Tuesday 28 July 2015

Reviewed: Veneziana Dimension 3D 120 Denier Tights

The Irish hosiery retailer DressMyLegs has sent Hosiery For Men another pair of Veneziana tights to trial and review.



We previously reviewed the Veneziana Cover 100 Denier Opaque Tights. This is the first time we reviewed Veneziana hosiery, and you can see from our review that we were impressed.

DressMyLegs suggested that we also try the Veneziana Dimension 3D 120 Denier Tights.



Designed in Poland and manufactured in Italy, Veneziana has been present in the European hosiery market for over 20 years and is renowned for its combination of sophisticated design and highest quality standards.




Material and features

The Veneziana Dimension 3D 120 Denier Tights are described by DressMyLegs as:

Everyday luxury at its best! Incredibly smooth with flawless satin finish, these 120 Denier opaque tights are made using the latest 3D technology ensuring superior fit and colour - perfect for making you look and feel every bit classy and elegant!
The tights are really well packaged. They are folded around a card rectangle and then wrapped in a cellophane sleeve. This is then enclosed in a sturdy card box. Very classy!





The tights are made from 93% polyamide and 7% elastane.

As with the Veneziana Cover 100 Denier Opaque Tights the yarn used includes Dorlastan®, a technologically advanced fibre with excellent elastic recovery properties.



The Veneziana Dimension 3D 120 Denier Tights feel soft and stretchy.

Opacity is excellent and almost, but not quite, total. They have a matte appearance. There is a slight sheen.

Seams are flat. There is no rear comfort panel in the largest size; all sizes have a plain gusset. Toes are very lightly and almost invisibly reinforced.

The tights are almost sheer to waist apart from a reinforcement band at the top of the leg. There is no boxer-style brief as in the Cover 100 tights.

There is a 2.5cm wide waistband.



Fit and sizing

The Veneziana Dimension 3D 120 Denier Tights are available in three sizes: 2S, 3M and 4L.



I tested the 4L size.

The tights have plenty of stretch and elasticity and this provided for a really comfortable fit.

The brief has plenty of depth, and stretches comfortably above the waist and hips.

The Dimension 120 tights provide good warmth and insulation. Great with shorts on cool days.

Colour range
The Veneziana Dimension 3D 120 Denier Tights are available in Nero (Black) only

Price and availability
The Veneziana Dimension 3D 120 Denier Tights are priced at €11.95.

Service is excellent at DressMyLegs and items are despatched quickly.

International postage is €5.95 and free for orders of over €50.00.

Conclusion
We were impressed with when we tried the Veneziana Cover 100 Denier Opaque Tights, and equally so with the Veneziana Dimension 3D 120 Denier Tights.

As with the Cover 100 Tights, the Dimension 120s have great features such as:

  • Flat seams
  • Deep and comfortable brief
  • Even opaque coverage
The wearing experience was excellent. The tights are very soft against the skin, and feel superb on the leg.

The price is reasonable for the Italian-made quality.

Recommended.


Sunday 26 July 2015

Reviewed: Wolford Satin Opaque 50 Tights

The top European hosiery brand Wolford recently sent us a further fantastic selection of tights to review for Hosiery For Men readers.



We have previously reviewed the following Wolford products:

Wolford Long Distance Knee-Highs For Men

Wolford Velvet De Luxe 66 Tights

Wolford Velvet De Luxe 50 Tights

Wolford Cotton Velvet Tights

We now focus on the Wolford Satin Opaque 50 Tights.



Material and features
Wolford describe these tights as:

The opaque tights are the indispensable piece for daily wear in cool seasons. With their discreet shine, they offer a hint of glamour and luxury despite their opaque quality. An ideal addition to evening wear in autumn and winter.


Packaging is similar to most Wolford styles.The tights are folded around a card rectangle, with images of Wolford products, that is then housed in a folded card envelope. Everything is then wrapped in a cellophane envelope.





The Wolford Satin Opaque 50 Tights are made from 92% Polyamide (Nylon) and 8% Elastane.

The fabric is luxuriously soft and satiny. The tights don't look that long when you remove them from the packaging, but they have an impressive amount of stretch.

Opaque coverage is dense and even throughout. Although they are named 'opaque 50', the tights are actually 55 denier. The opacity is very good although not total. The tights have a shimmering appearance, without being over shiny.

The tights are sheer to waist with no demarcation between the leg and the brief.

Toes are lightly and invisibly reinforced.

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





The brief is superbly comfortable with excellent depth in the XL size. It can easily be stretched over the waist and hips to whatever position you are comfortable with.

