“I think the analogy between sheer hosiery and fountain pens is far better than the one with CDs/vinyl. Fountain pens, one would have thought, have long passed their use-by date, but they are still on sale everywhere (even W.H. Smith has a large selection, as does Office World). For most important uses, whether in professional life, social letter-writing or signing Wedding registers, the fountain pen still reigns supreme.

“Maybe we are on a sad path to less ‘everyday’ wearing of sheer hosiery (even I concede that it is seen less now than, say, 10 years ago) but to die out completely – that is both unthinkable and unlikely!

“Sheer hosiery will never completely die out. Nylons are always going to be the ‘get out of jail card’ for these manufacturers. Nothing is ever likely to be as popular as sheer hosiery and they know it. That’s why every so often they will target a new generation with new role models helping the campaign. If they paid Posh ‘tart’ Spice a fortune to wear any kind of sheer hosiery tomorrow (and for her it would have to be a fortune!) you can bet your bottom dollar all of a sudden they will be the most popular item since sliced bread!”

“It is funny that you should mention fountain pens, as that exact same thought crossed my mind. I have no idea what the demographics of the fountain pen buyer base are, but I would suspect that they are on the older side. (I myself only use fountain pens, but at 34, I am considered an eccentric in my office).

“If we look for another analogy, consider the classic American station-wagon. From the ’50s to the mid 1980s, the driveways of suburban America were filled with large, traditionally styled, separate-chassis station wagons, replete with whitewall tyres and woodgrain panelling. They were the symbol par supreme of middle-class American family life. Over a few years, the market for these cars collapsed. It was not because of fuel prices or anything like that, it was just that (younger) buyers decided, en masse, that they did not want them anymore.

“This is not the place for a detailed analysis of why, but suffice it to say that General Motors cancelled its last surviving traditional station wagons in 1996 because it could more profitably employ its resources elsewhere. The new generation of buyers had, for whatever reason, decided that the big wagons were no longer desirable, and simple economic logic dictated that production was no longer viable. This same logic is, I firmly believe, applicable to hosiery. Marketing people make mistakes, but they have their finger on the pulse of consumer tastes, and marketers are particularly keen to gauge the tastes of the young, for they make the buying decisions of tomorrow. It really is as simple as that, alas.

“I don’t know where you are based, but here in West Yorkshire, the use of fountain pens is pretty rare. They tend to be confined to doctors, headmasters, solicitors, accountants; that sort of occupation: professionals of a traditionalist leaning, although I concede that there are yet more that use them (myself included). Compared with FF stockings, however, they are as common as the day is long. My last FF stocking sighting occurred in the town of Keighley in the late summer of 1991. Two formally dressed ladies in their late 50s were strolling around town, presumably on their lunch hour. As they passed, it became apparent that one of them was wearing FF nylons. I nearly died of shock, having seen no FFs for many years previously. She noticed my interest and smiled knowingly. Since then, no FF sightings whatsoever, though I have seen other types. FF stockings are – to all intents and purposes – extinct, and have been for a long, long time.”

“After Aristoc ceased their manufacture (on commercial grounds alone) in the mid-1990s, there were a few doldrum years, but fully-fashioned stockings are once again freely available – from at least three different manufacturers, in a variety of styles, colours etc. In fact they’re probably on sale at more outlets (including online) now than at any time since the 1960s. I don’t think that, in the long-term, women are so boringly self-unaware that they will TOTALLY shun sheer legwear.”

“One correspondent recently suggested that the relentless slide toward lowest-common-denominator dress has some merit, i.e. that it made the increasing rarity of stockings all the more desirable. I have to tell you now that I find this argument pure, unalloyed nonsense.

