Month: August 2018

Gatta Tancia Tights are fancy and fun!

Tights mimicking over knee socks or hold ups are nothing new. But a quick look at the picture on the packet shows Gatta have tried to vary things by shaping the top of the “sock”.

Construction is pretty typical of all Gatta fashion tights, T-band detailing, flat seams and a gusset in the panty and a no reinforced toe. The upper part is around 20 denier and the lower part around 50 denier. What sits at the change of denier is unlike anything we have seen before. We have no idea how they made it! The sock top is the same weight as the lower leg, but it has been ruffed with the ruff held in shape by four stretch strips on each leg.

Sizing is standard Gatta; three sizes 2-4 defined by hip size, weight and height. Sizing is accurate with length to suit taller ladies, select your size based on hip measurement.

Whenever you put in tights with different denier, so care is needed to avoid laddering the sheerer upper leg, perhaps more so here with the ruff detail. Take care and you are rewarded with an entirely comfortable fit.

(Our model showing off the Gatta Tancia Tights)

The ruff detail is accurately placed on the leg and utterly stunning. We would be raving about it on a pair of £30 Wolford tights. On a couple of inexpensive Gatta tights, it is unbelievable!

If you can track down a few pairs, you really should buy them and be the envy of all your friends.

For more tights, click here. For more reviews, click here.

Gatta Sherry Ann 15 Tights are super affordable!

The arrival of these tights with a pair of Gatta Sherry Ann 16 Tights gave us a great excuse to provide a bit more information on the Gatta way of naming things. Regarding concept and construction, the two styles are identical. But the number in the name indicates a variation, in this case, a change in the colour and design of the floral tattoo on the calf.

Sizing is, of course, the same for both styles, and the sizing is based on a combination of weight, height and hip size. Using hip size is a Gatta trait that other makers would do well to adopt. There are three sizes; size 2, size 3 and size 4.

Some brands dress up a very mediocre essential pair of tights/pantyhose with fancy designs and try to sell them at a premium. So the key to our review process is considering a sample as basic sheers first, looking at the motif second. Here we have good quality, soft and light 20 denier sheers with a sandal toe and a panty that has both flat seams and a reinforced gusset. The panty also has T-band detailing, a reinforced strip either side of the panty seams contiguous with the waistband. As sheers, these are worth the £5.99 asking price.

Sizing is spot on, but we suggest that you ignore the weight numbers and look at hips and height. Choose your hip size then come down the chart to find your height. If you are taller than the maximum suggested 185cm don’t worry, you can certainly see a few extra cms of leg length thanks to the Lycra in the fibre.

Daino is the base shade of our test pair, a reasonably pale shade that some would call cosmetic. There is a slight sheen to the finish looking smooth, healthy skin.

The motif, or instead motifs, are different for each leg. No front is specified, but the way our model put her pair on the design above was around on the back of the calf. It was also incidentally mirrored, and the smaller single flower on the other leg was on the side of the leg just above the ankle. By not having the same design repeated the illusion of tattoo or body are is reinforced, ingenious design. The designs are subtle and well defined, more like a watercolour than a tattoo, somewhat pretty and quite classy.

At £6 you will struggle to get better sheers or better design.

For more tights, click here. For more reviews, click here.

Gatta Shania 3 Tights is so versatile!

Tights that are trying to look like stockings or hold ups are far from a new idea. We see so many variations on that theme at present that there is an audible sigh when another pair comes in.

As it turns out these tights from Gatta are pretty unique. The lower leg is knitted with a pattern that, at first glance looks like fishnet; this is topped off with a thick lace design stocking top. We can call it a stocking top because each leg has been made as a separate stocking.

The upper leg and panty are also sewn on. The panty is quite a piece of design in itself. Sheer at first, there is an opaque bikini panty with plain back and lace patterned front. Flat seams and a gusset give an impression of quality and attention to detail.

All that design detail and three sizes to choose from too. It is intended to fit up to 185cm tall, 125cm hips and 85kg weight, although not all at the same time. There is, in fact, plenty of stretches so you could go close to combining those maxima.

The stockings part of the tights is very useful indeed, a fishnet look but classier, better fitting and more comfortable. The stocking top is attractive, and you could wear it entirely on show or just out of sight to give ideal glimpses.

The panty fits well thanks to the gusset and is comfortable. Our only issue is with the lace design on the front which seems far too broad. Fortunately, this will be out of sign under normal circumstances, so it does not stop us from giving these tights a strong recommendation.

