Stop & Stare tattoo tights explained: all you need to know & more!

Thanks to you, our existing and repeat customers, as well as all those who have shown interest and support for our young brand via this website and social media channels, we have been super busy in the past 2 months - hence, the quietness on this blog. On the plus side, we now have 5 online and bricks-and-mortar retailers in Ireland, Germany and the UK - make sure to check our stockists list for the most updated information!

Since we get a lot more traffic to our online store these days and queries about our fabulous range, we thought it was only natural to write a blog post explaining all you need to know about our tattoo tights, including details of the base we use, the print and the packaging.

The Base

Having tried many pairs of tights and other hosiery pieces over the years, we were very clear about the requirements for our own product: after all, we don't only want it to look fantastic, but to feel good and last many wears too. That's why we opted for this Italian-made sheer base in 20 Denier in a sun kissed shade - perfect for that sought after airbrushed finish for your legs that looks totally natural while hiding minor skin blemishes. Yet, it's been tested to last as many as 9 full days of wear in heels and some customers report 2 weeks in flats - if you've ever worn a pair of thin sheer tights, you know that's a lot!

Plus, each pair comes packed with all the features you'd expect from a premium hosiery piece:

- Wide 5.5 cm deep silky waistband that keeps our tights comfortably in place all day long - guaranteed!
- Sheer-to-waist brief for your shortest hemlines
- Cotton hygienic gusset to provide the extra freedom of movement + you can skip your underwear for all those tight-fitting dresses
- Flat seams throughout for added comfort and no marks when you finally decide to take them off (we don't think you'll ever want to!)
- Sandal toes that have a stronger, more durable weave but still suitable for wear with peep toe shoes
- Beautiful sun-kissed shade for adding a healthy glow to lighter skintones.

The Print

Printing on delicate sheer substrate like ours is a very meticulous process that requires a lot of precision and attention to detail, both in terms of printing the design and also dealing with a 20 denier material.

We wanted to preserve the elasticity of our premium Italian base, whereby the ink is embedded into the material and its fibers, instead of sitting on top of it, resulting in loss of elasticity and cracking over time. That's why all our tights are made using digital printing technology with skin and child-safe Oeko-Tex® certified inks - not only for your comfort, but extra peace of mind too. 

Once we’ve finished drawing the design, each pair is individually marked based on the size and location of the design. It is then stretched over a custom platen and printed on using a textile garment printer. Finally, the ink is cured in a special dryer for delicate fabrics. Yep, it's a long process but it's worth the effort and it keeps us fit too!

The Packaging

One of the benefits of being a new brand is having all the freedom and no legacy to experiment with the design of the packaging. At the same time, we were determined to achieve:
- Clean and streamlined design that attracts the eye, reflects the true nature of our product and has all the information necessary for you to come to a buying decision without overwhelming. This includes a short description of the product, its features, material composition, care and washing guide, size chart and our contact details, of course!

- Light and flat packaging that is less prone to damage during transit: after all, packaging is the first thing that goes to the bin and we also want to make shipping our products to you or our stockists very affordable and in many cases absolutely free. Our tights are wrapped around a 3-part card rectangle, which is then housed in a cellophane envelope. Our favourite part? Seeing the fragment of the design peeking from the little window at the back!

- Size chart with a reference to your height and hips. While many brands out there refer to height and weight measurements, coming from a fitness background, we know only too well, that two people with the same height and weight could have completely different waist and hips sizes due to different body composition, therefore placing them in different sizes for our product. Hence, we find your height and hips measurements much more accurate when picking the correct size.

- A pretty and easy to follow guide on how to put on and take off our delicate sheer hosiery. Some people are surprised we felt compelled to include this, while some find it very useful - either way, it's a direct result of our focus groups where we observed (with pain!) how some participants literally pulled on tights like they would pants or leggings. Whichever group you belong to, our guide may still contain a useful tip or two (e.g. gently pulling away the fabric at the toes will decrease the pressure on the delicate material in this area) and it finishes off with our favourite quote by Harry Winston: "People will stare - make it worth their while!"

We really hope you found this useful. As always, please send any questions or queries (or simply say Hi) to us at info@stopandstare.co and we'll get right back to you!