“Firstly, I am sure that I speak for all those readers who enjoyed the second, all too brief, flowering of stockings in the latter 1980s and very much regretted the sudden and, I think, final, collapse of stocking wearing circa 1991-1992. Life is simply much poorer and more dreary without femininity in ladies’ dress. Of more relevance, however, is some actual ‘field’ research I have carried out in the past two weeks. Desperate to establish why the trend has been toward ever more casual (indeed, ultra-casual) dress, I began to quiz young women of the ages 18-25(ish) on their tastes and preferences. Without exception, all expressed their distaste for tights. A few grudgingly complied, wearing 70 denier opaque tights, but only when they absolutely had to, i.e. in those workplaces where such a dress code existed. I then openly asked the question: what of stockings and suspenders? Again, without exception, every single one expressed their complete scorn for the very idea. One suggested that she might wear white stockings on her wedding day, and another thought that perhaps she might wear them ‘in the bedroom’ (her words) to give her fiance a special treat.

“The last of these ‘interviews’ took place in a pub on Wednesday evening; every female present wore either trousers, jeans, leggings or tracksuit bottoms. My research was carried out in the north of England, but I suspect its results hold true for the rest of the country. Given that these women are the future, it seems highly likely that hosiery in general is in terminal decline and stockings, obviously, will be the first to go. The attitudes of the women I questioned were unequivocal: we don’t want to know. Peer-group pressure, an immensely strong force, will guarantee conformity. So, those here who enjoy the ‘exclusivity’ of those ‘rare and exciting’ glimpses, savour your next sighting, it may be your last.”

“For several years now I have been keeping a count of how many times I have seen a woman wearing stockings. Just for the record these are the results

1990 32
1991 – 56
1992 – 138
1993 – 144
1994 – 74
1995 – 81
1996 – 59
1997 – 81
1998 – 138
1999 – 104
2000 – 140

“I’m not sure that this really proves anything, except that here are still plenty of women wearing stockings if you know where to look.”

“I don’t know if there are geographic, economic and social class factors at work here, but as a Londoner, I can confirm that professional women (including businesswomen, lawyers, secretaries etc) in London wear dresses/skirts almost all of the time, and whilst I agree that it is not universal, I see no sign of extinction of hosiery (opaques in winter, sheer in summer) for a long time yet!

“Even on a recent week-end trip to Nottingham, I was pleasantly surprised by the number of women, of all ages, wearing dresses/skirts, and hosiery of one sort or another – and these were clearly not being worn as part of an office dress-code etc. I was also pleased with the quality of the legs seen!

“I also live near a prep school, and a number of the mothers I see every day collecting their children are wearing dresses and hosiery. These are, by and large ‘stay at home’ mothers and housewives.

“So, I’m happy to spread a note of optimism amongst all the gloom and doom!”

“You are both right and wrong in my opinion. Strangely enough I have also had the odd conversation with some women in the appropriate setting when answers are more likely to be given more freely and truthfully. Down here in London I fairly frequently catch a glimpse/definite telltale sign that a fair number of women under 30 (even 25) are wearing stockings these days. But I don’t think the ridiculous cost of living down here is worth putting up with just for that, however nice it may be!”

“Having read today’s ‘Times’ Part 2 supplement, there’s an article confirming the ‘bare legged in all weathers’ look as a Northern thing, and a ghastly photograph of a couple of slappers sitting outside a Newcastle nightclub wearing criminally short skirts, and warming their ugly bared toes! To add insult to injury, the article goes on to say something about the only non bare-legs seen in the wintry North being women wearing opaques, who are regarded as wimps by all the others!”

“I think you need to broaden your horizons. In the shop I see women in stockings every day – aged from 18 right up to their 60s. Around town fishnets are everywhere you look. Okay, so they are probably tights but it shows that girls are thinking about what they’re wearing on their legs and that’s a good sign.

“I have to admit that when I go to the launderette I don’t wear stockings but if I’m going anywhere remotely interesting then I dress up a little.”

“Fact: fashion is cyclical.

“Fact: in my experience young women around my age seem to be increasingly turning to holdups which, while still maybe not enough for the purists, is a Very Good Thing.”

“I’ve read articles about nylon stockings and without doubt the fact they have been a phenomenon (easy for me to say!) over 60 years is proof of the pudding. But it’s fair to say sales will never reach the heights they once did. It could be a fashion cycle issue or it might be a society issue but one thing’s for certain, if any product is not advertised to the widest audiences it won’t sell too well. During the eighties nylons were advertised on British TV, newspapers, bus shelters and those giant bill boards (crikey the number of times I nearly hit a lamppost when driving past the boards!).