Seams are flat and expertly engineered. There is no rear comfort panel in the XL size, but a gusset instead.



Fit and sizing
The Wolford Satin Opaque 50 Tights are available in five sizes: XS, S, M, L and XL.

I tested a pair in the XL size.



As always the Wolford XL size provided a perfect fit for me. There is plenty of stretch and these tights fit beautifully on the leg.

The brief is really comfortable, stretching with ease over the hips and waist.

Most of all, these tights provide a quite wonderful wearing experience. They caress the legs and the fabric seems to move with you.

Colour range

The Wolford Satin Opaque 50 Tights are available in a range of colours: 
  • Hawthorn
  • Coca 
  • Mocca 
  • Madeira
  • Admiral 
  • Dark Navy
  • Tarragon
  • Black 
  • Nearly Black
  • Anthracite 

I tested a pair in the Admiral shade (a deep, dark blue).

Price and availability

The Wolford Satin Opaque 50 Tights are priced at £23.00 in the UK.

They are available from the Wolford UK shop
Purchasers in other countries can also buy these tights from official Wolford Shop.

Conclusion
We were so pleased to get a chance to trial and review the Wolford Satin Opaque 50 Tights.

These are simply wonderful opaque tights which provide a superior wearing experience.

With their subtle sheen, they are also the perfect opaque tights for wearing under trousers. The glide is one of the best we have ever experienced.

With a great selection of colours and Wolford's excellent sizing options the Satin Opaque 50s are definitely recommended.

Thanks again to Wolford for the sample and for their support for the Hosiery For Men blog.

Friday 24 July 2015

Just arrived: Wolford Cotton Velvet Knee-Highs for men

Wolford recently sent us a pair of their men's Cotton Velvet Socks to trial and review.

We have now just taken delivery of a pair of the Wolford Cotton Velvet Knee-Highs for men.





We are really looking forward to trying both of these styles and will publish a review of both of them shortly.

Spotlight on Nubian Skin

At Hosiery For Men we like to keep readers informed of key developments in the world of hosiery. That's why we always try to bring you news of retailers, products and anything that is new or creating a buzz.

Well a buzz has certainly been surrounding the brand that we feature here: Nubian Skin.



Created to provide a range of skin-tone tights and hold-ups for women of colour, Nubian Skin has already gained a high profile and is now available for purchase online and in stores.



We were excited to have the opportunity to interview the founder of Nubian Skin, Ade Hassan, and now publish the conversation we had.



Can you provide Hosiery For Men readers with some background to Nubian Skin? Why did you start the business and how has it developed?

Nubian Skin is a ‘nude’ lingerie and hosiery company for people of colour. Nubian Skin was essentially born out of frustration. I wanted a product that I couldn’t find in shops, so I decided to create it. I knew I couldn’t be the only one who felt the same way. So far the developments have included expanding our retail footprint and being stocked at several stockists, and we also added more back sizes in the bras about a couple of months ago. We're looking at doing a similar expansion for our tights size range in the near future.

What research did you do to develop your concept of skin-tone hosiery?

I visited a lot of research at makeup counters that carried products for darker skin tones such as MAC, Fashion Fair and BlackUp to see which of their colours were most popular amongst women with darker skin. Based on my findings I then selected my skintone pantone colours, but this was just the first stage, as this was for the colours of the bras - the tights actually required significantly more time because you can’t simply replicate the colour of a solid fabric to a sheer fabric! Two of the colours we got down pretty quickly, but two have taken a bit more effort. It even involved me boiling some of the colours I wasn’t satisfied with in massive pots of tea and coffee at various strengths to get the perfect colour…we got there in the end!

What were some of the particular challenges you faced and how did you overcome them?

As a new and small business, manufacturers require pretty high minimums when you're custom dyeing, so it was a big financial commitment - especially as at that point we didn't have any stockists, but we really believed in the idea, so we took the leap!

When was the Nubian Skin range launched and what has been the reaction?

We launched in October 2014, so 10 months ago now! The reaction has been amazing and incredibly positive, and social media has been great for us. We receive a lot of e-mails just saying ‘thank you’ which is lovely.

Can you tell us more about the Nubian Skin tights and hold-ups? What features do they have and what kind of colour range is currently available?

All of the Nubian Skin tights and hold-ups are matt 10 denier and are available in the four signature ‘flavours’: Berry, Cinnamon, Caramel and Café au Lait. They are smooth and silky to the touch, and have a matt finish. The tights have a gusset, and the hold-ups have a silicon grip to keep them up.



