Month: August 2021

We can perhaps all remember the summers of our teenage years. Long hot sunny days, tanned legs, and perfect skin, although we did maybe not appreciate it at the time. That perfect smooth, natural tanned look is how we would love our legs to look now. The way to get that look is ultra-sheer hosiery.

Pretty Polly has an excellent track record of making summer tights that are not only sheer but cool and finished to give a freshly oiled finish. We last looked at them five years ago when they went by Pretty Polly Perfectly Natural Sun Oil Sheen Tights. We think the change of name and the tiniest change in fibre composition is reasonable to look at again.

There are just two sizes to choose from these days, small/medium and medium/large, with sizing defined in height, weight and hip size. On the face of it, the sizing is quite limited, with a range of heights from 5’0” to 5’10” (152-178cm) and a range of weights from 97-174lbs (44-79kg). The clearest line is between sizes in the hip measurement, up to 40” or 102cm for the smaller size, 40-48” or 102-122cm for the larger.

First impressions. A gossamer-thin, soft light leg; it is not only the colour that is “barely there”. There is no real evidence of any oiliness. As for the detailing, you get some shaping at the heel and, surprisingly, a lightly reinforced toe for summer tights. The panty portion is heavier but knitted to be breathable. It features a cotton-lined gusset and neatly sewn seams.

Sizing is more generous than the chart suggests. The larger size will stretch to accommodate a 35” (90cm) slim or athletic leg, which is a lot of leg if you are 5’10”. Fit is like a second skin, thanks to the very fine yarn and the excellent proportion of Lycra.

You do get a subtle, freshly oiled look that is incredibly flattering. Pick the correct shade, and someone would have almost to touch your leg to see the tights; even the lightly reinforced toe is hard to see. You perhaps don’t want anyone to touch your leg as the feel is almost as smooth as an oiled leg too! The panty is nothing special to look at. But it keeps the legs in place and is cooler than regular tights – perfect tights for summer at a sensible price.

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We had a slight feeling of deja vu when we read the details of these tights. Then the penny dropped that they are pretty similar to Pretty Polly Naturals Sideria Tights, which are the same fibre mix and just a little heavier at seven denier. Like this other style from Pretty Polly, they are designed for summer wear.

As with the seven denier Sideria tights, the first impressions are not tremendous but open them out of the card, and things improve. These are very light and gossamer-thin tights. Sheer to waist with strips of reinforcement on either side of the body seams, around the cotton-lined gusset and below the waistband. These are such sheer tights that seaming without this transition would be folly, but we would have liked narrower strips. The seams themselves are fine and well finished but not flat.

Being summer tights, there is, of course, a sandal toe detail. This ensures that the tights live up to their branding. Aside from smoothing and adding a nice sheen of colour, the tights are pretty much invisible. When lit from the side, there is a lovely sheen that could be mistaken for a light oil coating.

Despite the absence of Lycra, there is plenty of stretches, and the fit is good. These are delightfully light and smooth tights to wear. They feel fantastic too. Perfect for summer. Get the right colour for your skin tone, and all that friends will notice is that you have gorgeous legs. More generous in the fit than the seven denier Sideria tights. These may be the tights for the summer.

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We must start with the box. They say the tights are designed in Japan. The box must be too, as it is miniaturised just 6x9x4.5 cm. What this means, of course, is that you can keep a spare pair in your handbag in case of emergencies or if you feel like changing colour mid-evening. There is quite a selection of colours, and our test pair came in “Teal”.

Lots of colours but only one size, designed for everyone up 107 cm (42”) hips and 178 cm (5’10”) tall. The sizing is a bit of a fright when you first take the tights out of their box; you really would think they were made for a child and a Japanese child at that.

Construction is quite basic, straight tube legs finished with a simple toe seam, boxer-style brief with an unlined gusset. The body seams are well made but not flat – no need to worry about sizing. There are masses of stretch, so they should fit even if you are a little bigger than the packet suggests as a maximum size. Fit is pretty good, too, with no obvious bagging or sagging. The finish on the leg is matt and very soft to the touch.

