Stockings VIII

s this is the first time in four years since I’ve posted..
[Ed: You posted in February!]
No I didn’t, that was you! You found the story and all I did was give you the go ahead to post it. Go and put the kettle on. This is going to be at least a two pots of tea post. That is if I can get it up and running.
[Ed: Your problem is it takes ages to get moving and then you ramble on and on and it ends up, by the look of the title, as an eight part trilogy!]
Stop complaining! And where’s me tea!?
[Ed: Which mug would Madam like?]
You know very well..
As said it’s been sometime. This is mainly due to nothing really happening on the Abi front apart from the usual rare opportunities to dress. Added to that in the last two years, due to MrsA having her weekly painting and theatre 'out of house classes' cancelled because of lockdowns, my very rare dressing 'in house classes’ were also cancelled.

As Ed: observed correctly, yes, again a post about stockings. But this time, more about my experiences with attempting to keep them up.

[Ed: As Madam is a Brit, Madam will be using the term suspenders and suspender belt for garters and garter belt. Also in general the term tights will be used to cover pantyhose, sheer hosiery and of course tights.
I won’t mention that Madam is also an Essex girl as it is irrelevant to this post.]
Shu'up!
That’s bang out of order!
Struth..

Please note dear reader that, to Ed’s: and everyone else’s relief, this will be the conclusion of my stockings saga.
[Ed: Believe it when I don’t see it!]
Going by the last few years I don’t see it either, as there isn't anything new in my daily routine legs wise. Even if, through either accident or design, I come fully out to MrsA I don’t think my limited ‘exposure’ in the cellar, even in my white stilettos, will change. Knowing about Abigale and seeing her around the house are two different things.

If any of you have followed my previous stocking posts, I mentioned that my phlebologist gave me my first pair of compression stockings. It didn’t occur to me at the time to try other colours. Their colour was not relevant as I was quite frankly just trying to get use to wearing stockings and not considering what colour they were.
But when I was at work I thought it would be a good idea to go for black as they would look just like black socks when my trousers would inadvertently slide up when sitting down. When I was ordering them I realised there were other colours available.
[Ed: See the story in Stockings V]

After that I started to work my way through all the colours in the chart except for the last two, Magenta Rose and Palm Green. Apart from the cost, they are far more expensive than the others, I think the colours are more suited for a number of generations younger than me..

As the rest of this post is about my experience with suspender belts and could be somewhat boring, I thought I would add a few pictures of my legs in some of the colours from the above Jobst chart..
[Ed: Please note that this post is in no way sponsored from Jobst.]
Was that necessary?
[Ed: No idea, you tell me.]
As you’ve heard all this before go and select a few leg pictures to scatter about below.
[Ed: That will take time as there are 7,625 pictures from the last 6 years to go through, most of which are just badly shot. Also as the pictures were not all taken in daylight but in the catacombs of the cellar, the colours will not always match the chart.]
Oh! Ok then do your best.
But first lets have another pot of tea..

[Ed: What’s all this flogging this stocking lark to death anyway. Haven’t you anything else to go on about?]
Well yes I have a post in the making which, as far as I can remember, doesn’t mention directly stockings or suspenders. Well at least there are no pictures of them.

Ok let's get on. I’ll back track a bit so as to get up to speed.

Caramel

The reason for ‘all this stocking lark’ as Ed: puts it, is because I have to wear compression stockings to help my veins do what they should do. Unfortunately this 'should do' has been going downhill since about 16 years. The valves at the top of the legs have slowly given up and on top of that the other valves started to follow suit so I also developed varicose veins.
And as this wasn't boring enough I found out last summer that I have severe lumbar spinal stenosis (L4/L5/S2) which mixes in nicely with my CVI.

Over the years my surface leg veins have complained but thankfully my deep veins have stayed healthy and would take the brunt of the blood circulation in my legs when I eventually got round to having the varicose veins stripped.
Well, all things were going smoothly.."
[Ed: They do look smooth don't they. Must be all that elastane in them.]
Yes, 47% Polyether-polyurea copolymer but it's also because I shave me legs..
[Ed: My remark was about the stockings!]
So was mine..
As I was saying, all was going well until Spring19 when my veins really started to complain with bouts of thrombosis that had to be treated over a year with blood thinners. I won’t go on about the OP only to say the thrombosis problematic is still there but not so drastic as before the OP.

My suspenders timeline started at the end of 2015 when I ordered my first suspender belt from Rago (see left) which was recommended from one of my readers. Well it was the second one as the Welsh Post decided to keep the first one. (See the full story Stockings VI).
I know it's some time since that post but if any of you recall the suspenders had arrived but I kept them out of sight of MrsA. I finally go around to informing her that the first pair was lost and that I had ordered a new pair from another company (Sockingshq) which could send them directly to Germany.

Natural

After they arrived I wanted to wear them a few times before officially informing MrsA that they had arrived. I'm not sure why all the secrecy. I should have seen them as a medical 'support' to keep up my compression stockings and that's all.
I think my problem was, and still is, that fastening stockings to suspenders has always been for me an act of pure femininity. My adventuring into this realm was up to now, apart from my Airings here, a private matter. And now I was doing this ‘act’ on a daily bases in broad daylight even if they were only medical stockings.

