Ballet tights that last - advice please

[Bella]

Hiya, just wondering what denier should the ballet tights be? I can see they run from 40 denier all the way to 90. What denier should a traditional ballet tights be and is the higher the denier the longer it last? Have anyone tried the cheap ballet tights from Amazon? Are they any good, especially the colour and material? How do they compare with the much more expensive branded version? 

[Jan McNulty]

A couple of earlier threads:

 

 

[Jan McNulty]

I've also added the tag "tights".  If you click on that it brings up older threads that may still contain useful advice.

[Tango Dancer]

Well I get the Dance Line ones on Amazon and they work quite well for me.  I've tried more expensive ones from Capezio but they aren't as comfortable and don't fit me as well (I'm slightly plump so struggle with sizing of the more expensive ones).  It's a really individual thing but I like these ones.  I get about 6 months use out of them before they get a big ladder.  

[La sylphide]

We found the cheaper ones lost their colour quickly. DD used capezio soft waistband when she was younger but now uses the imperfect pointes tights they are expensive but DD says they look the best and are really comfy. 

[Pixiewoo]

DD tends to wear Silky 60 denier convertibles. They are a reasonable price and seem to hold colour for a fair while (as long as she doesn't wear black tights over the top 🙄!)

We've found that if you go up a size from what you think you would wear they fit better and are less likely to snag and develop holes. 

[Legseleven]

DD always wore Capezio - they keep their colour very well and didn’t ladder, unlike most other males she briefly tried. 

[NeverTooOld]

We've been using the Silky ones for ages now and like them. We never found that more expensive ones lasted any longer so like the fact that they are lower in price so you can stock up and have some spares.

[Ballet Power]

Imperfect Pointes last well and they recycle your old ones too 

well worth the money 

[alison]

Back in the days of English National Ballet's "Liquorice Allsorts" Nutcracker production (Derek Deane's), the Mirlitons always used to wear Pretty Polly.  I remember there was a big publicity campaign about how well they lasted.  Just thought I'd throw that into the mix  

[Peanut68]

many times I've recommended 'Silky' (range of Dernier from 40, 60, up to 70) & 2 colour pinks (the 'Theatrical Pink' matches some pointe shoes better) plus tan/black etc

The 60 & 70 ones last & wash & retain colour really well ( as long as they don't get put in wash with black leotards...always make DD take colour catcher sheets if they are likely to do own laundry to prevent this!)

Also liked are the Capezio essential (cheapest ones) if a thinner tight feel/look is wanted. 

Silky available on Amazon - often from £5-8 a pair so really good value!

 

[BisforBallet]

Another Imperfect Pointes here. They are more expensive but I’m not replacing continually. They are the only ones that last for us and don’t end up that horrible washed out grey.

[Neverdancedjustamum]

So Danca ballet tights were what we found to be the best, and we have tried pretty much every brand there is going, including all of those mentioned on this thread (apart from Pretty Polly).  We had about 6-7 different brands going at one point to see which shrunk or changed colour or faded quickest. So Danca (Ballet Pink) colour lasted the longest by far, with barely any fading or changing into that horrible grey pink colour (I’ve never had to get rid of any unless they get a run). This ballet pink shade never changed greyish. The So Danca (Light Pink) lasted the second longest in terms of fade in colour but both these retained their lovely colour and shape and texture by a very wide margin. I used to every so often put the whole lot next to each other to compare since we opened the packs at the same time. The best thing is - this is despite me being lazy and washing tights with other pinks (or sometimes with whites if I don’t have enough pinks to do a load) in the washing machine. I don’t put them in any special pouch when in the wash, I don’t handwash, I don’t scrub. I literally chuck them in with other clothes. And yet the SD tights lasted very long with minimal fade, if any.  The Ballet pink shade also matches the So Danca SD16 stretch canvas flats perfectly.

[Peanut68]

Thx Never….I’ve never seen So Danca tights for sale… where sells them and what sort of price? 

