Slava Zaitsev, Ethnic Colour Explosion

Posted on August 14, 2017 by admin

by Helene, Mexico

Recently I have read a post about successful celebrities. The author was insisting that for success just talent isn’t enough. One shall have a proper background, implying that his or her parents were able to invest in the child’s development. Otherwise, doesn’t matter how talented the child is, he or she will be a failure.

While watching this fashion show, I was thinking to myself: “Yes, in this case the post author was 100% right, creating such stylish outfits would be impossible if Slava had poor parents… Taste and this fine feeling of beauty and elegance do not come from nowhere.” The diversity of his outfits, most of which could serve as an icon of style and elegance, inspired me to read little bit more about the designer, Slava Zaitsev.

I was amazed and to some extent shocked: his mother was a usual housewife, and she has never had any beautiful clothes. Actually, that is why Slava creates such looks, rich and elegant, to somehow compensate for that mum`s feeling of, probably pain and hope that once at least her child will be able to have what she couldn’t afford. Inspired by richness and brightness of Russian national colours, Slava creates masterpieces (yes, and I am not afraid of using this word!) that can be worn in everyday live and for women of all sizes. Each of his creations is well-balanced, elegant and distinctive at the same time.

I am not a fan of red colour, I practically never wear it because my shyness dampens the joy, even if this of high quality and of truly elegant style. My mum always taught me never to wear everything of the same colour.

Perhaps I am too old school? If I would be a celebrity, like a famous TV host let’s say, I’d probably easily flaunt something like this in front of the paparazzi, with an expensive car to match. That would be a real gutsy statement!

A row of models dressed in white parade down the catwalk in crisp white tights and nostalgic hats. I would say, elegance is a key word to all looks created by this designer.

Any shade of pink is quite a controversial colour. These outfits, however, show this shade in a different light, rather not connected with all the Barbie glamour, but with the elegance of a mature lady that isn’t afraid of experiments. Confident and yet charming.

This skirt would look equally nice on a slim woman and on a fuller figured woman or a woman coming from a cultural background that requires full body coverage (ex. Chechen republic). Slava Zaitsev is famous for also creating clothes for women who are “just bigger than average”. His work is very versatile, he even designed athlete’s uniforms for 1980s Moscow Olympic games.

Here is a one more casual style for the ladies with fuller figures, it accentuates the feminine lines. It would, in my opinion, be more interesting to see an actual plus size model wear something like this to show women of all sizes that it is not difficult to select good styles for their shape.

Wait a second here, what a daring design, but didn’t my mum teach me not to wear more than three colours at once? I would like to get a better look at the dress underneath the jacket because this orange/black combination with stripes on the side seems pretty cool.

Slava’s designs show a lot of cultural roots to them. He uses very unusual combination of accessories, scarves, and so on to create his looks.

Here is a luxury mix of royal blue and gold. Hosiery matches the rest of the outfit and adds a special elegant touch as if it is a business lady heading to some artistic exhibition.

Here is another example of a dress that would be appropriate for a woman with a fuller figure. The head piece is pretty avant-garde in my opinion, but it nicely finishes this whole Mongolian-like concept.

What a classic colour combination – red and black, with mesh for elegance. Romantic and mysterious, but so different from the rest of the collection.

In my opinion Slava Zaitsev has his own unique signature, just like the iconic Dior and Chanel who were his inspirations. His designs are so well composed that they don’t require any cheap shock factors in order be remembered.

Beauty Pageant Photos – Now and Then

Posted on July 3, 2017 by admin

Miss Russia 1993

I found this photo online by accident, a group of Russian women competing for the Beauty Queen title in 1993. It doesn’t sound like it was so long ago, but these women look so different compare to the ones currently on television. Most importantly, I notice they are all wearing pantyhose, except for maybe one in the red jacket.

Miss Russia 2014

Pantyhose are still here! But the photos are not directed anymore like above, selfies took over. Some girls wear pants.

Miss USA 2017

I can’t find any photos online of candid auditions / castings, can you? Somehow from what I’ve seen, pantyhose is no longer there. Not much clothes at all in general. I tried to search for Canadian beauty pageants, but also, no luck.

Just recently I interviewed a pantyhose entrepreneur from Russia (that interview is coming up soon) and from what he is saying, it sounds like pantyhose-less hype is spreading there too.

Russian Radio Show – Pantyhose Battle of OMSA and Filodoro brands, Part 2

Posted on January 20, 2015 by admin

seamless pantyhose, 40 den, Superlativa 40 by OMSA on my legs

A photo of Jessica in OMSA pantyhose

Isn’t it rare to hear a good show on the radio? Official Russian radio station Mayak (means Lighthouse) had this show (Top Russia) out with Sergey Stillavin as a host. They would review some product each week and even do voting competitions. For whatever reason this show no longer exists.