In my mind it was all somewhat embarrassing, especially if MrsA would catch me infraganti bending over doing up the straps or unclipping them. Well one morning she eventually caught me in the act.

The caught in the act was interesting; it showed that MrsA hadn’t worn stockings in a very long time. As I was fastening my suspenders to my stockings MrsA came out of the bathroom, she looked at me and remarked “the straps go over the underpants!”
I stopped and looked up.
I was a little taken back that she hadn’t come out with the ‘what are you doing!?’ phase. Thinking about it, it was obvious what I was doing and so I suspect she skipped it and went straight to the logistics.

Bronze

”No” I said, “under not over” and carried on pulling the straps down, through and under my underpants and fastening them. I explained the difference between adverts and practicability and of course she agreed.
With all this she didn’t give me the impression that she had a problem with it all and I realized this cloak and dagger farce was rather stupid. I told myself that I would be putting on stockings and suspenders for the rest of my life and should deal with it!

I could of course glue up my stockings all the time, but apart from the keep up functionality, I wear a suspender belt because I like to wear them!
Also a suspender belt, even with wear and tear, is in the long run cheaper than glue. They range from about 28-40€ depending on the number of straps and what I call, the frilliness factor. The Rago which are rather plain but with more material cost about 50€. A 60ml bottle of ‘adhesion lotion’ costs about 18-22€ and lasts about 30 applications (roughly 1 ml/leg).
Both have pros and cons. Gluing is not so fiddly and is quick as long as one remembers not to bend down too much before they dry otherwise you can start over. Also as it’s a sticky procedure it needs to be washed off every evening. I tend to glue when going out of the house and, just in case, carry a bottle around with me..
[Ed: Why not carry an emergency suspender belt in the coat pocket?]

Anthracite

Oh that would be fun. I go to take out a handkerchief and don’t realise until the last moment I had pulled out instead a pair of my cute silky suspenders!
On me Tod, no problem, but in company there would be some explaining to do. Especially after the first question ‘Are they yours!?’
No, I’ll rather stick to the bottle … no that doesn’t sound right … anyway you know what I mean..


Fastening suspenders can be time consuming, especially with contortions and my arthritic fingers. As I have mentioned before the straps don’t always hold, it depends on the strap tension. That’s why I strap mainly when I’m at home. When one gets free there are at least two others per leg as backup.
[Ed: Why not go for tights, would stop all this gluing and spontaneous strap uncoupling?]
I have thought about it and have decided to add a pair to my next buy. As you can see from the chart they have a slightly different colour range to their stockings. What also makes them interesting is there are two colours with a pattern, but I can just imagine the look on MrsA's face when I would come down the stairs in them..(sigh).
Tights have a different logistic than with stockings, a combined effort so to speak. You have to work alternately on both legs at the same time. With normal tights a little more complicated than stockings. But with compression level 2 (18–24 mmHg), I suspect it will not be an easy task getting them on. Compression stockings are bad enough.
[Ed: Whatever colour you choose for the tights you should have matching panties.]
Never thought about that..
Ok, as it’s you, I must have.
But its good that you brought it up..
[Ed: Why?]
New Post..
[Ed: Me and my big mouth!]

Well that was my experience with my first proper suspenders..

Silver-Grey

[Ed: Sorry, they were not your first..]
We are being fastidious today aren’t we?
Yes, there was another pair, but they were made for me by MrsA. Hence my reference to the Rago garters as ‘proper’.
[Ed: As this post will be more about suspenders than what the title suggests.
I think you can further elaborate on those first suspenders that were briefly mentioned in Stockings VI and in My first heels.]
Really?
That was sometime ago and all pretty hazy.
But if you think it fits here then let’s have another go at it.

It was the beginning of the 80’s and we had bought a VHS cassette of the film Rocky Horror Picture Show. We have always been fans of the show. The music and the story are quite brilliant and what made it unforgettable for me was seeing all those black high heels waving and walked about on.

[Ed: Not only the heels..]
Yes, the rest of their attire was also nice, but it was mainly the heels..

MrsA mentioned it would be nice to dress up for our private viewing at the weekend, as with the ardent fans at the cinema.
I was slightly taken back with this. I certainly would not have made the suggestion, well not out loud.
MrsA checked her wardrobe for appropriate accessories. The result was that we had to go shopping for a roll of black elastic band and black lace to make suspender belts and also a trip to the local drug store to buy black stockings.
I knew where to look as they are a part of the display with socks. Of course when I just so happen to past the display I am looking for socks and not eyeing the patterned tights and shiny stockings. Unfortunately we didn't find any with seams.
On returning home MrsA measured me up for my suspenders. While she spent the afternoon sowing I went through her multi-coloured collection of nail varnishes for a later painting session.
I was again surprised when it was suggested that I should wear my black patent leather heels.
[Ed: Although Madam keeps going on about her heel collection, these heels and a second pair are the only ones that are officially known to Madams misses as she bought them for Madam.]

