Dear VienneMilano,
Winter has been brutal this year. What are your recommendations for stockings that will keep me both warm and fashionable?

- Lesley H.

Lesley – what a fantastic question! As a person from New England, I am very familiar with harsh winter conditions and low temperatures. But no matter what, you still have things to do, places to go, and people to see. I have a few recommendations on how your life can carry on in the winter whilst staying warm and fashionable.

Before we begin, one topic we must understand is denier. According to Merriam Webster dictionary, denier is:

a unit of weight by which the fineness of silk, rayon, or nylon yarn is measured, equal to the weight in grams of 9,000 meters of the yarn and often used to describe the thickness of hosiery.

So, the smaller the denier, the lighter and thinner a pair of hosiery will be. On the other hand, the larger the measure of denier, the heavier and thicker a pair of stockings will be.

  

This photo shows three pairs of VienneMilano stockings: ISABELLA Chestnut Brown 15, VANNA Cinnamon 50, and ANDREA Cocoa Brown 75 denier. Notice how Andrea is five times thicker than ISABELLA?

As you would imagine, hosiery with a low denier (below 50) is meant for warm weather, while hosiery with a high denier (above 50) is made to be worn in colder weather. But what exactly does this mean? To help determine which denier is weather appropriate, we've put together a little chart to recommend the suitable denier for the right temperature. Note: we're using a Fahrenheit scale.

Chart 1: Cool to cold weather hosiery index (from 10 - 50 degrees)

Chart 2: Warm to hot weather hosiery index (from 60 - 100 degrees)

As you see in our charts, there are more selections to choose from during the cooler season. For temperatures between 10 – 30 degrees Fahrenheit, we recommend wearing hosiery that range from 70 – 180 denier. When the temperature gets above 50 degrees, we recommend wearing 50 denier (or less).

 

Outfit ideas

Here are a few ideas on how to wear warm stockings fashionably in the winter.

 

ROSITA Dark Gray Thigh Highs

ROSITA is a pair of dark gray thigh high stockings. Featuring a chevron pattern, this pair of hosiery is perfect for adding an extra pop of texture to your wardrobe.

 

 

ANDREA Opaque Stockings

ANDREA is a pair of black stockings. Made in 75 deniers, this pair of thigh highs are perfect for just about every outfit.

 

 

GIADA Art-Deco Pattern Hosiery

GIADA is a pair of pattern stockings. Featuring a 1920's art-deco pattern, this pair of hosiery is made with a blend of nylon, spandex, and lurex – thus adding extra sparkle to your legs. This pair of stockings are ultra-thick.

 

 

MAFALDA Argyle Stockings

MATILDA is a style of thigh highs that features a classic and timeless pattern: Argyle. Made from the most excellent material, this pair of stockings is supple to the touch yet durable and thick – perfect for winter.

 

 

VIOLA Purple Stockings

VIOLA is a luxurious pair of stay ups. Made from cashmere, these purple tights are made for royalty (that's you!). VIOLA is one of the most coveted styles in our Vintage Collection, thick to the touch and providing an opulent amount of warmth; this style is a must-have for every wardrobe.

 

The beautiful thing about these five recommendations is that they can be worn for every occasion, from day to night and everything in between. We highly recommend wearing thigh highs for a hot date as it'll give him (or her) a sexy little surprise.

Additionally, for those extraordinary cold days (hello Polar Vortex), these fabulous thigh highs can also be worn underneath your dress pants for that extra added layer of warmth.

Lastly, what about shoes? You may ask. Since these five styles of Italian hosiery are decadently thick and supple, we recommend wearing flats, sneakers, boots and even stilettos – essentially all of your shoes (not at the same time of course). Seriously, give it a try – You'll find that VienneMilano thigh highs will allow you to feel sexy and confident, and our stockings are also versatile enough so that they can be paired with all of your shoes while keeping you warm and fabulous.

Shoes with opaque stockings

Your legs take up at least 50% of your body, which is a lot of legroom for you to express your style and creativity. Hosiery is a fabulous, decorative, functional, and affordable way to extend your wardrobe. Give our stockings a try. Get free shipping on all US orders.