Red Passion Collection Review | Black Sheer Stockings & Holdups

When Dark Secrets released the Red Passion Collection, it came into my world the way most lingerie does — as stock, not fantasy.

I handle a lot of it. Day in, day out. Most pieces are fine. Some are forgettable. Every now and then, something makes me pause, not because it’s loud, but because it shows restraint.

That was Red Passion.

Everything is black and sheer. The red is there, but only in detail — floral seams, berry-toned lace, small touches you don’t really understand until they’re on a body. It felt considered rather than attention-seeking, which made me want to wear a piece properly and see how it behaved outside the shop.

Not styled. Not posed. Just worn.

Yes. As a collection, it hangs together.

There’s a clear idea running through it: black first, red as an accent, nothing trying to shock. Even the more daring pieces don’t feel novelty-led. They feel intentional. That kind of consistency matters when you see ranges come and go all the time.

That said, coherence doesn’t mean everything belongs in my drawer.

And I don’t pretend otherwise.

I’m selective, because my life is specific.

• Holdups are my lane. They fit how I actually go out.

• Classic stockings have their place, when I want something slower and more deliberate.

• Open-crotch tights are rare for me. Private. Intentional. Not what I wear to dinner with friends.

I like that the collection offers choice. I don’t need to live in all of it to respect the design.

If one piece shows what Red Passion gets right, it’s the BS165 holdups.

Black sheer leg.
A floral back seam threaded with red.
A deep berry lace band with a silicone grip that actually does its job.

In the packaging, they’re understated. On the body, they make sense.

The lace sits high and firm on the thigh — not tight, not decorative. You feel it settle, then you forget about it. The seam runs cleanly down the back of the leg and lines up naturally with heels, which matters more than people realise.

They don’t try to be sexy. They let you be.

I wore them to a Chinese buffet in Taunton for my best friend’s birthday.

Emerald green dress, just above the knee. Heels, always. A nice outfit, but not one designed to make a point.

It’s a bright, busy room. Ordinary lighting. Lots of movement. Which makes it a good test.

I stood up, walked back and forth, sat for long stretches, crossed my legs, leaned in to listen. The holdups stayed exactly where they were supposed to. No sliding. No tugging. No moment where I felt pulled out of myself by what I was wearing.

That’s the difference between lingerie that looks good and lingerie that works.

It happened quietly.

I was seated, listening to my friend, legs crossed, when I caught a brief glance from a man at the next table following the line of my leg for just a fraction longer than expected before he looked away.

No staring. No intrusion.

And for any woman reading this who feels uneasy about that idea: this isn’t about wanting attention. It’s about noticing that when you feel settled and composed in your body, it sometimes registers outwardly. Whether you’re trying to or not.

The holdups didn’t create that moment. They confirmed a feeling I already had.

My husband wasn’t with me that evening.

Later, at home, the test was simpler and more honest. The dress came off first. The holdups stayed on longer than planned. His hands followed the seam up the back of my leg without commentary.

No performance. No overreaction.

Just recognition.

That’s the reaction I trust.

Red Passion Collection — ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

As a collection, it works. The restraint is the strength. Black sheer as the base, red used sparingly and with purpose, nothing trying to shout its way into relevance.

I like the mix, but I don’t wear everything the same way. This is a collection I curate, not consume wholesale.

Black Secret BS165 Hold Ups — ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

These earn full marks.

They fit how I actually go out: heels, movement, sitting, standing, long evenings that aren’t about posing. They hold properly, feel good on the skin, and quietly sharpen everything else without asking for attention.

I’d wear these again without hesitation. I already have.

What earns stars in my wardrobe

• Holdups: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  My lane. Repeat wear.

• Classic stockings: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
  Beautiful, mood-dependent.

• Open-crotch tights: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
  Well made, intentional, private.

The Red Passion Collection doesn’t work because it’s bold. It works because it knows when to stop.

And when something underneath is this settled — sheer black, careful detail, just enough red to change how you move — it doesn’t need to announce itself.

It just does the work.