I personally disliked how Sergey addressed his colleague, Victoria, about her not wearing pantyhose and thus not being like the rest of the women. There is a reference to that here (Mean criticism or blunt truth?). The caller Alla from Moscow also in a sense disappointed me, she is a typical Muscovite who almost caught up to all the American women. Women from other parts of Russia do whatever they can in order to keep their man happy.

Read Part 1 – Pantyhose Brand Comparison on Russian Radio Mayak РІР‚вЂњ Sisi, Filodoro, Omsa, Golden Lady, and Glamour

Now only 2 brands made it into semi-finals — OMSA and Filodoro.

Stillavin: Last week we had 5 contestants and now we are selecting the finalists. We were talking about pantyhose and stockings too. Out of 5 contestants the ones that made it to the finals are Filodoro and OMSA. Please express your opinion. Women and hosiery sales people are especially welcome. Which brand out of the two is best?

Stillavin: A week ago we found out that Victoria Kolosova doesn’t use pantyhose, they are too tight on her.

Victoria: They are not too tight, they are itchy.

Stillavin: Could that be because you don’t shave your legs, Victoria?

Victoria: Sure, Sergey. Do you think I should walk around hairy like an orangutan?

Stillavin: Now we are choosing at TopRussia the best brand of hosiery in Russia. OMSA against Filodoro. Left behind are Golden Lady, Si Si, and the last place is for the most non-glamorous brand called Glamour. Who should win today, OMSA or Filodoro? Ladies, please voice your opinion and explain, is it the price that matters or some kind of durability? I remember one week ago a lady called and said that she wears one pair of pantyhose for 3 weeks. This resulted in lots of comments from women, they don’t believe her, say it’s impossible.

Vahidov: Listen, today I found official classification of pantyhose in Russia.

Stillavin: Let’s listen to Alla for her expert opinion and then the classification. Good morning, Alla! Tell us, Filodoro or OMSA? What’s better?

Alla (caller, 27 yrs old, Moscow): Neither! Sorry, but I am with Victoria on this one. You said that pantyhose itch and for me they itch too. Even if they don’t itch like OMSA Velour, they fall down, their elasticity is not good enough. What is the point of all these new technologies? For this reason I don’t like pantyhose.

Victoria: Correct!

Alla (caller, 27 yrs old, Moscow): But if I would be to choose between Filodoro and OMSA, I’d say OMSA. There are some that I use when I need to wear a skirt.

Stillavin: Wear it purely for the man? Like let’s say on New Year’s Eve?

Alla (caller, 27 yrs old, Moscow): No, I don’t agree to such sacrifices for a man.

Vahidov: Listen (about classification), pantyhose is classified by the type of finish, such as bleached, evenly coloured, fast-knitted. Classified by the type of knitting: smoothly knitted, plastic knitting, platinized, fleece, jaccard, or pressed method. Depending on the structure, such as pantyhose with briefs and without briefs. I don’t even know what it is!

Victoria: Briefs support part of the buttocks.

Vahidov: There are winter pantyhose, fishnet, shiny. Even in the classification there is a type called “sexy”.

Victoria: “Sexy”? Is that with holes in them?

Stillavin: Just with a word “Sexy” written on them.

Vahidov: And even a more interesting point, there is pantyhose that is machine-knitted and hand-knitted. I can’t imagine, how can someone knit pantyhose by hand?

There is also classification by occasion РІР‚вЂњ regular wear, sporty, medical. Regular wear pantyhose can be either for daily wear or for dressy wear. Listen, that’s a nightmare!

Stillavin: We have only 4 minutes left until the end of the voting. I am so sad that Victoria is not an expert in pantyhose. She is not like other women, you see. She’s got a squeaky voice and an owl’s glance.

Victoria: But you still can’t leave me alone. “Owl’s Glance”…

Stillavin: So they ask me why I treat Victoria like this. But how else can I treat her? She doesn’t wear pantyhose, doesn’t put on nail polish, doesn’t wear lipstick. She only puts on some powder in the morning and goes straight to work.

Vahidov: (towards Victoria) Your husband doesn’t like pantyhose?

Victoria: I haven’t noticed him wearing it.

Vahidov: Victoria, pantyhose is synthetic, correct?

Victoria: Of course!

Vahidov: Well, if it’s synthetic, will it absorb women’s sweat?

Stillavin: Women don’t sweat at all.

Vahidov: Usually they sweat only behind their knees.

Vladimir Pastuhov: By the way, about sweat and buying pantyhose before winter there are some recommendations. Pantyhose should contain wool, cotton, and lycra (without it pantyhose will sag). Today microfiber pantyhose are very popular РІР‚вЂњ these are polyamide threads consisting of a huge number of thin threads. Such pantyhose are soft, smooth, and velvety. They are warm and durable, but their price is higher. Acrylic pantyhose are not expensive, they are soft and warm, but they fringe fast and lose their good appearance. Such pantyhose are ideal for wearing under pants.

