Third-rate stockings selected? (5)
I believe the answer is:
chose
'selected?' is the definition.
('choose' can be a synonym of 'select')
'third-rate stockings' is the wordplay.
'third-rate' becomes 'c' ().
'stockings' becomes 'hose' (hose refers to stockings, tights etc).
'c'+'hose'='CHOSE'
(Other definitions for chose that I've seen before include "Selected" , "Picked" , "Determined" , "article from Paris" , "item from Paris" .)