So we got dressed and added a little mascara and lipstick. This was followed up by painting each other’s nails. On reflection doing each other's nails is something girls would do together. I’m not sure after so long if I showed my enjoyment in this one off bit of fun, or I tried to play it down so as not to give the impression that I was eager to do this more often.
MrsA decided she wanted a different colour per nail. I would have liked to have used only the colour matching the lipstick, but was just glad we were varnishing at all!
I must admit I was a little high with officially walking around our flat with makeup, coloured nails, suspenders, stockings and my matching black heels.
To date, a one-time experience.
As the film ran I think I was more occupied with my inner girl feelings and my appearance than taking in the film. As it was late when the film finished we left the varnish on until the next morning. We didn’t want the leftover smell of nail varnish remover on our hands throughout the night.
That was a weird feeling waking up to polished nails, similar to a nail weekend while MrsA was away (see Nails I). I would have liked to have kept them shiny until evening but I couldn’t push my luck after MrsA started to remove her own.

Espresso

The feelings on the previous evening were complex and similar to now whenever I get the chance to dress. It’s a mixture of joy, nervosity, but not only of the getting caught kind, also sadness, homecoming, and a longing which I can’t really pin down. All this accompanied with a state of detachment as if I am an observer to what I am doing.

Although dressing sessions are strenuous/tiring with trying to get in and out of garments while taking a glimpse at the clock every five minutes, afterwards I’m again happy and somewhat content to have had the chance to recharge my girl batteries.
[Ed: Excuse me, but can we carry on. The focus at the moment is suspenders.]
Yes of course. May I remind you that you started me off on that tangent..

So now to the Rago suspenders and their performance. I bought this model because they had XL plus sizes. After measuring my waist I followed the size chart and ordered. I was thinking of ordering black but thought better of it. I didn’t want MrsA asking why black when all my underwear was exclusively boring in white. When they finally arrived the fit was good but as soon as they were put under stress they lost the battle to the pull of the stockings.
As I would need at least a second pair, I thought I better order the second one in a size smaller to see how they would cope. Unfortunately it was not that much better. It was ok when sitting but when walking around they would slowly fall down in sync with the stockings. If I had hips it may have worked. After a few weeks of having to go frequently to the restroom at work to rectify the situation, I officially vented my frustration to MrsA of the situation and mentioned that I would try my hand, sorry legs, with other suspenders.

I started to look at the other suspender belts on the Sockingshq site. They looked sexy as they should, but if they were more robust than the Rago I could not tell. This of course didn’t stop me ordering four; three in white and as wildcard one in black.
[Ed: Come off it! You had a good idea they would be useless for your heavy duty stockings didn’t you?]
Well yes you're right,
how could you be anything else...
I just fell for the lace and the little bows at the top of the straps. When they arrived I kept them under wraps until I had tried them on. I wanted to report a success at least with one of them before letting MrsA see them.

For my purchase I even got a gift of a pair of one size black stockings. Of course I tried them on when I got the chance with the black suspenders.
They laddered almost immediately..
[Ed: Madam's nails again!]
No! That's behind me now! As you very well know
I now wear silk gloves when I put on proper stockings.
Maybe they would have lasted a night out, that is if I ever went out..
[Ed: By the look of the gloves, maybe the Opera?]
Nice one.. But they need to be a black pair, to go with my LBD and heels.

Well after trying the different models funny enough the winner, if we can call it that, was the one in black! I let MrsA see the collection and the black stockings (pre-laddering). She was somewhat amused with it all and as I had hoped positive that I had found something at last to keep up the stockings. Actually they all worked better than the Rago which may have something to do with size, as I could only get them in a normal XL.
They were much tighter, but the material was silkier, and I have to say it, sexier than the Rago. But that’s the price you have to pay to keep ones stockings up!
It’s a shame that most suspender belts are either black or white. I did find one model that was coloured, but not unfortunately available in my size. Would liked to have tried to match them to my stockings.

Well wearing them became routine and they became a part of our normal wash program. Here they are air drying in the bathroom (Rago on the right end).
[Ed: Not really. Madam just hung them all up in a row to take the picture.]
Hey!
As the suspenders sort of worked but not that well, I found myself sticking more and more. This was mainly to dampen the frustration of the repetitive uncoupling. The uncoupling is sometimes due to a lack of tension on the straps (e.g. at the front when sitting down) and/or a clip-ability difficulty due to the thickness of the stocking tops.

I have now in my collection four different variations in stockings not including colour. I have two different lengths: Petite (halfway up the thigh) and Normal (high thigh) and two variations of stocking tops: Sensitive (on the right) and French bijou (below). When I started out having to buy them I kept to the first pair I was given from my phlebotomist which was Ultra Sheer from Jobst in Petite and Sensitive. I don’t think she picked out this model just for me but it was probably due to only having this model in my size (Stockings I)

Later when I was branching out into different colours I inadvertently ordered Normal length instead of Petite. I found they went right up my thighs and looked better when glued, especially when I had on a short dress. After collecting enough Dutch courage I went for French Bijou. Wasn’t sure how MrsA would react to them until I could report that with the wider top they stuck better. Again my worries were unwarranted.

Navy Blue

As the suspenders were having a hard time keeping my stockings up, I thought more drastic measures were called for. As I have some experience with shape wear, especially corsets, I considered getting a girdle to hold up my stockings..
[Ed: Not just for your stockings.]
No of course not. I needed also something to keep my tummy in.
With a girdle it was unlikely that the stockings would win the tugging battle. I looked at the Sockingshq site and found a nice patterned one I liked, again from Rago and without really thinking it through I ordered it (see picture below).
After the little thrill I get when buying for Abi, I started to have reservations about getting it and wearing it ‘in the open’. I wasn’t really sure how MrsA would react to this further development in the stay-up battle. And on top of that I didn’t really have this time around a plausible reason for having one.
Ok later, if my stenosis gets worse, some form of support for my lower back in combination with holding up my stockings could justify wearing a girdle, but not at the present time.