Vahidov: Just got a message from Samara. She says both brands are so-so, cheap and not durable. This is about OMSA and Filodoro that ended up in the semi-final. She prefers stockings instead of pantyhose when she wears a dress or a skirt. In the middle of cold winter only tough Russian women can wear pantyhose. Is this true?

Stillavin: All the rest wear leggings!

Vladimir Pastuhov: And lastly, when choosing pantyhose it’s important to see if they look clean and if the package is intact, if all the information about the company / denier /size / colour is present. Also, pay attention to the smell of the product. (Maybe they mean to avoid second hand pantyhose?)

Victoria: Pantyhose don’t emit any smell through the package.

Vladimir Pastuhov: Pay attention to the seams, they must be flat and when stretched they should almost disappear.

Stillavin: OK,guys, today OMSA is winning and Filodoro is losing! We can already congratulate OMSA brand! Or, whoever produces OMSA brandРІР‚В¦

Vahidov: Golden Lady produces OMSA!

White Pantyhose at Pride Parade

Posted on April 28, 2014 by admin

I found these photos on another fashion blog, they are from 2011. The owner of the blog said that this is what she wore to the Pride Parade.

I have no idea where she went for Pride, but based on the architecture and a few other hints on that blog it’s most likely Russia. Where else would you see a woman that excited about wearing white pantyhose in public with a mini skirt?

Russian beauty and Olympic athlete Maria Komissarova broke her back in Sochi

Posted on February 15, 2014 by admin

Dear Fantasy Stockings readers, I am overcome with grief to hear that this young woman, Maria Komissarova, will no longer compete in the Olympics because she broke her back during her training.

It was so serious that she needed an immediate operation on the spot. She will need another operation in two weeks. I put more information about her condition here, on my more tech-oriented blog – Maria Komissarova Injured.

I wish her to recover as soon as possible!

This photoshoot that you see below she did 1 year before the Olympics and she dedicated it to her boyfriend.

Maria Komissarova in lingerie backseam stockings Russian skier Maria Komissarova in swimsuit posing Sochi Olympics

What a spirit! Even for this lingerie photoshoot she was at the hospital recovering from another injury to her leg, but she “ran away” from the hospital to do the photo session.

Swedish Diplomat Fired for His Illegal Pantyhose Smuggling Business

Posted on September 25, 2013 by admin

Swedish diplomat accused of smuggling pantyhose from Belarus into Russia

Case from 2009: Moscow embassy fired a Swedish diplomat, Andres Martin Fors, who became nicknamed as a “pantyhose” diplomat who used his untouchable status to smuggle hosiery from a factory in Belarus to Russia without paying duties or taxes and giving it to local stores to sell on consignment basis.

Usually foreign diplomats are accused of espionage, but this one had a refreshingly new entrepreneurial case. Still, because of diplomatic immunity the diplomat could not be arrested by Moscow police, but he was dismissed from his position in Moscow. This is against Vienna convention for a diplomat to engage in such activity.

*Dear friends, please keep in mind that the funding for this blog comes from the shop section. Please have a look at it.*

Stoli Russian Vodka Boycott in LGTB Community

Posted on July 30, 2013 by admin

Dear readers, as Vancouver’s Pride Parade is about to go on this week, the hype around the Russian vodka boycott is getting heated in our city. I would like to present you with a response from Lena who lives in Belarus as an example of a fresh perspective on the topic.

by Lena, Belarus

Putin, Russian Vodka and Gays

Putin, Russian vodka and gays, what is the connection? If you ask this question nowadays, people may think that you are completely ignorant or you live on an uninhabited island. Russia issued anti-gay laws, that caused protests in America and activists suggested to boycott Russian vodka. Sounds ridiculous, but this is the truth.

Here we do not talk about sexual minorities. Maybe because there are not so many of them. By the way, just to specify “Here” means not in Russia. I am from Belarus. And here we really do not pay special attention to sexual minorities. People like millions of others, they work, eat, drink, relax… usual activities. We do not see any reason to speak about them too much or to forbid them to live. Politicians organize parades and shows to honor themselves. Why not gays then? I don’t think they are worse. But if you think so, you can give me reasons why.

I also do not understand what this anti-gay law is for. Why then not anti-criminals law? Criminals who took people`s lives are not forbidden, they stay in prison, eat and drink for money that we pay as taxes.

Well, Putin knows better, maybe gays are more dangerous that criminals. Here we have the same culture as Russia, I wouldn’t say that we are more democratic or more developed. We have the same religion, the same traditions. But we judge people according to their personality, their attitude to us, not by their nation or race or whether they belong to sexual minority or not.

