Garter Tights: What They Are and How to Wear Them

Garter tights (also sold as suspender tights or garter pantyhose) are one-piece hosiery in which the waistband, the straps and the stockings are made as a single garment, so you get the classic stockings-and-garter look without a single clip to fasten. Some are true cut-out designs with open hips, others are “garter-effect” tights that simply knit the strap pattern into ordinary pantyhose. For most people they are the easiest way to wear the garter look under a skirt, a maid dress or a bodysuit.

Below we explain the different styles, how they compare with real stockings and a separate garter belt or a garter skirt, how to size them on a male body, how to put them on without a ladder and how to style and wash them.

What are garter tights exactly?

The name covers three slightly different constructions. It helps to know which one you are looking at, because they fit and feel quite differently.

• Cut-out garter tights. A stretchy waistband, straps running down the hips and thigh-high stocking legs, all knitted together. The areas between the straps are open, so from a distance it looks exactly like stockings worn with a garter belt. Our black floral lace suspender tights and the heart lace suspender pantyhose in white or black are typical examples.
• Garter tights with a lace waist belt. Same idea, but the waist is a wider band of lace that looks like a real belt. The sheer glossy garter tights with lace waist belt come in nine colours, which makes them an easy first pair.
• One-piece garter stockings. The focus is on a deep lace stocking top, with the straps and waist joined on. The one-piece garter stockings with deep lace (white, black, fuchsia or blue) are the closest thing to real stockings without any hardware.
• Faux-garter or garter-effect tights. Regular, fully closed pantyhose with the straps and stocking tops knitted in as a pattern. Warmest and most discreet, but the effect is a print, not a real cut-out.

You can browse every style in our garter tights and suspender pantyhose collection.

Garter tights vs stockings with a garter belt vs a garter skirt

All four options below give you legs in sheer hosiery, but they behave very differently during a day of wear. Here is the short version.

If you want the traditional set-up, our separate guide to the garter belt for men covers belts, clips and fastening in detail. And if you are still unsure about the basic differences in hosiery, read stockings vs tights vs pantyhose first.

A garter skirt sits in between: it is a short skirt with built-in straps, such as the high-waist garter belt skirt with six straps or the sheer ruffle garter skirt with lace waist. You clip it to any thigh-highs from our thigh high socks and stockings range. More styles are in garter belts and suspender skirts.

Pros and cons of suspender tights

Pros

• No clips that come undone when you sit, bend or walk.
• Stockings cannot slide down, because they are attached to the waistband.
• Quick to put on: one garment instead of three.
• Smooth line under tight skirts and dresses, with no metal or plastic bumps.
• An affordable way to try the garter look before investing in a full set.

Cons

• Strap length is fixed, so fit depends on your torso and leg length.
• One ladder in one leg usually means replacing the whole pair.
• You cannot mix colours or change only one stocking.
• Less warm than closed pantyhose, except for faux-garter styles.

Open or closed brief area: what is the difference?

Garter tights come in two basic cuts at the top. A closed brief area works like normal pantyhose: the garment covers you fully from the waistband down, and the garter effect only starts on the hips and thighs. It is smoother, a little warmer and easy to wear as a single layer under a thin skirt.

An open brief area means the tights consist only of the waistband, the straps and the legs. You simply wear your own briefs or panties with them, as you would with a garter belt. Many people find this more practical for longer wear, cooler in summer and easier for bathroom breaks. Neither cut is better; it is a matter of comfort and of what you plan to wear on top. The product description always states which version you are getting.

Sizing garter tights on a male body

Most garter tights are one-size stretch pieces, but the fit on a male body depends on three measurements more than on your usual clothing size.

• Hips. Measure around the fullest part of your hips and compare it with the range on the product page. If you are at the top of the range, expect the straps to sit slightly wider apart.
• Leg and torso length. Because the straps are fixed, a long torso or long legs pull the stocking tops lower than intended. If you are tall, choose stretchier knits such as lace or fishnet, or go for separate stockings and a belt, which you can adjust.
• Waistband. The band should sit on your natural waist or just below it without rolling. A waist noticeably wider than your hips can make a narrow band roll down; wider lace belts stay put better.

Remember that our sizes are Asian sizing and usually run one size smaller than European labels. Check the size guide and, if you are between sizes, size up.

How to put on garter tights without laddering

1. Take off rings and bracelets, and smooth any rough nail edges first. Thin cotton gloves help a lot with sheer pairs.
2. Sit down. Gather the first leg with your thumbs all the way to the toe, the same way you would with pantyhose.
3. Slip your foot in, check that the heel sits in the right place and unroll slowly up to the knee, then the thigh.
4. Never pull on the lace top or the straps; ease the knit up with flat palms instead.
5. Repeat on the other leg, then stand up and draw the waistband to your waist.
6. Finally check that the straps run straight down the front and sides of your thighs and that the back seam, if there is one, is centred.

How to wear garter tights: skirt, maid dress or bodysuit

Under a skirt

Decide first whether the straps should show. For a hidden look, choose a skirt that ends below the stocking tops; for a visible garter look, a short flared skirt or a skater skirt works best. Black lace suspender tights pair well with almost every dark skirt.

With a maid dress

White heart lace tights or the white one-piece garter stockings suit black and white maid dresses perfectly. A petticoat underneath gives the skirt volume and lets just the lace tops peek out when you move.

With a bodysuit

Wear the bodysuit over the tights for a smooth, sleek line, or put the garter tights over the bodysuit for a more layered lingerie look. A garter skirt worn over a bodysuit and stockings is another nice variation.

How to care for garter tights

• Hand wash in cool water with a mild detergent, or use a laundry bag on a delicate cycle.
• Skip fabric softener: it weakens elastic and makes lace limp.
• Do not wring. Press out water in a towel and dry flat, away from heaters and sunlight.
• Never use a tumble dryer.
• Store them folded in a pouch, away from hook-and-loop fasteners that snag lace.
• A tiny drop of clear nail polish stops a small ladder from running further.

Which garter tights should you start with?

If you are new to the look, start with a pair of sheer glossy garter tights in black or nude: they are the most versatile and forgiving. For a romantic or maid outfit, choose white heart lace. If you already know you love the garter look and want to adjust everything, a garter skirt with separate stockings will give you the most freedom.