Editing Hosiery

{{short description|Legwear for the feet and legs}}
{{Redirect|Hosier|the surname|Hosier (surname)|garden hose|Hose}}
[[File:Stocking factory2.jpg|right|200px|thumb|This 1886 advertisement for a hosiery factory demonstrates both handmade construction and factory production with nineteenth-century technology.]]
'''Hosiery''', ({{IPA-cen|UK|ˈ|h|oʊ|z|i|ər|i}}, {{IPA-cen|US|-|ʒ|ər|i}})<ref>{{cite LPD|3}}</ref><ref>{{cite EPD|18}}</ref> also referred to as '''legwear''', describes [[garments]] worn directly on the [[foot|feet]] and [[human leg|leg]]s. The term originated as the collective term for products of which a maker or seller is termed a '''hosier'''; and those products are also known generically as '''hose'''. The term is also used for all types of knitted fabric, and its thickness and weight is defined by [[Units of textile measurement#Denier|denier]] or opacity.  Lower denier measurements of 5 to 15 describe a hose which may be sheer in appearance, whereas styles of 40 and above are dense, with little to no light able to come through on 100 denier items.

== Etymology ==
The word hosiery is a [[morphological derivation]] of the Anglo Saxon word <nowiki>''hosa''</nowiki>, which meant a woven garment for the lower body and legs.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Corbman |first=Bernard P. |url=http://archive.org/details/textilesfibertof0006corb |title=Textiles : fiber to fabric |date=1983 |publisher=New York : Gregg Division, McGraw-Hill |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-0-07-013137-8 |pages=497 |url-access=registration}}</ref>

==Overview==
The first references to hosiery can be found in the works of [[Hesiod]], where Romans are said to have used leather or cloth in forms of strips to cover their lower body parts. Even the [[Egyptians]] are speculated to have used hosiery, as [[socks]] have been found in certain tombs.
[[File:Particolare di calza di nylon.jpg|right|thumb|Close-up photograph of knitted nylon hosiery]]

Most hosiery garments are made by [[knitting]] methods. Modern hosiery is usually tight-fitting by virtue of stretchy fabrics and meshes. Older forms include binding to achieve a tight fit. Due to its close fit, most hosiery can be worn as an undergarment, but it is more commonly worn as a combined under/outer garment.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.google.com/search?q=define%3A%20Hosiery |title=Definitions from Google| archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924170149/http://www.google.com/search?q=define%3A%20Hosiery |archivedate=2015-09-24 }} do not necessarily limit hosiery to undergarments. For the purposes of this category, it can include under and outer garments;e.g., leggings and legwarmers.</ref>

Hosiery garments are the product of hosiery fabric produced from hosiery yarn. Like the yarn used for making woven fabric, hosiery yarn comes from a separate spinning (yarn making) process, and is used with circular knitting machines to form fabric. One or more hosiery yarn is used to make knitted or hosiery fabric, and garments produced out of this are generally referred to as hosiery garments.

== Types ==
[[Image:RollerDerbyFishnetStockings00142.JPG|right|thumb|200px|[[Roller derby]] athletes shortly after a bout in [[Boise, Idaho]], wearing [[fishnet]] and patterned [[pantyhose]].]]
* [[Bodystocking]]s
* [[Compression stockings]], {{aka}} support stockings
* [[Hold-ups]] ([[British English]]), stay-ups (British English) or thigh-high stockings ([[American English]])
* [[Hosen (clothing)]]
* [[Knee highs]]
* [[Leggings]], or [[yoga pants]]
* [[Sock]]s, tube socks (American English), knee-highs and over-the-knees
* [[Stocking]]s, held by a [[suspender belt]]
* [[Tights]] (British English; also common in American usage) or [[pantyhose]] (American English)
* [[Toe sock]]s
* [[Legwarmer]]s

== See also ==
* [[Pantyhose for men]]
* [[Undergarment]]

== Notes ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{commons category-inline}}

{{ hosiery
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{{Clothing}}

[[Category:Hosiery| ]]
[[Category:Undergarments]]
[[Category:Lingerie]]