CAFE AU LAIT tights



CARAMEL tights



CINNAMON tights




BERRY tights

There has been quite a lot of media coverage of tights for men in recent years. What are your thoughts about the greater visibility of men buying and wearing tights?I think it’s great – everybody should buy and wear whatever makes them feel good.

Do you welcome enquiries from men about Nubian Skin tights?We welcome all enquiries about Nubian Skin tights – we’ll have to be honest and say that tights for men are not our expertise, but we’ll definitely try and answer any questions!

To men thinking about trying tights, what would you say are the main benefits of wearing them?They give your legs a lovely finish, and can also keep you warm in chillier months.

How can people learn more about Nubian Skin?By visiting our website (www.nubianskin.com) and social media pages or by getting in touch via e-mail (info@nubianskin.com)

Thanks so much Ade for speaking to Hosiery For Men. We hope readers will enjoy the interview but also check out Nubian Skin products as well as tell more people about them.

Thursday 23 July 2015

UK Tights win a Big Chip 2015 Award

Big Chip is the UK's longest running digital industry awards and the biggest outside London. Run by and for the digital industry in the north of England, the awards cover all things digital and are open for work carried out in the north or by businesses based in the north. 



We are delighted to hear that UK Tights, one of our recommended hosiery retailers, won one of the Big Chip Awards for 2015.



Marta Rodriguez, of UK Tights, was awarded the 2015 Little Chip Placement/Apprentice Award.

We send our congratulations to Marta for this winning this prestigious award.

This is nothing less than Marta deserves as she has worked with real energy and commitment to develop the very strong social media presence that UK Tights has.

You can see this on the UK Tights blog, as well as on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Google + and YouTube.

The judges commented that:

In a short space of time, our winner - Marta Rodriguez Casares - made a huge impact on the digital marketing effectiveness of her host company, UK Tights.

Marta conducted a market research study combining traditional academic research tools and digital tools to gather insights about the customer base of an online store based in the North-West: UK Tights. The results of this research project embedded a new layer of insight, revolutionising the way the company operates. The social media strategy designed during Marta’s internship is now a vital part of the company’s overall business strategy. The growing social engagement has led to greater brand awareness in the target audience and has contributed to a sales increase of 30 per cent (September 2014 to March 2015).


We were also delighted to see that the webpage for the 2015 Little Chip Placement/Apprentice Award has a screenshot of Hosiery For Men!



Hosiery For Men readers will be aware that UK Tights is one of the leading online hosiery retailers, who always aim to provide top quality service and support to men who purchase tights for themselves. UK Tights has a dedicated men's tights section on their website, which is constantly expanding with new products.

Wednesday 22 July 2015

Reviewed: Playtex 24hr Soft Bodytouch Opaque 40 Denier Tights

Stockings HQ recently sent Hosiery For Men a pair of the Playtex 24hr Soft Bodytouch Opaque 40 Denier Tights to trial and review.



This is the first time we have reviewed a Playtex style at Hosiery For Men.





Material and features 

The Playtex 24hr Soft Bodytouch Opaque 40 Denier Tights are described as follows:

Playtex 24h Soft tights bring you a unique feeling of freedom, like a second skin, thanks to the waistband that is as stylish as it is comfortable, which holds without squeezing so you will forgot you are wearing it.


The tights are packaged simply and well. They are enclosed in a clear plastic bag, which is then housed in a rectangular box.





The tights are made from is 87% Nylon, and 13% Elastane.

The fabric is remarkably soft to the touch, and feels quite light. I can see why these are marketed as '24h Soft'.

Opaque coverage is good, and in appearance is more like 50 denier. There is a slight sheen.

Toes are reinforced.

The tights are sheer to waist with no demarcation in the panty/brief. Seams in the brief are flat and there is a gusset.

The other feature that Playtex emphasise is the patented waistband. This is 2cm wide and does look quite stylish. However when worn, the serrated appearance flattens out somewhat and is less visible.








Fit and sizing

The Playtex 24hr Soft Bodytouch Opaque 40 Denier Tights are available in four sizes: S, M, L and XL.

We tested the XL size.



These tights look as if they will be quite small but the stretch qualities are impressive. It takes a bit of time and patience to get them into place, and once you do the fit is indeed like a second skin. They cling and mould themselves beautifully and stay in place all day.

Most impressive is the feel, which is very soft and sensual. Your legs will love the feeling they provide. The high level of Elastane also provides some mild support and compression.

The brief/panty is reasonably roomy but quite a tight fit. For male wearers it provides perhaps just a little too much compression.

If Playtex made this style in a XXL size with a front pocket for the male anatomy they would be onto a winner.