Now about vodka. How is vodka connected with gays and Russian legislation? Completely different thing is Olympic Games in Sochi. This for sure would have influence. But I do not think that such kind of boycott can be supported by majority of people. Russia have always been and still is a great country with strong traditions and unique culture, and visiting Olympic Games can be a good reason for many foreigners to discover Russia. America can boycott the Olympic Games, but since it’s Europe here, and Europeans will gladly use such an opportunity.

But right, if Olympic Games are boycotted, this will be a good reason for Russia to think about gays once more. Though again gays will be accused, as nobody would accuse for this the Russian government. If any kind of boycotting will make the Russian government change their mind? I do not think, so, they for sure were ready for protests. At least they could forecast that there will be unsatisfied people.

Ah, by the way, again to vodka. I don’t think that boycotting of Russian vodka Stolichnaya will support the Russian gays or will make the Russian government think. It would be more logical to boycott Russian products rather than Latvian, as Stolichnaya is neither produced nor bottled in Russia any more. Anyway, the Russian government will be grateful for such protests as they wanted to get that brand back. That is why before running to streets and yelling about protests maybe better to ask yourself a question: who will have the main profit from it? In this case this is Russia who will take the main advantage.

Davie street rainbow pavement for Vancouver Pride Week 2013

Rainbow pavement on the intersection of Bute and Davie in Vancouver in the spirit of Pride Week.

Trying on a Russian Pantyhose Brand Gracia

Posted on May 4, 2013 by admin

I just returned from my trip to Europe, wearing on my flight back for the first time a pair of Russian pantyhose of Gracia (Грация) brand. You can learn more about my trip through in my pantyhose diary if you’d like.

Some people try exotic foods when they travel, I try exotic pantyhose. It’s been a while that I wanted to try this brand, but I just couldn’t get it anywhere for obvious reasons – this label is only available in Eastern Europe and is not designed for export. Грация label, in Cyrillic letters, would not sell anywhere else.

I passed through Moscow for work and I visited an old friend of mine, Natasha. She greeted me wearing beautiful black pantyhose. Later she returned, complaining that she got a run in them, but saying that they lasted her many wears. I asked what brand it was and she said – Грация (Gracia).

Next day I had to leave, so I didn’t even know if I’ll have a chance to buy myself this brand. So just in case I asked her if I could have those pantyhose, just to try them on. She didn’t mind me asking, but she didn’t want to give me something that was already damaged. Actually she even looked through her pantyhose drawer and pulled out many 40 den pantyhose of different colours by the same brand, looking for another sheer pair, but she had none left. Realizing how much I wanted to try it, she even offered me to ship a pair to Canada, but I declined, since I didn’t want her to go through the hassle.

Luckily, I found a pair of pantyhose by brand in a store – the style displayed on the photo above, 20 den, sheer to waist, with reinforced toe. I asked for whatever colour they had, except for black – turned out they had Mocca. Fine, I took it, but I must admit it looks more like dark tan rather than real Mocca.

Somehow for my whole trip it was really cold, so I was walking around in 40 den pantyhose. But on my flight back to Vancouver I decided to lighten up and look glamorous, since a special someone was supposed to meet me at the airport.

I put on Gracia pantyhose for the first time in the morning, getting ready for my flight. Let’s just say, I was a little nervous since I never tried that brand and besides Natasha’s positive feedback had no idea if it will survive for such a long period. What if I end up with a huge run in them?

Reinforced toe already cheered me up, at least that means it’s more durable in that section. Interestingly, it had a thick border at the beginning of the reinforcement, almost like a statement saying that the toe section begins! Also, I noticed that the band was quite broad and elastic and held on well. It didn’t have a control top, but a t-top with a cotton gusset.

That proved to be very good eventually because I never felt like I had to pull up these pantyhose throughout my flight and two transfers. It survived at least 24 hours on me and when I took it off it had no runs or holes. Excellent quality! Now the only regret I have is that I didn’t buy more.

After checking the website of the manufacturer, I realized that they have some really nice advertisements. Here are some of their pantyhose ads. Do you notice that they feature only skin-tone and black colours?

Pantyhose Brand Comparison on Russian Radio Mayak – Sisi, Filodoro, Omsa, Golden Lady, and Glamour

Posted on March 31, 2013 by admin

This is a radio show from Russian Radio Mayak, lead by Sergey Stillavin and friends. It is sad to say that this show just closed down in 2012.

Left to right: unknown, Vladimir Pastuhov, Victoria Kolosova, Rustam Vahidov, Sergey Stillavin

In this particular show they discuss 5 popular brands on Russian market – Filodoro, Omsa, Golden Lady, Glamour, and Sisi and the public votes. Some people phone in to express their opinion and some leave messages by SMS.

