Aristoc Micro Fibre; Classic British Tights, but made in Italy?
Premium priced opaque tights from England, well presented in a quality card packet. “Aristoc England”; it makes you proud to think we can still make great hosiery…but hold on, turn over the packet and read the small print “Made in Italy”. Now we love Italian hosiery, Italy makes some of the best hosiery in the World, but when a brand trumpets its country of origin on the front of the packet and manufactures in other countries it somewhat colours our view; how long before they move to Turkey or China to cut costs?
On the upside, Aristoc have at least seen fit to make this style in three sizes, so they have not entirely abandoned their two size policy as Small/Medium and Medium/Large are still there, they just added an Extra Large. The Extra Large is big too, aimed to fit up to 6’0” tall (183cm) 224lbs (102kg) and hips of 54” (137cm). Our test pair came in medium/large to fit up to 5’10” (17cm) 174lbs (79kg) and hips of 48” (122cm).
“Classically British design”; well frankly they should have left the design to the Italians too. There is no “design” these are plain straight legged opaque tights, average weight and finish from hip to toe, flat seams and a cotton lined gusset. The design here apparently just refers to the selection of fibre and the knitting technique to get the desired soft finish and surface texture; there is no design in a fashion sense and no real stand out detailing.
So we dislike these tights.. end of the review?
Well no, not at all. These are top quality opaque tights that look and great, the colour is dense, and perfectly even throughout, the finish has a soft velvety texture that we love. Sizing is spot on regarding hip measurement, but there is enough length to cope with longer legs than you would expect on a woman of 5’10”. The fit could only be improved by a little more thought about the toe detail, a reinforced toe may have allowed more shaping and comfort, and a short shaping in the leg would be excellent at this price.
The midnight shade is a very dark blue that is incredibly smart and classy, a perfect alternative to black for daytime.
The price is a little on the high side. Perhaps Aristoc should cut back a little on the marketing nonsense and put the savings into reducing the cost or building a new factory in England.
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