Tights - What style

[DavisW]

Hi again.

Okay so I found an online store for guidelines before I actually go into a physical store in town.

Saw some awesome looking tights, here's the dilemma(and you'll probably tell me each teacher is different in preferences):

Full footie tights (like ladies stalkings)

Stirrup tights

Footless

What are the real differences when you're out there practicing and working in class?

[Serendipity]

When I was a young lass, I liked full footed tights. When I did it in college, I preferred stirrup tights and stayed with those for ages.

 

Now I prefer unitards, footless, and use ballet socks or regular socks depending on my mood.

 

If I want to wear tights at all (and I absolutely hate them, right now), I wear the oens with convertible feet - they are open on the bottom to be footless if you want them to be but can be "full footed" when necessary (like for pointe work).

 

What do you think you'll be comfortable in?

 

My problem was that up till this last month or so, I couldn't really FIT into any tights, thanks to wide thighs and tummy. Now I can, but I still hate them. I only wear them when forced to.

 

So really it's what you think you'll be comfy in.

[Hans]

I think convertible tights are best, as they give you more options. Also, footless tights often stop right below the calf or at the ankle, which breaks up the line of your leg in an unflattering way.

[Ginniathezinnia]

Just thought I'd bump up this thread to ask, does anyone know of a store that specializes in tights?

I have been shopping around for new ones and just don't feel like I have enough options, as tights seem like an afterthought to most dancewear stores.

[LaFilleSylphide]

Convertible!!! Go convertible all the way especially if you are using pointe shoes. You can roll them up to whatever length you want, or you can wear them as footed (which I like since I think I have the stumpiest legs on earth). I like 'em seamed. Right now I'm using the Bloch microfiber seamed convertible tights, and while I love love love their mesh seamed tights (Bloch T0956L - the pale color is <i>perfect</i> pointe pink), I find the fit isn't always so great. With mesh tights, the fit has to be perfect or else you've either got bags or tight uncomfortable things that don't ever seem to pull up all the way in the crotch area. I detest the Body Wrappers mesh tights because the waistband literally goes all the way up to the chest. Ugh. Capezios no.9's are alright, but the seam behind the elastic waistband can dig into the spine a little and the color's a really weird puke-orangey-pepto-pink.

[Balletlove]

Convertible, definitely convertible. I liked the full footed tights until I tried convertible now I only buy the full footed ones when I cannot get what I want in convertibles (I like them with a seam up the back) - supplies are limited where I live.

[kylara7]

Another vote for convertible for the same reasons mentioned above...options. In the cooler months I like the extra layer to keep my toes and feet warm in ballet flats and in the summer I like less. I also like being able to wear sandals home after class or hide my tights under jeans or warmup pants on the way to or from class. And sometimes it's just good to be able to let your feet air out or breathe when they get sweaty or roll them on a golf ball or other object when they get tired or crampy without snagging or dirtying your tights

[kylara7]

Another vote for convertible for the same reasons mentioned above...options. In the cooler months I like the extra layer to keep my toes and feet warm in ballet flats and in the summer I like less. I also like being able to wear sandals home after class or hide my tights under jeans or warmup pants on the way to or from class. And sometimes it's just good to be able to let your feet air out or breathe when they get sweaty or roll them on a golf ball or other object when they get tired or crampy without snagging or dirtying your tights

[Skittl1321]

I'd go convertible- although my calves are too thick for me to roll them up and wear them footless, but they do give me the option of leaving the studio in flip flops (And if I ever get back on pointe, they are useful for putting padding on with only a few seconds to change).

 

If money matters, just get full footed- as a beginner convertible is kind of a luxury.

 

My biggest advice to adults is to go for body tights. Unless you have super good abs, tights always make a crease line across your midsection (and on my tummy, way more than just a crease...), and most beginner adults are self conscious enough. Body tights mean no lines across the tummy! If you are small chested, like me, they provide just a bit of coverage up top, and that means I don't have to wear a bra. (I used to be small chested enough for no bra, no tights, but now I'm a bit larger and like the tights to hold everything, well, tight)

 

I like the Body Wrappers supplex line.

[TemptressToo]

Seamed, convertible...(preferably a knit mesh...you can sew up holes easily, I like the Danskin ones).

[ami1436]

Okay folks -- the original question was from 2008! Giannina (sp?) has asked of stores that specialize in tights.

 

I personally prefer soft tights -- and have found good options from WearMoi (pink tights), Danskin (all colors -- you can check their website. They had a 40% off everything sale after Thanksgiving, so I got four pairs -- I'd sign up for the newsletter so you can get an email for their next sale), Gaynor Minden work fine but I'm kinda indifferent about them. I used to use Primasoft exclusively and they're fine but I'm also increasingly indifferent about them. For me the most important thing is the type of waist band -- I don't like a super-strong tight elastic band that cuts me into two snow b a l l s!! But Discount Dance has a great variety of options online, and you can check through the variety of threads on the Adult boards as well as Crosstalk to get input -- there are a lot of threads about tights! Sansha also makes some cheaper ones ,but they are not quite as long lasting. I hope this helps!

[Skittl1321]

I buy all my tights at Discount Dance. They have tons to choose from, and are inexpensive enough that I don't mind buying a few different brands to try. (However, now I know I like Body Wrappers bodytights the best, so no more "trying")

 

My dance store in town is semi-reasonable for shoes and leotards, but the mark up on tights is so high I don't bother. I paid $21 for a basic pair of footed tights- online they were $8!!!

[TemptressToo]

And don't forget Danny's Warehouse...I find some real gems there in the form of leos/tights/dance bags and other dance related clothing.

[LaFilleSylphide]

oh my goodness, dannyswarehouse.com (please call them, because their site isn't as current as their regular instock shipments) has awesome tights for only $3 a pair! Their sold loose, brand new without packaging, but I've never ever had a pair that wasn't perfect (no runs, no holes, no threads). If you call, you can ask the very helpful people for descriptions and help. They've got great name brands too - I only buy the ones I know (like Grishko or Bloch), but I'm sure you could try some of the lesser known generic brands they carry also.

[Ginniathezinnia]

Wow Danny's Warehouse is awesome! Thanks for the suggestions, I'm still sorting through them.

I think the kind of tights I would really like, would be of course convertible but also a soft, thicker type of fabric.

Not cable knit, but like, a thick heavy-duty, so it won't rip, kind of tights.