I posted back on the 23rd of May, 2001, humbly requesting a “stocking partner”. A woman who shares my extraordinary penchant for a woman’s gartered nylon stocking-clad legs. I was certain that I would receive a reply. To date, I have received none. I then posted on the 29th of May inquiring as to whether this forum was for discussion only or, might one utilise such a “stocking resource” in search of a female stocking partner. Again, no response.

I answered a plea for a man who could appreciate a woman’s gartered nylon stocking-clad legs as her boyfriend (of one year), failed to appreciate them despite the fact that she immensely enjoys wearing stockings. But again I received no reply.

I am again extending my humble invitation to a woman (or women), so inclined to please contact me so that we might mutually ecstatically enjoy your gartered nylon stocking-clad legs.

– Ladies should be wanted for more than just the stockings they wear, they are people also.

– I must agree. I think you are trying to put the cart before the horse to coin a cliche. First find a woman you thoroughly enjoy who thoroughly enjoys you. This should ideally be done through friends or mutual acquaintances. Try your church or some other social environment. Stay away from bars, the Internet and dating services. Find someone geographically close to you. Time and distance can kill a relationship. And stop leading with your bottom line (stockings). You are setting yourself up as a mark for a con person.

After you’ve met the next significant other then, gradually introduce your fetish. Start with small gifts. At first it should be a book (not about stockings) or some other small (non-sexual) memento. Then, after a few months, if things are getting more intimate, you may wish to buy really nice stockings and a garterbelt set from a first class purveyor. But, don’t do this before you have had intimate relations with her. Otherwise, she may consider you to be forward or assuming more than you should. Do more listening than talking and you will know when the time is right.

She may have a few fetishes of her own. And, you may find some of hers as unappealing as she may find some of yours. If she had read you her laundry list of kink before you had even begun dating her you may have been frightened off. But, once you have established a foundation of trust and love these other things can be added, or not. By then it may not matter to either of you.

But if it does matter to you, if you cannot be happy unless your significant other wears stockings either daily, or while making love, or both, you, sir, may have a decision to make. Take her as she is or start all over again with someone else and, in either case, hope for the best. If you decide to leave, be a man and tell her why. Make sure she understands its not her “fault”. Its just the way it is for you.

And, one other thing, leave your first wife and any conversation, pictures and references totally out of your next relationship. Only speak of her when asked. No one wants to think they are being compared to, or are simply a replacement for, another person.

– I knew this forum had some redeeming qualities… somewhere… somehow… Thank you so very much. Your points are well taken. As I have previously mentioned in this forum… one’s fetish can become obsessive. Especially when one has been graced with its being addressed so well for so many years. I had 12 years of ecstasy my late wife. I had five years of stocking-clad love-making with my girlfriend prior to that. In both instances, I determined, at the inception of the relationships, whether they preferred stockings or pantyhose. It would appear that my prior methods should be altered. I will endeavour to do so. Thank you all again very, very much. I trust you all understand. My intention is/has not been to offend. To anyone I have done so… I apologise.

But if one were ever to decide to exercise such forthrightness with one’s predilection to such a fetish preference, is there a more appropriate venue than a stockings forum? Are we not all frequenting this forum in an effort to locate and discuss our stockings fetish with persons who share our proclivity. Many people have expressed various ideas of how to proceed in attempting to find women who enjoy and prefer wearing stockings via this forum. I am included in that number. My regard for your advice is no less heeded but I trust you may appreciate the dilemma I, and others like me, share.

– Your situation is not unique in one respect. A good number of the men who post here would like nothing better than to find the kind of wonderful woman you shared your life and love with for 12 years. I have seen her picture at a site you had directed us to earlier. She was quite beautiful and you have my deepest sympathy for your loss.