[MissEmily]

I’ve found Gaynor Minden to be the best because the way the foot hole is constructed means they’re less prone to laddering. You can order them from Dance Devotion is Exeter. Silky are good for the price too though, but they do eventually ladder.

[Allwrong]

Devoted to Dance. There is a shop is in Exeter, but the business is also (mainly?) online, via facebook and instagram. 

[WhereToNow]

I use Scott at Devoted to Dance.  My DD has Tendu, they survive vocational school wash! 

I struggled with some batches of Silky, the crotch went very quickly, but then other times they have been fine.  Bloch were a little too pink for my DD.

[Sunflower]

I love the sustainable nature of Imperfect Pointes. I’ve just ordered another pack of two for my daughter.

 

They feel really soft too, which is excellent. 
 

I’m persuaded to try the So Danca ones mentioned just above too, especially if they perfectly match the SD16 canvas shoes… but I haven’t ever seen them for sale anywhere so it requires some googling 😁

 

The cheap Amazon ones (these are also sold in a Boyes shop, if you are near one of those) are good for a single or double use only IMO. So sustainability wise, they are awful really. 

[SylviaSylvie]

On 08/08/2023 at 10:08, Neverdancedjustamum said:

 

So Danca ballet tights were what we found to be the best, and we have tried pretty much every brand there is going, including all of those mentioned on this thread (apart from Pretty Polly).  

 

Could I ask where you buy those from, please?  My daughter used to always wear those but we’ve been unable to find stock anywhere for some time.

 

My daughter and I both wear Bloch Contoursoft tights which I find durable and long lasting.  I bought her some of the Imperfect Pointed tights a few weeks ago, but she has yet to try them out.

[Neverdancedjustamum]

7 minutes ago, SylviaSylvie said:

Could I ask where you buy those from, please?  My daughter used to always wear those but we’ve been unable to find stock anywhere for some time.

 

My daughter and I both wear Bloch Contoursoft tights which I find durable and long lasting.  I bought her some of the Imperfect Pointed tights a few weeks ago, but she has yet to try them out.

I think you can buy them online from Move Dancewear or Dancing in the Street.

 

However, I normally buy these So Danca tights and SD16 shoes from Devoted to Dance (on Instagram) as I tend to buy in bulk for the term/terms.

[munchkin16]

I’ve always found the Capezio Ultrasoft ones to last very well and are super soft as in the name! I’m also in the camp of testing the Imperfect Pointes ones, so far they feel good and I’ve heard excellent things.

[Medora]

Another vote for silky, they don’t fade (we use a wool/silk detergent on the hand wash cycle) 

[Anniedancemum]

Dd wears tendu convertible, never had them ladder but they do lose their colour. However I do just bung them in the washing machine with the whites so that could be why. My dd is still young though so might not be as good for older dancers. 

Edited September 10, 2023 by Anniedancemum

[mumtotwoballerinas]

On 07/08/2023 at 10:53, Ballet Power said:

Imperfect Pointes last well and they recycle your old ones too 

well worth the money 

Although lovely imperfect pointes do ladder around to foot hole and up the back of the leg in some cases at first wear. At £22 a pair this doesn't seem good value. The faulty pairs were exchanged but replacement did the same. IP are aware of issue. We have gone back to move as they a lot cheaper and last a lot longer 

[invisiblecircus]

I always wore Capezio tights and loved them, they lasted years! 

My girls are currently using tights from Decathlon and haven't had any problems with them, they're lasting really well. I'm only replacing them once they're outgrown.

[mumtotwoballerinas]

7 hours ago, invisiblecircus said:

I always wore Capezio tights and loved them, they lasted years! 

My girls are currently using tights from Decathlon and haven't had any problems with them, they're lasting really well. I'm only replacing them once they're outgrown.

I might give decathlon a try. She's at vocational school so has ballet everyday 

[Angela Essex]

Another vote for silky here. Much softer and stretchier than Bloch or Capezio and they’re inexpensive. They ladder quite quickly though. Capezio (the more expensive ones think they’re called ultrasoft) lasted ages without any ladders but not as comfy as Silky.