Stockings have had a very long and varied history. They were originally worn by men centuries ago as a practical garment for horseback riding, but they were a far cry from the stockings we know today. In fact, the modern version of the legging or pantyhose was not developed until much longer ago.

In the early 1900s, it became more acceptable for women to display their legacies in public, and stockings became a necessity. But the only version of hosiery available to women were stockings which were usually made of silk and later rayon. Nylon wasn’t invented until the mid-1930s, and it wasn’t until the 1940s that nylon stockings became commercially available.

But modern stockings had not yet been invented. The first versions were developed in the 1940s and 1950s to assist film and stage productions, where stockings were sewn into the underpants of actresses and dancers. These were coined “Panty-legs”, but it wasn’t until 1953 that Allen Grant Sr. developed a commercial equivalent, and it was even longer before they were available to buy. In 1956, Ernest G. Rice produced mesh made using a superior method, and it was this design that has been adopted ever since. And so modern tights and pantyhose were provisionally born.

But still, these stockings were not like the ones we know today. Made of nylon, a material that does not stretch, stockings and stockings had to be made in a large number of sizes to fit different women’s legs. They were not comfortable or especially practical, and because no methods had been developed, they were sewn with seams on the back of the leg. It wasn’t until DuPont developed Lycra in 1959 that leggings became stretchier, stretchier, and more comfortable to wear.

Thanks to the fashion of the 1960s and 1970s, more specifically miniskirts, leggings became more of a fashion statement than a necessity. Sales took off quickly and soon surpassed the popularity of the tights. It was also during this time that the technology developed enough to produce perfect versions, and their design has pretty much stayed the same ever since.

Since then meshes have developed rapidly in terms of the types available and the functions they can perform. From body-toning control tops, support pantyhose, and sheer toe versions to those with added moisturizers, creams, and fat-burning properties, leggings have come a long way.

And the age old problem of poking holes in your stockings might even be a thing of the past. There is a possibility that meshes may be developed that can be kept free of scale, made from a newly developed material that can be repaired when the edges come back together. As you can see, hosiery has come a long way, and it certainly goes further!