Because some men can only dream of such a partner they cannot feel the loss of her half as keenly as you do. I can hear this sense of loss and loneliness in your posts. So can women who, as a gender, tend to be much more sensitive to such things than we fellows. For so long as some women can still hear your longing for your late wife they will not feel comfortable being with you.

Try thinking of it the other way round. If you had passed first you may have hoped that your widow could once again find happiness. You would not want her to grieve too long. You would want her to find happiness with another man secure in the knowledge that you could never be replaced in her heart.

I seem to remember a post from a woman a few months back where she said she would prefer not to date men with a stockings fetish. It was very revealing. I think many of the women who post here feel as she does.

Having a proclivity for something may not mean you want it to be the foundation of your relationships. I think this is especially true of the ladies here. They may love stockings every bit as much as we do but sex for women is different than sex for men. It’s in the wiring I think. For men sex is a physical feast. Stockings are the flame in the flambe, the cherry on top of the sundae, the spice in the entree. For women it seems that sex is a gift they choose to bestow on those whom they invite to have it. It is the aperitif not the appetiser. We are generally too anxious. They are generally more reserved. For many men sex is the sooner the better. For many women sex seems to be when all else is right first. But, women know men equate stockings with sex. To try to begin a relationship with a woman by being a “stockings partner” is, for many of them, too start to know them on too intimate a basis too soon. It took me almost eight months to use the “s” word (stockings) with my bride of 30 years. I met her through a mutual friend.

I sincerely hope you find that little doll to play with again. She is out there. But, I’d be quite surprised if you found her on the Internet. She may be just down the street.

– I think the sad truth of the matter is that there are not enough stocking clad lovelies to go around.

However, all is not lost as there frequent stories here posted by men who have successfully persuaded their girlfriends and wives to swap over to stockings. (I’m sure if you did a post about this subject there would be lots of encouraging, and interesting, replies).

I think your best course of action would be to find a lady you’re attracted to, then work on the finer details!

– First, allow me to thank you for sharing your thoughtful, sincere and, I might add, colourful, sentiments concerning my plight. I suspect we would find engaging in a conversation on this and perhaps, many other topics most interesting. I find your ideas and thoughts quite sagacious and provocative to say the least.

You are correct in your assessment of my relationship with me late wife. I am quite honest however, when I divulge the point in our relationship when the subject of her wearing stockings actually occurred. Unlike you and your bride, I was not left to wait eight months before the subject was addressed. It was eight minutes into our initial conversation. And while her wearing stockings was not the basis of our relationship, I believe you can appreciate the importance of that aspect of our relationship being a stockings admirer yourself. It is very important to us is it not?

Fortunately, she understood and as she was already predisposed to wearing them, it was not an issue. We immensely enjoyed that aspect of our relationship as well as many, many other aspects. Thus, we shared a very special and unconditionally loving 12 years together.

You might agree, by the way, that we fetishistic individuals are at a disadvantage compared to our more conventionally inclined male counterparts. Most men, tactile and visual as we are, prefer that part of a woman’s anatomy that is readily visible and accessible… the breasts. A man with such a preference has little difficulty determining whether he is interested in a woman based upon that part of her anatomy. He identifies the size and shape and determines whether he is interested. For “leg men”, it is not quite as facile. These days, women are more inclined to wear trousers, jeans, sweats, etc. The legs are unrevealed. We must wait, or guess, as to whether the woman has full, shapely legs or not. The issue of accentuating their beauty with stockings poses even greater future difficulties. Indeed, ours (leg men), is not an easy preference to satisfy.

I am inclined to agree with the current assessment that there “are not enough stocking clad lovelies to go around”. Yes, I had what many people aspire to have. A relationship with my true “soul-mate” for the years with which I was blessed. It is those many years that renders my situation at this time, so very difficult to negotiate. As I mentioned, to have experienced my fortune for so long and to currently be without is very difficult. The love aspect is one thing… the fetish aspect is quite another.

I do not expect to ever find another woman to love, be in-love with, to cherish, to truly and unconditionally be my friend and with whom I would be a friend. I am endeavouring to satisfy my stocking-clad leg fetish via this forum as well as other avenues.