So when it arrived I just packed it away with my Stash. I of course at the next opportunity tried it on. I must say I was mildly surprised how well it held me in without the feeling of being restricted in movement or when sitting down. Of course there was a feeling of constant restriction but a pleasant one letting you know what one was wearing.

Somehow when ordering I let Abi take over and it was only when I had it on that it dawned on me that with my thigh high stockings in no way could they be fastened to the straps on the girdle, as they went up and under the bottom of it!

Cranberry

Then I had an idea and exchanged my high thighs for a pair of my petite stockings and they were just the right height for the girdle’s straps. I spend some time in the combination while trying on some of my dresses. I was pleased that now my tummy was now not as prominent and also the straps held with all the undressing and dressing.

What also hit me was that I realised that the girdle is of course appropriate under dresses or skirts but not under trousers or shorts, unless that is, they are very baggy! I think I just got carried away here. Anyway I have now added another item to my shape-ware collection.

I order my compression stockings here in Germany and by my last order I just happened to find on offer a ‘stocking holder’ as they call them. It looked rather primitive and nowhere near as pretty as my others, but as it is made for use with my type of stockings I thought I would give it a try. The waist band is adjustable using Velcro as fastener and the clips looked a bit sturdier than the others I have.
In use the band stays up and the stockings are easier to fasten but the clips are no real improvement on my other suspenders. It’s either the stocking clip or the clip used to adjust the length of the strap that loses its grip and initiates an excursion to a secluded place to re-clip.

Well that concludes to date my suspender adventure.

[Ed: Aren’t you going to say something like
'The suspense-r's were killing me to the end'?]
No, but the girdle.
[Ed: Does Madam need any help with the zip?]

Yellow

Would you, it won’t budge.
Ah, thats better!
Ta ever so.

By the way the gallery selection wasn’t bad.
[Ed: Thank you. Any legs wouldn't look
that bad in compression stockings.]
If you say so..
I don’t have any compression stockings in yellow.
[Ed: As if I didn’t know.]

Stockings VI

mentioned in Stockings III, that I was thinking about trying out suspender belts as a way of keeping my compression stocking up. Here the flashback:
.. I talked to MrsA about the results of my search and discussed the possibilities. She was fully décor with my conclusions, shave and stick. She dismissed the garters by passing over then very quickly. I could see she was trying to suppress a smile. But she held it back, well until I had left the room that is. I think if I had mentioned that I wanted to give them a go she would have started laughing but with a quizzical look of why when sticking will do?..

So originally I went for sticking. I have no problem with sticking apart from the stickiness and having to buy a new roll-on every few months. On removing the stockings one has to wash off the tide mark from the residue glue on ones thighs so it doesn't stick ones legs to the next garment one wears, ok one gets into the routine of things but still. 

In part II, I mentioned that I was recommended by Daria the 6-strap suspender belt from RAGO (code 72522 if you want to take a deco). But at the time they didn’t look up to it, for my stockings I thought I would needed a more robust construction. 
As one knows the majority of the suspender belts out there are for, let's say, somewhat flimsy materials. One of the things that got me going again was when I saw a recession on Amazon saying they worked well for compression stockings (it was from a man interesting enough).
[Ed: And what was the other thing that ‘got you going again’?]

We…ll, I really was looking for any excuse to wear suspenders with my stockings every day. Yes I admit it, even if the stockings are to compress and not look chic, even if they will be invisible all the time under trousers instead of a short skirt. I will at least know they are there and be aware of them most the day.
Ok, so I told myself these were good excuses to go for it, one is only old once. What MrsA would say when she would see them I pushed to the back of my mind and would jump that girdle sorry hurdle when I came to it.
I checked out Amazon, the US didn't have them in my size and in Germany I couldn't find them on Prime or anywhere else. But UK Amazon did have them, so they ended up in the basket. In the payment area I was greeted with a message that informed me that the destination address I had selected for this article was not allowed!

Brilliant, now what! 

As I was now fixed on having them, I decided to send them to K; a confederate in Wales so that she could send them on here with the normal post.

I added some books for her and also took the opportunity - as I couldn't find them anywhere else - to order some mint press-on nails which had one pretty patterned nail for each hand and a set of matt black with a gold band. I can always find excuses to order a few ‘little’ things which end up as a lot of little things if I’m not careful.. I was thinking of having the nails sent direct to Germany but although they were only £3 a set they wanted £10 P&P each! One has to be careful with so-called under priced goods, the end price is usually on par with other sellers, but by reclamation one only gets the value of the goods back, not the P&P.

[Ed: More on nails in a nail dedicated post and other adventures with P&P while buying on-line.]
 
This was all a bit round the houses, but I was in no hurry and it would save postage in the long run. The order arrived in Wales in one piece, books extracted rest repacked and given up at the local post office.

It’s now 2 months and still no sign of them, the parcel just disappeared! An official search hasn’t brought any results until now and I don’t expect one either. A real shame as I can't get the nails anywhere near the price I paid, and I really fell for them! 

