I had some brilliant tights from Primark several years ago, great fit, really comfortable all over, kept their stretchiness and appearance, didn't sag, didn't snag easily and washed well, no special treatment required. Not sure exactly what sort(/s) they were annoyingly, but they appear to have changed anyway... They had all died a final death by last winter, and over the course of several months, I bought new plain black tights in a range of deniers from 40-100 from Sainsbury's, M&S, Primark, Matalan and a few other places, in search of their replacement.
I'm short, so no issues with length, but have hefty muscular thighs. I am slightly chunkier than I used to be, mainly in the stomach (thanks second DC, abs never recovered) but I'm still a 12 in most shops, give or take, so bought tights in that size (or as close as the sizing allowed). All my old Primark tights were somewhere around that size too as even when I've been lighter, I've not been much slimmer. My legs haven't changed in size.
But... no matter the percentage of Lycra or elastane or whatever, or the denier, the brand, the alleged quality or lack of... none of them stay up around the middle, particularly once I sit down. This leads to a fidgety adjustment every time I stand up, otherwise I have extra rolls created by the waistband. Plus it's uncomfortable, especially if I'm feeling bloated already. But I've tried quite a few pairs! So it must be that I'm buying the wrong size, but in which direction? Or is it just that I've not tried the right shop?
I'm reluctant to spend much on tights (more than £5 a pair in my head is extortionate, I'm fairly sure my old Primark ones were about £2.50!) and definitely don't want to order e.g. Snag or similar - I just want to be able to grab some from a high st shop at lunchtime or as part of the food shop. It's now approaching autumn (I'm in Scotland, so arguably has been autumn for several weeks already!) and I would like to find the replacement for my perfect Primark cheap black tights. Please help!