(image made up from the colours available at welovecolours.com)
Oh Primark.
I’ve been a regular customer of yours for so many years now, its a little depressing to count (I know I was definitely wearing Primark pants around the time of my GCSE’s – Helen and I used to have this odd psychic connection where we knew which pants each other was wearing that day) While you’re not the most perfect shop, I usually come out with a few items – at the very least, a few pairs of tights to top up the collection.
I know that there are some people who have a self imposed ban on tights but I have worked for the past three summers in offices where the air conditioning has only two settings – cold, and arctic. I can’t remember the last time I wore a pair of trousers to the office on a normal day, so I wear tights most of the year (and even on that rare week where the weather is glorious, and the air con is bearable, I still wear thin nude tights to make my legs look like they belong to a human.) The majority of my collection are black opaques from good ol’ Primark.
But no more! Why? Well…this is the traumatic embarrassing part. The last few pairs of tights I bought don’t seem to have any elastic in the waistband. I’ve bought a few pairs over a month or so, and all of them seemed to have the same problem. Its not so much of a problem while you’re sitting down, but as soon as you start to move, the tights head southwards for the winter. Usually this can be stopped for a bit by a quick “look-around, see-noone, hoik-up” move, but sometimes thats not easy to do.
Which is how I found myself in the middle of Cabot Circus one night after work, desperately clutching on to the waistband of my tights through my skirt as it migrated further down my leg. I tried to make this move look completely natural, whilst at the same time trying to figure out where the crotch of my tights were, and where the bottom of my skirt was in relation to this. Classy, classy girl.
You would think that I would throw the tights out, but I have this annoying habit of taking them off when I get in and then forgetting about the non-elastic issue and putting them in the wash, then wearing them and remembering how much I hate them.
Does anyone have any recommendations of tights companies where they actually stay up?!
Falke and Tabio are my go-to tights now. Super pricey compared to Primark but I’ve had one pair for almost 2 years and not only do they stay up but they’re almost impervious to holes!
Tabio’s knitted tights are also the softest warmest, most bobble proof things I’ve ever owned.
Wolford on the other hand? ACK. Crappy, rip easily, so expensive, and not worth it at all.
I’ve had the same problem lately too, I tried New Look for the thick black tights but they’re not long enough =( let me know if you find anywhere!
I’ve totally had this same problem recently with tights from New Look! Very embarrassing. I’ve resorted to wearing another pair of pants over my tights and praying I don’t get hit by a bus or anything!
I am a Primark tights wearer too and the last time I bought tights from there (a couple of months ago), every single pair had this problem. About 4 pairs : ( The only ones that are any good are the 40 denier ones. I find Peacocks tights are really good, I’ve had a few pairs over the last couple of years and they are always good ones. Try there.
I’m having this too! Its so annoying.
The best ones i have are from Matalan x
I also have to wear tights all year round because of the damned air conditioning! It’s ridiculous. I swear by m&s ones.
There is only one solution – sadly – pay out good money for M&S opaque tights. After years of putting up with the inadequacies of Primark tights, I decided last year that I would shell out for M&S tights so that at least I’d be comfortable (I figured it was worth it if it avoided hours of surreptitious tight pulling up!). They do some budget versions too, but the regular kind feel nice and last ages.
Tabio. Expensive but amazing, xxx
I have had the same problem tho only 1 occasion i bought tights from prim ark. I get tights from M&S but generally have the problem that they aren’t long enough. BHS wooly ones stay up well, they’re probably the best I’ve got. Some of my longest lasting tights are probably from C&A (but alas they are no more) or M&S. I want to know where you can get good tights for long legs (and in not even tall)
Tesco for basic tights,
Tabio for posh shiz.
Trust me, I’m an addict.
YES! Omg, I had such trouble with this when I bought my regular box of medium nude tights in Primark the other week, I even tweeted! They’ve definitely changed something. This is very disappointing. It has, however, meant that I’ve discovered “Bamboo” tights by Boots which are super soft and comfy. I love them, and although more pricey at £6 a pair, they will be seeing me through a cold winter up north. X
I hate it when the elastic of your tights starts to go, it’s the most horrible feeling knowing you have a whole day to go of trying to surrupticiously pull up your tights at work!
I’ve kind of accepted I need to buy more expensive tights now, so M&S is now my usual port of call. Pricy but worth it. Tabio claim to have a reinforced gusset too, but they are really *really* expensive! Plus the word gusset is kind of weird.
Oh my, have you been reading my mind? I had the very same problem this week with Tesco knitted tights. The money I must’ve spent on dud tights too over the years… The M&S knitted ones fade terribly and don’t last that well (and have now gone up from £6 to £8, cheeky!); Primark ones have the aforementioned issues; BHS ones are now very tight and short. Where does one go???? Which size to choose? It’s a veritable minefield. So thank you for flagging the issue! x
Totally agree! Primark tights have no elastic in them anymore, it’s very embarrasing. Primark, sort it out!