A versatile design far enough away from a right fishnet to be suitable for daytime or even office wear, and classy enough for evening. At the same time a daring design ideal for clubbing or an alternative “street” look paired with a short skirt.

Well priced at just over £10 you need a pair for the party season. A good alternative to Gatta would be Ballerina hosiery. A brand we die for!

For more tights, click here. For more reviews, click here.

Gatta Rosalia 600 Tights are super thick!

At the time of writing, winter is starting to take England in its icy grip. We were delighted to receive a packet of three heavy opaque styles of tights from UK Tights. We had to do a double take when we saw this style noted as 600 denier. Surely they meant 60 denier! But no these are 600 denier tights, so thick that one member of our team declared them too thick to be tights!

In the hand, these tights feel soft and springy, almost as though filled with foam, slip your hand inside though and you find soft fleece. Although 600 denier in appearance there is no 600 denier fibre, just fine soft polyester.

Construction is very simple indeed, straight legs and a smooth finish from toe seam to the waistband. Simple but good quality with flat seams throughout.

Sizing is spot on, and the fit is good too. Even though there is no stretch fibre, the knit of the material provides all that is needed.

The look on the leg is not as heavy as the denier suggests, more of a 200 denier look. Colour density is good, but if you over-stretch the fabric, it becomes just a little uneven with the look of cotton or wool tights. At full stretch, a band around the leg at upper thigh level is also apparent, if you are going to go to the limits of length then you need to keep your skirt/shorts longer to cover this.

What these tights are really about is cosy warmth and that they will deliver. At just £6.99 they are a bargain, and everyone should have a pair or two for the cold months ahead.

For more tights, click here. For more reviews, click here.

Gatta Rosalia 100 Denier Tights are fun and affordable!

Among the thickest tights, we have ever reviewed, this is a 100 denier style is something we hope has the same quality that all other Gatta products have produced so far.

Although lighter than their namesakes these are still substantial tights. First impressions are excellent, the microfibre material feels soft and gives an idea of quality.

Detailing is unfussy with straight legs finished with an un-reinforced toe detail. In the smaller sizes, there is an unlined gusset and in size five a comfort gusset to give more room in seat and hips. All sizes have simple ordinary seams.

Sizing is based on a combination of height, weight and hip measurement. Maximum dimensions for sizes 4 and 5 are height 185cm, weight 85kg, Hips 128cm, the difference being that size five can cope with all the maxima together and size four just defined combinations.

Gatta says “without a marked knickers part”, this is not entirely true. Although legs and panty are similar in weight and finish, they are different, and there is a transition band at the top of the leg too. The differences are only visible at full stretch, but they are quite noticeable and would spoil the look with a very short skirt or short shorts.

Sizing is very much on the generous side of accurate; we would look at the hip sizing and height and go down a size if borderline; ignore the weight part of the chart.

The generous sizing and low percentage of Lycra can give a slightly loose fit and you may find yourself making upward adjustments during the day.

Colour density is perfectly even, and the matt finish is flawless. Good everyday tights ideal for bigger girls and great value.

For more tights, click here. For more reviews, click here.

Gatta Patty Ann Tights are perfect for Halloween!

Black semi-opaque tights with grey and green stripes are not something you see every day, undoubtedly eye-catching legwear. Aside from the colours, there is little remarkable about these tights on the first inspection; at first! They are made sheer to waist with straight legs and a small unlined gusset just a little heavier than the rest of the panty.

There are three sizes available, 2 (S) to 4 (L) all of which share the same detailing.

The pattern is printed on the outside of the essential black tights, and this raises some issues. Firstly the design limits the stretch where it is applied; this makes them feel strange as you stretch them to put them, although it is not noticeable while wearing them.

Secondly, the pattern is not in closed hoops, so there is a black line down the inside, and outside of each leg, you need to take care to get these straight. Get the lines straight, and they offset the widening effect of the hops to make your legs look longer.

These tights are not, in fact, genuinely sheer to waist, the legs and panty are the same weight but not the same knit, so there is a visible dark transition line around the leg one inch down each leg from the gusset.

The sizing is accurate, and the 14% Lyrca provides some latitude if you are taller. The fit is very good, and the gusset makes these comfortable tights to wear.

The matt black finish with it bright coloured matt hoops looks good. Paired with a short black skirt and high black heels you will have a killer look for a night out. The unreinforced toes mean that open shoes are an option.

For more tights, click here. For more reviews, click here.

Gatta Noelia Tights are incredible for their price!

If you were to survey all the tights sold you would probably find that two types stood out regarding quantity sold, one of these would be 20 denier sheers with 88% Nylon and 12% Lycra. So how do you make your sheers stand out from the crowd?

