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How To Keep Your Tights Up

How To Keep Your Tights Up
Carly Jacobs
T

ight slidage. It’s something every tight wearing woman has to deal with. You slide your tights on in the morning and then by lunchtime the crotch is sliding half way down your leg and the waist band is cutting you off around your hips like a string wrapped ham. It’s bullshit. I do actually have a solution to this problem, a solution that I thought was common knowledge but when I shared this solution with some friends recently it seems I’m a tortured genius in the area of under garment securement. Want to know how to keep your tights up?

how to keep your tights up

Wear your underwear over your tights.

I think it might be a dancing girl thing but Iโ€™ve been doing it since I was a kid. It keeps my tights in place all day, reduces VPL (my arch nemesis) and it makes me look like Iโ€™m about to do an aerobics class in 1983 which is obviously excellent.

Wondering about the hygiene situation here? I wear tights like underwear and I only wear them once before washing them. I own about a dozen pairs and rotate through them all winter and then I stock up on a few new pairs each June. Itโ€™s the perfect system plus I look like a god damn superhero. Check this shit out.

underwear over tights

I figured you guys would need a visual on this. Just know that if you see me wearing tights, underneath my clothes, there’s some serious Wonder Woman shit happening.

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Do you wear your undies over your tights or under them? Would you consider trying out my super hero solution to tight slidage?

 

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70 Comments

  1. hailz 9 years ago

    I do this.. but I wear undies underneath too! Might can that and try your way, more comfortable surely.

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs-Smaggle 9 years ago

      I can’t double undie it’s too bulky!

  2. merilyn 9 years ago

    LOL! … hilarious hun! you are da bomb!
    ofcourse I know this we invented it! hellooo!;0
    except I put undies under as well! can’t be too sure hey!
    lol m:)X have a happy tights day!

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs-Smaggle 9 years ago

      ๐Ÿ™‚

  3. Nadine 9 years ago

    I love your epic flowery knickers!

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs-Smaggle 9 years ago

      I ALWAYS wear epic knickers. They’re my favourite.

  4. Sammie @ The Annoyed Thyroid 9 years ago

    Ace undies! Why did I never think of this?! My tights are always heading South, and it’s so uncomfortable, never mind about annoying. I am totally trying this next time I wear tights.

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs-Smaggle 9 years ago

      I’ve been doing it for years it’s a real dancer thing.

  5. Bec @ The Plumbette 9 years ago

    You are amazing. I knew this but I always wear undies underneath. And I wear black undies overtop so they blend in.

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs-Smaggle 9 years ago

      Ha! Nothing like a gratuitous undie shot on a Friday arvo right? ๐Ÿ™‚

  6. Kylie Jensen 9 years ago

    i wear undies, tights then spanks over the top to control the tummy

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs-Smaggle 9 years ago

      I actually wear a full spanx style slip every day. More for smoothing than sucky. I just like being ‘held’ by my clothing.

  7. KT 9 years ago

    Love it! Particularly the superhero analogy. I love Wonder Woman! I just bought some control top tights that I’m hoping will stay up by themselves (I’m trying them out today for the first time), but this is a great solution for some of my older pairs of tights that I’m not ready to throw out yet.

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs-Smaggle 9 years ago

      It’s perfect for when they’re getting a little worse for wear.

  8. Christine 9 years ago

    Lovely visual! I try to buy tights with cotton gusset, so just usually wear knickers over the top. Sliding is not much of an issue for me – it’s the twisting that does me in – so uncomfortable. Sometimes it takes about 3 goes to get them on right. X

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs-Smaggle 9 years ago

      Mine tend to say in place quite well but I wear shape wear slips every day so that makes a big difference too!

  9. missellie13 9 years ago

    I wear Spanx tights. They go nowhere. They are pricey but last forever and worth it.

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs 9 years ago

      I bought some Spanx and I have to say I didn’t love them. They gave me major wedgies. I like Bali shape wear,

      • missellie13 9 years ago

        How odd – I can’t imagine getting a wedgie from tights! Or do you mean they made your knickers go wedgie? I love my Spanx tights – the opaques are fantastic and the sheers are good too but I have put my nails through a few pairs.

