Saturday 31 December 2011

Just arrived: Trasparenze Cortina 100 denier opaque tights

After an impressively quick delivery from Legs and Stockings, my Trasparenze Cortina 100 denier opaque tights arrived today.

I have already mentioned that these were a real bargain at just £4.95, as they sell at £10.00 to £12.00 everywhere else.



I will test and review these tights soon.

Can I wish all my readers a very happy new year. Also a big thanks to those manufacturers and retailers who have supported this blog with samples and other help. Special thanks to Tights Please, Eve's Legwear, Adrian, Lida, Philippe Matignon (US), Ufash and The Stylish Fox.

Thursday 29 December 2011

Reviewed: Pierre Mantoux Veloutine 70 Tights

I have never worn Pierre Mantoux tights before. I bought the Veloutine 70 Tights from UK Tights after reading their description:

"Unlike any other opaque tights you may have worn before, I promise, you'll not want to take these off at the end of the day."




Materials and features

Pierre Mantoux tights are made in Italy and that is usually, in my experience, a sign that the quality will be excellent.

The tights felt quite light when I took them out of the packaging, but the quality of the fabric was noticeable immediately.

The fabric used in these tights is 96% Nylon and 4% Elastane. They have flat seams. The Size IV/XL size that I bought has a rear comfort panel. The waistband is soft and comfortable. The tights are sheer to waist with no demarcation between the legs and brief area.

Fit and sizing

These tights come in five sizes:

O
I/Small
II/Medium
III/Large
IV/XL

I tested the IV/XL size which, as can been seen on the size chart, goes up to 6'00".



The fit was really good. They have plenty of stretch and gave a good even opaque coverage. The brief section seemed to lack some depth but stretched well and fitted comfortably over my waist. This is often an issue when men buy tights designed for women. I like tights that will at least fit slightly above the waist level of my jeans or trousers and in this respect the Veloutine 70 tights worked well for me.

I very much liked the matte appearance of the fabric, which makes these tights good for 'stealth' wear under trousers. The fabric is amazingly soft and smooth.


Colour range
These tights are available in Black, Blue, Chocolate and and Anthracite. I tested a pair in Chocolate, my preferred shade at the moment.

Price and availability
These tights normally cost £18.95, but are currently available at a special offer price of £16.95 from UK Tights.

Conclusion
These tights are quite expensive. At getting on for £20.00 they are in the same price bracket as hosiery from Falke and Wolford. Is the price justified? In terms of quality, comfort and fit I would say they are good value. I tested the pair I bought three times and I really enjoyed the feel and comfort they provided. 

However, I have recently bought and tested both the Wolford OPAQUE 70 Tights and Falke Pure Matt 100 Tights and for me, both of these styles just shade it ahead of the Pierre Mantoux. I would give the highest possible rating to the Wolford and Falke tights and at present I can't see beyond them for quality and, particularly as a man, the fantastic fit. This is not to knock the Pierre Mantoux tights - they are great quality, available in larger sizes and fit well. I would be more than happy to wear these regularly and hope to try more of the Pierre Mantoux range, including the Veloutine 100 Tights.

Sales bargains from Legs and Stockings

This is always a good time of year to bag some hosiery bargains, with almost all the major online retailers having sales.

Here are my picks from the Legs and Stockings website. They are a new retailer to me and they have some great bargains.

I have just bought some Trasparenze Cortina Matt Opaque Tights for just £4.95. They usually retail at between £11.00 to £13.00. I just bought a pair in Size 4 which goes up to 6'1". These are 100 denier so are perfect for this time of year. I will review these tights after I have tested them.



From the same seller there are also a range of Levante tights on special offer, including the Levante Airskin Ultra Opaque 150 Denier Tights which I have previously reviewed on this blog.

The Cette Dublin Classic Opaque Tights are also available at a great price - £6.75. Sizes go up to 5'11".



Delivery at Legs and Stockings is just £0.99.

Sunday 18 December 2011

Just arrived: Comfort4Men 60 denier luxury tights for men

Last month I posted my first review of Comfort4Men tights for men. I tested the 70 denier opaque tights. This review attracted almost a record number of page views.

Comfort4Men have now sent me a different model for review - the 60 denier luxury tights.

  

After reading the news that Gerbe might be discontinuing their range of men's tights, it is great that there are retailers like Comfort4Men who are still committed to providing quality hosiery for men.

Gerbe tights for men discontinued?

It was really disappointing to read today that it looks like Gerbe are going discontinue their range of tights for men.

I have previously blogged about the superb quality of Gerbe men's tights here and here.