The colour of the legs is very even. But the design is let down just a little by the transition from the legs to the slightly darker brief, marked by a 2 cm wide transition zone. If you were to wear these tights with short shorts or a skirt as short as the one pictured above, these would be visible and funky opaque tights like these are meant for wear with shorts. That said, these are quality tights that are a must-have for the spring. Just watch the length of your shorts and skirts.

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When we first saw this on our list of samples, we thought that Pretty Polly had maybe reproduced their Metallic Tights from the late 1990s. But these are pretty different. Rather than being sheer tights with a metallic sheen, they are semi-opaques with a far more metal look to them.

Made sheer to waist with flat seams and a gusset all topped with a 3cm deep waistband. These are well-made tights. They are “one size” concerns as even 12% of Lycra can only give limited stretch. The good news for taller ladies is that they are long, quickly reaching the top of a 36″ leg. We suspect that they may be too long for short to average ladies.

We tested a pair in silver, and we have to say that they are one of the most flattering tights we have ever tried. The look is like the surface of liquid metal, constantly shifting with movement and changes in the light. They feel good on the leg, too, especially when you run your hand over them, and you will do this more than once. Couple these tights with a grey dress/skirt/short and grey shoes, and every eye in the room will be on you. The fit is excellent too.

They are not quite perfect as we could see a slight change in colour at the top of the thigh, but close. Shimmery, smooth, shiny, sexy as well as durable and well made. If you like a gloss look to your hosiery and are not short, you should buy several pairs!

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Given that hosiery manufactures must have their teams of designers putting together collection after collection, season after season, you might wonder why they need to use celebrity designers to produce designs for them. Well, of course, there is the obvious answer that they can sell “designer” styles at a higher price.

Perhaps more importantly, the celebrity designer can go a little outside the box and come up with something completely new. Confession time now, I have no idea who Joanne Hynes is, but I can tell you that she knows how to style a pair of tights for maximum visual effect. The legs are unshaped, and the panty has no gusset. This design is unique. You can make out that down the inside of each leg, there is a more sheer strip that cleverly is not straight but slightly wavy. This extends upwards into the panty as the black “straps” through the red. The only other adornment is a large red heart on the inside of each leg.

The comparison with standard opaques extends to the sizing. These are “one size” tights to fit up to 5’10” (178cm) tall, 160lb (72kg) weight and 42” (107cm) hips. If you are at the bottom end of the range, you might find them too big. On a slender model (5’6” and a UK size 8), they do fit, as you can see in our picture. If you are much bigger and taller, the good news is that there is stretch to go way beyond what Pretty Polly suggest. The panty section is particularly generous. (Will fit up to 6’3, 220lb, 46” hips).

The simple styling does not compromise fit, so you will feel as good as you look. The weight means they will keep your legs warm too. The one flaw in the design is that the gorgeous panty section would be hidden, so you need to take your skirt as short as you dare, pair it with high black heels, and then the vertical elements in the design will make your legs look endless.

Of all the tights in for review this season, this is the one the models wanted to take home. Lots of style and quality without breaking the bank.

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We have reviewed these tights twice in the past, once in the packaging below and once after the newer packaging above was introduced. The last time we looked, we said, “These tights are just a repackaging of the earlier design”. On closer inspection, although the overall design is the same, the sizing has changed. In light of this small error and the fact that this style is a favourite of so many of our visitors, we are taking another detailed look.

So, about the sizing. In common with the rest of the Pretty Polly Italia range, the previous three sizes of Small, Medium and Large have been replaced with two sizes. Small/Medium and Medium/Large. The smaller heights are between 5’0” and 5’6”, and hip sizes 34” to 42”. If you are taller (up to 5’10”) or bigger in the hips (up to 46”), you will need the bigger size.

The weight of these tights is apparent even in the packet. Even released from their cardboard envelope, the impression is of tights much heavier than 30 denier. Unwrapping them from the card reveals sheer to waist tights with the slightest shaping at the heels and reinforced toes. The brief is finished with flat seams and a lined gusset. There is no reinforcement on either side of the seam. Just the narrowest finger bands below the 4 cm deep waistband.