        Actually, I’m surprised so many people have trouble keeping their tights up. I don’t think I’ve had that problem for many, many years. I find that pulling them up well from the toes and settling the gusset (I hate that word) in place properly means no drifting downwards. But I always buy control top.

  10. colleen 9 years ago

    I Only had this conversation with my friends last week when they spent the whole night hitching up their tight. They all looked at me like i was some crazy woman. Thanks for pointing out I’m not crazy

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs 9 years ago

      I know! None of my friends did this I was like ‘Whaaaaa???’

  11. Tracy 9 years ago

    Of course I do! Funny story from childhood – I was the only girl growing up with my dad and brothers.m, and we all know how back in the 70’s Dad’s were all on top of all the girl stuff ;). My aunt’s had to help me out on the girly stuff. Anyway in primary school one day I couldn’t find a second pair of undies to go over the top of my school stockings, and asked my dad to help me find a pair in the clean washing basket. My dad would not believe me that I needed to wear a second pair over the top to stop them sliding down; he thought it was just so ridiculous and couldn’t be true, not to mention creating more washing. I convinced him to phone one of my aunts and she explained it and gave him a dressing down for not believing me. I think he started understanding how girl stuff is rather more complicated than boy stuff from that point on ๐Ÿ™‚

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs 9 years ago

      Ha! That’s so cute. I think my dad would also have questioned me about validity of this.

  12. School girl trick. We used to wear our sports bloomers (basically big undies) over our tights with undies underneath. So undies, tights, bloomers. Brilliant. Now I just buy tights a size up than suggested on the pack. Works 90% of the time!

    • Christine 9 years ago

      Oh yes Ellen, good tip. Forgot to mention in my comment that I always buy extra talls, even though I’m not extra tall! X

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs 9 years ago

      Definitley! I get x-tra talls even though I’m tall and it works really well.

  13. I do this! Underwear underneath, tights, then boylegs or even my shapewear over the top. Killin’ it.

    • Christine 9 years ago

      Yep – but takes ages to go to the loo, doesn’t it! ????

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs 9 years ago

      Seamless boy legs! The bomb!

  14. SNORT – too hot for tights up here! Gawd you’re hilaire. Have a happy weekend!

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs 9 years ago

      Thank you lovely! It’s almost ALWAYS tights weather in Melbourne. ๐Ÿ™‚

  15. Yep I do this and maybe it is a dancing thing but with tights I wear under knickers as well as the over pair. Over is always a black shorty leg. ๐Ÿ™‚

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs 9 years ago

      I do usually wear black undies but I love these flowery ones so I couldn’t resist giving them the spotlight.

  16. KezUnprepared 9 years ago

    Haha love it. I would probably wear a pair under as well…although going to the toilet could take a while!

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs 9 years ago

      It just seems too bulky and like too much effort to go double undies!

  17. Cheney 9 years ago

    I’m going to be a voice of dissent here, but I wear tights at least 4 days out of the week, sometimes every day, and saggy-tight-crotch hasn’t been a problem since I started doing two things. 1. If I’m close to being between two sizes on the size chart, I always size up and 2. I buy more expensive tights, but less often. I’m a massive fan of European brands Wolford and Falke. They’re expensive up front, but I’ve have pairs that have lasted five years of weekly wear and are still going. So it works out pretty cheaply in the long run.

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs 9 years ago

      All of my boots have buckles so I can’t let Woldords anywhere near them. Maybe one day when I make better boot choices! ๐Ÿ™‚

  18. thehungrymum 9 years ago

    yep – always have worn undies a la superman over my tights. Hubby thinks it is deeply unsexy but it is the only way to keep those buggers up.

  19. Hahaha! This is sooo clever! Why haven’t I thought of that! Superman’s done it for ages. Thanks for the cool tip ๐Ÿ™‚

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs 9 years ago

      You’re welcome! I love introducing this tip to people who have never used before!

