Review: Donna Karan Ultra Sheer Control Top — Style 0B108

This review is something a little different.  A guest reviewer, named Irene, conveyed to me her impressions of Donna Karan’s Ultra Sheer Control Top pantyhose.  OK, I know these aren’t tights, much less opaque.  But I figured the ladies reading this blog would appreciate this one.  So, take it away Irene!

Thanks! There was a time when my legs were perfect, near modeling perfect, and I didn’t cover them with anything.  Not tights.  Not pantyhose.  If it got cold outside I’d simply wear pants, long dresses, or a very nice full length coat!  Well the ravages of time bring about minor imperfections in our skin and although my legs still look terrific, or so my male friends say so, a few small permanent blemishes here and there has encouraged me to wear hosiery more often.  Especially when out on the town!  I do like the feel and appearance of tights, now that they’ve become so much more comfortable compared to years past.  But I also like the sheer look and feel of quality pantyhose.  I never thought I’d say that.  Yet I gave pantyhose one more try last year and realized the game has totally changed.  Either hosiery makers finally get it, or as my friend here says the textiles have improved a lot.

I have to tell you that I really don’t like the idea of spending $20 on a package of pantyhose that lasts just a few wearings, if that.  Very sheer pantyhose has a very short lifespan, and it doesn’t matter if it’s Wolford or L’Eggs.  When you plan for a night out, consider very sheer pantyhose as a temporary accessory.  If it lasts the night, bonus.  If it doesn’t, oh well it wasn’t meant to anyway.  So the only way I’d be buying top quality fragile pantyhose would be on sale.

I was at my favorite clothing store for my weekly visit, at Dillard’s, and they have a discounted hosiery tray that always has something in it.  Most of the time it’s stuff I have no interest in.  Last week I got very lucky with my timing and found two pairs of Donna Karan Ultra Sheer Control Top (black and buff) on serious discount (just $10!!!).  Ring a ring ring.  Mine.  There’s a little extra “content” in my lower abdomen that I haven’t been able to shake lately.  So control top pantyhose really helps with that.

OK, I’m being a chatter box.  Time to start talking about the pantyhose!  The name of this pantyhose is Ultra Sheer and that’s a totally accurate description.  Frankly I’ve not owned hosiery this thin before, so I was a bit paranoid when putting it on.  You gotta be really careful, as there’s no such thing as a gentle snag.  One catch and you’ve got a hole.  A while back I bought a pair of hosiery gloves from Saks Fifth Avenue, and they came in really handy here.  I was able to get them on without any holes.

Donna Karan Ultra Sheer black sandal foot, front

Hey, these feel great!!  There’s something about the ultra thin layer against the skin that cools it, leaving behind an ultra smooth sensation.  Touching my legs feels very smooth and that’s a bit of a danger if your boyfriend goes to touch them.  Guys aren’t worried about ruining your pantyhose!  I learned that the hard way.  When a boyfriend of mine caressed my legs, one of his thick rugged fingers lightly snagged my hose.  I panicked for a second, because that’s the last thing I wanted, a nice big run down my leg while we’re out!  Well, the snag did cause a tiny hole but I was very surprised to see that it didn’t turn into a run.  It was on the inside of my knee, which was good being a low visibility spot.  The rest of the evening went without a hitch (I told him no more touching until he gets a manicure!) and these Ultra Sheer pantyhose did the job well, making my legs look fab.

Donna Karan Ultra Sheer black sandal foot, side

The boy-boxer style control top panty is pretty good, dense enough to smooth out my body contour and yet breathable enough to feel comfortable.  They’re thick enough not to require panties, which also creates a perfect profile without any lines.  The waist band is hardly there, which is good because you don’t really need it digging into you, and because the panty is snug enough.

After wearing them for a second evening I noticed another hole.  A tiny one on my other leg on the top of the thigh.  I don’t know what caused it but like the other one it remained as-is and didn’t spread.  And the first one I got remained the same size.  Still, I decided to try repairing it with a little clear nail polish to see if it would help.  But you know, it made the spot a little more visible when looking at it from about a foot away.  So I decided not to fix the other one. The third and fourth wearings went without a hitch and no new holes that I could see.  When stretching on the hose again, the holes were good about not spreading (just don’t pull right on top of them).  Afterward I gently washed them and then put them to work for a fifth wearing and got another small hole from a snag caused by the brushing of my pocket book.  Anyway to make a long story short, these made it through eight wearings before the “big one”.  It was partly my fault anyway because another snag happened that created a tiny little raised speck that I could feel with my fingers.  I thought it was something stuck to my hose, so I tugged at it.  RUN!!  Yikes, it took off like an ant running for its life and went clear down to my knee.  And that was that.

I read a few reviews on-line about these Ultra Sheer pantyhose by Donna Karan and while some were very good, a few complained about them not lasting.  You definitely have to treat them with “kid gloves” as they say and realize that it’s “hosiery roulette” every time you wear them.  They should survive the first wearing and everyone one after that is just a bonus.

Would I pay full retail for these?  Well if I was pulling a healthy six figure salary, you betcha.  I wouldn’t bat an eye and stock up.  But for the fashion frugal gal who needs her hose to last at least a dozen wearings, I’d say this pantyhose is just for special occasions.  And make sure you keep a spare pair of hose with you just in case!  There are so many brands to choose from these days and so it’s a good idea to read up on customer reviews and keep an eagle eye out for deals on-line.

— Irene