I’m a plus-sized woman with sizable thighs and I live in England, so what does that mean? If it’s cold, which it often is, I need to wear tights if I want to wear a dress, and if it’s hot I need to wear something to stop my delightfully squishy thighs from rubbing together until they’re sore. That used to mean wearing sheer skintone tights even in a heatwave, despite the fact that most tights fit me poorly and some made my skin itch uncomfortably. But then I found Snag Tights, and through them my salvation; comfortable, chub rub shorts for summer, and tights that actually fit properly, for the first time in my life, for every day, look and occasion.

Tights: Limited Edition 80 Denier Blueberry Muffin

Tights: 30 Denier Sheer Caramel

Tights: 80 Denier Colonel Mustard

Tights: 80 Denier Hit the Bottle Green

I didn’t know that I’d never worn a pair of tights that fit me properly until I tried Snag. I mean, I knew how badly most tights fit–somehow they always seemed to either be too short or far too long. I carry my weight largely on my stomach and lower body, and in the worst instances even when I sized up twice in certain brands the crotch would still hit me at the softest part of my inner thigh, 4 inches too short and ready to rub, rub, rub. Once I couldn’t even get a pair from a certain cheap brand on at all, because the stretch in the weave was so limited I got the waistband to mid thigh and then it became obvious my upper legs actually weren’t even going to fit. With Snag Tights, all at once, remarkably, it became clear what tights really should have been all along–which is so say, comfortable, able to stay in place without needing a pair of knickers layered on top, but also not at constant threat of bunching up around your ankles like Nora Batty (only UK readers over the age of 25 will get that joke, soz folks.)

The reason is simple, yet possibly shocking, as it was to me when I learned it; most tights are not graded up to achieve their larger sizes, but instead are merely lengthened. So, since the average woman is a UK 16, your proportions are likely not supported by the average pair of tights. Snag do things differently, dedicated to making tights for all bodies, of every size, race, age, shape and gender. That philosophy alone garnered my support, but the fact that their tights and shorts are actually the best I’ve ever worn just means they’ve also earned my love and loyalty. Which is why it was alarming to so many of us when Covid-19 almost put Snag out of business when the English Lockdown hit.

People buy tights in the autumn and winter. It makes sense. Yes, here in England there’s tights weather on and off throughout the entire year, but Snag ship worldwide and they are, despite their brilliance, only a small business. So when, suddenly, during one of the warmest springs we’ve ever had everyone was told they had to stay home, Snag’s typical order volume evaporated. I was wearing tights at home still but it appeared most people were not, and quickly it became apparent that Snag might not make it through to the cold weather season, let alone out the other side of Covid-19 at all. An emergency alert went out to their fans, who responded with an impassioned buying rally that proved just how much we all loved our Snags.

If you’ve never worn a pair of ill-fitting tights maybe it seems surprising to you that people could be so dedicated to a particular hosiery brand, but I honestly could not imagine wearing anything else now. My Snags are soft and comfortable, and as they’re the right size for me I can pull them on and then not have to think about them again all day–there’s no subtly trying to pull them up in public because they’ve sagged, no swearing in the loo because I’ve pulled them up too aggressively–because they’re actually not quite long enough for me–and ripped my fingers through the waistband. Those were problems I had with other tights, but not my Snags–speaking of, you know what I used to suffer through constantly with others tights, but not these? Ladders.

I could ladder tights in record time, often straight out of the box on their first wear. Immediate destruction. Snags are made differently, I believe from a four way weave, so they stretch differently and are more resistant to ladders. It’s not impossible to ladder them, which I know because I managed to rip a hole in the toe on one pair on an uneven wooden floor, but the weave means the ladders don’t travel so that small hole stayed put on my big toe, never growing, allowing me to keep wearing that pair (with closed toed shoes, of course.) That means your tights will last you longer, so you need to replace them less often, saving you money in the long run. My, it’s just benefit after benefit with these suckers, isn’t it? Lovable little buggers.

Snag Tights produce 30 denier sheers, 50 denier, 80 denier and 120 denier tights, as well as fishnets (including rainbow ones!) and those aforementioned thigh-saving Chub Rub shorts so there’s options for every time of year or issue. Their revolutionary sizing essentially covers UK sizes 4-36, and they also do tights for kids. Their classic neutrals and sheer skintones mean you can add inexpensive, well fitting tights to your vintage looks for an authentic finish, or you can have some fun with their range of bright shades to lean into a modern take (or to just go fully 60s!)

As if all this wasn’t fabulous enough, I also love that they package their tights in colourful paper bags and dispatch all orders in sturdy paper shippers, so your order will arrive pretty and plastic-free! They also ship worldwide and have websites dedicated to the different shipping regions.

My favourite Snags are the 80 Denier Builders Tea. They’re the right tone to match my skin but have enough warmth to keep me toasty in my dresses in winter. Personally I tend to prefer a skintone look to a coloured tight even in winter, so BS (Before Snag) I just suffered the cold with sheer 15 or 30 denier pale tights, but now I can enjoy ample deniers while achieving the finish I want to my outfit. On the flip side, though, I also adore the jewel toned coloured tights, like the bottle green shade shown in my pictures, because they allow me to play with mixing extra colour and a modern touch to my otherwise old-fashioned wardrobe. Plus, they look incredible with boots, which I just love to rock in winter.

Snag Tights don’t do sales, but instead they offer a multi-buy discount year round. A single pair of tights costs £6.99, but if you buy 3 you get 10% off, buy 5 and get 15% off, buy 10 and get 25% off! I like to stock up on my favourite base shades each time I snap up some of their limited editions or new seasonal colours to make the most of the discount. They always ship quickly and arrive on my doorstep promptly, ready to help me feel as good as I look.

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COVID-19 NOTE: These pictures were taken in the safety of my garden, thus abiding by the social distancing rules necessary to help reduce the spread of Covid-19. Please stay home as much as possible, and when leaving your home remember to keep at least 6 ft away from any persons you may encounter.