A bodystocking is a one-piece article of clothing worn to cover a person's torso, legs, and sometimes her arms. Bodystockings resemble pantyhose or stockings, except they cover most of the body instead of just the legs. They are sometimes compared to unitards. A unitard, however, is often worn as an outfit or article of clothing. A bodystocking is usually considered a piece of lingerie or underwear.
Often, people confuse bodystockings with cat suits, leotards, and other types of dancewear. They aren't usually worn as costumes for most types of dancing because they are designed to be very revealing. In some cases, they may be worn under a belly dancer's or exotic dancer's costume.
One of the benefits of wearing a bodystocking is that underwear is not required. This one-piece garment is designed to replace underwear, though some styles may be more comfortable with a pair of panties. There are even some that have built-in fabric that provides extra support for busty women. Other women may consider the one-piece style a disadvantage, however, as it's necessary to remove most of the stocking in order to use the bathroom. If a woman wears it under her clothing, for example, she'll have to remove her shirt and then pull the bodystocking down before using the restroom.
Bodystockings come in many different styles and feature a wide variety of materials, including lace and fishnet. These undergarments are most often made from the same soft, smooth materials used for ordinary pantyhose and stockings. As with pantyhose, they can be sheer or opaque. A sheer bodystocking usually hugs the body’s curves and shows off the body parts that are normally covered by clothing. An opaque bodystocking, on the other hand, is harder to see through but still hugs the curves of a woman's body.
The sheer type of bodystocking is usually worn beneath a person's clothing or by itself as lingerie. Since it does not provide for much coverage, it isn't usually considered suitable outerwear. Sometimes opaque bodystockings can be worn as part of an outfit. For example, a bodystocking may be paired with a skirt and a blazer. In such a case, the top of the stocking would serve as a shirt.
Some bodystockings may provide enough coverage for donning under sheer blouses. For example, the torso may be made of satin or a similar material that can be worn under a blouse without revealing too much. There are even some bodystockings designed with dense lace patterns that conceal a woman's body while allowing her to show off the bodice of the stocking.