We had our tallest tester try these tights, and we are happy to report that the Medium/Large size stretched comfortably beyond the suggested sizing. The fit was perfect from hip to toe with perfect even colour. A 30 denier look but with the strength of heavier tights, ideal for everyday wear in the colder months. In black for the office, in black or skin tone for evenings out in short skirts or shorts.

Fantastic value at £4.50. You would not get the quality of finish with Wolford or Fogal, but these tights are a quarter of the price and much better than a quarter of the quality.

They are exclusively designed in Italy to ensure the ultimate quality and feminine styling. Italia is the premium choice for women who want a hosiery that is glamorous and sophisticated. Very shiny, surprisingly soft to the touch. Best in a pale skin tone or nude, these are very expensive looking sexy tights at a great price.

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We usually start our reviews with impressions of the tights as we remove them from the packet, but we are stepping back a bit. One size tights for £9.95? A packet designed for the style with a picture on the front but no style-specific notes on the back? No indication of just how sheer and opaque the various parts of the tights are? These will have to be very, very good tights to excuse such lazy packaging design.

Well, the packet is open, and we have another complaint. The colour is described on the packet as blue. But, as anyone can see, the tights are turquoise – gorgeous colour but not blue unless you are thinking duck egg.

The first good news is that the feel in hand is deliciously soft. The second bit of good news is that the seams in the panty are flat and well finished, and there is a cotton-lined gusset. Visually these tights are most peculiar before you put them on. The sheer portion between the panty and the straight legs is much more narrow than the opaque parts, no doubt because being sheerer, it will be far more elastic.

The portion is crossed by two thin lines of opaque material on each leg, one front and one back. The toes are “reinforced” but oddly sheerer than the legs. The sizing seems quite generous, so the one size should fit you unless you have legs more than 34” long.

OK, so we have been pretty negative so far, but this design does work, not least because it does not try to look like stockings and suspenders. The legs have good even colour, and the sheer panels on the upper thigh turn a boring opaque into a funky design. Once separated from the leg by the sheer parts, the panty takes on the look of a pair of panties rather than the top of a pair of tights and is opaque enough not to need any other underwear.

The colour is perfectly even. The fit is perfect. Worth £10? Well, yes, they are if you are looking for something fun to wear to a party in a short dress. The vibrant colours are the perfect antidote to the nights and grey weather.

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We don’t usually review one style in two colours. But Pretty Polly market this style and the similar Superstar Gold separately because there are differences beyond the different colours. £15.00 does seem a lot for one size tights from Pretty Polly, even if Henry Holland designs them. But we have seen from other styles in the range that there is some justification.

Extract the bag from the square House of Holland packet and then pause to read the instructions on putting your new purchase on. If you ripped the instructions tearing the packet open, you would read our advice on putting tights on before proceeding. We include this advice as more than one of our readers has ruined their new House of Holland tights before having the joy of wearing them. The issue is not of fragility, but inexperience as the House of Holland range introduces more young women into the delights of sheer hosiery.

Pretty Polly doesn’t declare the denier of these tights, but we estimate it to be 15. The fabric has quite a soft feel to it. We like the flat seams in the panty, but the lack of a gusset is a slight disappointment. Reinforced toes increase durability but should preclude you from wearing open-toe shoes.
5’10 is quite a generous maximum height for one size tights, and our tests showed that you could be a pretty leggy 5’10” (35” inseam and slim to athletic legs) and not have any length issues. The hip measurement is a genuine maximum, do not consider buying these tights if your hips are bigger than 42”.

The lack of a gusset becomes evident once you are dressed. The largest star in the design is strategically placed where the gusset would go. This large opaque star improves durability and protects your modesty. Fortunately, the flat seams and good quality construction combine to remove fit issues the lack of gusset could have caused.

