Tutto Nudo 20

Today's review is for another great value, everyday pair of tights from Pompea. The Tutto Nudo 20 is a perfect basic for anyone's collection. This is my third try with Pompea, and the results have been pretty similar across the board. These tights are high quality, comfort, and price. There really doesn't seem to be any downside.

These tights are well tailored and soft, for a very comfortable fit. They have a double lycra design that allows a snug fit all over the legs and also allows these tights to be worn all day long with no loss in comfort. They also look and feel very smooth on the legs while giving off a subtle shine. These tights are versatile as they could be worn casually with or shoes yet their sheer toes allow them to look just as good with sandals.

These tights are a blend of 87% nylon and 13% lycra. They are sheer at 20 denier. They have a newly developed waistband that prevents any cutting or binding. They have flat seems, a sheer toe, and are fully boarded for an even better fit around the ankles and feet. These tights come in 5 different sizes and 13 different colors. It would be hard to find tights that come in a greater variety than these. Finally, they are an excellent value at $13.

**photo courtesy of Shapings.com

More From Pompea

Last week I spoke about my newest tights crush Pompea, taking a quick look at their business, and a more specific look at their Sheer 20 Tights. Pompea was, and of course still is, a new name to me, but I'm certainly in the process of familiarizing myself with their product. The more I try from Pompea, the more I am growing to like them.

This week, I'm taking a look at the Sheer 30 Tights. As you can probably tell from the name, they are a similar pair of tights from a week ago, only a bit more to the opaque side (while still technically being considered sheer).

As Mother Nature continues to pound this area with snow and cold, opaque tights can certainly be very, very useful. That said, I can't help but be more drawn to the sheerer tights. I like some density to the tights, but I'm more of a fan when you can see the leg (at least to some degree) through the tights. Don't ask me why...my love for tights, while unconditional, can sometimes still be complicated. These tights strike that balance, however. They definitely feel thicker and warmer, but they still have a sheer look to them. What's more, the added 10 denier, can go a long way in terms of durability to these tights. I was hard on them while putting them on, trying to see if they could withstand some less-than-delicate treatment. They stood up perfectly. If you're someone who feels like you can wear tights without causing tears, runs, or holes, these are definitely the tights for you.

These tights are made from a blend of 88% nylon and 12% lycra (4% more lycra than the 20s which also contributes to its added durability). They are available in 4 different sizes and 6 different colors. Just like the 20s, they are incredibly soft and smooth and feel incredibly comfortable on the legs. They have a bit of a satiny look on the legs without being overpoweringly shiny. Once again, they feel like much more expensive tights than they are.

The Sheer 30s are fully boarded, with flat seams, cotton gusset, comfort waistband, and reinforced toes. They are made in Italy and are perfect for a variety of looks from business or formal to casual. These tights cost $11.99. Once again, I can't get over what an amazing value they are.

**photo courtesy of Shapings.com

Welcome to Pompea

Nothing feels more rewarding than making a new find. I've been at this long enough that sometimes I think I know all there is to know. When it comes to certain brands of tights, I can spout intricacies of the top of my head as if I had designed them myself. For many of these brands, I know how much they cost, how long they'll last, how they'll look, how they'll feel, all before even removing them from the package. Trust me...I know I sound like a complete and utter loser talking about tights like this. But this blog is a few short months away from its third birthday. And I've spent a lot of posts talking about tights...what can I say?

While I know so much about the brands I'm familiar with, there is a lot left out there to explore. Much like shopping in stores, shopping online, while still having a lot more variety, often brings you to the same brands as you go from website to website. As such, I had never heard of Pompea until recently. In this case, you could most definitely say better late than never.

Pompea has been around since 1996, when started in Italy by Adriano Rodella (hmmm...ever notice how many hosiery designers are men?). Their story reads like hundreds of case studies I did in grad school, they grew (and continue to grow) through a slow and steady stream of mergers and acquisitions (I'll leave it at that and not bore you with the details). Still, they are a relatively small brand outside of Italy. Their mission is to create hosiery with attention to technology, fashion, and price.

Their collection is worth checking out, as they certainly have a ton of different styles. Today I am looking at Pompea Sheer 20. As you can probably tell from the name, its your basic sheer to waist tight. As you probably guessed from the name, these tights are 20 denier. 20 is quickly becoming my favorite denier count. At 20, it's still sheer enough that, if you match it closely enough to your skin tone, it can look like your natural skin, whereas it isn't so sheer that you feel like you're going to tear a hole in it the second you move.

These tights have a slight but not overpowering shine to them. They are very very soft and comfortable as well as smooth on the legs. They're equally as good at formal wear as they are with casual. They can definitely work with a variety of different looks. It has a soft but wide waistband and a sheer, but slightly visible reinforced toe with a flat seam. These tights are fully boarded, which I explained here, if you are unfamiliar with that term.

They are made from a blend of 92% nylon and 8% elastane. In terms of cost...think: drugstore brand...only with a level of quality that doesn't compare at all. I bought these from a Canadian website for $8.99 CAD which is about the same in USD these days. For that price, its looks like I've found yet another go-to value brand. And what's more rewarding than that?

**photo courtesy of Shapings.com