I swear, my toenails can slice through anything. Many a pair of tights have bitten the dust. Accordingly, I am always on the hunt for cheap and/or durable hose. Black ones, matte, and no support please and thanks.
Last weekend up in Boston, I scored some pretty cheap hose at Primark. I basically pawed them off the shelf without thinking because $3.50 is a steal.
Primark: This store’s structure, to me, is super-strange. Despite being a chain clothing store with a focus on young women fast fashion, it is owned by the UK company AB Foods, which, as you may have guessed, sells foods. So something like a Kroger’s is the holding company of something like an H&M. It didn’t intuitively make much sense to me at first. But I guess there must be synergies in distribution, and the different business models might create revenue stream diversification.
Hose: Tights and pantyhose (or just plain “hose”) are basically very long socks to go under dresses and skirts, for aesthetics as well as functionality. On the coldest of winter days in Boston, I’ve even worn tights under my pants #NewEnglandConfessions. Don’t lie, ladies, you have too!
History
How did it all start? Apparently, pantyhose are the consequence of women’s rising hemlines, beginning in the 1920s. Tights were a way to keep some leg coverage when skirt lengths grew shorter. The original hosiery were pretty similar in appearance to regular cotton stockings, and were made out of silk (wow, I bet, inflation adjusted, those didn’t go for $3.50).
In 1938, DuPont Chemicals revolutionized the world of hose by patenting the stretchy material Nylon (which I actually had a chance to synthesize in organic chemistry lab!) These were subsequently sewed onto undergarments to create a whole-leg article of clothing known as panti-legs, or later pantyhose. The concept was actually patented in 1956 by Ernest Rice, under title Combination Stockings and Panty”… and many legal disputes around this patent existed for many years.
Textile manufacturing saw huge improvement in 1960s, bringing cheaper and more elastic/comfortable materials such as spandex, to the table, and pantyhose/tights became very popular. It stayed that way until the mid-90s when women began to opt for bare legs in fashion and work attire. And now, it is really a mixed bag … some people wear ‘em and love ‘em. Some people detest and decline.
A Small Haul
I got a pair of the “TIGHTS2GO”, a pair of the “Super Silky Opaque Tights” and of course a three-pack of “Seamless Footies”.
#1: Atmosphere “TIGHTS2GO” Individually Wrapped Tights (15 Opacity)
And the material felt extremely fragile – like paper.
When I put it on, it didn’t seem like the material spread that well. Some parts bunched up and appeared darker, while other parts spread very thin and appeared transparent.
And then, during the day, the most annoying thing of all happened… those little dark lines started appearing:
Nope, these simply will not do. They were inexpensive but disappointed.
#2: Atmosphere Super Silky Opaque Tights (50 Opacity)
The only complaint that I really have is that the material is “shiny” and there were a few areas where I felt the weaving was not that consistent.
But unlike the other pair, it actually felt nice and durable. And it also didn’t promise two pairs to only deliver one. I can see myself wearing this a second time.
#3: Seamless Footies with Cushioned Sole
The cushion doesn’t actually do much, to be honest, and was a little annoying to get used to. Another complaint that I have is that there were so many loose threads, even before I opened the package.
While the lacy pattern is cute, I am concerned that they’ll be completely destroyed in the wash. Oh well, for $3.50 you can’t expect the world!
Overall thoughts: I probably won’t be repurchasing #1 and #2, but #3 continues to hold up and looks promising.
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BLOGTOBER: Blogging every other day in October!