Well if you are a Wolford or a Fogal, you take the very best materials, knitting machines and people and make a premium quality product that you sell at a premium price. If your target customer is less affluent, then you need a design edge and Gatta along with several other Polish brands has taken to adding a variety of motifs to their basic sheers. Noelia is one example.

What you get for your £5.75 is a choice of three sizes all made sheer to waist with a sandal toe and T-band reinforcement in the panty. You also get flat seams and an unlined reinforced gusset. The legs are entirely straight.

Two things struck us when inspecting these tights. Firstly the scent, a reasonably strong perfume that, back in the day, was indicative of tights made and finished in the Levante factory in Italy; we can be less sure these days as other factories have taken to perfuming their hosiery. Secondly, for 20 denier tights, these feel quite light.

Size 4 is intended to fit up to a maximum weight of 85kg, a maximum height of 185 cm and a maximum hip measurement of 125cm, but not all at the same time. We would tend to ignore the weight part of the chart as the hip/height combinations seem spot on 185cm (6’1”) tall and 110cm (43”) hips gave a perfect fit.

As essential sheer tights these are not bad at all, good fit, even colour, stylish and comfortable; but it is the motif that makes the design stand out. If you are fortunate enough to have well-defined calves and ankles like our model then the tapering design enhances and flatters, if on the other hand, you lack a little shaping then the design gives the impression of a well-formed calf.

All in all a very well conceived design delivered very well at a sensible price.

For more tights, click here. For more reviews, click here.

Gatta Nasty Tights are far from ‘Nasty’!

We have said a few negative things about particular tights styles in the past, but we have never gone so far as to call a style “nasty”. Of course, a word can have many meanings, and one definition of “nasty” we found in an urban dictionary is “to describe something that is aesthetically pleasing”…So are these tights nasty or “nasty”?

First impressions are excellent, and by that, we mean the packaging that gives useful information on the styling and a size chart detailing no less than four sizes.

Our first small complaint is that the graphic on the packet shows a high leg panty, but the tights have a boxer style brief. On the plus side, there is a double thickness gusset to improve fit, and the seams are well made. The legs are straight and finished with a reinforced toe detail.

There is a slight harshness to the feel in hand but, this translates to a very smooth finish on the leg. The colour on the leg is perfectly even, and there is a gorgeous sheen to the finish, not glossy just enough to pick up the light and highlight the curves of your leg.

Sizing is accurate, but you will need a little patience in stretching these tights if you are at the upper end of the size range. Fit on the leg is excellent. The hipster styling means the body is concise; the good news is that waistband holds very well, so you don’t feel your tights will fall down at any moment! Perfect for wearing with hipster styled fashions.

That roughness we first felt provides one final treat. Run your hands over your leg, and the tights feel smooth, but cross your legs, and you get the perfect nylon swish loud enough to make these tights more suited to a busy bar than a library.

For more tights, click here. For more reviews, click here.

Gatta Lorenne 08 Tights are stretchy and durable!

Does the way a pair of tights smell matter? Well, today it does because the first impression we had of these tights was not related to touch or sight it was a strong smell of perfume. The perfume dissipates quite quickly and of course, will go entirely on first washing. Perfume like this used to be a clear indication of manufacture in the Levante factory in Italy, no clues as to origin are given on the packet.

There is an almost velvet texture to the finish of these tights thanks to the microfibre used in their manufacture. The microfibre also makes these tights look far more opaque than their 40 denier description would have us expect.

Construction is quite straightforward. Straight legs finished with almost square toes, flat seams in the panty and a gusset in all three sizes. The pattern is knitted in and covers the whole garment from the toe seam to the waistband.

The three sizes (2-4) are aimed to fit a range of heights from 145cm to 185cm and a range of weights from 40kg to 80kg. Guidance is also given for hip sizing, were a range of 85cm to 125cm suggested. Our testing of the largest size would suggest that you could easily combine all those maxima and that hip sizing may be the controlling factor; certainly, as far as length is concerned, there is a huge reserve of stretch.

At the maximum stretch, the pattern loses a little definition, and you should take some time to get the pattern even throughout. The look on the leg at full stretch is closer to what 40 denier should look like but the pattern and microfibre to combine to obscure the leg entirely.

The fit is good, and these feel on the leg is soft and comfortable. Even the toes fit well in spite of the slightly squared off design.

The black/brown colour combination is an autumn/winter combination which means they are pretty much suitable nine months of the year in the UK.

For more tights, click here. For more reviews, click here.