We should make an important note here that Omsa brand is actually owned by Golden Lady. This we can easily learn from their website. It is mentioned in the show by one of the hosts too, but the question about exactly HOW these 5 brands were chose is not answered. As you see below, some callers expressed this concern too.

PANTYHOSE BRAND COMPARISON

Sergey Stillavin	What a sweet topic we are going to have today!

Victoria Kolosova	Pantyhose?

Sergey Stillavin	I am trying to be docile, especially topics that are about women. I myself actually stopped wearing pantyhose when I was 6.

Sergey Stillavin	Today we are going to choose the best brand of women’s pantyhose. This is very important! I spoke to small business owners who have small shops and kiosks near subway stations about products that bring the most revenue in high traffic areas. They said that the best thing is to sell pantyhose because it is a renewable resource. Nobody today bothers to stitch up and fix runs in pantyhose.

Victoria Kolosova	My friend a while back taught me how to fix runs (reconstructing the weave) and I knew how to do it. She had a special hook for doing that. If you are having insomnia, doing this is the best way to fall asleep!

Sergey Stillavin	Here is Victoria with her stories about pantyhose. We’ll also hear about stockings today, of course. As I understand, today you are always in pants and you are not wearing anything under?

Victoria Kolosova	I am not wearing (any pantyhose underneath the pants).

Sergey Stillavin	But at least sometimes? Your husband, Maxim, asks you to wear?

Victoria Kolosova	Yes, sometimes, but it’s just that my legs get itchy.

Sergey Stillavin (joking)	From what? Maybe you simply need to shave your legs!

Victoria Kolosova (shyly)	I am allergic. For real, my legs begin to itch.

Sergey Stillavin	Today I am inviting respectful women, young women, and men (specifically male businessmen) who sell pantyhose to join our discussion.

Rustam Vahidov (interrupting)	Did you ever kiss women’s feet in pantyhose?

Victoria Kolosova (giggling)	Unwashed?

Sergey Stillavin	Stop leading us astray!

Sergey Stillavin	We need an expert opinion on whether items, depending on their brands, are really different. Or (like once we had a phone call about jeans) all these brands are all made at the same factory. Do these products really differ based on brand and price? What is the (quality) range? For example to me all these names are familiar because of TV commercials, especially in winter, when women begin to dress warmer. Which ones of these advertised brands actually became popular? Today we have 5 candidate brands:
	· Sisi
	· Glamour
	· Filodoro
	· Golden Lady
	· Omsa

Rustam Vahidov	(about Filodoro) …very well known.

Victoria Kolosova	(about Filodoro) … and most expensive.

Sergey Stillavin	There are also elite brands, like Wolford, I think.

Rustam Vahidov	Yesterday I’ve heard it was Pierre Cardin.

Sergey Stillavin	Pierre Cardin makes everything, except for the chairs!

Victoria Kolosova	Pierre Cardin is available in all supermarkets in quite large quantities.

Sergey Stillavin	Ok, somehow we chose five brands. Ladies, let us know your consumer opinion please, and we welcome to hear from men about the trade.
	What are the pricing policies from the manufacturers, does the quality of pantyhose really vary, and brand is it that people buy most of?
	Because popularity is simply what the person is used to hearing, but real sales data makes up the statistics.
	Sisi, Glamour, Filodoro, Omsa, Golden Lady – wow, what kind of names! Who came up with such names?
	There is a real emphasis on Italy – somehow it is very strict that pantyhose have to be Italian, is it right?

Vladimir Pastuhov	Filodoro was created by my friend, Dima Sedon. He now lives in Switzerland and he is a professional cyclist racer. At first they’d bring it in their hand luggage! They designed it on their own, ordered manufacturing from an Italian factory, came up with this name by themselves, started to bring it in.

Sergey Stillavin (interrupting)	They came up with this name? Seriously?

Vladimir Pastuhov	Yes, then later some 2 other Russian guys flew in on their own airplane and for 5 million dollars took this start up for themselves.

Sergey Stillavin	So that means it’s completely our own (Russian) story. But what about Omsa and Golden Lady?

Vladimir Pastuhov	I am not informed about those at all.

Sergey Stillavin	OK, girls, please call in to give us your expert opinion. Men, please only call if you sell it. Let’s not discuss like Vahidov about what’s more pleasurable to kiss, sniff…

Rustam Vahidov (interrupting)	… to pull off!

Sergey Stillavin	That’s later… Why pull off? Let’s not pull off. Better pull on.

	Phone call from Angela, 27 yrs old, Moscow:

Angela (Caller)	Good morning.

Sergey Stillavin	Please, we have Sisi, Glamour, Filodoro, Golden Lady, and Omsa – what brand do you prefer?

Angela (Caller)	Out of these five I’d choose Sisi. But I wanted to say, you were just talking about Pierre Cardin… Pierre Cardin is superb.

