Dreamgirl 0212 Sheer Halter Teddy Bodystocking with Opaque Bra and Panty

What it is

The Dreamgirl 0212 is a black one-piece teddy bodystocking with a sheer halter top, an opaque knitted bra and panty, attached criss-cross garter straps and attached thigh-high stockings. It is a single continuous garment rather than a matched set, so the teddy, the garter straps and the hosiery all go on in one movement and stay aligned once they are on.

Visually the piece is built around a single idea: a criss-cross line motif that repeats from the neckline to the ankle. The same bold crossing lines appear across the torso, again across the thighs as garter straps, and once more as a lattice pattern running down the legs of the stockings. That repetition is what makes the 0212 read as one head-to-toe design instead of three separate pieces that happen to match. It sits in our bodystocking range, which is the part of the lingerie catalogue covering one-piece knitted styles.

How the piece is built

The bodystocking alternates sheer mesh with heavier opaque knit, and the contrast between the two is the whole look. Working down from the top:

• Halter neckline. Two straps rise from the bust, meet at the throat and form a band that sits around the neck. The shoulders and arms are left bare.
• Bust. An opaque knitted panel shaped into a soft, seamed bust, in the same solid black knit used for the panty.
• Torso. Fine sheer mesh runs from beneath the bust to the hip, crossed by two large opaque X shapes in that heavier knit.
• Back. Open and bare from the shoulders down to the mid-back, where the sheer panel resumes and the crossing lines carry around to the rear.
• Panty. An opaque knitted brief with a high-cut leg line and full seat coverage at the back.
• Garter straps. Narrow strap lines run from the hem of the panty down the front and the back of each thigh, crossing one another on the way to the stocking tops.
• Stockings. Each leg finishes in an attached thigh-high with a wide opaque welt band at the top and a semi-sheer leg patterned with the same crossing lattice, carried all the way down to the toe.

Because the garter straps are knitted in rather than clipped on, there is nothing to unfasten between the panty and the stocking welt, and nothing to re-clip if a strap shifts during the evening.

How to wear it

Put the 0212 on the way you would a footed bodystocking: gather the whole garment down to the toe first, work one foot in at a time, then draw it up the body before settling the halter over the head. Gathering the leg in your hands and rolling it on spreads the tension across the knit; pulling from the welt concentrates it in one place, which is where fine hosiery usually ladders.

Rings, watch clasps, long nails and rough heels are the usual culprits for snags, so it is worth taking jewellery off before handling it. Once it is on, the criss-cross lines should sit symmetrically front and back — a few seconds spent settling the torso panel and the thigh straps is what makes the motif line up properly.

Looking after it

Handle this as hosiery rather than as ordinary clothing. Fine-knit stretch garments of this kind generally do best hand washed in cool water with a mild detergent, pressed out rather than wrung, and laid flat or hung to dry away from direct heat. A zipped mesh laundry bag on a delicates cycle is the usual compromise if you would rather machine wash. Keep it away from bleach, fabric softener and the tumble dryer — heat is what degrades the elastic fibres that give a bodystocking its recovery, and a piece that has lost its recovery will bag at the knee and the seat.

That is general guidance for fine-knit hosiery. Always follow any care instructions supplied with the garment itself.

Who it's for

This suits an adult who wants the layered garter-and-stocking look without assembling it from separate parts. A traditional version of this outfit is three or four items — a teddy, a suspender belt, a pair of thigh-highs and the clips joining them — and every join is a thing that can twist, slip or show. The 0212 collapses all of that into one knitted piece, which also means there is nothing to match for shade, since it is a single black knit end to end.

It is a reasonable first bodystocking for the same reason. The construction is forgiving, there is no hardware to learn, and the sheer-and-opaque panelling gives more coverage at the bust and hip than an all-mesh style does. If you already own bodystockings, the draw here is the motif rather than the format: the crossing lines are graphic and deliberate rather than a fishnet or a small all-over print.

Good to know

• Intended for adults 18 and over.
• Fine knit snags easily. Store it folded in a drawer rather than on a hanger or loose with hooks, zips and buckles.
• The stockings are part of the garment and cannot be replaced on their own — a ladder in one leg affects the whole piece, which is the trade-off for one-piece construction.
• Intimate apparel is subject to hygiene restrictions on returns. Check the store's return policy before ordering if fit is a concern.
• Orders ship in plain outer packaging with no product imagery or description on the outside.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are the stockings included, or do I buy them separately?

The thigh-high stockings are included and are attached to the bodystocking as part of the knit. They join onto the garter straps that come down from the panty, so the 0212 arrives as one piece covering from the halter neckline to the toes, with no separate hosiery to buy and no clips to fasten.

Is the whole thing see-through?

No — only the torso is. The bust panel and the panty are a solid opaque knit, and the stocking welt bands are opaque too. The sheer mesh is limited to the midsection between the bust and the hip, and to the legs of the stockings below the welt, where it is semi-sheer and broken up by the lattice pattern.

Does it leave the back open?

Yes. The halter leaves the shoulders and upper back completely bare, and the sheer panel picks up again at the mid-back with the crossing lines continuing around the body. The panty gives full seat coverage at the rear, so the open section is the upper back rather than the whole of it.

How should I wash it?

Hand wash it in cool water with a mild detergent and let it air dry flat. Fine-knit hosiery of this type loses its stretch in a hot wash or a tumble dryer, so skip both, along with bleach and fabric softener. If you prefer a machine, put it in a zipped mesh bag on a cold delicates cycle and accept that hand washing is gentler.

How will this arrive in the post?

It ships in plain, unbranded outer packaging. There is no product name, photograph or category wording printed on the outside, and the sender line does not describe the contents.

Product information compiled and reviewed by the Gear Isle product team. We transcribe product specifications directly from manufacturer packaging. Found an error? Tell us.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Adult novelty device for adults 18 and over. Consult a licensed healthcare professional before use, especially if you have a medical condition. Keep out of reach of children.