  20. Zamamabakes 9 years ago

    Perfection! My mum handed this little tip onto me when I was about 5 I think!
    love your pic, you made me smile.
    Have a beautiful weekend xx

  21. Shannon@ my2morrows 9 years ago

    Awesome tip! Perfect for my little miss and her school tights too!
    Always knew you were really wonder woman! ๐Ÿ˜‰
    Xx

  22. rosariok 9 years ago

    I wear tights with cotton gusset, no undies under the tights and spandex shorts over the tights. If I get careless with a short skirt the most anyone would see is the shorts.

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs 9 years ago

      Oh definitely. I also wear shorter stuff in winter because of the the tights!

  23. rebeccassunday 9 years ago

    Nailing it. I used to wear 2 pairs, one under and one over and the pair over would get 1-2 days go at a time. I don’t know if I could go full bare under there but it seriously does help!!! x

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs 9 years ago

      I usually wear the top pair to bed at night to sleep in! ๐Ÿ™‚

  24. lucianacorrales 9 years ago

    Hahahaha
    So weird my friend and i were talking about this just the other day!
    Love the wonder woman element!

    x Luci

  25. Sarah @She Writes 9 years ago

    The only way to wear tights I saw Smags. But I admit to the double undies too! I love the Wonder Woman shot x

  26. Zoe | A Quirky Bird 9 years ago

    I normally double undies but, this I got to try. Zoe xx

  27. I do this. At primary school I remember being told it was knickers first, then tights, then bloomers. What are they like Lycra over the top pants?! Haha! That tight sag I always called “penguin-itus” gimme the shits!!

  28. I have double undied all my life, I also have been known to tuck the shirt into the undies to give me a cleaner line and to ensure the shirt does not untuck, like a quasi bodysuit circa 1980’s….

  29. Kim 8 years ago

    OK, here it is: 1) Make sure you buy tights that are big enough, if you are between sizes buy the larger size.
    2) If you are wearing a leotard or bodysuit wear them over your tights, the draw back is a call of nature can be a bit more involved. 3) If you are a male dancer you can use a belt, roll the top of the tights over the belt. 4) Buy tights with a stronger waist band 5) Look at the tights when off, do they shrink to a very short size? These tights will tend to fall down. 6) Remember tights worn under trousers will also have a tendency to go south. 7) But by far the best idea is to find a type and brand that suits your legs and body shape and stick with them, but a word of caution sometimes tights are made under licence and manufacturers can change year to year.

  30. peter 8 years ago

    My Opaque tights always stay up ,just wear a small cotton thong I have done this for years

  31. Sue 8 years ago

    I just Googled this subject and came across this site. I’m still laughing! Seriously, this is hilarious!!! I’ve been wearing tummy control panties, you know, the ones that look like tight shorts that go half way down your thigh and they’ve worked perfectly. So glad to know I’m on track with super hero Carly!

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs 8 years ago

      Ha! Awesome! Welcome to Smaggle – it’s very weird around here. x

  32. Vincenzo Morreale 8 years ago

    Ladies, you will soon never have to worry about keeping your tight’s up. I have found the solution….!! Need to get the patent of my invention. Keep your eye’s on this spot…. I think I might earn me an appointment with the cover of Forbes Magazine……..

    Ps…. I’ll keep you posted..

  33. Hallie N. 4 years ago

    I am a catholic girl 17,and at my parish baptism is done on Easter sunday.All of the little girls,preteen and teen girls wear the traditional white,poofy,short sleeve,knee length baptism dress and matching bonnet with white tights and white mary jane style shoes.A cloth diaper and plastic pants is normally worn under our tights with a tee shirt as our top.After the tights are put on over the diaper and plastic pants,the tee shirt is put on and then tucked into the waist of the tights and then the waist of the tights is pinned with small safety pins to the tee shirt thus preventing the tights from sliding down over the diaper and plastic pants.This method is also done for First Communion and Confirmation.

