Fogal Cosmetique Tights is luxurious!

They do say that the luxuries in life are far more enjoyable in the hard times than the easy times, so given the current economic conditions, we thought it only right to review another style from Fogal, that most luxurious of luxury hosiery manufacturers.

As ever the packet gives little away other than the bare essentials, but if like us you buy them from a Fogal boutique that is not a problem as you can inspect a pair in the shop. So, of course, we were not in the least surprised at how wonderfully soft these tights felt when we took them from the packet.

For 40 denier tights these feel very light too, an illusion caused by how smooth and soft they feel we are sure.

The construction is all you would expect from Fogal, sandal toes, legs shaped at the heel, sheer to waist, perfect flat seams in the panty all topped off with the usual beautiful Fogal signature waistband. Our test pair was the XL size, the same length as the L size but a more generous fit in the panty. The XL has a comfort gusset (V-shaped rear panel) rather than a conventional gusset; this panel is the same knit as the narrow bands of reinforcement either side of the seams but the same weight as the legs.

The fit is perfect from hip to toe; even the comfort gusset fits nicely. Colour is perfectly even from hip to toe. The feel was a little disappointing, that softness we felt early when handling the tights was not apparent once they were stretched on a leg.

These are very very nice tights, comfortable and exceptionally well made but with £31 to spend I think we could find two pairs at £15 from another premium manufacturer. As ever with Fogal, if you can afford them, buy them.

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Fogal Cordoba Tights are so versatile!

We don’t get to review Fogal tights very often and at £37 a pair you can understand that these are not the easiest tights to get hold of like a review sample. So just what do you get for that sort of money?

The packet tells you nothing more than these are ultra-fine net (tulle) and that they have a back seam. The graphics showing the seam is a little misleading as it suggests the seam stops at the top of the thigh whereas our photograph of the tights indicate the seam is running to the waist.

The design is what we would expect from Fogal, elegantly simple executed to a high standard. Rather than a traditional toe seam the back seam has been taken up to the tip and used to close the toe, so absolutely no reinforcement in the toe. There is just a little shaping in the heel then entirely plain all the way to the signature Fogal waistband. The panty has a simple seam (remarkably not flat, perhaps that type of seam with a thicker net fabric would end up giving a more significant ridge than a simple seam) and an unlined gusset.

It has to be said that on the first look, we would have said these were well made mid-market tights, more £7 than £37.

Well, you really should never rely on first impressions. The rather clever seam design makes it ever so easy to get the seams straight up the back of your legs, and it is a good seam that you can feel rather than see. Tulle knitting and an unlined gusset mean you get great ventilation and the feel of quite light tights, ideal for warmer weather; at the same time without looking bulky, all the blemishes on your legs are hidden under perfectly even colour.

Sizing is surprisingly generous for Fogal and despite the minimal amount of Lycra in the fibre the fit is perfect from hip to toe.

The toe detail does work as a sandal toe, and the perfect matte finish means that if you wear a shade close to your skin colour, you will have a great bare leg look for the summer right until you turn to walk away and everyone says “Oooh! Seams!”

£37 a pair? Perhaps not but these are unique tights and exclusivity is never cheap.

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Fogal Catwalk Tights are costly but worth it!

We have been asked many times why Fogal tights are so expensive, more expensive even than Wolford. You start to get an idea before you even buy them because aside from one or two prestige outlets like Harrods they are sold through their boutiques, and we mean sold, you don’t just go in, pick them up and buy them, the staff ask about your needs and serve you. Hence the plain packets.

When you open a packet you realise that the price is not just about the service. These 10 denier tights feel very fine, yet at the same time, they feel strong too. The detailing oozes quality, sheer sandal toes, shaped leg and heel, flat seams, cotton lining in the gusset and the usual Fogal signature waistband. Being 10 denier Fogal have included a 2 cm deep finger band to give strength in the transition from waistband to the sheer material.

