Harley Quinn & Auria Storm, Love story or Obsession?

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by Auria Storm, Calgary-based alternative pin up model and gamer

The first time I saw Harley Quinn trapped in an alley and smile that roguish smile while screaming for her babies, I fell in love. Here was a character that was intelligent, independent and yet still madly in love. My first anti-hero, first villainess crush and from that moment on and there was never any looking back. Batman, was a hero, but my real hero was Dr. Harleen Quinzel aka Harley Quinn.

It’s been years since that moment (no speculating on how many!) and I now own a sizeable collection of Harley Quinn memorabilia. This includes starting a Harley Quinn themed leg sleeve. I currently only have the re-vamped Suicide Squad, Harley, but it will soon include a classic Harley Quinn on my lower calf.

What prompted me to get a themed tattoo? My Harley Quinn piece is an inspiration to me. A reminder that you can have it all, lose everything and still start over and find love. Harley Quinn might be insane, but there are a few lessons that she shares with us all. Love can be found in the unlikeliest of place, you don’t choose who you love and most of all, always be yourself. Now, I’m not saying Harley and The Joker have a healthy relationship, but I think the authors have addressed that with the new B52 release. Harley is finally moving on and taking care of herself, something that probably should have happened long ago.

It’s funny the people I have met because of my tattoo and my occasional cosplay. Others who understand that Harley Quinn, a character meant to be a one off, is something more than just a joke. For me, Harley Quinn is an inspiration and I’ll dedicate a whole leg to her in true crazy fandom style.

Auria Storm

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Do you want to see more of Auria Storm? Please follow her on social media and check her website. She is also open to doing paid themed photoshoots.

Twitter – https://twitter.com/Auria_Storm

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/auria52/

Website – https://www.auriastorm.com/

In these photos Auria Storm is wearing white shiny pantyhose by Fiore called Idalia. They come in many shades and white is one of them. 20 den, durable, sheer to waist. If you like it, buy it HERE.

 

Interview with Anatoly Borodin – a Russian Pantyhose Photographer

jessica head shotI am pleased to present this interview with Anatoly Borodin, a photographer and an entrepreneur from Moscow. He runs a popular pantyhose fetish-oriented website pro-kolgotki. It has been 10 years since he started photographing women in pantyhose and he is currently working on publishing a high quality printed photo book of his best work. This is a crowdfunding campaign to spread a word about the beauty of women in pantyhose. Anatoly proved to be the most interesting person to interview so far. Some of his answers took me by surprise, some made me disagree, some made me wonder whether he is the next Pierre Molinier, and some made me realize that my degree of pantyhose obsession is no match to his. To sum it up, Anatoly left me with even more questions than answers. Enjoy the read! 

 

How do you select your models? Is it a requirement for them to love pantyhose? I remember helping to dress models at a Vancouver fashion show and many had no idea about basic concepts like “backseam is supposed to be at the back” type of thing.

Anatoly Borodin, photographer of women in pantyhose, founder of pro-kolgotki.comI look for amateur girls who want to have good photos of themselves in order to publish them on their own blog and to improve their self-esteem. These are ordinary girls from Moscow, Kiev and other Russian and Ukrainian cities.

There’s no requirement to love pantyhose. If it was in place – I wouldn’t find any models. LOL.

I simply publish a job post in fashion & modelling communities with explanation that ‘we shoot underwear and pantyhose’. Then I make a selection of the best girls who have replied to my job post.  Usually it is 50% of all the replies. Then I contact them and ask if they’re OK to pose in underwear. At this point another 50% of girls leave. The reason for double-checking is that models are usually young absent-minded girls with ‘a wind between their ears’, honestly. So they reply to all castings and all job posts without even looking at the details. Calling a potential model and double-confirming the type of shooting is essential – it saves a lot of time and energy.