    • Clarice A. 3 years ago

      To Hallie N.-At my parish,the tee shirt,cloth diaper,plastic pants and white tights are required under the baptism,First Communion and confirmation dresses! Confirmation is done at age 16[10th grade] and we have to wear a white,poofy,short sleeve,floor length dress and veil with white gloves and white low cut shoes.The tee shirt has to be plain white and the cloth diaper 10 plies thick and pinned on us with diaper pins.Our plastic pants have to be adult size and fit loose over the diaper and the white tights have to be the high waist kind,The tee shirt has to be tucked into the tights and pinned with small safety pins to the tee shirt! I was confirmed in May of 2019 at 16,and it was a little different having the diaper and plastic pants on under my tights! The boys all know that us girls have to wear the tee shirt,diaper,plastic pants and tights and they constantly gawk at us girls!The parish recommends that the diaper,plastic pants and tights be saved and worn under our wedding gowns when we get married,if we are still virgins.

      • Jenni 2 years ago

        I am 16 and just finially made my First Holy Communion with the 7 year olds back on June 5th.Per the dress code,we had to wear a knee length,poofy communion dress and veil with the tights and white shoes and an under shirt with a cloth diaper and ‘rubberpants'[plasticpants] under our tights.aFTER MOM PUT THE TIGHTS ON OVER MY DIAPER AND RUBBERPANTS,SHE PINNED THE WAIST OF THE TIGHTS TO THE WAIST OF THE RUBBERPANTS SO THEY WOULDNT SLIDE DOWN.iT WORKED WELL!

        • Sylvia H. 10 months ago

          To Jenni-Our daughter is 14 and just made her First Holy Communion two weeks ago on May 21st.I put the required cloth diaper and rubberpants on her then the white tights on over them.Ipinned the waist of the tight to the waist of the rubberpants as per your suggestion and the tights and the rubberpants slid down some over her diaper!

          • Sarah J. 9 months ago

            When my daughter was 13 and in puberty,she was wetting the bed because of it.I had her wear cloth diapers and rubberpants to bed everynight.She was the flowergirl then in her nieces wedding and wore a cute,poofy,white sleeveless,knee length flowergirl dress with the veil,white tights and white shoes.I put her bedwetting diapers and rubberpants on her when i dressed her,then the tights over them.I didnt know that tights could slide down over the diapers and rubberpants,and even tho they were the high waist tights,they slid down to her groin area! After the ceremony,i took the diapers off of her and she wore the rubberpants under the tights which helped.

          • Jazimine 9 months ago

            My 12 year old daughter made her First Holy Communion back on June 4 in the the class of 23.Per the dress code the girls had to wear the cloth diaper and rubberpants with white tights under their dresses.She was given a pair of rhumba tights by her great aunt to wear over her diaper and rubberpants.The ruffles were white with a pink bow in the middle and looked very cute over her diaper and rubberpants! She didn’t have the problem of them sliding down.

          • Anonymous 2 weeks ago

            When our daughter made her FHC at 14,the cloth diaper,rubberpants,tee shirt and tights were required with the communion dress.I went to JoAnn fabrics and got a package of white stick on velcro and took the hooks strip of the velcro,peeled off the backing and stuck the strip just under the waist band of the rubberpants all the way around.After i put the diaper and rubberpants on her,i put the white tights on her and the tights stuck to the strip of the velcro hooks and it worked great! Half way thru her party that afternoon,i took the tights and diaper off of her and let her wear the rubberpants under her communion dress untill bedtime.

  34. Lillian 3 years ago

    My girlfriends and I have two types of panties…comfy panties we wear as a base layer, under leggings and jeans. They are comfortable and no fuss. The second is what we have coined as “Show panties”. These are for when we wear shorter dresses and skirts at the bar or over pantyhose and tights. They aren’t meant to be see but they are more than likely the ones that are going to be if things go awry. We have contests to see who can find and show off the best show panties in the group. It also helps with falling down crotches of tights as well falling down due to one too many at the bar. It’s nice to not worry about being so ladylike all the time and it’s fun and less embarrassing.

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