Monday 27 March 2017

Heist launch limited edition of The Fifty tights in fig colour

Here's another great development at hosiery brand Heist.



On 30 March they are launching a new fig colour in THE FIFTY opaque tights.

This new shade was chosen by thousands of Heist customers in a recent poll.



You can still read our review of THE FIFTY tights.


A reminder of what makes Heist tights special:
  • 5K spiral yearn that makes the tights ten times softer to touch and gentle on the skin 
  • Seamless design and 3D knit 
  • A waistband that won't roll or slip and available in low and high waist versions 
  • Invisible toe seams 
  • Gender is not an issue at Heist and their tights will fit men as well as they fit women.

Thursday 23 March 2017

Museum of Hosiery Ads

The Museum of Hosiery Ads is a fascinating website dedicated hosiery advertisements collected by Edgar Vareiko.

He started his collection in 2010 and has been now curating it on the website since December 2015.

Here are some archive images from Falke that are showcased in the museum.





Sunday 19 March 2017

Guest review: THE EIGHTY OPAQUE TIGHTS BY HEIST

At the end of 2016 we brought Hosiery For Men readers the news that hosiery brand Heist were about to launch the new THE EIGHTY opaque tights.



Heist kindly sent us sample of these and we published our review in January.



One of our guest reviewers is Lei from the United States. We have already published his reviews on the Kunert Warm Up Cotton Opaque Tights and the Couture Ultimates 'Sarah' 100 denier Seamless and Ladder Proof Tights.

Lei has now submitted his own review of the THE EIGHTY opaque tights by Heist.

About me


Male, 5’10’’, ~157lb, average build.

I have recently purchased a pair of Heist THE EIGHTY tights, 80 denier, size XL with a high waistband, in color black (the only color available at time of purchase), from Heist Studios.

Shopping experience


Though I’m probably nitpicking a bit, Heist Studio’s website is a bit difficult to use at times. The checkout process did not have a confirmation step at the end, which I’m used to seeing, and I was therefore unable to double check my address at the end (when each pair of tights costs $42.00, you’d want to make sure you didn’t make a typo in your address!). The orders page showed minimal information, and I ended up emailing the customer service to confirm.

I will say, although the website needs some work in my opinion, Heist’s customer service is superb. They were courteous and prompt in responding, and, because of some delays in the manufacturing/shipping process, they gave me another pair for free!

Packaging





When I unwrapped the package, I thought to myself, my god, this really is a luxury product. I don’t think I’ve ever seen packaging this elaborate (well… somewhat justifies the $42 price) for a pair of tights before. The pair of tights wraps around a card that explains Heist Studio’s design philosophy and care instructions. All in all, very elaborate, very impressed.









First impressions and design


The tights themselves feel great in the hand: a very deep and opaque black, soft, velvety, very stretchy, feels very sturdy and of very high quality build.



I got the style with the high waistband, which is what I personally prefer. The waistband itself, measured from the top to a seam between the waistband and the gusset area, is 6 inches! It is a bit thicker and less stretchy compared to the rest of the tights; the stretchiness feels to be between regular and control top – tight enough to prevent any slippage, but not so tight to feel unable to breathe.



There is a little “Heist” tag inside the waistband; don’t worry – you won’t feel it when you wear it!



Speaking of the gusset – there is none, though there is some kind of special pattern of stitching there, presumably meant to reinforce the fabric.



Opacity is very even and well-maintained when stretched out in the foot area; however, as you will see later, the knee area is still not fully opaque when you bend your knees. This is all what I’d expect for 80 deniers.



Wearing experience, sizing and fit


As a reminder, I’m 5’10’’ and ~157lb, and I purchased the pair in size XL. It fit me perfectly – I can imagine that someone slightly taller than me can fit easily as well.

The tights feel superb on the leg – very smooth and soft, hugging the legs without any sagging or bunching, even opacity except at the knee when bent.

The waistband feels very comfortable – not overly tight to dig into the body, but tight enough that there is almost no sagging and no need to readjust as I walked around all day wearing these tights.

These tights are warm enough to be worn underneath shorts in the spring/fall when the temperature is still above freezing; I’d recommend something thicker if worn with shorts when the temperature is below freezing.

One word of caution: the seam between the waistband and the rest of the tights is not so stretchy – at one point, I accidentally pulled on it with too much force, and it did make a tearing sound, though I was not able to find any holes/tears/laddering anywhere on the tights afterwards. I consider it a testament to their superb build quality!

Price, availability, and colour range


Heist Studio’s “The Eighty” tights are available with a low waistband for $38.00 and a high waistband for $42.00 Shipping is free worldwide, though delivery to the US may take a very long time (I waited over a month!) As of writing, the only available color is black, though new colors are planned in the near future, according to a Heist Studios newsletter I recently received. Stay tuned!

In the UK, they are priced at £22.00 for the low waist and £24.00 for the high waist.

Verdict





Would I call these the best pair of tights I’ve bought so far? Maybe; though similar to the Wolford 70s and (in my personal opinion) inferior to the Falke Matt 100s in how they feel on the legs, the waistband and the seamless design has both beat; these tights do indeed “move with you”, as advertised! There is no more need to keep pulling up the tights as you walk around all day, and the seamless design is far more comfortable than the seamed design of the other two.

I’d have instantly bought more if not for one drawback for these tights: the price. $42.00 is an awful lot to pay for a single pair of tights, though you do get a 15% discount for your first pair as a new customer.

If you are in the market for a pair of seamless tights, look no further – seamless tights of high quality tend to cost more than regular tights to begin with, and a price of $42.00 is perfectly justified given the comfort, attention to detail, and build quality of these tights. If you don’t care for the seamless design, I’d still highly recommend these, as they are perfectly competitive with the Wolfords and Falkes of the world.

Wednesday 8 March 2017

ITEM m6 tights now available at Luxury Legs

One of our favourite hosiery retailers, Luxury Legs, are now stocking tights and legwear from the German brand ITEM m6.





The full range of ITEM m6 legwear at Luxury Legs can be viewed here.



Don't miss reading the interesting feature on ITEM m6 in the Guardian newspaper from 2015: Can hosiery make you happier?

Monday 6 March 2017

Just arrived: Adrian 40 Denier Men's "Stripes" Tights

We have just taken delivery of a pair of the 40 Denier Men's "Stripes" Tights made by the Polish brand Adrian.








These men's tights are available in gray with black (nero) stripes, and denim blue (jeans) with black (nero) stripes.

Sizes: M, L, XL, and XXL.

The "Stripes" style is one of the Adrian styles now available at Actviskin.