Sergey Stillavin	Super! In terms of prices, which one is the most expensive brand?

Angela (Caller)	Oh, maybe not Golden Lady, it’s just that I don’t use those as much. In supermarkets the price for Pierre Cardin is very affordable and the quality is very good.

Sergey Stillavin	Angela, how much does a basic pair of pantyhose cost?

Angela (Caller)	Last time I bought it for 110 rubles.
	(converts to $3.50 USD)

Sergey Stillavin	How long do you wear them for until you get a snag in them, until they are no longer wearable?

Angela (Caller)	For me personally it’s 2 – 3 weeks.

Victoria Kolosova	That’s good!

Vladimir Pastuhov	I wanted to ask, what to you are superb pantyhose? Is it before all its durability, or is it the color, the shade?

Angela (Caller)	Yes, you said that right; it’s the colour, it looks good when worn. The quality too. Since I wear pantyhose with both skirts and pants, it completely works for me either way. They don’t fall off.

Victoria Kolosova	Also you need to pay attention to the design of the pantyhose and the type. For example, some have low rise waistline, some shape the hips, some shape the legs… they are all different.

Sergey Stillavin	Like this will soon start talking about the gusset!

Angela (Caller)	Options are limitless, you’ll choose one eventually.

Sergey Stillavin (interrupting)	Angela, the main question that bothers me in winter, when women walk in a skirt and pantyhose, do those sheer nylons actually keep you warm?

Angela (Caller)	That’s horrible! Today I stepped out to start heating up my car and I saw a young woman in a mini skirt and thin pantyhose. That’s just horrible.

Victoria Kolosova	Actually men wear it too. Natalia writes to us (SMS) that her husband wears warm pantyhose when he goes fishing.

Sergey Stillavin	Is this why Vladmir is interested in the fishermen?

Vladimir Pastuhov	I also have one story about pantyhose. At the time when TV Shopping Channel became popular, besides kitchenware the topic of pantyhose was also raised. My friends came up with a plan. Pantyhose come in different denier. They brought from Taiwan 90 den No Name pantyhose and announced them as anti-cellulite . A whole line up formed and in a matter of 24 hours it was sold out. But a few days later a local prosecutor came all puffed up and promised those guys a TV broadcast and executions, because his wife’s cellulite didn’t disappear. We quickly ceased these activities.

SMS Message	You forgot to mention pantyhose from Birobidjan (autonomous Jewish state of Russia). There is nothing worse in the world – they wear for 20 minutes and the rest of the time hang at the knees.

	Phone call from Sergey:

Sergey Stillavin	Do you sell pantyhose?

Sergey, Caller	No, I’m more likely a consumer.

Sergey Stillavin	Tell us!

Sergey, Caller	This story didn’t happen to me. It happened in one of the resorts in Minsk. There was a health resort with mud baths. A woman came, undressed, and took her clothes with her, but forgot her pantyhose. After her an elderly gentleman came in and was also told to undress, come in, immerse himself into the mud bath, and enjoy. He saw the pantyhose and thought that he is supposed to wear it, so he put it on and sat in the mud bath. He sat in the mud for whatever duration was recommended, maybe an hour. After that it took about 2 hours for staff to pull off his pantyhose! Those were probably very high quality pantyhose.

Sergey Stillavin	Do you cohabitate with women?

Sergey, Caller	I have a wife.

Sergey Stillavin	What brand does your wife prefer? Or, maybe you are not informed about her interests?

Sergey, Caller	I see that she buys some, but I don’t know what kind. Probably good ones.

Sergey Stillavin	Ok, so you don’t check out the pictures on the packaging. Thank you very much, Sergey.

Victoria Kolosova	Julia writes to us (SMS) “I hate skin-tone pantyhose, it’s horrible, vulgar, and not attractive, especially when shiny”

Rustam Vahidov	Why? There are pantyhose with lurex as far as I know, right?

Victoria Kolosova	There are glossy ones.

Rustam Vahidov	Glowing! That’s cool.

Sergey Stillavin	(towards Victoria) … How do you feel about pantyhose? Is it just an item of clothing, like a jacket?

Victoria Kolosova	Guys, now it is very fashionable to wear prints and colourful pantyhose, there is a massive selection out there, but my legs itch from it and I don’t have anyone to scratch it for me at work.

Vladimir Pastuhov	We got a message from a criminal (SMS) – “the most important thing is that through pantyhose you can’t see the face”.

Rustam Vahidov	We are getting a message here asking us how come if yesterday we were eating chocolate Easter eggs in our test drive session, why can’t we all wear pantyhose today for TopRussia show?

Victoria Kolosova	Those are two different shows!

Vladimir Pastuhov	Bring it, we’ll wear it.


