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 RHT Vintage seamed stockings no garter belt

 Sizing
Finding the correct size vintage stocking to fit you begins at the foot. Begin with the size shoe you wear. It is very important to be sure the foot of the vintage stocking is large enough for your foot. If not, too large a foot squeezed into too small a stocking (foot) will cause it to tear or run. Although nylon used in the vintage stockings is still 'stable', it will not stretch to fit a larger foot or leg. 
      Unlike modern hosiery, which contains nylon and stretch spandex, most vintage full fashioned hosiery did not stretch. It was knit to the leg 'proportion'. A characteristic common on most vintage hosiery is the shapely leg or bulge from the calf to upper thigh of the leg. The knitting machines (and subsequent boarding process) fabricated the stocking to the shape of the leg for a 'truer' fit. 
      The table below offers an approximation as to what size vintage stocking should fit. If your foot is 'wide' or leg proportions 'large', be sure to increase the stocking by a 'half size' to be safe. In general, the larger the stocking size, the longer the length.

Determine your  STOCKING  SIZE  using this chart:
 
SHOE SIZE / FOOT LENGTH
      SHOE WIDTH
AAA to AA A or B C or D E or EE
US
Woman's		 US
Mens		 EUROPE UK Japan Inches CM

STOCKING SIZE
  5   3 1/2   35   2 1/2   21.5   9   22.8   8 1/2   8 1/2   8 1/2   8 1/2
  5 1/2   4   35.5   3   22   9 1/8   23.1   8 1/2   8 1/2   9   9
  6   4 1/2   36   3 1/2   22.5   9 1/4   23.5   8 1/2   9   9   9
  6 1/2   5   37   4   23   9 3/8   23.8   9   9   9 1/2    9 1/2
  7   5 1/2   37 1/2   4 1/2   23.5   9 1/2   24.1   9 1/2   9 1/2   9 1/2   10
  7 1/2   6   38   5   24   9 5/8   24.5   9 1/2   9 1/2   10   10
  8   6 1/2   38 1/2   5 1/2   24.5   9 1/4   24.8   10   10   10   10 1/2
  8 1/2   7   39   6   25   9 7/8   25.1   10   10   10   10 1/2
  9   7 1/2   40   6 1/2   25.5   10   25.4   10    10 1/2   10 1/2   10 1/2
  9 1/2   8   40 1/2   7   26   10 1/8   25.7   10 1/2   10 1/2   10 1/2   11
  10   8 1/2   41   7 1/2   26.5   10 1/4   26   10 1/2   11   11   11
  10 1/2   9 3/4   42   8   27   10 1/3   26.3   11   11   11   11 1/2
  11   9   42 1/2   8 1/2   27.5   10 1/2   26.7   11   11   11 1/2   11 1/2
  11 1/2   10   43   9   28   10 2/3   27   11 1/2   11 1/2   11 1/2   11 1/2
  12   10 1/2   44   9 1/2   28.5   10 3/4   27.3   11 1/2   11 1/2   11 1/2   12
  13   11 1/2   45  10 1/2   29.5   11   27.9   12   12   12   13
  14   12 1/2   46 1/2  11 1/2   30.5   11 1/4   28.6   12   13   13   13

 
Determine the proper stocking LENGTH using this chart:
Foot Size Height Weight Length
8 1/2 4 ft 6 in  -  5 ft 90 - 100 Short
8 1/2 5 ft  -  5 ft 4 in 90 - 110 Medium
9 4 ft  8 in  -  5 ft 90 - 100 Short
9 5 ft  -  5 ft 3 in 100 - 110 Medium
9 5 ft 3 in  -  5 ft 7 in 110 - 120 Long
9 1/2 4 ft 10 in  -  5 ft 3 in 95 - 110 Medium
9 1/2 5 ft 3 in  -  5 ft 7 in. 100 - 125 Long
9 1/2 5 ft 7 in  -  5 ft 11 in 110 - 125 X Long
10 5 ft  -  5 ft  2 in 100 - 110 Short
10 5 f 2 in  -  5 ft  4 in 110 - 120 Medium
10 5 ft 3 in  -  5 ft  7 in 110 - 120 Long
10 5 ft 7 in  -  6 ft 120 - 130 X long
10 1/2 5 ft 4 in  -  5 ft  7 in 110 - 120 Medium
10 1/2 5 ft 5 in  -  5 ft  8 in 120 - 140 Long
10 1/2 5 ft 7 in  -  6 ft 145 -160 X Long
11 5 ft 4 in  -  5 ft 7 in 120 - 140 Medium
11 5 ft 4 in  -  5 ft  7 in 140 -160 Long
11 5 ft 6 in  -  6 ft 1 in 155 - 180 X Long
11 1/2 5 ft 6 in  -  5 ft  9 in 145 - 155 Medium
11 1/2 5 ft 7 in  -  5 ft  10 in 155 - 170 Long
11 1/2 5 ft 10 in  -  6 ft  4 in 155 - 180 X Long
12 5 ft 8 in  -  5 ft  11 in 145 - 160 X Long
12 5 ft 11 in  -  6 ft  4 in 190 - 210 Opera
13 5 ft 10 in  -  6 ft  2 in 180 - 200 X Long
13 5 ft 11 in  -  6 ft  4 in 195 - 230 Opera

                                 This table is helpful in recognizing how LONG a stocking should measure in inches
                                 (from bottom of heel to top of welt) for a given 'Stocking Size'
 

STOCKING
SIZE		 STOCKING  LENGTH
 SHORT MEDIUM   LONG     XL   OPERA
    8 1/2   28 1/2     29     31     33
    9     29     30 1/2     32     33
    9 1/2   29 1/2     31     33     35     37
    10     30     32     34     36     38
    10 1/2     31    32 1/2   34 1/2   36 1/2     39
    11     33     35     37     39
    11 1/2     33 1/2     35 1/2     37 1/2     40
    12     40
    13     40

                                 For example, if you determined that a size 10 Medium should fit you, then find out
                                 it really is too short, you may actually want to purchase the 'Long' or 'XL' size instead.
 

                                For those of us who have very 'difficult' leg proportions, consider taking a look at "outsize" vintage stockings.
                                These were made much wider. Fewer of this type were made; they are considerably harder to find and tend
                                to be quite pricey.  
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