Ask the Image Expert Sherry Maysonave is the founder and president of Empowerment Enterprises, one of America's leading communication-image firms. Sherry conducts corporate seminars and coaches executives, professionals, and politicians in achieving excellence in communication and image. She is also the author of Casual Power: How to Power Up your Nonverbal Communication and Dress Down for Success Hosiery Choices Question: There are so many different brands of hosiery out there. Can you help with sorting through all of them and which ones are the silkiest, sheerest? Which are best to wear for causal, dressy, and work? Kelly Answer: An in-depth analysis of all the varieties of legwear and brands could warrant an entire book. Let’s focus on the primary types and their best use. The key word in hosiery is the “Denier” factor. Denier is simply a measure of the thickness of the fiber used to make the hosiery. The lower the denier number, the sheerer the hosiery is. And conversely, the higher the denier number the more opaque it is. The base fabric for hosiery is nylon. Silk can added to any hosiery yarn, regardless of denier level. With that, here are the main types: Ultra sheers have the lowest denier and they allow more of your natural skin tone and more of the muscle tone of your legs to show. Ultra sheers are the most fragile of legwear; they have a short life span. Sheers are made with very fine yarn. Sheers are usually more flattering than ultra sheers, as they add just a bit more leg coverage. And they are more durable. Regular sheer hosiery is classic and can be worn for any business or social occasion. While sheers are classic to the Traditional Business attire category, they can also be worn for business casual. Silky sheers and ultra sheers are the dressiest hosiery variety. They are perfect for formal wear as well as dressy daytime and evening events. Support hose are usually made of nylon and spandex and come in varying denier levels of higher numbers. The best ones have graduated compression that provides a massage-like fit that aids circulation, reducing fatigue in the legs. Football players often wear them for practice and for games. Support hose are excellent for anyone who must work on their feet. Fortunately, hosiery technology has improved so much today that support hose look far more natural than in days past. Opaques let little light through the fibers and they are considered to be fairly casual. They can be worn for work in most business environments today, certainly for the General Business attire category and for Business Casual. Opaque hosiery is not appropriate for true business formal, which demands classic sheer hosiery. (Business formal calls for a step up (even a bit dressier) from traditional business attire.) Opaques should be worn with garments made of a somewhat heavy fabric. For example, opaque hosiery is too heavy for a lightweight silk dress. They look best with garments made of knit, wool, leather, suede, and other substantial fabrics. Tights are on the opposite end of the denier spectrum from ultra sheers and they are denser than opaques. Tights are the most durable hosiery available, but they’re very casual, the most casual of all hosiery types. They can be worn for very casual work environments and for exercise or dance. Tights may also be worn to add a layer of warmth under pants, skirts, ski wear, or general cold-weather gear. I have tried just about every hosiery brand known and there are few brands that pass my tests. I am very particular about how hosiery looks and feels on my legs. And I cannot abide wrinkling around the ankle or foot area. In the higher price points, my personal favorite brand is Calvin Klein hosiery. It is a superior quality that wears extremely well. Calvin Klein legwear is available in most department stores, certainly the upscale ones. For regular work wear, the Calvin Klein Active Sheer and Matte Sheer styles look fabulous, feel fabulous, and they are durable. I wash them in a hosiery bag in the washing machine; dry them in the same bag in the dryer. They last for weeks, sometimes months. In the lower price points, the “Nonsense” brand is my favorite legwear. It is available in most grocery stores, drug stores, Walmart, Target, K-Mart, etc., so it is easy to keep a supply handy. Nonsense improved its manufacturing technology several years ago. It now offers exceptional quality, the look of the designer labels for a fraction of the cost. The sheers and opaques last well and they can be easily washed and dried as described above. The Nonsense line offers all the primary types of legwear and some newer innovative types as well. Incidentally, Nonsense hosiery is made by the Kayser-Roth Corporation, which also manufacturers Calvin Klein legwear. Kayser Roth, who also makes the Hue label (another good hosiery line for a lower price point than designer brands), uses the leading-edge technology available in today’s hosiery industry. And just so you know, I am not paid to tout theses hosiery lines. They are just my favorites because they look, feel, and fit great and because they’re durable. Kudos to you for being interested in legwear, as hosiery is an essential component of a classy, professional image. Best of luck to you, Sherry Maysonave Also see: Can I wear mules at work? Should I buy new post-pregnancy clothes? Ask your image questions Personal Power: A case study from 'Casual Power'