I do not tell that the session is of certain fetish type. Because it’s not! Surprised?
Yes, my sessions are NOT related to pantyhose fetish. Don’t want to go deep into details, just check the vocabulary’s definition of ‘fetish’ and you’ll get the clue. My sessions are about women and their true tender beauty. Pantyhose are just a garment that emphasises the femininity of certain girl in a certain session.

Anatoly Borodin, photographer of women in pantyhose, founder of pro-kolgotki.com

Yes, women DO NOT KNOW A THING ABOUT PANTYHOSE. For more than 15 years I’ve been researching this alluring riddle, testing hundreds of pairs of pantyhose, learning the hosiery industry on all continents. Completed hundreds of interviews with women of different cultures and ages learning their attitude and wishes towards nylons.
My conclusion is that women do not really care about hosiery. They purchase random tights at random places without looking at either the brand name or the visual quality.

I don’t judge. I understand them completely. The woman’s world contains so many more important things like health, relations, and daily tasks, looking after kids and so on. The list is endless. A pair pantyhose is at the very end on that list, if there at all.

photo by Anatoly Borodin, photographer of women in pantyhose, founder of pro-kolgotki.com

I adore seeing women wearing pantyhose in everyday life, there aren’t so many of them around. That’s why I came up with my project’s idea – to create more real women wearing pantyhose. It’s all right that they wear pantyhose only at my sessions. But the pantyhose wearing index it’s already above zero. Do you get my point?
This is our reality, and there’s nothing good or bad about that.

photo by Anatoly Borodin, photographer of women in pantyhose, founder of pro-kolgotki.com

Is there a type of pantyhose that is the most difficult to photograph? There are a lot of little details to watch for during any photoshoot, especially the lighting.

Surprisingly, seamless sheer pantyhose is the most difficult to shoot, like Wolford Fatal 15. I love the idea of seamless pantyhose, but it is almost impossible to show them in a beautiful way without going to too explicit images.
The thing is that seamless pantyhose are unthinkable to be worn with any underwear. The seamless concept is so super-sexy and so super-feminine that I can’t allow my model to have anything under them. Any kind of panties look weird and odd under a pair of seamless pantyhose.

Another disadvantage of seamless pantyhose is that they’re too matt and too thin to be clearly visible on the photographs. So it usually takes a lot of efforts to place the right lighting and take a shot under the right angle to make a good photo.

That’s why I don’t shoot seamless pantyhose in my sessions anymore. Too much of hassle of balancing the image between being feminine, tender and pure and the explicitness.

photo by Anatoly Borodin, photographer of women in pantyhose, founder of pro-kolgotki.com

Do you retouch your photographs? I’d like to know where you stand on this, some fashion photographers pride themselves on never releasing an image without first spending a few hours on it in Photoshop.

Yes I always retouch every photograph. One photo takes from 10 to 30 minutes of retouching. One issue of my magazine contains up to 400 photographs. So one issue release takes from 66 to 200 hours of my daily work.
I love what I do, so I’m working without weekends, and at night. But don’t get delusional, a good photograph that people would want to pay money for is always based on hard work and years of experience. Throw away the stories of ‘get rich in one month in two clicks’.

AND! Do not ever listen to any ‘fashion photographers’ who say that. Everybody retouches photos. Without retouching any photo look ‘too ordinary’ . It’s a general trap that many starting photographers get into… sometimes for life.

The whole point of artistic depictions that people would like looking at is in ‘creating a vivid unusual image that one can’t find in everyday life’. It has a lot to do with the increased contrast, vividness, color balance and many other things.

photo by Anatoly Borodin, photographer of women in pantyhose, founder of pro-kolgotki.com

It is a known fact that amateur photos get way more attention on social media than studio photos. Why do you think this is the case?

In my opinion amateur photos are quite popular because of higher level of intimacy on them. A photo of yourself taken in your private kitchen or your bedroom is much more intimate and ‘true’ than any studio photo. But popular doesn’t mean profitable. People want to watch amateur photos for free, and don’t want to pay.