Dam stupid Welsh post! This is not the first time a parcel didn’t arrive. K sent us a Christmas package once, it turned up 6 months later back in Wales as undeliverable! I don't think it ever left the county let alone the country! I suspect this time that in the lawless Welsh Wild West that the stage coach was held up by bandits armed with loaded leeks (or am I thinking of lupines?) anyway some local farm produce or other. 

Anyway, in the meantime I looked around for another source for the suspenders and finally found an online shop in the UK (stockingshq.com) who would deliver to me here. What clinched it was they let me pay using my Amazon account which saved me flaunting my credit card details in another online shop. Must say they have some interesting garments on store, maybe I’ll look back now and then ... 
They arrived with no problem and I have them a couple of weeks now, at the moment still ‘unofficial’. That is MrsA doesn’t know they have arrived. Well she doesn’t know I ordered them again for that matter! She does know the Welsh post had lost the original package. Of course as the suspender belt was semi ‘official’ not pure Abigale I just happened to mention in passing - as one does when telling your wife you have ordered yourself a pair of 6 strapped suspenders - that I had decided to try out an alternative to sticking with all this stickiness etc.
As I had her attention and was in full swing, I told her I had ordered ‘heavy duty’ suspenders from an US company via Amazon instead of the National Health ones that I talked to her about. I went on about having them sent to K in Wales (leaving out the bit about the press-on nails of course).

[Ed: If the pictures here are anything to go by, I’m glad you didn’t say ‘sexy’!]
 

Yes! I had to hold back in my narrative, not easy! They are not that ‘sexy’, but they aren’t ex-army NATO green war worn either. They are well made, nice material, fit well and well a little.. um .. ok a little sexy ...  I won’t say I was trying to play them down with MrsA as just a practical medical piece of ‘equipment’, as with my compression stockings, but I didn’t want her getting nosy at this stage by asking to see them on-line to get an idea what they would look like. These here are some of the first pictures one will find in the net taken from the web site. Finding these would not help trying to keep it all low key.

 
Well on finishing my 'patter' she didn’t give me that look of ‘what’s he up to’. She accepted it without comment; her attitude was anything that would help to ease coping with my leg problem on a daily basis was above board, classical female connotations or not. Since then she hasn’t mentioned it or asked for a status quo, so she has probably forgotten about it or added it to the low priority list of things to remember. 
The next thing to do, apart from telling you my experience with them, is to think up a story to 'hey look what arrived in the post at work today!' and 'now let’s see if they can cope with my stockings' and so on.. 
I must say this will not be our first joint action with garters and stockings ..
  
[Ed: More in another “windows:” post. If I mention the Rocky Horror Show then you may have an idea of what to expect.]
 
.. but this time I need to get it just right if I’m going ‘official’ with wearing them regularly. I’m not too sure how to go about this. 

I will have to monitor her response very carefully to see how she feels about me wearing them per se. I think knowing about them would be ok, but I have a little angst when she is confronted with seeing me putting them on or removing them. At the moment (pre revealing) and after she knows about them, I will have to watch my timing. I don’t think it’s going to be good idea when she unexpectedly comes in and catches me in ‘action’ similar to the picture left.

[Ed: nice panties! Any chance you wearing something similar to work in future?]
No! umm .. well it will depend on what you place under the Christmas tree.  
[Ed: I asked for that, didn’t I..]
Yep! 

Also I must make sure she doesn’t get the idea I want the suspender belt for other reasons, which I don’t really. I have a few other garters for ‘proper’ stockings that I would rather wear and are a lot easier to fasten. But as said, this could be a step in the direction to being able to wear suspenders on a regular bases... 
[Ed: It’s not as if you can only use them for the compression stockings.]
True, thinking about it, they would go nicely with those white lace top pair I have… 

Which brings me to the preliminary results of my ongoing field test. 

I have had them on for work (not at home) about 8 times to-date, whenever I had the chance not to be interrupted when putting them on. The main problem is although the belt and straps can support my compression stockings, the clips are for normal ‘flimsy’ stockings. The picture right shows the classical type of clip. 
When placing the stocking top over the nipple..  
[Ed: nipple? are you sure that’s the name, because..]
I have no idea what it is called! Nipple will do! Okay?  
[Ed: Ok registered, nipple it is.]
 
I thought this was going to be easy, the first time I tried I went for the usual routine of attachment. I have some experience with putting on stockings, it’s not rocket science and one gets the knack quick enough even with the blind tactile hock up at the back (see bending down picture above). 
But this time I found myself in learning mode all over again. Normally when the stocking top is placed over the nipple there is enough space to put the wider part of the loop over, press down and easily pull up to fasten. With my stockings it’s a major battle of tug and war. The material is just too thick; the stocking top has also 3 rubber bands as they are to function as stay ups, which works only in part in my case, hence the sticking. 

Here in ‘stuck up’ mode are my latest pair of stockings in Anthracite (Jobst, Ultra sheer). I think you can imagine the thickness of the stocking top and see the 3 light bands where the rubber strips are. The shine is typical of the Ultra Sheer model, quite like them. Don’t see why I can’t take the advantages available. 

