Getting A Feel For Pantyhose - Before I Try Them On

After months on the pantyhose trail, I can tell you one thing: Any hose I buy in the future will be thoroughly scrutinized for flaws and for a properly centered crotch panel, before I put them on.

I'll save the receipt and package so I'm prepared to return it to the manufacturer or the store, if necessary.

No more will I rip open a package of hose, assuming all is well.

And I'll pay more attention to fabric terminology, looking for the denier, or weight, of yarn.

Last Wednesday, The Seattle Times published the results of a two-month test of five brands of hosiery by 14 women.

The panelists rated a Donna Karan style first, followed by Hanes, Nordstrom, No nonsense and JC Penney products. But when asked what they would buy, they favored midpriced brands, Hanes and Nordstrom ($5.50 and $5.75), followed by JC Penney (under $2), Donna Karan ($12) and No nonsense (under $2). The fit and feel of Lycra or spandex in Donna Karan, Hanes and Nordstrom labels were favored over 100 percent nylon in the Penney and No nonsense styles.

Panelists found some common problems: Six reported that Hanes ran the very first time they put it on; five reported problems with Nordstrom's crotch panel and panty.

To us, that says these two lines have a problem, be it in design or quality control. Upon close examination of the five pairs of Nordstrom Style 92 with crotch/panty problems, Troubleshooter researcher Cheryl Morningstar found the panels were off center. That could have led to a strain causing "seam blowout." The problem developed in hose worn by women of varying sizes.

Though retailers and manufacturers say women may return hosiery they've had a problem with, they also say few women do.

Women say retailers and manufacturers make returning hosiery a hassle.

Earlier this year when I talked with retailers and manufacturers about pantyhose returns, an "urban myth" surfaced.

It goes like this: Consumer takes pantyhose back to store. Clerk asks if hose has been washed.

Consumer rushes to store restroom, rinses out hosiery and returns to give dripping wet garment to clerk.

I have heard that story several times over the past few months, but never found a clerk who had the experience. So I think it's a myth.

If you decide to return hosiery you believe is defective, wash and dry it first. Be considerate, polite, but firm. Explain the problem. Have a receipt. If the retailer isn't receptive, call or write the manufacturer.

Not many brands have sewn-in labels. Manufacturers say that would add 25 to 50 cents to the cost. But it also would indicate to consumers that the company is proud enough to put its name on a product and take the credit or the blame.

Hosiery in Europe has been advertised with the denier or thread weight for some time. That's not a term as familiar to American women. But some lines have begun to list denier on the package.

Here's a denier guide from a source in the industry:

-- Ultra sheer, 10-15 denier.

-- Sheer, 20 denier.

-- Matt opaque, 40 denier.

-- Tights, 60-70 denier.

Last spring when we first wrote about pantyhose problems, innumerable women said they'd switched to tights, having found they lasted through aerobics, the workday and the commute.

The answer probably is though they're not as sheer as what you might want for evening, maybe tights are just what you want for a hectic day with the kids and in the workplace.

Wednesday in Scene: Meet Lydia Justice Edwards, the "general" on the consumers' side in the pantyhose wars.

Shelby Gilje's Troubleshooter column appears Wednesday and Sunday in the Scene section of The Times. Do you have a consumer problem? Write to Times Troubleshooter, P.O. Box 70, Seattle, WA 98111. Include copies, not originals, of appropriate documents. Phone, 464-2262, FAX 382-8873.

B.L., Mount Vernon: Since the French car rental company required you to buy their insurance, it's only fair they reimburse you for expenses incurred because your vehicle was rear-ended.

D.D., Lynnwood: The state Department of Labor and Industries has ordered an independent medical exam to help determine the outcome of your case.

M.J.G., Kirkland: Glad to learn Limited Edition Barbie of Chatsworth, Calif., finally delivered the last of the commemorative dolls you ordered to observe Barbie's 35th birthday.