There is nothing more dispiriting than laddering a new pair of tights before you have even left the house. Heels tights are their own specific problem because the material around the toe takes real punishment from the inside of a closed shoe, and most regular tights simply are not built for it. The good ones are reinforced exactly where they need to be, with a toe construction that can actually handle friction without disintegrating on contact. We have worn enough of the bad ones to know the difference immediately.

What we have pulled together here are the pairs that genuinely hold up. Some are sheer enough to look elegant with strappy heels. Others are more opaque for colder days when you still want a clean polished line under trousers or a midi skirt. We paid close attention to the waistband too because nobody needs that rolling situation happening mid afternoon. The denier range covers most occasions. These are not novelty finds or brand names coasting on reputation. They are the tights we actually trust. Because the only thing a good pair of tights needs to do is last the day.