With trial and error the only way to reduce the thickness while attaching, is to place the nipple under the stocking top pull the nipple and stocking up and away from the leg to stretch and ‘thin’ out the material. 
Not that easy due to the nature of the stocking, their ‘programmed’ to give support and will fight against any ‘over’ stretching manoeuvre one tries, and girl these are tough! So under tension and hovering in the air, one has to get the loop over into position, press hard down keeping tension squeezing the ‘thin’ material and without losing one’s grip, pull the loop up parallel to the leg to fasten.
  
[Ed: Not sure if they understood that, maybe you should make a video..]
  I think we will have to have a serious talk sometime. 
 [Ed: ! I was only try in to help..]
 
To begin with there was a lot of dams and twangs, followed by mini whiplashes that made one jump, followed again with more under the breath dams. Well I now have the knack and with only a few mishaps have all 6 straps fastened in under the minute. 
Okay that was to the first fastening of the day, now to wearing them. 
Unusual is the word I would use. 
Especially when I have to go to the rest room to ‘hook up’ one or two straps that have silently ‘twanged’ while walking around in the office. It’s usually the ones at the front, again to do with tension. While siting they are slack and somehow ease themselves lose, at the back no problem, the sides now and then. The first few days I would go and re-hook whenever I felt a twang, it was nice and quite novel. 
After being asked by some of my staff if I was alright and the mention of incontinence, I left it. Over the day I realised that just one strap would ‘hold the fort’ until I got home, or until had to spend a penny anyway. As I’m sitting here at work and writing this I can feel the straps and clips through the material and the ones at the back as I’m sitting on them, interesting and still, as said, unusual. 

Sometime ago I was talking to a girlfriend in London about this and that and I brought her up-to date about having to wear stockings and that I started to shave my legs etc. basically my stocking saga in twitter format, not mentioning Abi at all, as she is not in the know. At the end of my ‘confession’ she chucked and welcomed me to the ‘world of women’ without realising how close to the mark she was..
  
[Ed: You nearly spilled the beans didn’t you!]
 
Oh yes, that was a close call! We know each other over 40 years, a very close call indeed! Maybe I will tell her one day but not over the phone. Funny but I’m not sure if it would be a surprise to her, the last time we were together we were talking about a mutual friend that had SRS. I brought up the fiasco with the Welsh post and ask her if I could use her as a possible post box for a reorder of the suspender belt. We talked about the pros and cons of garters against pantyhose. Her opinion was to go for pantyhose, with her experience over the years garters where more trouble than they're worth, nice for special occasions but not routine every day. Maybe I will come to the same conclusion if the twanging continues.

[Ed: And so, what next?]

Well for my next buy I still have the navy blue pantyhose in my sights. I have also found from Jobst a patterned pair of stockings (here in Espresso). I really like patterned stockings and I thought this would be an ideal combination, but they have them at the moment only in CCL1 (20-30 mmHg) such a shame, I need CCL2 (30-40 mmHg).

 [Ed: Ok. They may be not the ideal strength, but better than nothing, you could wear them for relief at the weekends.]
 
No! They would have to be stored in my Stash and only come out to go on in an Abi session. If MrsA got wind of these pattered pair, the penny would drop and never stop spinning on impact. Here I would have to be very careful, maybe only for ‘special occasions’ as my girlfriend put it. 

Will let you all know how I get on with making the suspender belt an official member of my underwear entourage. 
[Ed: Ah! suspenders today - bras tomorrow?]
Don’t get carried away, time will tell.. 

So that’s all for now. As the festive season is before the door and I have been going on about stockings and keeping them up, Ed: thought this picture would be appropriate. If this is a hint for a present or not I’m not sure.     
[Ed: Well.. you can take it any way you want.] 
So from Ed: and I, all the best to you and your love ones for the rest of this and the up and coming new year. 
May you have the strength and love to be as one with yourself wherever you are on your journey and at the end of the day to arrive home safe and sound. 

Extra thanks to those of you for getting this far in this post. I know it’s a long haul and I appreciate you taking the time to read and I hope comment.

[Ed: By the way I still think the video was a good idea..]
Will think about it, ok?

Stockings III

o into the last ‘run’. So where to start, well let’s see...
[Ed: How about starting where you left off last time, you know just a suggestion like, nothing complicated.]
Good idea..
[Ed: Also you won’t be finished here; you have rambled on so long we will have to split again, with the rest appearing in part IV.]
Oh! Ok if you say so. Where was I, yes, last time I went back to swollen ankles after burying my first compression stockings, as they were ruined by constantly having to pull them up when they lost their grip.
[Ed: Like you]
What?
[Ed: Grip loss]
?.. No.. I buried them before I lost anything... 
.. Well about 4 months later, I was back at my phlebologist for a check-up and told my sad story of the grip-less stockings. She had sympathy with me, but no constructive advice other than a prescription for a made-to-measure stocking with build in garter belt. I must backtrack a little here to the deceased stockings. I forgot to say that they were open-toed. My phlebologist had asked me, closed or open toe, as she was rummaging around in her cupboard. I was a bit hesitant and said open. I think in my mind I reasoned that open gave more freedom for the toes and let the air circulate better - nothing more. I saw no connotations in her asking or in my choice for that matter. 
It was only when I went on the search for pictures for this post, that I came across this picture and a light went on. I searched in the net for open-toed compression stockings and found the following text on a website and the light shone brighter.
..Are you looking for top quality compression hosiery that is versatile enough to be worn with your favourite open-toed shoes? If you want to show off your newly pedicured toes in your favorite strappy shoes, our womens open toe compression stockings prove that you do not have to compromise comfort for style...

