Another uniform question - decent school tights?

[Fluffymonster]

Where can I find grey tights that don't sag at the waist, bum and knees after a term, or shrink in the leg, so that the gusset slides down if dc tries to run?

(Tip: Matalan tights appear to do both - stay away. Though to be fair, their skirts and summer dresses have been pretty durable.)

Thank you.

Mothersnare do really nice ones (also do tiny sizes - age 1-2 - in school colours for those with very small children)

The feet also aren't enormous - like John Lewis's.

Primark fall apart very quickly. Sainsbury's are nice but shrink a bit in the wash.

H&M tights wear really well, but rarely seem to have school colours - or will have one navy pair in a pack with one with flowers on.

BHS uniform is lovely, but they never seem to have tights in store when I've been in so can't comment... ditto Tesco.

Some people advise putting a 2nd pair of knickers over the top to stop the gusset descent.

Tesco have been ok for my girls. Asda ones were awful and had holes in before they were worn straight from the pack.

Primark school tights are shit. Hole in the crutch in ever pair within a few minutes of DDs putting them on.

avoid M&S, sizes are wrong and they shrink and go baggy. TBF though, they don't have feet, which is good for those of us who have big footed kids!

Asda have been OK,

But I do assume that tights don't last. they seem to go baggy round the bum and waist, so they have loads of fabric to pull up between crotch and waist.

My solution is either over the knee socks or trousers

Next are pretty good, dd's have stayed in good shape.

Tescos are ok too.

Hi Fluffymonster:

H&M to cable knit tights in white & grey. They're slightly pricy (£2.50 ish a pair) but they do seem to last and white tights can tolerate occasional bleach to remove black marks from rubberised playground surface.

Sizing is a bit odd - done by height - but have a look at labels, usually can find one that explains size ranges.

These seem to run true to size. They definitely wash well.

HTH

Oooo forgot to say - you can order these on-line from H&M - so don't have the disappointment of going in and discovering few or none in your size.

Tescos are ok. Asda and primary are rubbish.

Autocorrect fail. Primark.

I find 'Pex' excellent, no sagging or stretching and have been able to pass them on to younger DDs. They're more expensive but well worth it IMO.

Tesco I think are OK.
Didn't get on with M&S.

Pex are very expensive. Just had to buy DD's socks for high school and they had to be pex. £7.95 for 3 pairs anyone?

M&S tights are fine, but you have to size up.

You would think after years of reviews saying this they would have listened, but they don't seem to.

I think John Lewis are the best despite the post about foot size being enormous. It took me experimenting til y6 to reach this conclusion.

When DD was in Key Stage one I used to send her in non school tights simply because of the rubbishness of all school uniform tights. I would buy Pamplona, catamini, oilily etc at 70% off and the difference was amazing.

Dd3 wears next school tights, they are not the cheapest but seem to last, certainly better than asda or m and s. We size up where ever we buy them from.

Tbh, I would go with trousers they last more than one fall in the playground.

Quite a few suggestions there!

So based on answers so far, Tesco's, Next and H&M all seem worth a try - I will have a look at them.

And now know not to bother with Asda or Primark!

Thanks everyone.

John Lewis are good and fit my average footed DD.

I really don't understand supermarkets in this one. How difficult is it to establish what colours are actually worn in the local school, and then stock them?

Our local primaries have navy for lower half (just one one black) then secondaries black. Local supermarket - all tights for aged 8 and older are black. Oh dear.

It depends on your child's shape though, my average height dd at 4 last year wore m&s age 7-8, they are the only tights that lasted the year. Terrible shrink from tesco, sainsburys and mothercare and tescos v bobbly.

Anyone else have any experience with Pex tights? I would be willing to pay more for tights that last than go through umpteen shitty cheap pairs. I liked M&S tights in the past, but recently have found the quality shocking. DD seems to be getting on OK with BHS tights (sized up) but isn't wearing them day-in, day-out.

M&S are a nightmare, small to begin with, then they shrink. The cynic in me thinks it's because they charge more for the bigger sizes. My average 7yr old was wearing 11-12yrs. Also they had no winter tights in any of our local stores last winter.
Asda grey tights were horrid, had a weird black gusset that went baggy. They also shrunk.
Tesco value seemed fine especially for the price, better than the normal ones.
But have just bought John Lewis for this year, may have to get a smaller size cos they are huge, made me realise just how much M&S were taking the piss.

John Lewis

JL very good for my long-legged, skinny DDs and hard wearing.

We like m &s have to go up sizes though. Stupidly expensive compared to trousers!

Have to say have never had any problem with M&S, though as I automatically go up sizes for everything for my tall children (DD was in an age 13 slim fit skirt last year, age 9) the sizing thing doesn't faze me.