Anatoly Borodin, photographer of women in pantyhose, founder of pro-kolgotki.com

 

Do you have any entertaining photoshoot stories? One time I was at a fashion show in Toronto where the model was in such a rush to put on that jacket, she walked out with the hanger still on her back.

Can’t recall any specific funny story. Mainly because of my sessions are completely directed and pre-arranged. So I’m the conductor of the set and can do whatever I think is reasonable.

There was one plus size girl who brought her red evening dress but didn’t bring any heels. I asked her about what she was thinking about when she packed an evening dress and her sneakers… So we had to shoot her in that dress and with bare feet. The result was still nice.

Anatoly Borodin, photographer of women in pantyhose, founder of pro-kolgotki.com

Oh! Let me tell you the biggest fun: girls do not have a clue of what does them and what doesn’t fit them.

Women do not have a clue of matching pantyhose and underwear colors. They think ‘it’s OK’ and ‘nobody sees it anyway’.
But men see. If you’re a girl reading this, get this clear: yesterday you wore stockings under your skirt and I guarantee most men you met on that day knew you were wearing stockings. Don’t ask how. We, men, train our skills.
If you’re a man reading this, you’d probably agree with me.

photography by Anatoly Borodin, model in yellow tights and high heels

Moreover, when you’re young you never know in whose bed you will end up today. It’s OK. But in order to look holistic, tasty and stylish – please, PLEASE (PLEASE!) think of matching your underwear and pantyhose colors.
There’s nothing more tasteless than a white panties under a black sheer pantyhose. It just degrades you down to a country redneck girl (is that OK to write like that? LOL).

Black pantyhose = black/dark panties.
Nude pantyhose = nude/white/light panties
Colourful pantyhose = up to you, think of and try the complimentary colors.

(Red vs blue, yellow vs violet, pink vs sky-blue, orange vs dark-green… should I continue or you’ve got the point?)

Not saying about all other accessories, belts, bracelets, watches, earrings, and lipstick’s color matching the whole outlook.

Anatoly Borodin, photographer of women in pantyhose, founder of pro-kolgotki.com

And finally:
Some girls come to my sessions having their periods. This is awkward, but to me it is funny! I mean no offense. I’m laughing at myself getting into such an awkward situation. It’s inconvenient for the girl in first place. And when she doesn’t feel secure, the photos would be a complete crap. I can’t even press the shutter button when I see a tense insecure girl in front of me.
When a girl decides to come for an underwear session at her ‘days’, this means she just wants money. I understand and don’t judge. But we won’t get any good result out of that. There’s no easy solution for this, because I can’t ask my potential models about their periods over the phone. It would be too awkward. So all I have is to rely on girls’ discretion, and to laugh at such situations.

Anatoly Borodin, photographer of women in pantyhose, founder of pro-kolgotki.com

Looks like you are an open-minded kind of guy. What is your opinion of men who wear pantyhose for comfort and enjoyment? This is probably one of the most common questions I get.

If that’s making you feel good, then IT IS GOOD.

Yes I wore pantyhose and I found it exciting. The good pantyhose make your legs look and feel so smooth and sleek. I regret I can not wear skirt because when pantyhose are under your pants the legs can’t touch each other. Although I’ve tried it at home. I believe that this sensation of your legs covered by sheer pantyhose touching each other is very important!  And very revealing! Like the whole unknown universe opens before you! A universe of women’s feelings, sensations, thoughts, and motivations. This experience has allowed me to feel what women feel, and as a result to better understand them.

photo by Anatoly Borodin, photographer of women in pantyhose, founder of pro-kolgotki.com

And here I’d like to say that I understand WHY women hate pantyhose. I really do! Because after wearing a pair of sheer pantyhose for 10-12 hours they bring a lot of discomfort at the end of the day. I felt that my legs were like in a cage. And especially the sweat that have spread along the legs, making pantyhose feel like something wet and rubbery.

