold Ups?

The best way to store your hold ups is by keeping them in your drawer gently rolled. You'll want to fold them in half lengthways. Then you should roll them from the toe up to the top, so there's nothing left to roll afterwards. 


Check out our blog on the best ways to wash and store your hosiery to ensure it remains long-lasting, durable and high quality.

 

Conclusion

Overall, hold ups are another interesting way to flaunt your legs in the summer or winter. There are many different types of hold ups to wear including a broad variety of styles including black hold ups, fishnet hold ups and plus size hold ups. The best way to wear them is with a long skirt, dress or oversized shirt. 


They're so popular because they have silicone inside, allowing them to stay up. Plus, they're not difficult to wear once you know how to. When wearing, it's always best if you have clean legs with no oils on them beforehand so they don't slip. Hold ups are sleek, sexy and stylish; check out some of our best rated hold ups