	Caller Oksana has a pantyhose business, Moscow

Sergey Stillavin	Oksana, pantyhose sell well, correct? What do people buy most out of the five brands we listed?

Oksana, Caller	Yes, correct. Omsa and Filodoro are top sellers.

Sergey Stillavin	What about the price?

Oksana, Caller	Around 20-30 rubles difference in retail price. (converts to less than $1 USD) I don’t think it’s a big difference for the consumer.

Sergey Stillavin	Tell us please, as a professional, do these 5 brands really differ in quality?

Oksana, Caller	They differ very much in the quality of weave, and correspondingly that would determine the lifespan of wearing these pantyhose.

Sergey Stillavin	Let’s say those that are better quality and those that sell best, is it the same thing? Do people really buy mostly durable items?

Oksana, Caller	Advertisement of course did its job. For example, Glamour pantyhose are just awful, but people buy them and I don’t understand why. But for example brands like Pierre Cardin and Philippe Matignon sell less, but their quality is better.

Sergey Stillavin	On average, what is the lifespan of wearing pantyhose?

Oksana, Caller	I think 2 – 3 times, not longer. What that young woman said about her wearing it for two weeks is unimaginable. Maybe she washes it, dries it, and then maybe she stores onions in them? I think only 2 – 3 times maximum for wearing.

Victoria Kolosova	I also can’t imagine that, wearing for so long.

Sergey Stillavin	Now we are choosing a finalist out of 5 brands. At the moment the highest chances are for the brands Filodoro and Golden Lady. Among the outsiders are Sisi, Glamour, and Omsa. What brand should be the winner?

	Caller Elena, 29 years old, Archangel

Elena, Caller	I am a consumer.

Sergey Stillavin	So, out of these brands, which one should become the queen of pantyhose?

Elena, Caller	I think that neither out of these 5 brands is good. But I most note, I like Filodoro stockings, but the rest of the pantyhose are all of average quality.

Sergey Stillavin	Do you wear stockings to work or for personal business?

Elena, Caller	Starting May I wear stockings all the time.

Rustam Vahidov	And with flip-flops, do you wear stockings too?

Elena, Caller	No. When the season allows for it, I wear stockings. In the summer – of course not. I only wear pantyhose in winter, and only those that are warm.

Sergey Stillavin	But still, from the list of these pantyhose brands, which ones do you give preference to?

Elena, Caller	I don’t know, I think Omsa. This brand is present on the Russian market since the beginning of the 90’s. Do you remember their commercial with a slogan? By quality they are the best out of all presented brands by you.You didn’t introduce the brand «Грация» (Gracia) that is very popular among Russian women. I am talking about their warm pantyhose.The brands that you are comparing poorly represent selection of winter pantyhose.

SMS Message	There are real brand name pantyhose and there are knock offs.

SMS Message	Child, if your product is only one-time use, perhaps you are purchasing knock offs? I usually wear Omsa at least a season, but of course I don’t climb fences while wearing it. Lyudmila

Rustam Vahidov	Do people wash pantyhose at all?

Victoria Kolosova	Of course, every day! You don’t wear your socks all month long, right?

Sergey Stillavin	Foreigners at the end of the 80’s… not for all women it would be pleasant to remember… I remember reading notes about what foreigners think about Soviet women. One of the things listed as what they just can’t understand was why is it that Soviet women sniff their pantyhose before washing!

Rustam Vahidov	Sniff which part?

Sergey Stillavin	In general, just checking so by accident they don’t wash the ones that are still not dirty.

Rustam Vahidov	I remember that from cracked heels pantyhose rips fast. Snags appear.

	Caller Stas

Sergey Stillavin	Let’s hear out Stas, is he a seller of pantyhose?

Stas, Caller	I am a consumer, but not for the intended use.

Sergey Stillavin	How so?

Stas, Caller	I would like to defend pantyhose by Sisi, 40 den. My wife had such. They are a perfect fit for the timing belt in the car – I checked. In the summer we went out of town and our timing belt ripped and my wife’s pantyhose came in handy.

Rustam Vahidov	What car was that, a tank?

Stas, Caller	Volga. So Sisi pantyhose were suitable, I remember my wife was wearing it at the time.

Sergey Stillavin	Do you, Rustam, control your wife’s pantyhose purchases? Do you know what brand of pantyhose she buys?

Rustam Vahidov	No.

Vladimir Pastuhov	Oh-oh! I see that you both probably spend your days at the pantyhose section of the department stores!

Rustam Vahidov	I only notice brands on television, like most of us, or in the crosswalk if I see a crowd of women near a kiosk. There are line ups there.

Victoria Kolosova	A woman should always have a spare pair of pantyhose in her purse. If she has a run or a snag, how can she wear it ripped? Women can go and change pantyhose.

