Stockings for the Ball

It's ball season and I'm planning to attend two next month. #Yeah!

In reviewing what I have to wear, and selecting which accessories to bring, I've been wondering about stockings. We all know how period stockings go over the knee like these...

Women's knit linen stockings c.1782

Colonial Williamsburg Accession Number 20090-43,4A&B

...and, supposedly, stay in place with pretty garters...

1753 Garters made from wool, silk & linen

Winterthur Museum Accession Number 1965.2028.001

...but we all know those garters fall off and get lost, and we end up with droopy ankles. This is something I'd like to avoid during an evening of dancing

When my toddler attends the occasional living history event with me, I dress her in cotton stockings which work great and I've been on the hunt for the grown-up version. There's a fine selection of white nylon tights available online, but I'm not willing to sacrifice all aspects of period authenticity to wear the same kind of tights I have for teaching dance.

Fortunately, after lots of Google hunting, I found one lonely manufacturer that makes cotton tights which ironically are intended for soccer players. I ordered a pair, which just arrived, and seem like a good fit--both literally, as they're one size fits all, and for the sake of being semi period appropriate.

They're the Original Solid Cotton Tights (76% cotton) by E.G. Smith. I had to order them from EpicSports.com and since I'm not ordering for an entire soccer team I had to pay $25.19 plus a whopping $10.76 for shipping. The total, just about $36, is more like a pair of jeans than stockings but I'm hopeful this new product will work great for dancing and giving the occasional walking tour.