I don’t suspect my phlebologist though anything about it when I picked open, and as I didn’t at the time paint my toes (yes I do now, you will have to wait for the twilight post on nails), it never occurred to me there was a reason for open-toed compression stockings other than those I thought of when choosing.

Another thing, although I wore compression stockings on both legs only one leg was a real problem, but as I had the feeling the other was going on the blink and as there was two in the box, I thought it would be a good idea, prophylactic like, to stocking up the other as well.  I was therefore only handed a prescription for a build in garter belt stocking for the one leg. So with my prescription tucked into my handbag..
[Ed: What!]
Sorry wrong film. 
So with my prescription tucked into my ‘pocket’, I was off to the local hosiery shop for a fitting... 

I’m not sure why, but I have, since my mother started to drag me (literally) around department stores up to the time when MrsA would do the same (ok not literally, but under mind control), whenever we entered the hosiery/lingerie or cosmetics departments I went all quiet and tried inwardly to distance myself from what was going on around me, disappearing with any feeble excuse whenever I could. 
With my mother, I just went red in the face and made a right nuisance of myself until I was promised that we would visit the toy department before leaving if I kept quiet for now.
As a kid in the confinements of our home, I routinely raided my mother’s wardrobe and helped myself to her makeup (see Windows posts). However, out in the open a very different scenario. I had to make sure I didn’t give anything away. It got to the point that the only way to cope was a sensory shut down - less said and bored look the better. I don’t think I grew up and created this as a tactical manoeuvre when out with my mother, it just appeared, brought on I think by an extreme level of embarrassment that just numbed me.

In my teens, shopping solo, if I have to pass through such a dept. to get elsewhere (no, not to the toy dept., usually high-tech, music etc.), then I would look straight ahead, avoid eye contact and make a beeline for the exit, even holding my breath if I thought it would help. 

For example, passing through cosmetic departments I had a paranoia panic that if a bored cosmetician would shout out “Hey boy! you have a cute face, how about a free makeover!” I’m quite sure I would have spontaneously said “yes please!” and promptly fainted. Then on recovering, as well as leaving with a shopping bag full of free samples and smelling like a perfume factory, I would have a bill for all the products which would be arranged with perfection on and around my face.

With this vision in mind any form of detection, confrontation was absolutely undesirable.

This is only speculative but if I had been brought up as a girl, I think I would have jumped at the chance to handle the lingerie hanging around in the endless racks, with the classic question “Mum, when can I have a bra like this?”, or at the cosmetic counter “Please buy me a pink lipstick, just this once, you only have red ones, please!”. I will never know. I am now trying to 'makeup' for lost time, but of course it’s not the same. 

About 25 years ago I was friends with one of the secretaries at work (only friends), she was quite lovely and her makeup was always perfect. One day after work I invited her out for a meal, afterwards we went back to her place for a coffee (only a coffee I might add). She had a room that looked like a cosmetic studio with a reclining chair, lights, the works. We started chatting about her hobby and I remarked that this explained why she looked like she had a professional makeover before coming to work every day. She was flatted by this, with a smile she asked if I might like to see how she would do my face. I was a little taken back and I’m still not sure if she meant it in enhancing my face as a boy in some way or making me look like a girl. I’m still kicking myself to this day for not accepting and finding out what she intended to do to me. 

In the last year, when I’m out with MrsA and we end up in the cosmetics dept. I interact with her as well as I can with the knowledge I have gathered from YouTube videos and make suggestions where appropriate, but also I’m critical if I don’t like something on her. I am at the same time in my head having a running commentary with myself about what I would like to wear. I haven’t todate checked out sample lipsticks on my own hand, although when I think about it she has used my hand sometimes when she has smeared hers full. 
I think the earlier panic / embarrassment attacks where due to not really knowing I had deep down in me a girl side. Now after ‘personalising’ her with a name, I now realise how important Abigale is to me and having her react with the world. Ok, it brings a lot of frustration with not being able to dress when I want, maybe I would become more Abigale if she was let lose more often, but that’s the way it is at the moment. 
I don’t have to keep that much of a wary eye on her any more as I understand myself better. Although there has been some near misses and tight situations, like being asked in a shoe shop if I would like to try on some heels, and then having to weigh up pretty quickly what to say without giving the game away! (see ‘Heels for health’)

[Ed: I think that’s enough flashback.]

Ok. Now where was I, yes, prescription, fitting for a stocking..

.. So I entered the small hosiery shop around the corner from work, my prescription tight in my mitt and with that ‘I should be somewhere else’ feeling in my stomach. The shop had hosiery but also corsets and other foundation garments I couldn’t put a name to. There was a customer just paying, the shop assistance and the woman were chatting like friends and so I suspect they were. They didn’t notice me at first, but when they did the chatter abruptly stopped and the women went to leave. I smiled and held the door open for her, she thanked me returned the smile and added a nod. I was just about to follow her when I remembered why I was there in the first place. 
So it was about turn and with the prescription held out at arm’s length quickly advanced on the assistant to get this all over with. If I hadn’t smiled and said ‘hello’ she would probably have disappeared backwards into the dark recesses of the shop and out the back door. But she was brave and held her ground, took the prescription scrutinised it, grabbed her tape measure and beckoned me behind a curtain and asked me to drop my trousers.
As I was loosening my belt, I had the long drummed into me thought.
Did I have clean underwear on?
[Ed: and if yes, did I have underpants or panties on?]
No, I didn’t think that! You know well enough I hadn’t any at that time, today is different but then strictly drab boy underwear. 

