Tuesday 28 April 2020

Reviewed: FALKE Seidenglatt 80 Tights

As many readers will know, FALKE relaunched their range of Seidenglatt tights, with a series of significant improvements.



The FALKE Seidenglatt 70 Tights have always been one of our absolutely favourite opaques.

They combine softness, comfort and wearability. The slight sheen made them perfect tights for wear under trousers. The great fit also made them one of the top choices for men.

You can still read our original review of the FALKE Seidenglatt 70 Tights from back in 2014.



The FALKE Seidenglatt 70 Tights have now been upgraded to the FALKE Seidenglatt 80 Tights.



Our recommend retailer UK Tights sent us a pair to review and compare with the original Seidenglatt 70.



The FALKE Seidenglatt 80 Tights are part of FALKE's Seidenglatt range, which also includes:

  • 15 denier tights
  • 40 denier tights
  • 15 denier ankle socks
  • 15 denier stockings
  • 15 denier stay-ups
  • 15 denier knee-highs
  • 40 denier knee-highs
Packaging

The FALKE Seidenglatt 80 Tights are folded are folded around a card rectangle that provides information on the FALKE Beauty Plus collection on one side, and instructions on the reverse on how to put the tights on.

This is then enclosed in a larger card sleeve, and then housed in a cellophane envelope.





Materials and features

In upgrading the Seidenglatt range, FALKE have given the tights an improved, even knit structure to ensure a silky feel on the skin. There is also a new, comfortable waistband which promises not to roll or dig in, ensuring the highest possible comfort. Toes are also designed to be non-laddering.

The Seidenglatt 80 packaging says that these tights are "new quality", and highlights the following features:
  • New with seductive, silky sheen 
  • Opaque, shiny silk tights 
  • Improved, even mesh structure for a silky sensation on your skin 
  • New, comfortable waistband for the highest level of comfort: no curling and no pinching 
  • Innovative mesh gusset with hygienic effect in sizes S-L and comfort gusset in size XL, with non-laddering toe.
Made in Germany, the Seidenglatt 80 Tights are 93% Nylon and 7% Elastane. This is an improved Elastane content compared to the Seidenglatt 70 Tights, which had 5% Elastane.

The Seidenglatt 80 Tights retain the incredibly soft and sensual feel that was so notable in the Seidenglatt 70. In fact the 
Seidenglatt 80 perhaps feel even slightly more silky.

The tights are sheer to waist with no demarcation from the leg to the brief/panty.

Seams are flat throughout and expertly engineered as you would expect from FALKE.

The brief is deep, as is usual with FALKE tights, measuring 25cm from the top of the waistband to the crotch. The rise in the brief is the same as in the Seidenglatt 70.

The V - XL size I wore has a rear comfort gusset. It looks identical in design to the Seidenglatt 70.



A significant improvement in the Seidenglatt 70 is the waistband. This has been completely redesigned and now measures 4.5cm, compared to 2.5cm in the Seidenglatt 70.

As is customary, there is a FALKE tag sewn onto the inside. This is so useful as it provides information on the style and size.



Toes are rounded and have almost invisible reinforcement.





Here is a summary comparing key features in the two styles:



Colour range

The FALKE Seidenglatt 80 Tights are available in two colours at UK Tights: 


  • Black 
  • Marine 
FALKE also make them in Anthracite and Coffee shades.





I wore a pair in Black.



Sizing, fit and wearing experience

The FALKE Seidenglatt 80 Tights are currently available in three sizes at UK Tights: 

  • II - Medium 
  • IV - Large 
  • V - Extra Large


The FALKE website indicates that the full range of size options are:
  • 0 - Small
  • 1 - Small/Medium
  • II - Medium
  • III - Medium/Large
  • IV - Large
  • V - Extra Large
Wearing both the Seidenglatt 70 and 80 allowed me to compare appearance, feel, fit and overall wearing experience.

Opacity is very similar for both styles and provides even coverage, that hides blemishes and leg hair unless the yarn is over-stretched. Although FALKE say the Seidenglatt 80 has an improved mesh structure, I found it was hard to detect this with the naked eye.

The Seidenglatt 80 felt slightly softer and silkier to the touch and when worn on the leg. I am not sure you could get any other opaque with such a wonderfully soft feel. It is truly luxurious.

The Seidenglatt 80 also definitely looks much more glossy on the leg, with a very noticeable shine not fully captured in the photos.