BUT ONLY THE LOW-QUALITY ONES! Hear me out! Only the low quality pantyhose bring that kind of discomfort by the end of the day! The good ones, for instance Wolford Satin Opaque 50, or Neon 40, are so luxurious that you wouldn’t want to take them off. I’ve experimented with many women of different ages and ethnicity. All of them declined to take them off after a 4-hour long session.

Listen to me; it’s a man telling you this stuff. Don’t take this as an advertisement, I simply haven’t found anything better than Wolford during my 15 year extensive research of hosiery.

I’ve even tried wearing laced sexy panties, but that’s too inconvenient for a man simply because of the physiological reasons. It could give you some bad consequences with your health in a long run. I looked at myself in a mirror wearing laced panties and sheer pantyhose, and it was the most miserable view in my life. I felt it was all too fake. It was like a wishful act – trying to be someone you’re not. That moment I decided that I prefer seeing beautiful underwear and luxury pantyhose on real women.

photo by Anatoly Borodin, photographer of women in pantyhose, founder of pro-kolgotki.com

We all have both male and female essence in us. Seeking for another gender’s essence in you is normal and good for finding yourself. Usually, normally, we go through that sex/orientation thing at our middle childhood when trying on another sex’s garments, shoes, clothing. It’s normal and it’s very important in forming your orientation. That’s what I believe in.

I’d like to emphasise this to all men interested in pantyhose, who are insecure about their interest. If something makes you feel good, and it doesn’t affect anyone else, then it’s nothing but the good thing.

Just do it and enjoy your life.

 

photo by Anatoly Borodin, photographer of women in pantyhose, founder of pro-kolgotki.com

 

Contact Information for Anatoly Borodin: 

E-mail: anatoly@pro-kolgotki.com

Facebook profile: Anatoly Borodin

Facebook fan page: pro-kolgotki (direct transliteration of Russian “about pantyhose”)

Instagram: @pro_kolgotki

Youtube: RuPantyhose

Best Pantyhose Magazine on Earth: pro-kolgotki.com

Crowdfunding campaign to publish his book: Women in pantyhose Photography Book Project.

 

 

This interview was conducted by Jessica, the founder of this website. Please note that views expressed in this interview are Anatoly’s only and they may or may not reflect the views on the same subjects of the Fantasy Stockings team. 

 

Demi Lovato Wears Sexy Bodysuit and Tights in Brazil

shiny fishnet pantyhose and over the knee bootsI was browsing through some foreign news and I spotted this photo of Demi Lovato, looking glamorous in a nice high cut bodysuit and nude fishnet shiny tights. This performance took place in Brazil on July 1st at the Villa Mix Festival.

She admits that Brazil is where most of her fans are and this is where her tours are the craziest. I can see why they like her voluptuous shape there!

Twitter is exploding with samples of her new song #SorryNotSorry and I can’t wait to see the video for that! She says that this song is dedicated to the haters. It looks like on the cover she has another amazing bodysuit. 

 

Wearing Idalia pantyhose in Black

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Yesterday I took advantage of the warm weather and wore these shiny black pantyhose outdoors! These are Idalia by Fiore. They seem to go with just about any outfit.

hosiery with a glossy effect, shiny tightsEven though they are 20 den, I’d say that they feel a little thicker, as if they were 30 den or so. In a way it works to my advantage because I am not as afraid to wear it at home, since very sheer yarn may get damaged easily. As you see from a photo below, I wear it with a house robe (my favourite silky one) over it.

Do you like black shiny pantyhose? According to a woman who works for a hosiery manufacturer, shiny pantyhose were once very much in fashion, but no longer. I had a fashion blogger friend too who would ask only for matte and couldn’t state even a slightest hint of shine. Perhaps it could be that it’s not the best thing for fuller legs.

However, I’d say that I get the most comments when I actually do wear a shiny style rather than matte. I think that the shinier it is, the better!

