Saturday 27 September 2014

Reviewed: Wolford Velvet De Luxe 66 Opaque Tights

The Austrian company Wolford has an almost unparalleled reputation for producing hosiery of the highest quality.

Established in Bregenz in 1950, Wolford is now a prestigious international hosiery brand that is continually innovating.



Wolford were one of the first European hosiery manufacturers to develop a model of tights made specifically for men. Interestingly, these were named 'Waist Socks'.




I have been buying and wearing Wolford tights for many years. They are some of the best opaque tights in my collection.

I purchased a pair of the Wolford Velvet De Luxe 66 Tights at the Wolford shop in the Westfield Stratford City shopping centre in London. The salesperson specifically recommended this style to me for the fit and the soft fabric.





Material and features
The Wolford Velvet De Luxe 66 Tights are made from 94% Nylon and 6% Elastane. The fabric is amazingly soft and velvety. They are 66 denier, although they don't at all feel like they would be heavy tights to wear.

Opaque coverage is consistent and even from hip to toe.

The tights are sheer to waist with no demarcation between the leg and the brief. Toes are very lightly reinforced. Seams are flat and very well engineered.

The XL size does not have a rear comfort panel, but a gusset instead.

The waistband is 3cm wide. As with all Wolford tights, there is a label attached to the inside of the waistband.

The brief is extremely deep, comfortable and has plenty of stretch.





Fit and sizing

The Wolford Velvet De Luxe 66 Tights are available in five sizes: XS, S, M, L and XL.

I tested a pairs in the XL size.



The fit of these tights was superb. In particular they have excellent stretch. The XL size I am reviewing would be very good for taller people.

The fabric mould well to the legs and fits snugly in all the right areas: ankles, knees and thigh areas.

The brief/panty is really deep and perfect for men who usually need more space in that area.

The waistband was also very comfortable and provided good support.

Colour range

The Wolford Velvet De Luxe 66 Tights are available in a wide range of colours:
  • Carnelian
  • Holly Berry
  • Coca
  • Mocca
  • Bison
  • Caper
  • Mouse
  • Admiral
  • Ultramarine
  • Cobalt
  • Blue Allure
  • Black
  • Anthracite
  • Caviar



I tested a pair in the Mocca shade - a very dark brown. The shade is shown in the image below.



Price and availability
The Wolford Velvet De Luxe 66 Tights are priced at £23.00 in the UK.

They are available from the Wolford UK shop, as well as a wide range of retailers such as:

Luxury Legs

My Tights

Tights Please

Tights Tights Tights

Conclusion
The Wolford Velvet De Luxe 66 Tights are amongst the best opaque tights I have ever worn. The fabric is velvety soft and so comfortable against the skin.

Yes, they are more expensive than most tights, but when buying Wolford you know that you are you going to get a high quality product that will last and last.

I have several pairs of the Opaque 70 tights (a seasonal product that appears from time to time) and they have lasted despite heavy usage over several autumns and winters.

I can see why Wolford have probably decided not to launch further styles of tights for men. I think this is because they know we are buying from their core range and that the excellent sizing options will meet the needs of most men.

The Wolford Velvet De Luxe 66 Tights are particularly suitable for men as the material stretches so well, and leg length is generous.

These tights provide a great wearing experience. Try them in place of socks this autumn!


Sunday 21 September 2014

Men Wearing Tights Under Shorts

The Men Wearing Tights Under Shorts blog has recently been updated with some new images.

Tights Under Shorts is a blog dedicated to tights, pantyhose and other legwear for men. It aims at promoting a new part of men's fashion, shown frequently in runway shows.

The images collected in the blog show that this trend is becoming more and more mainstream.

Here are a few of the most recent images shared by the blog.













Wednesday 17 September 2014

Reviewed: Gipsy 100 denier opaque tights

Gipsy Tights recently kindly sent Hosiery For Men a great selection of tights for review.

We recently reviewed the Gipsy 60 Denier XL Opaque Tights.



You can also still read our recent interview and special feature on Gipsy Tights.

