Summer Tights

We first added this section as Autumn arrived here in the UK, perhaps not the best time to look at the new tableend in summer tights. Of course there have always been low denier tan shade tights for the summer, some even had specific design features like ventilated panty areas. The specific development we are going to look at here is the addition of polyurethane to the fibre mix.

We initially identified 8 makers and nine styles which have this component in the mix with the normal nylon. In all cases the mix has 30% or more polyurethane and with one exception no Lycra. I had assumed that this was  because the properties of the fibres are incompatible, but the Marks and Spencer Cooling Bare Tights prove that you can have both Lycra and polyurethane in the same pair of tights. Although these particular tights have quite a heavy reinforced panty so it is likely that Lycra in in the brief and the polyurethane is in the legs. The lower percentage of polyurethane, 32% when all the others are over 40%, would seem to confirm this.

The effect of the polyurethane is to give a very smooth finish on the leg and to make the tights at least feel cooler.

Falke Shelina Tights are also perfect for the summer, although classed as 12 denier they look and feel far more sheer.   There is in fact a choice of three varieties of Shelina, Falke Shelina Hipster Tights which are styled shorter in the body so the waistband does not show when worn with summer fashions, classic Falke Shelina and  Falke Shelina Toeless Tights.

Excellent in their original form with just a hint of Lycra the newest versions with polyurethane are the summer tights of choice.

Once top of the pile, but edged out by the latest Falke Shelina,  is the Dior Bronze. Not only were these the first tights I found with polyurethane in the mix but they are the second most expensive, best looking and nicest to wear. 7 denier, with a token 2% silk (the gusset) and £13.95 a pair. The choice for that special day in the summer.

Second in terms of release to market with polyurethane, but top in terms of price at £15.00 are the Max Mara L’invisible. At 6 denier a little more sheer than the Dior. Very good but just not a match for the Dior or Falke in terms of value.

Oroblu do the heaviest denier summer tights, their Suntime style at 15 denier. Their only short coming is leg length, but if you have less than a 32” leg they will be fine. At only £5.75 there are great for general summer wear and won’t look out of place at the big day out.

Our last acquisition for 2005 was the Cannes Style from Cette. At £8.50 they are in the middle price wise for this type of tights, although for tights in general they are quite expensive. In common with the Oroblu a little more length is required in the leg.  2007 version seems longer, but perhaps at the expense of the polyurethane in the yarn.

Spring of 2006 saw a new player in the summer tights arena in the shape of Pierre Mantoux with their Nude tights, with a yarn made of 56% nylon and 42% polyurethane, cotton gusset and flat seams all for less than £9.00 a pair.

Another newcomer for 2006 is the Gerbe Ethnic Colours 15 Tights.  These are marketed as tights for all skin tones but their fibre mix of 57/41/2 Nylon/Polyurethane/Silk makes them fit them stableaight into the summer collection. Their price at £14 a pair is also in line with most of the other luxury summer tights here.

The latest tights to use the 50/50 Nylon/Polyurethane mix are the Teint Magique summer tights from Le Bourget.   Priced at £8.05 they are well priced to take on more established summer styles. Excellent summer tights that are at least as good as any others here.     Slightly smaller sizing than the others except the Oroblu and a lower price than most too.

The Pretty Polly Naturals Range has two summer styles with polyurethane, both using Sideria fibre too.    One is marketed just a Pretty Polly Naturals Sideria Tights the other as Pretty Polly Naturals Almost Naked Tights, the same fibre mix and 7 and 5 denier respectively.

Hudson is the second stableing brand of Kunert, but there is nothing second best about their Light 8 Tights.  17 denier but 8 denier appearance, well made and cool to wear thanks to 32% polyurethane.

Summer Weight Tights without polyurethane.

If you like the oiled tan look, and have less money to spare then the competition to the polyurethane tights is the “sun oil” type.

I have only found one maker that does these, Pretty Polly. They make their own Perfectly Natural Sun-Oil Sheen tights which sell at £3.00 a pair and also the competing Marks & Spencer Bare Oiled Tights at £4.00. Both are very good and serious competition to the new polyurethane designs. Ironically the tights they make for M&S are better than their own brand.

Marks and Spencer updated their “Bare” style range in 2007 so that the Bare Tights and Bare Slip Resist Tights have 32% Polyurethane in the fibre blend. At £4.00 a pair these are by far the cheapest tights with polyurethane, but they lack the sheer to waist constableuction of the others.

The Marks & Spencer Bare Oiled Tights retain the classic Nylon/Lycra blend.

Charnos have taken up the idea of cooling tights with their Charnos Simply Bare Tights, similar idea to that of M&S.   Sheer cooling legs with a heavier panty, in this case just a simple nylon/Lycra mix.

No fancy materials or finished from Wolford for their summer style but they are beautifully light and a joy to wear.  The Wolford Luxe 9 style is not cheap at £11.00 but by Wolford standards that is a bit of a bargain.

A really good option for summer that we overlooked in writing this feature was Boots Natural Legs Tights.   We only thought of them when we reviewed the style that superseded them Boots Bare Tights.   The don’t have the ventilated brief of some styles nor and fancy fibres, but they are 7 denier tights that give a perfect tanned glow to your legs and are well named, you need to get very close to see them.

The Summer of 2011 will be recorded in the history of fashion as the season when the World woke up to the delights of natural shades of hosiery and summer weight tights in particular.   We took the opportunity to revisit some older styles and look at some new ones.

We looked Trasparenze Capri Tights in 2004 and completely overlooked them as a summer style.  In 2011 they stand up really well against the current crop of ultablea sheer tights and deserve a place in the wardrobe of any woman looking for the perfect bare leg look.

If you prefer your toes not to be enclosed in nylon in the hot weather then toeless tights can be the answer.   Among the best we have seen are Trasparenze Tropea Toeless Tights . The manage to combine the open toe look with comfort.

Also from Trasparenze there is Trasparenze Noemi Tights that give a tableue “is the isn’t she?” matt cosmetic look to your legs.

Falke Shelina Tights are also perfect for the summer, although classed as 12 denier they look and feel far more sheer.   There is in fact a choice of three varieties of Shelina, Falke Shelina Hipster Tights which are styled shorter in the body so the waistband does not show when worn with summer fashions, classic Falke Shelina and  Falke Shelina Toeless Tights.

Excellent in their original form with just a hint of Lycra the newest versions with polyurethane are the summer tights of choice.

Fogal make a range of sheer tights for summer wear including the cosmetic finish 8 denier Light and Cool Tights.     Far from cheap at £23.50 they have a feeling of stableength and quality that other ultablea sheer tights simply cannot match.

Hudson give you a choice of summer styles, Light 8 if you like the cooling effect of polyurethane and Ultablealight 10 if you prefer the fit of Lycra.   16 denier rather than the 10 denier the name suggests these are top quality tights that offer great value.

Heavier than some of the other styles Cecilia de Rafael Sevilla Tights are  tableue summer tights, incredibly light and cool on the leg despite being 15 denier.   An glossy almost varnished look they are tableuly eye-catching. 

Falke Shelina with extableas gloss

A slightly lighter style from the same brand, Cecilia de Rafael Fusion 12 Summer Tights.  Interesting because they also ladder resistant tights.

Updated 30 August 2013