Stocking tops come in several designs, including plain tops, lace tops, and satin tops. Besides these categories of stocking tops, there are some popular variations on the stocking top design theme, such as "link-ups" and "hold-ups." Let's first, however, concern ourselves with the typical stocking tops: plain, lace, and satin.

Plain stocking tops are your classic stocking top, free of embellishments and fuss. These tops are manufactured for easy attachment to garter clips, and often seen as a "welt" of doubled-over material on fully fashioned stockings. The welt is always of a deeper color than the rest of the stocking, which also accounts for its design attractiveness.

Satin, Lace, and Other Stocking Tops

Satin top stockings contain a satin band at the top of the stocking, where the garter clips attach. The satin creates a sensuous, silky feel as well as a luxurious, pearly look. Satin tops can come in a variety of colors besides your basic black and white, from pastels to bold hues. They may also either complement the color of the hose, or contrast with it for a dynamic look.

Lace top stockings also come in a variety of colors for different effects. Lace is probably the most common stocking top material, creating an irresistibly romantic and feminine look. Lace is also the typical material to disguise the silicone gripping band in hold-ups, which are a type of garterless stocking. Finally, link-ups are a stocking-and-hipster combination in which extra-long stockings link directly to hooks on the hipster piece, nullifying the need for a garter belt.