Sergey Stillavin	Then is this why you, women, have such long line ups in the washroom because you change clothing there?

Victoria Kolosova	So what, everyone has their weaknesses.

	Caller Anna, 26 years old, Moscow

Sergey Stillavin	At what age did you start wearing pantyhose for adult women?

Anna, Caller	Wow, I don’t remember, I think at 20.

Sergey Stillavin	And before that?

Anna, Caller	Before that I didn’t wear dresses.

Sergey Stillavin	Stop laughing! (to the colleagues) Out of these 5 brands, which one do you prefer?

Anna, Caller	I’d choose Omsa, but I also wanted to mention something about the quality of Sisi. I purposely bought same denier to compare and noticed that Sisi rips much faster. Sisi pantyhose last in general only one day.

Sergey Stillavin	What about Omsa? How long do they last?

Anna, Caller	For sure 3 – 4 days of wear.

Sergey Stillavin	And in that timespan, how many times do you manage to wash this pair of pantyhose?

Anna, Caller	Also 3 – 4 times.

Sergey Stillavin	So that means you have to wash it every day?

Anna, Caller	Yes, respectively.

Sergey Stillavin	This is horrible!

Victoria Kolosova	What’s horrible?

Sergey Stillavin	To wash it every day.


	Caller Oleg, Moscow, pantyhose businessman

Sergey Stillavin	Let’s ask Oleg. Are you a pantyhose businessman?

Oleg, Caller	Yes, I work with pantyhose since 1995.

Sergey Stillavin	So tell us, what brand sells most?

Oleg, Caller	I want to word this a little bit differently. In every brand there are good quality pantyhose and low quality pantyhose, so all of you forgot about that. So within every brand you can point out pantyhose that would last a long time and those that would rip up right away.

Sergey Stillavin	Which ones are the best in general? Please vote on our site www.TopRussia.ru, for the whole week.

PANTYHOSE BRAND COMPARISON RESULTS:

Voting in semi-final and final competitions:

Omsa – #1

Filodoro – #2

Golden Lady – #3

Sisi – #4

Glamour – #5

http://toprussia.ru/strumpfhose/

SOURCE:

Original Video (In Russian, 1st Half – Auto Comparison, 2nd Half – Pantyhose Brand Comparison)

http://youtu.be/GEfAnBWT0RU

DO YOU WANT TO READ PART 2?

Friday, March 8, 2013 – "International Women’s Day" (Except in the United States!)

Posted on March 7, 2013 by admin

by David, United States

Soviet poster saying “8th of March is the Rebellion Day of Female Workers against enslavement in the kitchen. The end to oppression and redundancy of household chores.”

"A Promise is a Promise : Time for Action to end Violence against Women" is the official UN theme for tomorrow’s International Women’s Day; "The Gender Agenda Р“СћРІвЂљВ¬РІР‚Сљ Gaining Momentum" is the IWD 2013’s chosen theme.

International Women’s Day was observed for the first time in 1911 in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. More than a million women got involved, and the push was for women’s right to vote, hold public office, get vocational training, and receive unemployment rights.

Alexandra Kollontai, Bolshevik activist, convinced Vladimir Lenin to declare International Women’s Day an official Russian holiday in 1912.

The women of International Women’s Day in Russia were active in protesting World War I, and in 1917 went on strike for "Peace and bread" on the last Sunday in February which was March 8 on the Gregorian calendar. Several days later the Czar abdicated and the provisional government granted Russian women the right to vote.

Over the years the political protest nature of the holiday faded in Russia, and today it is their combination of Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day Р“СћРІвЂљВ¬РІР‚Сљ men all over Russia buy gifts, flowers, and candy for the women in their lives. It is an official Russian holiday, and dearly loved in the hearts of its people.

Initially International Women’s Day was celebrated primarily in the Soviet Bloc and socialist nations.

Today International Women’s Day is an official holiday in the following countries:

Afghanistan
Angola
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Burkina Faso
Cambodia,
China (for women only)
Cuba, Georgia
Guinea-Bissau
Eritrea
Kazakhstan
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Macedonia (for women only)
Madagascar (for women only)
Moldova
Mongolia
Montenegro
Nepal (for women only)
Russia
Tajikistan
Turkmenistan
Uganda
Ukraine
Uzbekistan
Vietnam
Zambia

It was never adopted as a holiday in the USA; presumably because of its Soviet Bloc and socialist country origins. However, thousands of USA women have embraced the day, and huge events are planned in the larger American cities, especially the Big Apple Р“СћРІвЂљВ¬РІР‚Сљ big rally, big march, and a cocktail party at the Empire Room in the Empire State Building !!! (Make mine a double!)

Happy International Women’s day to all you ladies Р“СћРІвЂљВ¬РІР‚Сљ whether or not your country has endorsed it!

Happy-8th-march-9

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