One piece to put on and you're done. That's the promise of both a bodystocking and a catsuit, and that's where the similarity ends. One is tights for your whole body, the other a second skin of glossy fabric. Here's the difference, which one to choose when, and how to put it on without ending up with a ladder straight away.
What is a bodystocking?
A bodystocking is lingerie made of thin, stretchy fabric (nylon, fishnet or lace) that covers your entire body, from your shoulders or neck down to your toes. Think of it as tights for your whole body. Almost all bodystockings have an open crotch, so you don't have to take it off. They're usually one size (stretching from S to L) and cost little. You wear a bodystocking as lingerie: at home, under a dress, or at a party with a skirt over it.
What is a catsuit?
A catsuit is a tight suit from shoulder to ankle, usually made of wetlook, latex or spandex. It shines, shows your shape and covers almost everything, and that's exactly what makes it sexy. A catsuit is clothing, not lingerie: you wear it as an outfit, at a fetish party or at home for roleplay. Latex catsuits are the true fetish classic, while wetlook catsuits are the affordable and easy option.
The difference in one sentence
A bodystocking lets your skin show through and is lingerie; a catsuit covers your skin, shines and is an outfit.
Which one should you choose?
| Situation | Choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
| At home, as a surprise | Bodystocking (fishnet or lace) | Open crotch, quick to put on, lots of effect for little money |
| Erotic dance party or couples club | Bodystocking with a skirt or fishnet bodysuit | Lingerie is the norm there, and it stays put while you dance |
| Fetish party (Wasteland, Darklands) | Wetlook or latex catsuit | Shine and coverage count as fetish; lingerie alone often doesn't |
| Roleplay at home | Catsuit, optionally with a mask | The catsuit is the costume |
| Under a dress | Bodystocking with long sleeves | Looks like tights with a top, feels like a secret |
Read which party requires what in the overview of erotic parties in the Netherlands and Belgium.
From our shop
- Long sleeve bodystocking – also under a dress
- Visnet bodysuit backless – open back, party favourite
- Bodysuit visnet met kettingen – fishnet with a kinky accent
- Catsuit met open kruis en billen – covered yet open
Open crotch: why almost every bodystocking has one
You don't just slip a bodystocking off. That's why the crotch is open: practical for the toilet, and exciting because you stay dressed while anything is possible. Catsuits also come with an open crotch or a zip. If you don't want that, look for "closed crotch" in the product description.
How to put one on without ladders
- Nails short or filed, rings and watch off. This causes nine out of ten ladders.
- Roll it on like tights: feet first, then gradually upwards. Never pull at the edge.
- Fishnet: slide your fingers through the holes and push the fabric up, don't pull on loose threads.
- Wetlook or latex catsuit: use talcum powder or a donning spray on the inside, and pull on it in sections. All the tips are in wearing and caring for wetlook, latex and leather.
- Heels only at the end, and bodystockings with feet: first slip on over a sock to prevent snags.
What do you wear under and over it?
Underneath: usually nothing. A bodystocking is the lingerie. If you want more coverage, wear a thong or seamless briefs in the same colour. Under a catsuit you wear nothing or seamless underwear, otherwise the edges show through the shine.
Over it: a skirt, a corset top, a harness or a kimono. At parties a harness over a bodystocking or catsuit is the quickest way to look deliberate. Read how a harness should fit.
From our shop
- Wetlook jumpsuit – the entry-level catsuit
- Spandex jumpsuit – shiny and stretchy
- Harnas romp met ketting en leder – over a bodystocking or catsuit
For him
Bodystockings and catsuits are also available for men: a fishnet bodysuit or a transparent men's jumpsuit. At fetish parties with a male crowd, such as Darklands, a mesh catsuit is a popular base. More in kinky clothing for men.
From our shop
- Visnet bodysuit heren – open structure
- Transparante jumpsuit heren, catsuit one size – mesh from top to toe
Washing and storing
Bodystocking: hand wash or wash bag on cold, no dryer, dry flat or hanging. Wetlook catsuit: cold machine wash without fabric softener. Latex: lukewarm water, pat dry, talc on the inside, store in the dark. Store fishnet loose in a bag, not among clothing with zips.
Read also
Frequently asked questions
What is a bodystocking?
Lingerie made of thin, stretchy fabric (nylon, fishnet or lace) that covers your entire body, like tights for your whole body. Almost always with an open crotch and usually one size.
What is the difference between a bodystocking and a catsuit?
A bodystocking is sheer lingerie that shows your skin. A catsuit is a tight suit of wetlook, latex or spandex that covers your skin and shines. The first is lingerie, the second an outfit.
Is a bodystocking one size?
Usually, yes: the fabric stretches from about size S to L. For larger sizes there are plus size bodystockings with more fabric and stretch. Catsuits do come in real sizes.
What do you wear under a bodystocking?
Usually nothing; the bodystocking is the lingerie. If you want more coverage, wear a thong or seamless briefs in the same colour.
How do you wash a bodystocking?
Hand wash or in a wash bag on a cold programme, without a dryer. Let it dry flat or hanging and store it loose, away from zips and hooks.
Shop bodysuits, bodystockings and catsuits
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