Wearing My Wolfords

Come fall and winter, black tights are an essential aspect of my wardrobe and Wolford is the essential hosiery maker. They will run you around fifty dollars a pair, but if you take care of them, they will survive seasons of regular wear. The reason I will spend more on a pair of Wolfords is because they are constructed with excellence (perfect matte weave and no splotchiness) and they are soft and comfortable. They’re also extremely durable unlike the practically disposable versions available in the mass marketplace. They cost a little more, but because they last for multiple seasons without ripping, they’re worth it.

I buy my tights in two weights every few seasons: opaque and sheer. ‘Denier’ is the measure of weave density for tights and pantyhose. The higher the denier, the more opaque the hose. The sheerest denier is 5 and the most opaque is 80. My two favorite versions are a denier of 80 and 50. Wolford Mat Opaque 80 is ballet dancers’ black with no sheer at all. These keep me very warm with dresses and boots in winter, or help with modesty when wearing a shorter skirt. Wolford Velvet de Luxe 50 is opaque and matte with just the tiniest bit of sheer. Wolford has a high textile certification and manufactures products that are either fully compostable or technically recyclable. When any of your tights (or any clothing or household fabrics) come to the end of their useful life, just remember that almost all fabrics can be recycled. Just give them a wash and pop into your nearest clothing recycling container, even if they’re damaged!