We now review the Gipsy 100 Denier Opaque Tights. These are described by Gipsy as a 'classic' and are their best-selling 100 denier tights.

Gipsy sent us samples of this model in both Large and X Large sizes.



Material and features
The Gipsy 100 Denier Opaque Tights are packaged in a simple card enclosure. In a store this enables you to check the colour and fabric directly.

It is also positive to see the words 'MADE IN ITALY' on the packaging: that is nearly always an indicator of quality.


The tights are made from 91% Nylon and 9% Elastane. They have a mainly matt appearance with just a slight shine when caught in the light.

The fabric is very soft and smooth. The tights feel quite robust and look they can stand plenty of wear,

Legs are straight and look quite long in both sizes when the tights are removed from the packaging. The X Large size has about an additional 10cm of length in the leg compared to the Large size.

The tights are sheer to waist, with just a very slight, and barely visible, demarcation where the leg joins the brief/panty.

Both sizes have a 3.5cm wide waistband. There is a gusset. The seams are conventional one, but are well-made and strong.

Fit and sizing
The Gipsy 100 Denier Opaque Tights are available in four sizes: Small, Medium, Large and X Large.

As mentioned above, I tested pairs in both Large and X Large sizes.



The fit in both sizes was excellent. The tights had a really impressive amount of stretch and length in the leg was particularly good. I didn't need to over-stretch the tights which also meant that the opaque coverage was even throughout.

The brief also had plenty of room and stretched comfortably over my waist.

These tights also cling really well and seem to mould themselves to your figure. The tights stay in place really well without the need for constant pulling up and readjustment.

The X Large size was overall a better fit for me and this is the size I would choose if I was buying this style. There was more length in the leg and this size also provided more space in the brief.

The Gipsy 100 Denier Opaque Tights are wonderfully warm and cosy. I found both sizes extremely comfortable.

Colour range
The Gipsy 100 Denier Opaque Tights are available in a very wide range of shades. However the choice of colours is restricted in the X Large sizes. 

The Gipsy website indicates that the following colours are available in X Large:



The following colours are available in Large:



I tested the Large size in Dark Indigo, and the X Large size in Midnight.

Price and availability
The Gipsy 100 Denier Opaque Tights are available directly from Gipsy. They are priced at £6.50.

Gipsy tights are also available from a wide range of online hosiery retailers.

Conclusion

For Just £6.50 a pair the Gipsy 100 Denier Opaque Tights are amazing value. These are great quality tights, made in Italy, with quality fabric.

It is difficult to say what could be added to improve this style further, apart from flat seams.

They are great everyday opaques tights that are comfortable, warm and fit well.

These are tights that I am sure I will be wearing a lot this autumn and winter.

Thanks again Gipsy Tights for the samples and for supporting Hosiery For Men.

Sunday 14 September 2014

Reviewed: SmooFit 80 denier men's tights

We recently highlighted a new brand of men's tights from Japan, SmooFit Tights. There has been quite a buzz about this brand, and many readers of Hosiery For Men have been eager to learn more.

I finally managed to secure a pair of SmooFit 80 denier men's tights. I am certain that this is the very first review to appear, at least in English.



SmooFit tights are made by the Japanese hosiery manufacturer Naigai, under a subsidiary brand called N platz.


There are several styles in the SmooFit range:

  • 50 denier tights
  • 80 denier tights (2224-502, 2012 model)
  • 80 denier tights (2224-532, 2013 model)
  • 110 denier tights
  • 80 denier tights with a fitted herringbone style sock

This review focuses on the 80 denier tights. I have worked out that there are two models of the 80 denier tights as can be seen above.

This review focuses on the 2224-502, 2012 model.



Materials and features

The SmooFit 80 denier men's tights are superbly packaged. The tights are folded around a long, white rectangular piece of card. They are then housed in a card enclosure, that folds to form a kind of rectangular box. Everything is then wrapped in a clear cellophane envelope.

The packaging provides a great deal of product information in Japanese, including a handy diagram and instructions on how to put the tights on!