I wore both styles in the V - Extra Large size. I always go for this size in Falke as the fit is perfect and consistent.

The Seidenglatt 70 always provided me with an excellent fit. The leg length is just right and the brief generously deep. Fit was equally good with the Seidenglatt 80, perhaps even better. The increased Elastane content makes them slightly stretchier, and the fit on the leg was extremely snug providing that sought after second skin feeling.

The brief panty stretched comfortably over the waist and hips, but sits even higher if needed.

A big improvement is the newly-designed FALKE 'comfort waistband', which provides support but with no digging in or construction at all.

Overall wearing experience was exceptional. These tights are so soft and comfortable that you won't want to take them off.



Price and availability

The FALKE Seidenglatt 80 Tights are priced at £22.99.

Conclusion

The FALKE Seidenglatt 70s have always been one of this brand's classic opaques. I still have some in unopened packets.

One wonders if FALKE could have improved them, but they have indeed done so. Fit and feel have been further enhanced, with the new yarn. The upgraded "comfort waistband" also works extremely well.

With such outstanding quality, the £22.99 pricing looks reasonable to me. And Seidenglatt 80s seem as robust as the previous 70 version. So they will last a long time if looked after.

All my Seidenglatt 70s are still going strong, with no damage after several years of wear.

UK Tights have also sent us a sample of the new upgraded FALKE Seidenglatt 40 Tights. We will publish a review of these shortly, comparing them with the original Seidenglatt 40s.

Highly recommended.

Friday 24 April 2020

Introducing The Tights Club

The Tights Club is a tights subscription service. Not only does it provides tights of your choice every month, the products are also environmentally friendly.



To find out more we recently spoke to Leanne, founder of The Tights Club.

A tights subscription service is still quite a new concept. Can you tell Hosiery For Men readers why you started The Tights Club?


I used to work in the City where the dress code was smart and free time limited. Very often I’d get down to my last few pairs of tights which always had holes – usually where my big toe would stick through. As I’m sure you’ll know, it can feel like they might actually be cutting it off over the course of the day. Then when you did find the time to actually go and stock up, they didn’t have the right size in the right denier and colour! So it occurred to me that a subscription service that delivered tights through your letterbox would really help people in a similar situation as me.

How do The Tights Club tights subscriptions work?


We have two types of subscription – a seasonal subscription where members receive opaques in the colder months and sheers when it warms up. The switchover is automatic which is important as I want it to be something that people can sign up to and forget about, in a good way.



We also have individual product subscriptions for those that wear the same tights all year round. We even have members who like a 60 denier no matter the season!


Members can choose to receive their tights every month, second month or third month. And they can pause or cancel anytime. They can also switch the product they receive. 

Can you tell us more about the tights available at The Tights Club? What styles are currently available?

The aim is to keep it simple, so I’ve focused on the basics just now – a 15 denier sheer, a 40 denier and a 70 denier. The seasonal subscription gets you 15 denier sheers from May to September and the 40 denier opaque the rest of the year. In a recent survey we did have a request for a surprise pair of fashion tights every now and then but on reflection we didn’t feel that worked from a sustainability perspective.



Being environmentally-friendly seems to be key your ethos. How do you currently support sustainability?


It’s something I’d been working on in my own life for a while so I was so excited when I found these Re, Cycled tights! They are made from recycled material (the offcuts from regular production) using the same luxurious Italian yarn. As a result, they use 90% less water and produce 80% less emissions. The packaging is also completely plastic free and made from recycled cardboard.


I am also starting a recycling club where members can send their tights back to us and when we have the volume we will get them commercially recycled.

I am also starting a new series called Simple Sustainable Swaps which will take followers through other tried and tested sustainable alternatives to everyday items. It will be on our Instagram but email subscribers will also get an inforgraphic with everything they need to know about its sustainable credentials and hopefully a few discounts!


Men buying tights is an established part of the hosiery market now. Have you managed to attract any male customers so far? What kind of service can guys expect when buying tights from you?

We haven’t yet! But in in general I would love to make the service as inclusive as possible which for me means a wide range of sizes and colour choices for sheers. We are restricted by what out supplier, Charnos, produces at the moment but it’s definitely something I want to develop in the future. When I found these sustainable tights I had to make a call on what to focus on, so that came with trade-offs in terms of range. 


