M&S £6 tights are voted the BEST on the high street in a Good Housekeeping test

With so many styles and brands to choose from, it can be difficult to know where to start when it comes to buying tights. 

But fortunately experts at Good Housekeeping have taken the work out of your next purchase by putting five different high street pairs to the test. 

A panel women wore each pair of tights for a day and then marked them on comfort, wear and appearance. At the end of the day, the women washed the tights and noted any changes – a good indication of how well they will last.

F&F at Tesco, Marks & Spencer, Primark, Debenhams and George at Asda were all put through their paces but only one came out on top. 

THE BEST

Marks & Spencer 80 Denier Supersoft Tights 2 Pack, £6

Pick of the bunch: Marks & Spencer 80 Denier Supersoft Tights 2 Pack, £6

Comfort: Of the five testers, one of the women described the M&S offering as ‘perfect’. However others found them slightly on the large size andone said she would go for a smaller size if she were to buy them again. 

Wear: ‘Luxurious, expensive and well made’ is how one of the panel described the tights and all five wearers found no signs of laddering, bobbling or holes – three common problems – following a day’s wear and a hand wash.   

Appearance: Thick and luxurious, the appearance of the 80 denier tights satisfied the women. 

Number who would buy again? 5/5 

THE REST 

Tesco F&F 80 Denier Opaque Black Tights 2 Pack, £5

Crowd pleaser: The Tesco F&F 80 Denier Opaque Black Tights 2 Pack, £5, proved a hit 

Crowd pleaser: The Tesco F&F 80 Denier Opaque Black Tights 2 Pack, £5, proved a hit 

Comfort: Wrinkling around the ankles and gusset created problems for some of the women. Another reported gathering around the thigh. However at least two women were impressed at the high-waisted style, saying it left them feeling well supported.

One declared: ‘They are probably the most comfortable tights I have ever worn!’

Wear: After just one hand wash, one of the testers found slight fraying and bobbling around the ankles. While she conceded it might have been partly due to her choice of boot, it is not a good sign for tights to change in appearance after a single wash. 

Appearance: All five women were impressed with the thickness and fullness. However one said they looked ‘cheap’. 

Number who would buy again? 4/5    

Primark 80 Denier Weather Sensor Finish Opaque Tights 3 pack, £3.50

Failed to impress: Primark 80 Denier Weather Sensor Finish Opaque Tights 3 pack, £3.50

Comfort: The cheapest of the group, the Primark tights left one tester feeling ‘almost itchy’. Another described them as fitting ‘super tight’ on the thigh and waist. Two other testers found the tights loose around the ankles and back of the knee. 

Wear: Three women found issues with the way the tights after just a day of wear and a single hand wash. One described how there were ‘holes forming’ in the thigh area while another added there were pulls ‘straight away’ when she put on the tights. 

Appearance: While two of the panelists were pleased with the look, the remaining three told how the tights were much thinner than expected. 

Number who would buy again? 1/5   

Debenhams Black 80 Denier Tights 2 Pack, £8.50

Shiny: Debenhams Black 80 Denier Tights 2 Pack, £8.50, divided testers with their finish

Shiny: Debenhams Black 80 Denier Tights 2 Pack, £8.50, divided testers with their finish

Comfort: ‘I love them, my legs felt like they were wrapped in warm silk,’ said one tester when asked about the comfort. However others were left unimpressed with the way they fit, with complaints of them being too small and too big both being recorded. 

Wear: Disappointingly, one panelist found the tights laddered ‘easily’ on the thigh. However the remaining four encountered no problems. 

Appearance: ‘Shiny’ was the word that came up when describing the tights, with just two women finding this finish to their liking. 

Number who would buy them again? 2/5  

George at Asda 80 Denier Soft Handle Tights 3 Pack, £5

Disappointingly thin: George at Asda 80 Denier Soft Handle Tights 3 Pack, £5 

Disappointingly thin: George at Asda 80 Denier Soft Handle Tights 3 Pack, £5 

Comfort: One woman was so dissatisfied with Asda’s offering that she removed the tights halfway through the day. ‘I had to take them off as they were irritating my skin,’ she said. The same problem was noted by another wearer. However the remaining women liked the fit. 

Wear: One of the panelists reported the beginnings of ladders and said the tights developed marks ‘easily’ where her boots had rubbed at the ankles.

Look: All of the testers were disappointed with how thin the tights were. 

Number who would buy them again? 2/5 

  

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