Fogal sizing is very clever, rather than just Small, Medium and Large they offer sizes with an X or XX which are the same height sizing as the parent size but have more room in the hips and bottom area. In this particular style, the XL has a comfort gusset, still with cotton lining, rather than a standard gusset. Sizing being Swiss is of course perfect.

Putting these tights on you are again struck by how strong they feel. The 40% Lycra provides lots of stretches and a perfect fit. Once on you see only the perfectly even colour, not the tights. They are not the softest tights in the World but the slight roughness to the finish is a small price to pay for the rather nice swish that they make when you cross your legs.

So are they worth £25 a pair? Well if you can afford it, yes. Everyone should try Fogal once, and this is one of the best styles to try.

Fogal is always updating their packaging from the style on the left below to the style on the right. Aside from the colour difference the packets now carry a picture of the tights on the reverse.

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Fogal Calais Tights are amazing!

These tights are made of the ten denier 40% yarn that Fogal describe as their Catwalk yarn, so these are a variation on Fogal Brilliance Tights.

The graphics on the packet lead us to expect these to be a boxer brief styled version of the product. But what we found on opening the packet was a huge surprise, a huge surprise in the form of a lace waistband fully 5” (12.5 cm) deep on what are otherwise sheer to waist, or at least sheer to hip, tights. The seams in the panty are perfectly flat, and there is a lined gusset.

The sheer legs are also full of surprises in that they feel almost like 100% nylon non-stretch stockings despite being 40% Lycra. The legs are shaped at the heel and have a lightly reinforced toe detail.

Fogal sizing is as we have explained previously unique in that they have sizes from S to X/XL with the basic M or L size defining the height and the additional X or XX providing extra room in the hips. We know that tights sizing is not simply a matter of volume as some would have you believe, shape and proportion matter too and Fogal agrees with us.

Only once you have these tights on can you see just how they are made At gusset level there is a slight change in the knit, you can’t call this a panty as it is only 3” deep, more of a transition to the lace top. The lace top is designed to sit around and just over your hips rather than your waist.

The Catwalk yarn may be 40% Lycra, but it does not stretch easily. Fortunately, it feels incredibly durable, so unless you snag it, you should not get a ladder. Take the trouble to stretch evenly over your legs, and you get a perfect second skin fit.

The lace hip band didn’t work for us, sizing is not overly generous, and in any event, the style only suits girls who have little or no bottom. We cannot fault Fogal sizing, and you really should get the XL size if the standard M or L is not sized to fit your hips.

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Fogal Brilliance Tights are absolutely brilliant!

Students of hosiery and regular readers of our reviews will know that 85% nylon and 15% Lycra is the standard fibre composition for a huge proportion of modern Italian made hosiery at pretty much every price point, and other makers in many other countries have settled on a similar composition for their sheer tights. Here we had sheer tights from a Swiss brand but made in Italy, so they are very much in the sheer premium category.

Sheer to waist with T-band reinforcement in the panty Fogal Brilliance tights also features flat seams, a lined gusset and of course the signature Fogal waistband. The legs are shaped at the heel and finished with a lightly reinforced toe. Fogal waistband aside pretty standard detailing from Spain to Poland and Germany to Italy.

Being Fogal, of course, the quality of the fibre is excellent although perhaps the craft is not quite up with their Swiss made hosiery.

No size chart on the packet but the full range of S/M/L/XL is available. Your retailer will direct you to the right size.

Regular travellers to Europe will know that the Swiss are not a tall people and so Fogal tights can sometimes be a little short; perhaps as a result of being made in Italy this style is more generous for length.

The look on the leg is flawless, perfect even colour and a beautiful sheen to the finish. Smooth to the touch and comfortable too, these are without doubt very good tights indeed.

“Very good” but not sublime, they are very good like quite a few other £8-£12 pairs of tights that have been very good. But these are Fogal tights at £25; we expect something along the lines of sublime not very good.

