Navy Tights

Denier is just a fancy word for how thick the yarn in your tights is. The higher the number, the thicker the yarn and the more opaque the tights, so a 10 denier is barely there and an 80 denier is thick and cosy. It's about coverage, not quality.

They're the same garment, tights is just the word used in the UK and pantyhose is the US term for it. Some people use "tights" for thicker, more opaque styles and "pantyhose" for sheer ones, but there's no strict rule, it comes down to where you're shopping and who's talking.

Snag works out your tights size from your regular clothing size and your height, not your dress size alone, tracing the two together on a chart to land on a letter size. There are also two fit options depending on your shape, since the same size doesn't fit everyone the same way. Every size is engineered on its own rather than one pattern scaled up or down, so it's worth checking the size guide rather than guessing.

You can't make any tights completely ladder-proof, but you can cut down how often it happens. Trim your nails and check for rough skin or jewellery before you put them on, go up a size if they're pulling tight anywhere, and give them room in the drawer so they're not snagging on anything else in there.

Hand washing in cool water is the gentlest option, but a mesh laundry bag on a cool, gentle machine cycle works too if you're short on time. Skip the tumble dryer, since heat is what breaks the fibres down fastest, and let them air dry flat or over a rail instead.