Reviewed: Platino Cleancut 15 Denier Knee High Shiny Socks

One of our recommended online hosiery and legwear retailers, The Tight Spot, recently suggested that we might like to try some hosiery from the Platino brand.




One of the items they sent us are the Platino Cleancut 15 Denier Knee High Shiny Socks.



This is the first time we have reviewed any products from Platino, a Spanish brand founded on 1927



Packaging

The Platino Cleancut 15 Denier Knee High Shiny Socks are packaged very simply. The knee highs are held by a simple card clasp with a hook integrated in the package so that they can be displayed for retail.





Materials and features

The Tight Spot describe these knee highs as:

"Wonderfully shiny knee high socks from Platino, which are made using unique knitting technology so that there is no visible, elasticated top of the socks and the material is clean cut. This means the material sits completely flat on your legs and will not leave any marks or be uncomfortably tight. These 15 denier knee highs are ultra light yet very strong, thanks to their micro-silicone coated yarns. The special fibres used also create the high shine finish of these glossy knee high socks."

This is a good description of the Cleancut concept: in both Platino Cleancut tights as well as knee highs, the manufacturing technology ensures that there is no separate piece for the waistband or cuff. The aim of this is to prevent pressure marks and tightness.

The knee highs feel incredibly light and silky when you take them out of the packaging. They literally weigh nothing.

From toe to the top of the cuff they measure just over 42 cm.

They have some anatomical shaping, being wider at the cuff and higher part of the calf than the foot.

The cuff is 7cm wide and very slightly darker than the sock. There is no additional stitching at the top of the cuff. You might expect this to be weak and fray easily, but it is actually seems to be very strong.

Toes are sandal type with no reinforcement.

In appearance they are shiny, with an oily, glossy look.

The yarn is 60% Polyamide and 40% Elastane.



Sizing, fit and wearing experience

The Platino website indicates that the Cleancut knee highs are available in two sizes:

• M - II 
• G - III 

At the Tights Spot only the M - II size is available, and this is what I wore for this review.

Looking at the packaging, I have concluded that the difference between the M and G sizing is probably the length of the sock.

It is slightly confusing as on the Tight Spot page, they are described as "one size", fitting UK show sizes 3 to 7.

I found the yarn to be very stretchy, which is not surprising given the 40% Elastane content. That stretchiness is welcome as my shoe size is actually UK 10.5. The fit on the foot was very good.



Fit on the leg is very snug indeed with no wrinkling. The demarcation between the cuff and sock is barely visible when worn.

These shiny socks were very comfortable, and just Platino claim, there is no pressure or discomfort. You can wear them all day and they won't leave any marks or indentations.

However, as you can see in the photo, they were slightly too small for my leg length and didn't reach quite to the knee. I do have wide calves as well as larger feet than recommended in the sizing info, so this is probably why they stretched more outwards and less upwards.

I think the G - III size would probably provide a more generous length.

Having said this and studied the packaging photo, I am not sure if these socks are designed to come right up to the knee but rather to near the top of the calf.

Colour range

The Platino Cleancut 15 Denier Knee High Shiny Socks are available in three shades at The Tight Spot:

Caresse - a natural shade

Dakar - a bronze shade

Negro - black.

I tried the Black colour.



Price and availability

The Platino Cleancut 15 Denier Knee High Shiny Socks are priced at £7.95 for a two-pair pack.

Conclusion

Hosiery For Men readers may not be aware of this, but sheer knee highs and shiny sheer socks are actually very popular with men in southern Europe who wear them with formal wear such as suits. In Spain, for example, they are known as "ejecutivos" and you can find them in the menswear section of all department stores. It looks like the wearer has sheer tights on under their trousers - well some might have but most will be wearing this type of sock.

If you like this kind of shiny look, check out the wide range of shiny tights at The Tight Spot.

The Platino Cleancut 15 Denier Knee High Shiny Socks are a good quality product and two pairs for £7.95 is very reasonable. 

I would have been more comfortable size-wise I think with the G - III size.

The next Platino review will be for the 40 Denier Total Confort Tights.