Not sure how to conclude this review, Fogal is a class apart right up with Wolford, and everyone should buy and wear a pair of their tights at least once, but perhaps not this style. Read our other reviews and pick a more sheer style made in Switzerland.

As the day and evening wore on I almost forgot I had these tights on, they never moved all day and proved to be among the most comfortable tights I have worn. A little body warmth and time seemed to soften the material too; I found myself repeatedly stroking my leg to check how soft. Being 20 denier was a plus also, not a sign of distress from a busy day around home and office.

Still a little pricey for regular wear but a great treat.

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Fogal Annabelle Dots Tights are a great bargain!

It is easy to spend hours of time and vast reserves of energy trying to come up with a new design, still longer to come up with a new design that works, but sometimes the answer is to revisit an old design. Here the designer quotes 1920s stockings as inspiration.

Tights with a regular pattern of spots is a design as old as modern sheer hosiery; I would not be surprised to hear that Mary Quant came up with tights styled this way in the 1960s.

Of course, way back tights were not made this way, with Lycra for fit, a broad range of sizes, flat seams, cotton lined gusset etc. And what makes this design work is Fogal’s attention to detail (even the T-band reinforcement around the panty seams carries the spot design) and their excellent quality of manufacture.

When a lot of winter season hosiery is opaque, it is nice to see a sheer style, only the colour palette hinting at the time of year. Our test pair in ‘cypres’ (which is a shade of green) seems to blend with all other natural shades of green and brown without flaunting its ‘green-ness’.

So we love the design, and we love the quality; so what about fit and feel?

Well, sizing is accurate and thanks to the Lycra and quality fibre you can stretch up a longer leg if required. The fit is great thanks again to the Lycra and the shaping provided at the heel.

Lovely to wear, but not to the same level as Fogal sheers…simply good rather than sublime. We have a sneaking suspicion that this design is manufactured in Italy rather than Switzerland.

In an era when high street brands are charging £12-15 for fashion tights, £21 for Fogal is almost a bargain.

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Fogal All Nude Tights have the potential for greatness!

We feel that we should start all reviews of Fogal tights with a financial health warning. They are far from cheap but past our experience is that hosiery of this quality can be addictive.

All Nude is one of several sheer and ultra sheer styles made by Fogal; their definition of ultra sheer being under ten denier. Each style has particular design features for specific circumstances so you should read the reviews of the other styles too.

All Nude is a sheer to waist style with T-band detailing, that is to say, there is a narrow reinforced area either side of the flat seams in the panty that extends to become a finger band to give a strong transition to the waistband. The panty also features a cotton lined gusset.

The legs have some shaping at the heel, and the toes are genuine un-reinforced sandal toes. The unique feature of this style within the Fogal range of sheers is that the area under the ball of your foot is lightly reinforced and has discrete silicone lines to grip your footwear. If you are looking for sheer tights to wear with mules or light sandals this style is designed with you in mind.

If you are after the classic “is she? Isn’t she?” bare legged look All Nude from Fogal lives up to its name, you can feel you are wearing tights, but it would take a keen eye to see. The fit is like a second skin, and the high Lycra content in the yarn makes for generous sizing too. Fogal size by a combination of height and weight like most manufacturers but unusually they offer two hip sizes for a single height range, e.g. L for 5’6”-5’11” with 40”-46” hips and XL for the same height range but with 45”-54” hips. Certainly, our test pair easily accommodated the hip combined with what are long legs for someone of 5’11”. For taller girls for whom Fogal are sometimes a little short, this would be the first size to try.

The silicone under the foot works and unlike with similar ideas from other makers you are not aware of the silicone under your foot.

Very good but are they worth £24.50? I think we have to say no unless they prove to be ultra-durable. The look and feel on are great, but there is nothing about this design that shouts that they are expensive tights from Switzerland, perhaps because they are made in Italy.

Buy then if you can afford them, but you can get the same look for less.

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