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Durable ballet tights - convertible. Which brand?


Aklf

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Turns out that DD is a tights destroyer! She has to wear them every day and is going through a pair every few days with snags, ladders and pulls. Can anyone recommend a brand that may survive slightly longer? She's wearing Bloch convertible at the moment which I thought seemed like great quality!

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Personally have found Gaynor Mindons last my DD pretty well...better than Bloch have. I do drill into her good tight etiquette alongside lectures about not wasting money.....

 

Ensure toe nails trimmed & filed smooth - finger nails too!

When in transit....roll tights into balls so less likely to snag on bag zips/other stuff in dance bag

Just be careful putting on & off...place toes in & 'shimmey' (!) an inch at a time up the leg &remove slowly in reverse (do not pull from toes til they pop off!!)

If they are getting damaged in wash, then place tights into a named net bag before adding to wash. 

 

Also agree with Pictures about going for a size larger than the size guide suggests....means a little less stretch so they are likely to retain more strength & be less susceptible to snags.

 

Good luck!

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Morning, 

 

My DD was asked at the start of term to test out ballet convertible tights by the local dance store. She was given a few pairs to complete a review on. 

 

The pair that won, by miles. TENDU Microfibre tights sizes come in 4-7 yrs, 8-12 yrs, then adult small/medium. She is a skinny teenager approx 5ft 3 and the small adults were perfect without any wrinkling and slipping. Not sure on price but the store doesn't supply the top end budget tights as the dancers or more like the parents are too thrifty. Curious to know what others pay for their tights.

 

 

The test was for durability, fit, comfort, size of foot hole and for me washing (shape, colour and fit maintained) 

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Turns out that DD is a tights destroyer! She has to wear them every day and is going through a pair every few days with snags, ladders and pulls. Can anyone recommend a brand that may survive slightly longer? She's wearing Bloch convertible at the moment which I thought seemed like great quality!

Are they being washed at home or is she at voc school and they are going into boarding house laundry?

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We went a size up as recommended on here in the past and it has worked a treat. The time they seem vulnerable is first wear out of packet. Have to remind dd to stretch them carefully.

 

Using capezio. Bloch also last well but paler and look worse quicker.

Edited by sarahw
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DD has worn Tendu convertible small adult( she is petite and 5ft 3) for the last 4 years. They only get replaced when they are grey, which tends to be after 6-8mths depending on how careful I have been at washing them and how many pairs we have on rotation.

Can I ask, how much do you pay for a pair of Tendu convertibles? Locally or online?. 

 

Thank you

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I buy them from eBay, they are about £7.95 per pair, sometimes cheaper. My local dance shop original introduced us them sell them for about £9 a pair ( I know I should support them but even with the discount, they sometimes give, they are cheaper online )

Thank you.  

 

I totally understand, I also try to buy local but as a DD mum we have to be thrifty as the ££££££'s soon go on other items of dance-ware.  Pointe shoes is one thing we can't economise on!!

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Another vote for Capezio here. I don't think DD is especially careful but they hardly ever ladder and retain their shape and colour for ages. We wash them in the machine at 30 or 40 degrees, with other white/pale-coloured items so no particular laundry care either.

 

DD is a size 6-8 but has very long legs so she wears the L or XL but they have never looked baggy on her.

 

We have tried various makes but have always been disappointed in comparison to Capezio.

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I'm very fussy with tights, and I have just started using the Wear Moi tights, which so far have lasted me quite well, although they are a little pricey (I get mine for £10 from planet dance). Also, if I ever get a small snag or run in your tights, I put a little bit of clear nail polish on the area asap to stop the run or the snag from getting worse, so that I can keep wearing them for a while.

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I don't know if there is more than one brand called tendu but this is what I have http://www.grishko.co.uk/Grishko_UK/Tendu_Tights.html

 

The tights are fine but I have found that the hole in the foot has gone very baggy as there doesn't seem to be elastic around like other tights. I also have Gaynor minden and Russian pointe and the only ones that I've ever laddered are the gaynors but think that was just bad luck, they all seem pretty durable. The russian pointes have totally seamless toes which I love though!

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Just a warning on the capezio tights, the colours are very different. I can't remember which is which but one is very pink and one is paler and more orangey. Double check before you order if you are fussy about colour like me!

 

I ended up with some very long lasting tights but brighter pink than I wanted. My ballet flats are a pale canvas that has more orange under tones and I'm very fussy about things matching! Also they've come out with a self knit waistband version that is great if you don't like the tight waistband digging in like it does on the old style.

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I have always bought DD's pink tights from dance direct.  Small adult fits her fine and they often do offers at 3 packs for £14.95.  In my experience they last much longer than Bloch, they keep their shape and they don't snag much.  Only downside is that they do fade quickly in the wash if you machine wash them, but are okay if handwashed.   I tend to keep one pair back for exams and ensure that I always handwash them to keep colour.  

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Thanks for all the great advice! Tendu ordered and on the way, next time- capezio!

I have to agree or my dd certainly with regard to Tendu . . . They're uber soft and very durable and along with the appropriate care and such. . . My dd used to wear Capezio but finds the waist bands quite stiff and show through her leotards whereas the Tendus have a really soft waist band and just seem to have lasted longer in terms of wear and tear.

 

Our local shop charges £6.95! Aaw xx

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Have you tried Silky tights?

 

Our daughters have been using them for years, and they always wear well

I just recently bought some of these, they're holding up great so far!!

Treating a new pair of tights with a layer of hairspray helped me addtionally to avoid snags and rips. Spray them, go double over the areas with a seam and then let them dry a bit.

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  • 1 year later...
On 22/09/2016 at 12:26, Huddsballetmum said:

I have always bought DD's pink tights from dance direct.  Small adult fits her fine and they often do offers at 3 packs for £14.95.  In my experience they last much longer than Bloch, they keep their shape and they don't snag much.  Only downside is that they do fade quickly in the wash if you machine wash them, but are okay if handwashed.   I tend to keep one pair back for exams and ensure that I always handwash them to keep colour.  

Thanks for the recommendation. I am also after dance shorts and this is the only website that has multi packs of tights plus the dance shorts!

Edited by Tatasmum
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Silky - various suppliers via amazon.... under £5 a pair & DD reallly rates these now (& I like the price!)

one thing annoys me though.... the postage is charged per pair which seems unfair as I bet the postage is same for 3 pairs as for one? Still, mustn’t grumble as tights great!! Black footless got thumbs up too.... saving me around £6 a pair based on Capezio she also likes!!

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