Review: DKNY Satin Rib Silver tights

If money was no object, I’d be buying Falke most of the time.  But alas, their price point is a bit too rich for me.  Across the last few months of my expedition through the world of hosiery, looking for brands and styles that would fit me, I find myself coming back to DKNY/Donna Karan.  Apparently this brand seems to be the best overall in matching up to my proportions on an affordable level.  There is also an interesting history of many different styles that have since been discontinued, which is generally the tenuous nature of fashion.  Occasionally, some interesting styles come around at very attractive prices, as closeout items.  And if you get lucky with few bidders to compete with, a great price may be had indeed.

First Impression
I recently managed to find a pair of DKNY satin rib silver tights.  Although the denier is not stated, I would venture to say that they’re about 60 to 70 denier in appearance. The stripe pattern is rather masculine, so I figured I could wear these in place of dress socks.

Material
The material feels like good quality, with a raised stripe texture and slight sheen.  It is called “rib”, but usually that’s for closely spaced lines and they are well spaced apart here, like stripes.  I wasn’t expecting that they would stretch much, but the Lycra content proved to be reasonable and allowed for a good fit.  The toe seams are rounded, which allows the material to conform nicely to the foot, but the toe area does not appear to be reinforced.

Panty/Brief
The rib (stripe) pattern ends at the top of the leg, and that’s the only real demarcation between leg and brief.  The brief is about average in height, made of the same base material, with a nicely wide waistband that is quite comfortable.  The seams are all flat and you don’t feel them at all.

Sizing
DKNY tends to be generous in sizing, but sometimes falls short with some styles.  This one in particular is reasonably generous.  I found the leg length excellent and the brief roomy yet snug.

Wearing
There is reasonably good trouser glide with these tights.  The material remains decently opaque on the lower leg, so they are easy to pass of with a “striped dress sock” appearance.  The toes remain pretty well hidden, too.  The brief is fairly good about staying in position, although an adjustment or two throughout the day is likely.  While the material is not snag prone overall, the striped portions are more sensitive to rough edges.

Specifications:

• Fabric – 89% nylon (polyamide) and 11% elastane (Lycra).
• Sizing – Generous. See chart above.
  
• Opacity (0 – sheer, 10 – total opaque) – 6 when standing, 5 when bending
• Durability (0 – frail, 10 – like steel) –  6
• Waistband – 4cm width, ribbed but soft thin material. Slight tendency to roll.
• Support – none.
• Reinforcement – double-stitched flat seams on brief, nothing for toes/heels.
• Features – flat seams, rounded toes
• Colors – These appear to be offered only in metallic silver.

Conclusion
While I find the original price of $22 to be a bit high for these, I’d be willing to pay $15.  Unfortunately these are now a discontinued style, so they aren’t easy to find.  But there’s always a chance that they may pop-up on that auction site now and then.  I would definitely buy them again.

Photos
Keep in mind that my proportions are 6’0″ tall, 32″ inseam, 37″ waist, and 206lbs weight.  Given how I exceed the recommended maximum size, I found these tights to fit very well and expect they will be superb for anyone falling within the size chart dimensions.