There is always quite a lot of media interest in the subject of tights for men. What are your thoughts about the greater acceptability of men wearing tights?


I think we should accept people as the individuals they are. Each to their own, we should all be able to dress as we please without criticism.



What are you planning for the future at The Tights Club?


In addition to our Simple Sustainable Swaps series, we are going through a re-brand which is really exciting! The website was developed years ago when the business was very much a side project and doesn’t quite fit with the new sustainable range. I can’t wait to see the first designs!


Other than that, I’m just really looking forward to seeing it grow. We have had such lovely feedback from our members so I’m looking forward to helping others in the same way. We are so short of time and mental space these days so if we can help give even a little of that back that would be great! And our members can get that knowing that they’ve made a sustainable choice too.

Great to speak to you Leanne. I hope Hosiery For Men readers will check out The Tights Club.

Wednesday 22 April 2020

New Arrivals From Hēdoïne: THE BOLD 60 Denier Opaque Tights And THE NUDE 20 Denier Sheer Seamless Tights

We were really happy to receive a package today from our friends at luxury hosiery brand Hēdoïne.



We now have a pair of the brand new Hēdoïne THE BOLD 60 Denier Opaque Tights.





You can read more about the new THE BOLD 60 Denier here.

We also published an interview to coincide with the launch with Hēdoïne founder and COO Anna Rauch.

Hēdoïne also sent us a pair of THE NUDE 20 Denier Tights in the Martini Olive shade, with the high slimming waistband.





We are looking forward to wearing both styles as both pairs are in the XL/XXL size.

Friday 17 April 2020

New Hēdoïne The Bold 60 Denier Seamless Opaque Tights: Interview With Hēdoïne Founder Anna Rauch

Yesterday we published news of the launch of the new Hēdoïne THE BOLD 60 Denier Opaque Tights.





To coincide with the launch we spoke to Hēdoïne founder and COO Anna Rauch.



Why did you decide to replace the Hedoine 50 Denier opaques? 


Product quality and is everything to us. We want every Hēdoïne to have an amazing, luxurious, can't-stop-raving-about-it experience every time they wear our tights. We had received some customer feedback that THE BOLD 50 wasn't always living up to expectations and so we made the decision to reassess the product. We went back into research, development and sampling... and more sampling... and even more sampling before we finally had a product that we felt was superior.

So what's different with THE BOLD 60 Denier?


Lots! THE BOLD 50 was sheer, THE BOLD 60 is opaque. It's also made in the UK and is more snag-resistant and durable.

We've also updated the waistband - a medium height that sits at 12cm. Something else we're excited about is the extremely low water usage - we're able to make The Bold 60's with 99.98% less water than the average pair of tights.



It's good to see that The Bold 60 Denier will be available in the XL/XXL size. Has that size proved popular since you made it available?


Yes, it has become popular. We are really happy that we were able to make the XL/XXL size available for this product immediately from launch.



Are we going to see more opaque styles from Hēdoïne in the future?


Watch this space ;)

During this crisis with Coronavirus can people still order from Hēdoïne?


Yes, they can. We still ship worldwide from our warehouse in the UK. Our fulfillment partners are taking health and hygiene precautions in line with the World Health Organization recommendations, as well as the UK government.

We're also still active on social media and have made the decision to continue to communicate with our Hēdoïnes via email. During these times we all need to stick together and keep in touch to keep our spirits high!

Great to talk to you Anna, as always. We hope Hosiery For Men readers will check out the new THE BOLD 60. We're looking forward to receiving our pair to wear and review.

Thursday 16 April 2020

Hēdoïne Launch New The Bold 60 Denier Seamless Opaque Tights

Here is some great news from hosiery brand Hēdoïne. They have just launched a new opaque tights style.



The new Hēdoïne THE BOLD 60 Denier Opaque Tights are now available.



The new Hēdoïne THE BOLD 60 Denier Opaque Tights will replace the THE BOLD 50 Denier.

These Hēdoïne tights are made in the UK with high-quality yarns and 3D knitting technology. They have same iconic Hēdoïne seamless appearance, and also an updated medium height 12cm waistband.

THE BOLD 60 Denier are made with a responsible dying technique that uses 99.98% less water than used for manufacturing an average pair of tights.

