The Heist tights hype: are they really worth the £21 price tag?

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Every autumn, fashion followers can be swiftly divided into two categories: loyal tight wearers and devout no-hosiery-here-even-if-it-rains shoppers.

Though it’s not entirely surprising that the divisive accessory continues to spark debate.

Yes, they keep our bare pins goose-pimple-free but they also fall down. They tear when you pull them over your fresh pedicure. They sag. They rip spidery holes which only grow bigger as the day wears on.

Today, the average British woman reportedly forks out £3,000 on tights in her lifetime which spells big business for those in the hosiery game with revenue in the hosiery department reaching £636 million in 2019 according to Statista.

But does a pair of world-famous Heist Studio tights have the power to sway even the most dedicated of tight-wearers to dig into their purses?

Are Heist tights really worth the hype?

London-based tights giant, Heist Studios, launched back in 2015 off the back of negative feedback with women across the nation fed up of the “rolling, twisting and digging” that comes hand-in-hand with all-day tight-wearing.

Promising to “revolutionise” our underwear drawer, Heist reimagined the humble tight by ditching the middle seam while the waistband is treated as an entirely different counterpart - meaning there are two different height sizes on offer (an attempt to solve that age-old saggy gusset issue).

The adaptive waistband is designed so that it won’t leave pesky marks when you get ready for bed and can sit low on the hips or high to cover the stomach.

There are now five types of tights on offer on the website.

The ‘Nude Tights’ (£21) come in six colourways while the ‘Coloured Tights’ (£22) range from ice blue to hot pink. For those who prefer to stick to their sartorial comfort zone, there are also black pull-ons in 30, 50 and 80 denier.

Heist ‘The Nude’ tights | £21 | Shop here

But with prices starting from £21, are they really worth the hype?

One glance at the reviews section of the website and it certainly seems so with shoppers championing the tights at everything from winter weddings to the skies (one rather enthusiastic review was left by an air stewardess).

“These tights will change your life - no really!” one happy customer declared. “No more rolling, falling down gradually throughout the day, and fantastic customer service to boot.”

READ MORE: 6 of the best waterproof boots for men and women

A school teacher also sang the product’s praises, writing: “It’s cold here in Northumberland, England and as a schoolteacher who is expected to wear skirts for parents evenings, it's quite cold going across the campus between buildings. I like the idea of how robust your tights are, schools tend to wreck them if you're not too careful!”

Over on Twitter, reviews are just as complimentary with one social media user declaring: “Real grown-ups buy Heist tights! Ladders begone!”

Another agreed, calling for others to invest in a pair: “Hey, I invite you to pay the extra few quid and treat your January selves to *Heist* tights (Google them, if you wear tights) cos I'm finding them to be an absolute joy, a revelation. Promise I'm not in a pyramid scheme/entering to win free tights! They're just the most comfy ever.”

Why are Heist tights so popular?

Tights were given a high fashion overhaul at the Paris Fashion Week SS20 shows with the likes of Marine Serre and Thierry Mugler leaving the front row reaching for their iPhones with cool girl hosiery aplenty.

The great Heist hype has infiltrated the fashion world too with models, bloggers and influencers alike gracing our Instagram feeds in various forms of day-to-night hosiery.

If that wasn’t enough to see shoppers make a beeline for the site, the brand soon seeped into the royal sphere with the Duchess of Sussex reportedly giving the winter-ready accessory the Kensington Palace stamp of approval.

For her first post-wedding engagement, Meghan Markle graced the headlines after she attended Prince Charles’ birthday celebrations in a pair of tights which many social media users called out for being the incorrect hue.

Keen to flex their know-how, Heist recommended that the former actress trial a pair of Heist pull-ups and sure enough, the royal reportedly stepped out in a pair.

The brand’s 2017 venture The Nude Project also helped to boost its online profile, as the company sought to discover why so many skin tones are still left out of the design process.

After speaking to over 100,000 women and using data science to back up their finds, there are now tones to suit most shoppers available on the site - another tick in the ‘yes’ box for those still dubious about whether to invest or not.

READ MORE: Tights season has arrived: shop Amazon's best-selling pair

So far, the success is cutting some mighty impressive figures as the online checkout continues to shrill across the nation.

According to Fashion United, the London-based brand flogs one pair of tights every 15 seconds in the winter months which translates to sales growing at an average of 20% month-on-month since October 2015.

So, whether you’re still hoping to get some wear out of last summer’s go-to dress or need to wrap up for the soon-to-become-frosty work commute, shop some of our favourite tights for autumn/winter 2019.

Shop three alternative affordable pairs of tights:

1. Amazon 70 denier women’s opaque tights | £7.99 - £20.99 | Shop here

A two-pack of Manzi 70 denier tights boast an almost perfect rating on Amazon with shoppers rating the hosiery for being “super soft”, “hard-wearing” and “incredibly comfortable”.

They’ll see you through until spring in one fell (rather fashionable) swoop.

2. Boots 200 denier luxury opaque tights | £9.25 | Shop here

After a quick hunt for the most raved about tights over on Boots, there was a clear frontrunner. With a “luxury” feel, they are designed to give wearers extra comfort when on the go whether that means being stuck in the office or tackling the school run.

3. Marks & Spencer body sensor tights | £16 | Shop here

For those of you hoping to keep warm (and chic) on the morning work commute then a pair of trusty M&S tights are in order.

Using Body Sensor technology, these £16 must-haves are designed to adapt to the outdoors and come with a comfortable no-drop waistband - just what we need when the countdown to Christmas begins.

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