As for the finish, this is where the difference between the black and gold versions is apparent. In the gold version, the stars are Lurex. In the black version, the stars are dark and have a matt finish, the sheer base material has some sheen to it, but you would need strong direct lighting to get the look pictured above. Worth £15? Yes, because these are well-made tights that give you a unique look.

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It is tempting to dismiss these tights as yet another design trying to look like stockings and suspenders. An old idea that has been resurrected by many hosiery brands this season and last. However, the use of nude material on the upper thigh and the highly stylised opaque stocking design suggest that these may be different.

Again we must commend Pretty Polly for putting instructions on how to wear them on the label of the inner packet. There is no way to get at the tights without seeing these notes even if you don’t read them. The only problem is the label gets ripped opening the packet, an easy-peel and reseal label would have been fantastic.

Pretty Polly has used the latest knitting techniques to combine opaque legs, suspender straps and brief with sheer upper leg panels. In simple terms, this over knits the opaque parts onto the sheer tights. The legs are straight, around 60 denier and finished with an unreinforced toe detail. The brief is the same weight and matt finish as the legs and features flat seams but curiously no gusset; a design decision that may compromise the fit.

One size tights are always a bit of a worry. In essence, they are size medium, potentially limiting a style to ladies of average height and build. Well, we need not worry, at least not for those taller than 5’10”. Our test comfortable stretched to accommodate a 34” leg and 44” hips were no problem either. Some care is needed putting these suspender style tights on, the matt opaque lower leg is strong and will take rough treatment but use the exact rough handling on the slightly glossy upper leg, and you could get tears (in both senses of that word). The panty is also durable and sufficiently opaque to negate the need for any other underwear.

The Henry Holland Collection from Pretty Polly is all about the look, and these tights look great on. An impression of stockings and suspenders rather than a copy of every detail has far more of the stockings and suspenders allure. The stocking top is low enough on the leg to show it off with a very short skirt. But high enough for you to give a glimpse with a skirt of a more modest length. Leaving out the gusset means a fine narrower strip of dark material between the legs and more of a look of panties than tights trying to look like them.

The lack of gusset does not compromise comfort. Our only issues around comfort and fit are related to the foot and ankle, where things are only average. Well worth the £12.00 asking price and our pick of the Henry Holland collection to date.

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Whether it is Mark Fast for Jonathan Aston or Henry Holland for Pretty Polly, a lot of the hype around hosiery at present concerns everyday brands adding cachet by using celebrity designers. The House of Holland range leans heavily on the technique of combining different deniers and colours in a single pair of tights.

Here the combination is of 60 denier and 20 denier material, all of one colour. The 60 denier is in the panty and the lower leg. The 20 denier in the upper thigh and the circles on the lower leg. Aside from the mix of deniers, construction is pretty straightforward. With unshaped legs finished with a reinforced toe detail and a high leg panty finished with flat seams and a cotton-lined gusset. There are no complaints about the detailing. But £12.00 for size tights, even ones with good quality detailing, is a bit steep.

There is plenty of stretch, but you need to be super careful putting these tights on. In the past, we had issues with laddering tights from this range when putting them on, even though everyone here is well-practised at putting tights on. This time we had no fears; there is a great sense of strength and quality to the 60 denier material. To cut a long story short, this was our undoing. The slightly uneven colour of the 20 denier upper leg distracted us while looking for a slight extra stretch, and a finger griping the 60 denier material found a 20 denier dot and rip – tights ruined.

A great pity as the look and feel was very promising. The only issue being the dots putting slightly out of round if you stretched the tights too much. Paired with a skirt that covers most of the sheer portion, the look is fun and effective, and being essentially 60 denier tights, these are pretty warm.

Henry Holland comes up with some exciting designs, but we are not sure that they all translate to great tights. Whether the designs are themselves flawed or whether Pretty Polly are somehow lacking in executing them, we can’t say. But we have had more failures putting on House of Holland tights than any others. The current season is far better than the past. But the fact remains we failed to get one wear for £12.

If you are very careful and prepared to chance £12, this tights style gives you a unique look. We will be looking elsewhere for our Christmas party tights.

For more Pretty Polly products, click here. For more reviews, click here.