Charnos Killer Figure Cincher Tights are an absolute killer pair of tights!
It was the arrival if these tights, so apparently the successor to the Charnos support panty tights that are our first recollection of tights from around 1970 that prompted us to take a look at the whole shaping & sculpting tights market.
The thing has come on a lot since 1970, first, of course, is the addition of Lycra. There is no shaping of the legs, but they are beautifully sheer and finished with a sandal toe so suitable to wear any time of the year and with any shoe. The Lycra makes for a superb fit on the leg and contributes to the slightly lovely sheen. As sheer tights, these are winners, regardless of their shaping intentions. They do incidentally look sheerer than 15 denier.
The shaping panty is finished with flat seams and a cotton gusset for optimum fit and comfort, and this works with one proviso. As part of the waist-cinching smooth silhouette concept there is no actual waistband; if you have a well-defined waist, this is not a problem the panty sits nicely where you put it, high or low. If on the other hand, you have a waist that needs help then the top of the tights can tend to roll over. Paired with a pair of high waisted pants worn over the top of the tights the Cincher worked, but with a risk of VPL.
Sizing is on the generous side of accurate with plenty of stretch for those with longer legs. We could even say very generous as Charnos suggest 6’0 and 139lb or 5’9 and 163lb as maximum combinations for the large size. Aside from the fact that anyone of 6’0 and only 139lb probably needs a good meal more than waist cinching, we found 6’4 and 220lb could be accommodated.
Charnos may not have entirely delivered a tights alternative to real shapewear, but at £6.00 they have produced a perfect pair of sheer tights that look and feel great.
We tried our test pair on a model almost precisely matching 5’9” and 163lb, she found the tights were too big, and if pulled up high enough to cinch the waist then the waistband rolled over.
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