I will be contacting Gerbe to see if this can be confirmed.

Saturday 17 December 2011

Pierre Mantoux Veloutine 70 Tights

I recently decided to try a hosiery brand that was new to me - Pierre Mantoux. Their tights come very highly recommended by UK Tights.

I took advantage of a special offer on the Veloutine 70 Tights. I have been wearing these this week and they are excellent. A review will be posted shortly.

UK Tights stocks a wide range of Pierre Mantoux tights which you can view on their website.

Friday 16 December 2011

Reviewed: Gipsy 300 denier tights

Gipsy Tights are one of the most common brands of tights in the UK. It is common see them on sale both in high street stores and in more specialist fashion shops, as well as corner shops and pharmacies. Gipsy tights are not high end hosiery, but good value everyday tights. The breadth of their range is pretty impressive.

I have been testing a pair of Gipsy 300 Denier Tights.



Materials and features

These Italian-made  300 denier tights come in a card enclosure. As soon as you take the tights out of the packaging you can feel the weight of the fabric. These are some serious opaque tights for cold weather wear.

The fabric used in these tights is 96% Nylon and 4% Elastane.

The fabric is soft and comfortable. There are conventional seams and no gusset. The waistband is about 3cm wide and also very comfortable.

These tights are very opaque with even coverage throughout when worn. The appearance is very matt and therefore they are great for wearing instead of socks.

Fit and sizing

The tights come in five sizes: Small, Medium, and Large. I tested the Large size which, as can been seen on the size chart, goes up to 5'10".

The fit was excellent for me, but I don't think the large size would stretch much further for anyone above 5'10".

The brief/panty area could also have been a little more accommodating - I would like a little more depth in the brief with the waist coming up slightly higher.

The tights stay up really well and don't need pulling up frequently. I wore them to work under trousers for a whole day and the they stayed in place.

Colour range
These tights are available in Black, Steel (Grey) and Brown. I tested a pair in Black.

Price and availability

These tights cost £8.50.

They are available to purchase online from the Gipsy website. Shipping is an additional £1.95.

Gipsy tights are also available very widely from many retail outlets. The Gipsy website provides a useful Find A Store search facility.

Conclusion

These are really thick, warm tights and are perfect in cold weather. They would fit men well who are up to 5' 10" in height. It would great if Gipsy offered an Extra Tall size - not just for men but also for taller women. 

Friday 9 December 2011

Just arrived: Gipsy 300 den opaque tights

Gipsy Tights have kindly sent me a pair of their 300 Denier Tights.

These tights look and feel really thick and warm, which is great given how cold it has become in the UK over the last few days.

I will be testing these tights soon and a review will follow.

Tuesday 6 December 2011

Reviewed: Wolford OPAQUE 70 tights

I have blogged previously about the fantastic quality of the Wolford OPAQUE 70 tights. I recently purchased a pair in the recent Tights Please sale, after previously buying several pairs from the Wolford Partner Boutique in London.

These tights are not available all year round. They are a seasonal special and luckily they are still available for a limited period.



Materials and features

These tights are 92% Polyamide and 8% Elastane.

The quality of the fabric is noticeable as soon as you take them out of the packaging. They feel very soft and have a matt appearance.

They have flat seams and a gusset. The waistband isn't very wide but is more than confortable. 
The tights are very opaque with an even appearance throughout when worn.

The matt appearance means that the tights can easily pass for socks if wearing under jeans or trousers.

Fit and sizing
The tights come in five sizes: Extra Small, Small, Medium, Large and Extra Large.



I always buy Wolford tights in Extra Large and the fit is superb. I especially like the generous size of the brief, which sits comfortably above the waist.




Colour range
These tights are available in Black, Mocca (dark brown) and Anthracite (dark grey).

Price and availability
These tights cost £16.00 from the Wolford Partner Boutique in London, with free same day UK shipping. 
They are also available from Tights Please for £14.99 plus shipping.

Conclusion
The Wolford OPAQUE 70 are some of the best opaque tights I have bought. They are very warm, and glide well under trousers. They are a great alternative to traditional long johns, which are so bulky and uncomfortable. Like all Wolford tights, these wear very well and are durable. The price is reasonable and also represents a considerable saving on the Wolford Velvet De Luxe 66 tights.

Friday 2 December 2011

Just arrived: Wolford OPAQUE 70 Tights

I have blogged previously about the fantastic quality of these tights. I bought another pair in the recent Tights Please Flash sale. They are also available from the Wolford Partner Boutique in London with free same day UK shipping.

I am going to do a full review of these tights soon.