Thursday 11 December 2014

Reviewed: Charnos Xelence 30 Denier Sheer Tights

Charnos Hosiery recently sent Hosiery For Men a very generous selection of samples from their different ranges.




Two of the samples were from the new Charnos Xelence range which is aimed at 'curvaceous women'.

We have already reviewed the Charnos Xelence 50 Denier Opaque Tights.

In this review we focus on the Charnos Xelence 30 Denier Sheer Tights.



Material and features
Charnos describe the Xelence range as follows:

'Charnos Xelence is custom made for curvaceous women up to dress size 32. Designed using the breakthrough LYCRA® XCEPTIONELLE technology this product has been carefully constructed and finished to accommodate differing body shapes of larger women.'




The tights come in typically good quality Charnos packaging. They are folded around a card rectangle and then wrapped in a clear plastic sleeve. Everything is then housed in a robust card envelope which provides detailed product information.



The Charnos Xelence 30 Denier Sheer Tights are made in Italy. The fabric is 85% Nylon, 14% LYCRA® Elastane and 1% Cotton.

The material feels light and stretchy. They have a slight sheen. Toes are lightly reinforced.

At the upper thigh area, the tights have a band made with higher density yarn. This has been designed to reduce chafing or digging in between the legs.

The waistband is a unique feature: there is a 1cm 'narrow anti-roll waistband' and beneath this there is a deeper 5cm wide band designed. Running below the waistband is a much deeper 8cm wide band, that has been designed for extra comfort and to reduce any tightness in this area.

Seams in the panty/brief are flat, and there is a cotton gusset. The brief has clearly been designed to avoid the need for the rear comfort gusset that is quite common in plus size hosiery.





Fit and sizing
The Charnos Xelence 30 Denier Sheer Tights are available in three sizes: 

  • Light Shape 
  • Medium Shape 
  • Full Shape 
I am not sure which size I tested as the sample sent did not indicate which size was in the packaging.



Size guide from MyTights.

These tights were easy to put on and they had plenty of room. Despite not being clear about the size I was testing, the fit was good. There was plenty of stretch and the high LYCRA® XCEPTIONELLE content ensures that they moulded really well to my legs.

The brief/panty was exceptionally room - in fact, the waistband could be stretched right up and over the stomach if needed. So these would be good tights for someone who needed more room in this area.

The fabric had a very nice smooth and silky feel on the skin. As semi-sheer tights, skin can still be seen through them.

The smooth sheen on these tights provided a superb glide under trousers.

Colour range
The Charnos Xelence 30 Denier Sheer Tights are available in three colours Natural, Black and Navy.



I tested a pair in the Natural shade.

Price and availability

The Charnos Xelence 30 Denier Sheer Tights from a very wide range of hosiery retailers, including:

UK Tights (£7.99)

My Tights (£8.00)

Stockings Direct (£8.00)

Stockings HQ (£7.99)

Conclusion
There were several plus points for me with the Charnos Xelence 30 Denier Sheer Tights:

  • The comfortable waistband 
  • The silky yarn which feels great on the skin
  • The deep brief and accommodation of larger sizes
Under trousers I found them to be a comfortable wear with excellent glide. The fabric also seems to be really strong - I think it would be quite hard to ladder these tights

In summary, these are good quality, robust tights for larger women and men.

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