She started to take measurements, jot them down, then back to the tape measure, it took ages. I had the feeling she had more scribbled details about my leg on her notepad than I would get with a CT or MRI scan. Then it was up to my hip and waist for the last measurements, we made out a fitting date and then I was released and free! 

The experience was uncanny in some way. It’s not as if I’m not use to having my measurements taken done there. My father carted me off to Savile Row for a fitting because of an evening at the Savoy. He wanted me, as he put it, dressed ‘proper’ at least once in my life. I had no problem when I felt a pair of hands in an unusual place and was asked ‘left’ or ‘right’ and before I understood what he was going on about, the assistant had decided for me! And you know what, he was right with left! As said no problem.

But here with the fitting, I felt slightly embarrassed. It was only a surgical garment, nothing more nothing less. But a stocking is still a stocking, compression or not, and with years of conditioning in wanting to wear stockings because it was sexy, feminine and I felt good in them and at the same time it being forbidden, a taboo and just ‘not done’, I was and still am in conflict with the situation surrounding them. 

TED: thromboembolism-deterrent

At the appointed time I went back tried it on and it fitted. There was a problem with having to first put both legs in the belt (one piece no join) then trying to get the stocking onto the leg without compromising the belt in some way, then pulling up the stocking and the belt at the same time. This was not easy and in no way elegant. The belt part sat ‘okay’ but the test would be how it went the rest of the day. 
Well sitting around was no problem, but too much walking (coffee machine and back) things started to slip. Not the belt, this was a little tight and with not being that thin in the waist area would only budge when I wanted it to. But the stocking had other plans; it started to sag down to the knee. The 15 cm wide strip of material woven in between the belt material and stocking was just too weak to counteract the stocking doing its own thing. It was stretching like a rubber band. The whole contraption was a farce. I went back and complained, was measured again and got a Mark II to try on a week later. Ok it was better, but lasted only a couple of hand washes until it died from the same weakness as Mark I.

So I was stocking-less again.
This wasn’t getting me anywhere. I started to surf for others in my situation. That is 'male', hairy legs, desperate to keep stockings up.

[Ed: it’s a wonder you didn’t put a contact add in certain magazines. With that description the replies and offers of help would have flooded in!]

Yes it would have been interesting. But I was just looking in forums to see what the census was to my problem. Between the numerous threads from males with a, shall we put it, affinity to pantyhose and Co., I eventually found a thread on compression stockings and hairy male legs. Of course I ‘knew’ deep down what I could do about the slippery stockings, but at the time I just couldn’t think about it without the “girly” aspect of it rearing up. On reading the posts I came to the conclusion that I had little choice in the matter. 
There was: 

• sticking them on, 
• the wearing of heavy duty garter belts with 4-6 straps,
• the shaving of the legs and 
• a few others that reminded me of the stapler on my office desk. 

Well if that’s going to be the content of my stocking bucket list then I should weigh them up and decide what to try first. 
I started with the ‘sticking them on’. Most of the companies that supply stockings also sold their own wash solutions and roll on water soluble glue. Gluing sounded okay, no girly inferences at all. Good! that’s it then. But I got to thinking, one of the reasons, if not the main reason, was the grip on my hairy legs, sticking would only partly work as they would be sticking to hairs as well as skin. Hairs that would slowly be pulled out by their roots. Ouch!
Ok, next on the list. The idea of garters and straps, heavy duty or not, made me come over all funny, too girly for my boy mode, wouldn’t be answerable for myself. But I still looked round in the Net to see what was available.
Daria commented in part II and send a link to Rago shapewear, I checked it out and found this (see left). There was another link in Goggle with the same article code and I ended up with this (see right). By the look of the stockings the garter belt is not in the heavy duty category, still a nice combi with the bra.
With a further search I found four companies that had garter belts that are supposed to stand up to being pulled down. One was from the NHS in the UK, it was too ugly by half and in a sort of NATO like green! Maybe it was for the National Health personnel when on military manoeuvres, no idea. 
Here are two (Jobst on the left and Therafirm right) that look like they could cope with the strain. The Jobst looks like something I could get used to as an alternative to sticking. It could be a little tight and looks like its formed for female hips. By the look of it I doubt if there is a chance of it slipping. The problem is I can’t find any store here in Europe that sells garter belts of this type, only in the States. 
One thing I’ve noticed, in all the pictures displaying garters here or in the Net they are worn over panties. It looks better that way, but is totally impractical when one has to visit the rest room. Of course I’m talking here from practical experience not just 'in theory'. 

It looks like I need a break after mentioning the rest room. 
So I’ll finish this next time, promise.
[Ed: You said that last time if I remember.]
I know, didn’t think I would need so much space.
[Ed: Too many diversions getting in the way. And what are you going to go on about next time?]
I’ll go on about, as you put it, support pantyhose, rubber gloves and the fun I had when buying my next pair of stockings. Also the next point on my check list is shaving and in this vain I'll end with this card.