Since I Bought These £26 Tights, I Can’t Wear Any Other Pair

Are these the world's most perfect tights?

Updated on26th October 2021 at 5.30pm

Pre-Covid, I felt something akin to insecurity about the depth of my interest in hosiery. What a strangely pointless thing to be so invested in, said the doubtful voice in my head. And possibly voices outside of my head, too. But really, now, anything goes. This is a world, after all, in which banana bread became the most exciting thing happening for months on end. And you can't even wear banana bread.

So here it is: I'm obsessed with tights. I love black tights, polka dot tights, (some) coloured tights and fishnet tights. I like that they allow me to wear dresses at any point during the year and I like that they can add a little something to an outfit. Mostly, I like that they feel cosy, like a little hug for my legs. But I have a problem. I tried one pair of tights in particularand, because they're so darn good, I now can't wear any others.

The tights in question are from Heist, a brand about which it feels I've spent so much of the last few years waxing lyrical, I should be some sort of paid sponsor by now. Alas, I am just a woman, sitting in front of my laptop, asking you to understand why these tights are so incredible.

When Heist was founded in 2015, it launched, as so many brands do, with the promise of offering something different, something new; something unique. While that normally amounts to little more than marketing spiel, in this instance it was true. Heist started offering tights which were just superior to others on the market.

Firstly, this was due to the fact that you can choose from mid and high waistbands, meaning that you end up with tights which are more comfortable according to your preference. I'm a diehard high-waister, largely because I find they don't ever slip down or fold over. While I'm forever dedicated to the 80 denier pair, there are also sheer tights, patterned tights, coloured tights and even knee-highs from which to choose.

The reason this has become a problem is that these tights cost £26, which is clearly quite a lot of money to spend on just one pair. While it's true that they rarely ladder and do last for ages, most of my friends think it's insane to spend more than £10 on tights, which I fairly accept. So, in a bid to be as democratic as humanly possible, I embarked on a search to find tights that are just as good as Heist's tights. Or a close second, anyway.

But listen, don't @ me if you develop a habit for Heist and your legs simply refuse to be encased in anything else. The heart, or your limbs at least, want what they want.