"Hold ups"...do they?

[GraceUnderFire]

I'm going to a dinner dance and have a party frock under which I plan to wear some seriously smoothing and holding-in underpinnings. Tights are no good - they give me a ridge round my waist. Do hold-ups stay up? I'm planning on dancing til my feet ache in my killer heels so I don't want to have Nora Batty-esque wrinkles.

Any recommendations or brands to avoid?

[ilovecaboose]

Don't know about particular brands but one main thing is not to moisturise your leg as it stops them clinging.

Also would assume the hairier the better

[iris66]

M&S holdups are brilliant - I wear them all the time (I'll echo the don't moisturise too! hair free is better than hairy btw)

[GraceUnderFire]

Well I was planning on shaving...but I don't have hairy thighs anyway (one must be thankful for small mercies).

[Cappuccino]

depends on your thighs

if they are at all big (and I'm including mine in that, which are a size 12) they can hurt

[jennifersofia]

Wearing some at the moment, and no! The ones I have are fab posh ones (Wolford), and though very nice, they do not stay up! I have fairly regular legs. The ones with strong elasticated tops can also create a rather unsightly 'thigh ridge' as well as being uncomfortable and roll down. Very distracting. However, I have a friend who has a very straight up and down body, with very straight up and down thighs and she says hers never come down. So I guess it depends on your legs!

[GraceUnderFire]

I'm a size 12 - but my legs aren't bad really - slimmish. I'll have to get a pair and practice, won't I? Will go to M&S tomorrow, iris, thanks.

[GraceUnderFire]

So if I can't wear hold ups...then what? Nowhere makes proper stockings any more, do they? Plus, they're even more potentially bumpy. I guess I could wear tights under the hold everything in super sized big girls' pants...

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

M & S ones are pretty good.

The ones with the silly thin elastic strip at the top generally dont work as well as teh ones with a wide lacy top. Generally.....

[shazronnie]

Mine always stay up, but I do have an attractive red ring around my thighs by evening!

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

LOADS of places do stockings. M & S for a start.

La Senza. Agent Provocateur. Figleaves. Debenhams. Take your pick.

I personally dont like stockings and suspenders compared to hold ups though.

[FrannyonFire]

How about stockings? Hold ups can fall down for various reasons, but you know where you are with a suspender belt

[lou33]

i gave up wearing hold ups after a couple of embarrassing experiences when one wouldnt stay up, so use a suspender belt now

[GraceUnderFire]

My M&S doesn't have stockings - only hold ups. And I haven't seen a suspender belt for years - only on basques.
I don't have any of the other shops near me - live in the sticks

[WhizzBangCaligula]

Aren't they supposed to be very bad for you? Cutting off your circulation and contributing to varicose veins? Or is that a scary myth?

[lou33]

i got a lovely belt on ebay

[GraceUnderFire]

I'm only wearing them for one night...I'll risk it if they stay up

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

Nah Caligula, they give you stockings to wear when you go in for ops, dont they

[GraceUnderFire]

I've just found these, which would work brilliantly under the magic pants - but there's no way I'm paying £18 for a pair of tights. Going to see if I can find some cheaper ones warning - there's a bare bottom in this picture

[GraceUnderFire]

Ooh I've found some like that much cheaper at a shop that sells all sorts of peculiar items (the sort that come in plain brown parcels). Shan't link

[GraceUnderFire]

I've also found some at a non-dodgy shop - just in case anyone else thinks they look like a good idea...suspender tights - no bums in this one