Colour range

The Playtex 24hr Soft Bodytouch Opaque 40 Denier Tights are available in Black only.

Price and availability

The Playtex 24hr Soft Bodytouch Opaque 40 Denier Tights are available at Stockings HQ and priced at £7.99.

Conclusion
The Playtex 24hr Soft Bodytouch Opaque 40 Denier Tights are good quality and good value at £7.99.

The most positive thing about them is that they are extremely comfortable and provide a wonderful second skin feeling when worn.

We liked them a lot.

Stockings HQ also stock quite a wide range of Playtex hosiery, so do take a look at the different styles available.

Tuesday 21 July 2015

Just arrived: Wolford Cotton Velvet Socks For Men

Wolford very kindly sent us a pair of their men's Cotton Velvet Socks to trial and review.





We are really looking forward to trying these and will publish a review in due course.

Reviewed: Charnos Simply Bare 7 Denier Tights

Charnos Hosiery sent Hosiery For Men a generous selection of samples from their different ranges.



You can still read our reviews of the:

Charnos Xelence 50 Denier Opaque Tights

Charnos Xelence 30 Denier Sheer Tights

Charnos Sheer Lustre 15 Denier Tights


We now focus on the Charnos Simply Bare 7 Denier Tights. This is the last review we will publish of this batch of samples.



Material and features
The Charnos Simply Bare 7 Denier Tights are described as:

Charnos Simply Bare sheer 7 denier tights with the strength of a 15 denier. Incredibly light yet incredibly strong, using sensational new "cool touch" yarns - the first tight to let your legs breathe. Sheer through body and toe with a light mesh brief and cotton gusset. Available in perfect shades to enhance natural skintones for sensational "summer legs" all year round.


The tights are housed in the usual Charnos quality packaging. The tights are folded around a card rectangle and then wrapped in a clear plastic sleeve. Everything is then enclosed in a robust card envelope which provides detailed product information.





The tights are made in China. The fabric is 63% Nylon, 36% Elastane and 1% Cotton.

The tights are amazingly light, almost weightless. A card with additional information, that is included in the packaging, states that they are made with a special 'Sideria' yarn that lets your legs 'breathe'. The yarn is also treated with a cooling finish micro capsules that contain a blend of cooling agents and silk protein. This is effective for up to five washes and helps keeps legs moisturised and skin soft.



Legs are very light with good stretch. There is a sandal toe.

The brief panty is darker, and appears to be constructed from a much more open texture fabric to provide enhanced ventilation.

Seams are flat. The brief has a small cotton lined gusset.





The waistband is 3cm wide and perfectly comfortable. In a nice touch, a tag with the Charnos logo is sewed onto the top of the rear inside seam. This is so useful for identifying your tights if you have a large collection.



Fit and sizing
The Charnos Simply Bare 7 Denier Tights are available in four sizes: S, M, L and X-Large.



The size chart indicates that The Large size suits heights up to 6'0"; the X-Large only accommodates heights of up to 5'9".

The Charnos Simple Bare 7 Denier Tights were a really comfortable wear. They are extremely light and almost invisible on the skin. I wore them with shorts and unless one looks closely it's impossible to see that tights are being worn. They do add a nice tanned colour to the leg.

The length of the Large size was sufficient, although the tights were more or less at maximum stretch. The fabric is, however, pretty robust and I get the impression that you would get plenty of wear from them.

They are definitely great tights for warm weather as air circulates keeping the skin cool.

The brief/panty however was simply not deep enough for us. That was a bit of a surprise as other Charnos tights we have tested tend to have quite a roomy brief, that stretches easily over the waist and hips.

Colour range
The Charnos Simply Bare 7 Denier Tights are available in following colours:

  • Black
  • Natural Tan
  • Nude
  • Sunkissed
  • Dark Tan
  • Nude
I tested a pair in the Sunkissed shade.

Price and availability
The Charnos Simply Bare 7 Denier Tights are available from the following retailers:

UK Tights, price at £4.99.

MyTights, priced at £5.00.

Tightsplease, priced at £5.00.

TheTightSpot.com, priced at £4.95.

Stockings HQ, priced at £4.99.

Tights Tights Tights, priced at £5.00.

Conclusion
The main positive about the Charnos Simply Bare 7 Denier Tights is the light and airy fabric which is genuinely cool and comfortable on warm days. They really do provide a 'barely there' look and give a nice tanned appearance to the leg.

If you want tights that are pretty much invisible, then these are a good choice. Pricewise one would also have to say they are good value as well.

Just a shame that the brief is so small: this would be great for petite women and men but is less comfortable for larger people.