The 
SmooFit 80 denier men's tights feel like a quality product as you take them out of the packaging.

The fabric is 92% Nylon and 8% Polyurethane, which I assume might be Elastane/Lycra but I am unable to read the packaging information which is is Japanese.

The fabric is very soft to the touch.

Legs are straight, and sheer to waist apart from a slightly denser banding near the top of each thigh. Toes are rounded, with reinforcement and good quality stitching.



The waistband is 3cm wide and made from a different, thicker fabric that has been stitched on to the tights. The waistband is soft and comfortable. You can also see that the SmooFit logo has been picked out. There is also a tag stitched into the rear inside seam with the word 'Men's'. These are very cool additional features.





The brief and construction for the male anatomy are superbly done. There are front and rear additional male comfort panels made with conventional seams. At the front, the panel has been constructed from double fabric for additional strength. As the two panels meet in a seam under the crotch, the fabric has been further reinforced.

The front panel also has, as shown, a male anatomical fly opening. This has also been constructed really well, although the hems look as if they might benefit from some additional reinforcement stitching. However, I have experienced no problems so far. Overall the SmooFit tights look really robust and have been made to withstand the heavier and longer wear that men expect.







Fit and sizing
The 
SmooFit 80 denier men's tights are available in two sizes: M-L, and L-LL.

I tested a pair in the L-LL size.

The chart that can be seen below on the packaging provides sizing information on height and weight.



M-L size: Fits waist up to 94cm (37"); height up to 185cm (6'1").

L-LL size: Fits waist up to 94cm (41"); height up to 185cm (6'1").

The L-LL size that I tested has a huge amount of stretch and would comfortably reach to the specified height. I intend to test the M-L size next time to be able to make a comparison.

The brief was very stretchy, roomy and comfortable. The waistband would easily stretch half way up one's chest if needed, but can also be positioned comfortably above the waist and hips.

I found the 80 den SmooFit style extremely comfortable to wear. The fabric moulded itself well to my legs. The slight sheen provided a good glide under trousers.


Colour range
The SmooFit 80 denier men's tights are available in four shades:

  • Brown 
  • Navy 
  • Grey 
  • Black 
I tested a pair in the Navy shade - a very dark blue.






Price and availability

I purchased the SmooFit 80 denier men's tights from an online store in Japan called Rakuten Global Market.

They are priced at ¥1,134 (Japanese yen). This is equivalent to $10.56, £6.49 and €8.14.

The service from Rakuten was absolutely excellent, with good communication and a very speedy delivery. I paid an additional ¥1,500 for delivery. The total cost was therefore approximately:

£15.00 (UK pounds)

$24.53 (US dollars)

€18.92 (Euros)

Conclusion
The SmooFit 80 denier men's tights are really quite an impressive product. One can see that a great deal of care and attention has gone into the design and manufacture. The aim has clearly been to create a style of men's tights that accommodates the male anatomy, and which will also appeal to men in terms of the look and marketing.

The fabric, manufacture and packaging are all top class. The price, before postage, is very attractive indeed for the quality of the product. They earn a Hosiery For Men recommendation.

I am looking forward to to testing and reviewing the rest of the SmooFit range.

Tuesday 9 September 2014

Just arrived: SmooFit 80 denier men's tights from Japan

A pair of the SmooFit 80 denier men's tights tights arrived in parcel from Japan yesterday!

Really excited to be able to try this new brand and style. I will try and post a review soon as I am sure Hosiery For Men readers will be keen to read more about them.

Sunday 7 September 2014

Just arrived: Tights from Charnos

Charnos Hosiery have very kindly sent Hosiery For Men a great range of samples to trial and review.





Stay tuned for reviews.

SmooFit men's tights from Japan - now on order

I have recently made an order for a pair of the SmooFit men's tights from Japan. We recently featured the SmooFit tights and you can read more about them here, here and here.

I purchased these tights online from a store in Japan called Rakuten Global Market.

I will review them once they have arrived and I have had time to trial them properly.