The Size Experts – Tights Haul
I’ve never been a fan of pantyhose or tights. Growing up I just remember being forced to wear them due to school dress code and the digging in + thigh rub would leave me in such pain. So when I first found out that the “cure” or management of Lymphedema was compression stockings, I wanted to cry. I was so afraid I was going to basically be sentenced to a life of constantly raw thighs. Luckily so far, my PT feels knee high compression stockings are the best course of action for my Lymphedema. However, the Lipedema makes finding regular pantyhose a nightmare… Well, the Lipedema + my short height makes it a nightmare. With hips almost as wide as I am tall, getting pantyhose that are not so painfully tight and don’t have almost half a leg in extra length is a miracle. Thigh highs have never had enough “thigh” in them to fit and knee highs dig in so tightly at the back of the knee that I feel like I’m going to lose feeling in my legs.
I basically gave up on hosiery and switched to leggings under dresses. But as I embrace the girlier dresses, I’m realizing that leggings won’t always work. I was excited to see that The Size Experts have a whole line of Super Wide Tights in UK 20-36+, hips up to 100″ (!!), and thighs up to 40″. They also have a shorter size as well! If the tights are as soft as the knee highs I tried they would be worth purchasing.
The first item I tried on was their Super Wide Anklet. They are incredibly lightweight as if I had nothing on. I tried one on over my compression stocking to a) see if it fit b) how it felt and c) see if it stayed up with the texture of the stocking. Pleased to say a) they fit b) felt great, no extra compression or tightness add and c) they stayed up.
[YouTube_WD id=3 item=2]I tried out a few of their Super Wide Knee Highs in 20 denier, 40 denier, and 120 denier. While I personally don’t have much use for skin tone/ natural knee highs, its great to know that The Size Experts have the larger sizes available. I wanted to show the difference in opaqueness between the 20 denier and the 120 denier. I figured the best way was to slide it over my left arm to show how it covers my ink.
I will wear the black over my compression stockings when I need a black look for an outfit. It will be a lot cheaper (under $10) compared to a black pair of my Medi custom compression stockings ($350+). The 120 denier in black even covered my lilac argyle print compression stockings.
I was not gentle when trying on any of the Size Experts hosiery. I wanted to see how easily they snagged as I can be brutal when it comes to tights.( I’m just naturally skilled like that. My mom use to bitch “I just bought you those how do you have a run in them already.” Idk, you let me touch them? ) Not once did they snag, run, or feel like they were going to rip from being stretched to much. Trooper even decided that the new black color of my legs must mean scratching post but they made it through his kitty claws.
I highly recommend The Size Experts knee highs or anklets for any one dealing with Lymphedema or Lipedema that want to change up the look of their compression stockins or need hosiery for an event. I had no dents left by them, no rubbing, no extra tightness. After you order some, let me know what you think.