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Blogger in Gina Lurex Tights

Backseam is one of the toughest styles to photograph since the seams shift. These are almost perfect, I know how hard it is to keep it straight.

This pretty blogger did a photoshoot for Fiore hosiery in Gina lurex backseam tights. I like how she combined it with the theme of make up, as pantyhose are too in a way make up for the legs.

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If you like these and would like to get it, these tights are available at the shop section – Gina lurex backseam tights.

Dressing up for Victory Day

May 9th (or May 8th, depending on who you ask) is the Victory Day, the end of World War II. This year friends invited me and my guy out to celebrate to a themed event in a restaurant. Here’s a shot below from the elevator.

wearing a dress and jewelry with pantyhose in the elevator

It was really nice, happy and sad at the same time. May 9th is a very emotional day for me, it’s never easy to think about the sacrifices and losses of the war. Even though it wasn’t my generation, but I grew up with my grandparents telling me those stories. I phoned my grandpa to congratulate him first thing in the morning.

But since this is a hosiery blog, I just have to highlight some of the leg fashion statements from that outing. Please don’t let this mislead you that I in any way give more significance to clothing than to the this historical event. It’s just the nature of this blog.

I wore a black dress that I got as a present from one of my amazing fans and my friend also had a really nice dress on paired with black sheer pantyhose. Here’s a photo of our legs below posing on the dance floor.

legs on Victory Day celebration party - pantyhose

I saw some really nicely dressed women dancing, about 80% of them had some kind of pantyhose on and nice heels. One blond lady had such amazing heels (and nude pantyhose too) that I couldn’t resist and went to talk to her when she sat down at her table.

I asked her politely to take a photo of her shoes and I mentioned that I wonder how she can dance on such heels. Instead of posing for a photo she asked me what size I wear and suggested that I try it on so that I know for myself how comfortable those are!

She took off her shoe and handed it to me and I took off mine. Of course I pulled up my guy with his camera and took the opportunity to get a photo of my foot in her shoe. Turns out that she got those shoes as a present and it was her first day wearing them.

At that point some of her friends came to sit down and they were sort of surprised to see her with one shoe off and and me with her other shoe on. To top it off, my guy tried to take a photo, but according to that fashion lady his angle wasn’t good enough, so she persisted to coach him on how to take a proper photo and show off the heel. Let’s just say there was a lot of commotion around my foot dressed in her shoe.

my foot in Jessica Simpson shoes and pantyhose   my foot in Jessica Simpson shoes and pantyhose  - nice heels!

my foot in Jessica Simpson shoes and pantyhose  - cool!

So the last photo here was done to her satisfaction, as she felt that the heel was shown properly and this shoe swap photosession ended. I am guessing that the man who was with her was probably the one who got her those shoes. If that’s the case, he got to see his gift in the midst of admiration.

Wearing Shiny Pantyhose by Fiore

A fan asked to see more photos of this shiny style, so I put on a mini skirt and heels today and got my guy to take some photos outside in sunshine. Sunshine really brings out the gloss in these Idalia 20 den pantyhose by Fiore.

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I wore this same pair previously in the airport on my flight to Cuba (that was mentioned in the newsletter that went out earlier this month), but my selfie pictures at the airport were not as nice and didn’t do justice to this beautiful style.

If you like it, it’s available at the shop section – Idalia glossy pantyhose by Fiore.

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Idalia glossy pantyhose by Fiore is available at the shop section of this blog. Please remember that the only source of funding for my blog comes from there. Check it out!

She wears nude pantyhose, but is it outdated?

nude shiny pantyhose

I got this photo from another blogger and her post was from 2011. She was saying that she wore a mini dress with nude pantyhose. Well, I see why, she wore platform shoes with it that I doubt would feel comfortable if worn without any hosiery.

However, in terms of the look, would you say that it’s rare to see such a mini dress paired with hosiery in general? I can totally hear some fashion critics saying how this is a bad idea to wear pantyhose with a summer outfit, especially shiny.