Here are the key features:

  • 60 denier
  • Seamless
  • Black waistband with signature pattern
  • Fine yarns for a soft feel
  • No pressure marks, sagging or itching
  • 100% vegan, no animal testing


The Hēdoïne THE BOLD 60 Denier Opaque Tights are available in three sizes:

  • XS/S
  • M/L
  • XL/XXL
The XL/XXL size will be good news for guys who buy Hēdoïne tights, as they will fit heights up to 6'3".

The Hēdoïne THE BOLD 60 Denier Opaque Tights are priced at £30, €35.95 or USD$39 as one-time purchase. There is a 20% discount if you take out a Hēdoïne subscription.

Until 23 April 2020, 10% of all Hēdoïne sales will be donated to the World Health Organisation Covid-19 Response Fund.

Hēdoïne are sending us a sample of the THE BOLD 60 Denier, so a review will appear shortly.

Tuesday 14 April 2020

Reviewed: NEW Aristoc Ultimate 50 Denier Shine Opaque Tights

Aristoc continue to add to their impressive Ultimate collection.



We recently reviewed the new Aristoc Ultimate 50 Denier Matt Opaque Tights.

Now our focus is on the Aristoc Ultimate 50 Denier Shine Opaque Tights.



Packaging

The Aristoc Ultimate 50 Denier Shine Opaque Tights are packaged in the same way as other styles in the collection.

The tights are folded around a card rectangle that provides examples of other Ultimate styles.

This is then housed in a cleverly designed card enclosure. Four triangular flaps open outwards to reveal the tights inside.

Everything is then sealed in an outer cellophane sleeve.





Material and features

The Aristoc Ultimate 50 Denier Shine Opaque Tights are made in Italy. Aristoc claim that their new Ultimate opaques are "the Ultimate in luxury opaque hosiery".

The yarn used is 93% Polyamide, 6% Elastane and 1% Polypropylene.

The tights feel soft and velvety. They didn't look that large once taken out of the packaging, but as we found out, the stretch qualities are impressive.

All the opaque tights in the Aristoc Ultimate range have a redesigned deep comfort waistband. This is just under 6cm.



The addition of the signature Aristoc tag, sewn onto the seam of the brief, is really welcome. If discard the packaging (which I try not too), this can help identify the tights.



A key feature is the deep brief/panty. This measures 25cm from the top of the waistband to the crotch.



There is a breathable gusset.

All seams are flat and hand-finished. In the Extra Large size that we trialled, there is no rear comfort panel. This is the same for all styles in the Ultimate range.

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

Toes are rounded, and have very light reinforcement.



Sizing, fit and wearing experience


The Aristoc Ultimate 50 Denier Shine Opaque Tights are available in four sizes:


  • Small 
  • Medium 
  • Large 
  • Extra Large 
I wore the Extra Large size for this review.

In all the Ultimate tights reviewed so far the fit has been perfect for me in the Extra Large size. And it was the same with this style.

Although they tights looks relatively small for an Extra Large size, the stretch was really impressive, even though they have a lower Elastane content compared to the Ultimate 50 Denier Matt Opaque.

Once I had the tights on, they stayed in place and needed very little adjustment.

The knit is dense and provides a complete and even opaque coverage. Although they are 50 denier, in appearance they look more like 60 or 70 denier tights.



They have a definite and very noticeable shine appearance.



The overall wearing experience was excellent. These are very comfortable tights.

I particularly liked the deep brief. It stretched easily over the waist and hips, and that wide comfort waistband really makes a difference when you are wearing them all day.

Colour range


The Aristoc Ultimate 50 Denier Shine Opaque Tights are available in Black only.



Price and availability


The Aristoc Ultimate 50 Denier Shine Opaque Tights are priced at £16.00 and can be purchased directly from the Aristoc website.

They are also available from our recommended retailer UK Tights.



Hosiery retailer Tights Tights Tights also now has them in stock.



Conclusion

The Aristoc Ultimate range just gets better and better. Technically it's a significant step up for the brand. Yes, they do cost more than other Aristoc styles but that reflects the overall uplift in quality.

And in addition to the sheer tights in the collection, there are now opaques to choose from too.

As I said in the previous Ultimate review, with this collection Aristoc have planted themselves very firmly amongst the premium brands. But if your budget doesn't stretch to Ultimate opaques, there are a wide range of other Aristoc opaque styles for those on a more modest budget. And here's a well-kept hosiery secret: these cheaper Aristoc opaques are also some of the best value tights around.