Help me find comfortable tights

December 16, 2024 6:14 AM

I'd like to wear dresses/skirts to work more often in cooler weather but struggle to find comfortable tights due to sensory issues. The biggest challenge is that I cannot stand anything with nylon in it (often listed as "polyamide" in the fiber content). This is starting to seem like an impossible quest. Any leads? Note that I live in Canada.

My workplace is on the dressier end of business casual, and sometimes business formal. In the past I've found some cotton tights that are acceptable comfort-wise, but they're not as dressy as I'd like, they fade quickly, and they also seem increasingly hard to find.

My preference would be black (or nude, although that seems unlikely with natural fibers) and at least slightly sheer. Low spandex content would also be preferable, even with the cost of them bagging out.

I'd be open to trying thigh-high stockings instead as long as they didn't have uncomfortably tight elastic at the top. My wardrobe is trending towards 1940's vintage so I'd even be open to stockings that require a garter belt.

My dream would be silk or rayon, like stockings used to be pre-nylon. However, I'm open to any leads you have for cotton, merino, bamboo, etc - as long as they don't contain nylon and can be worn with dress shoes. Am willing to pay $$ as long as they don't fall apart after only a couple wears. Thanks!

posted by ersatzhuman to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (10 answers total)

I go through this every few winters as my cotton tights wear out, and it is worse every year. It's exactly like what's happening with denim. First they figured out that if they tossed in a couple percentage points of spandex, it would allow them to thin out the material and destroy durability so we'd have to buy more jeans. And last I looked a lot of it had 20% polyester. All jeans are becoming jeggings.

Speaking of, one of my multiple problems with finding tights is, I want tights. I don't want leggings. Stop telling me about your leggings when I asked about tiiights omg.

I do not have an answer to where to find new tights, but I do have two tips tangential to the question that may impart some value:

tip 1: Once you find good tights that don't feel like sandpaper, keep them from wearing out as long as possible by putting on bike shorts/jockey shorts (which you can find without nylon) over the tights. That will prevent the tights from rubbing together and being destroyed by friction as you move around in them.

tip 2: If one leg gets a run, cut that leg off and save the single intact leg until another pair of the same color gets a run. Then cut the snagged leg off that pair and wear the two intact pairs together.
posted by Don Pepino at 7:10 AM on December 16, 2024 [1 favorite]

I don't know if Sock Dreams is helpful to you, as a US-based business, but they have these bamboo blend tights, if a) the texture works - they're ribbed, which may be more casual and less sheer than you'd like and b) polyester is more tolerable than nylon. I haven't owned these tights, but in general I've found Foot Traffic tights to be pretty durable.
posted by EvaDestruction at 7:33 AM on December 16, 2024

Best answer: Check out the French company Bleu Foret - their "warm tights" are made of merino wool. Pricey but they lasted me for several frigid Toronto winters.
posted by notquitejane at 7:52 AM on December 16, 2024 [6 favorites]

Check out SnagTights - they have regular nylon tights, wool, merino and cashmere. Alas, no cotton tights (for adults). They also have stockings and suspender belts for the stockings. I will add that they have great inclusive sizing and fabulous colors. They were founded in Scotland, but have stores in the US and Canada. My US order came with in a week.
posted by sarajane at 8:04 AM on December 16, 2024 [6 favorites]

I love the snag tights in merino, but OP asked for no polyamides and they are 44% polyamide
posted by mcgsa at 9:40 AM on December 16, 2024

I share your sensory issues with nylon tights but want to say that the Wolford merino tights, although half nylon, don’t feel like nylon.
posted by HotToddy at 10:12 AM on December 16, 2024 [3 favorites]

sarajane, when I clicked on your link for "warm tights" I got a warning from Guardio that this is a malicious duplicate site!
posted by citygirl at 11:03 AM on December 16, 2024

Best answer: The company Cervin makes 100% silk thigh highs (no elastic, garter belt required) that come in both black and nude/beige. This website ships to Canada but only has some sizes / colors in stock. Cervin’s own website also ships to Canada. Perhaps some Canadian companies stock them as well.
posted by maleficent at 2:20 PM on December 16, 2024 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: Thanks!!

I remember now that I previously had cotton tights from Bleu Foret (when The Bay's selection was better), so the merino ones are promising.

Cervin is also tempting (yay 100% silk!). I worry they'll be fragile with the low denier but might still try them.
posted by ersatzhuman at 10:00 AM on December 17, 2024

citygirl, not sure what's up with that weird link.. it came up fine for me... this is the link to their UK store...
posted by sarajane at 12:49 PM on December 18, 2024