Honestly, it’s life changing is a regular series where we talk about the weird and wonderful possessions we can’t imagine life without. Think of it as an ode to the mundane, bizarre and, sometimes, wholly unnecessary products in our lives.
The clocks going back is the truest sign that winter is coming. It means darker evenings spent drinking red wine and eating nourishing meals. It means bobble hats, thick coats and... most notably for me, black tights.
During the warmer months, my legs roam free and easy under skirts and dresses, but from late October to March, they are perma-bundled under my trusty 60 denier tights from M&S.
Getting dressed in the dark for work each morning is made infinitely better when you’re able to snugly place your legs in a pair of tights (top tip: hang them on the radiator for a double dose of warmth). And then there’s the sheer joy of tucking your top (or jumper) inside the waistband for a toasty belly. Mmm.
After years of grabbing tights from all over the shop(s), I have finally found a decent pair that last – without snagging or laddering, hurray – and feel like decent quality and the fit (no more saggy crotch).
In my student days it was a case of cheapest wins, but they seldom stood the test of time. Replacing them every few weeks meant they weren’t cheaper in the long run, of course, and I now know they was terrible for the environment, too.
My M&S tights aren’t extortionately priced, either, with a three pack costing just £5 (or £1.66 per pair). And I’m not the only one in love with them. They’re size inclusive, catering for UK size 8 to 24, and were the overall winner of our HuffPost Tests review, scoring high for fit, quality and value for money.
Our reviewer wrote at the time: “I feel a satisfying snap as the tights – ordered in a medium to accommodate curvy hips and 5ft 8 height – hug my narrower waist and hold everything in just a bit.” She added that she’s used to having her “pointy” toes poke holes through the foot of her tights (to the delight of her friends), but miraculously her M&S tights hold fast – even after a few wears. “There are few fates worse than toe strangulation.”
Indeed.