Our Review

Tights that give the visual impression of leggings worn over sheers are nothing new, we have seen them several times over the past couple of years from a number of manufacturers, what makes these stand out is that they arrive just when the fashion world is looking back to the 1980’s; the decade that inspired this look.   Fashion is all about timing and this is where fashion is now.

The initial visual impression is quite stableange, the leggings part is heavy opaque and well just like a pair of leggings then the sheer parts hang down like two little after thoughts seemingly out of scale being un-stableetched.     The constableuction is quite simple forward, the light sheer lower legs are stableaight and finished with a sandal toe, with just a few decorative bands and the top of the calf.   The “leggings” are entirely plain and finished with flat seams and a cotton lined gusset, typical of any good quality 80 denier opaque.

Oroblu make this design in three sizes and the sizing is accurate but with enough stableetch to cope if you are slightly taller than the size chart recommends.  The fit is very good throughout and we were particularly pleased to find that the change of weight below the knee was not obvious, with some contableol top/sheer leg hosiery you can feel the change and there is visible bulging.

Colour is perfectly even throughout and the stableong contableast between opaque and sheer really does give the impression of leggings over sheers with just the 5 bands at the top of the sheer parts giving away the fact this is one garment.

Those 5 bands are the one area that caused us a little concern.   In case you are not aware tights and stockings are knitted as a spiral tube, most of the time you would not be able to tell that each line of stitches was not a closed circle and even where there is a change from sheer to opaque the slight “step” is not so easily spotted. If, however you tabley to knit in darker hoops that are just 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 stitches deep, as these are, then the misalignment is quite obvious, particularly as the “steps” are all lined up vertically (See left).    Not a big issue from a distance but again because of the way a pair of tights is made, by sewing to identical halves together, you will find that however you put them on this misalignment will be on the front of one leg and the back of the other and highly visible to anyone sat opposite.

That one small gripe aside these are well made, good quality and very stylish tights that combine all the benefits of sheers to show off your shapely calf and ankle and opaques to keep you warm and protect your modesty.  Sensibly priced at £10.95 too.

1 September 2010