TheRanok — at the barre —

Den (Denier) measures the thickness/weight of the yarn used to make hosiery. Lower Den = sheerer/finer; higher Den = thicker/warmer. 8-15 Den = ultra-sheer summer wear. 20-40 Den = everyday year-round (most-popular tier). 50-80 Den = semi-opaque cool-weather. 100-450 Den = warm winter wear (the higher numbers are heavyweight cotton/microfiber blends warmer than typical leggings).

No — separate Belarusian brands. Conte (founded 1997) specialises in hosiery — tights, socks, stockings. Milavitsa (founded 1908, 100+ year heritage) specialises in lingerie — bras, panties, intimate apparel. Both are Belarusian premium-tier brands; TheRanok carries both because they complement each other (Conte hosiery + Milavitsa lingerie = full European-elegance lower-body wardrobe).

Conte sits in the premium European tier alongside Wolford + Falke at lower price points. Construction quality (reinforced torso, silicone lace tops, sublimation-printed patterns, denier-accurate weight) matches the Western luxury hosiery houses. The price differential ($12-30 per pair Conte vs $40-100 Wolford) reflects distribution + brand-positioning differences, not quality differences. For buyers wanting Western-luxury quality at accessible price, Conte is the right choice. For buyers prioritising the Wolford brand-name specifically, Wolford is the right choice.

Match Den to wear-context: 8-20 Den for warm-weather office + summer dress wear. 30-40 Den for year-round office + everyday casual. 50-70 Den for cool-weather office + semi-formal. 80+ Den for cold-weather + winter outdoor + cool-office-with-skirt-suit. For one-tights-budget buyers: 40 Den is the most-versatile single-Den-rating pick, working office + dressy + casual + cool-weather contexts.

Yes — different construction. Tights are a single piece with attached waistband, covering legs + waist together. Stockings (silicone-top hold-ups) are individual leg pieces with silicone bands at the top that grip the thigh — no waistband, no garter belt needed. Stockings are typically worn for special-occasion / lingerie contexts where the bare-thigh-with-stocking-band aesthetic is desired. The Conte fantasy stockings line includes Happy Polka Dot Silicone Lace Top + Class 40 Den Silicone Lace Top for this use-case.

Generally true-to-size by Conte's published size chart. The size chart appears on each product page; match your height + weight to the chart for the right size. Some Conte tights have specific size designations (Size 2, Size 3, Size 4, Size 5) corresponding to body measurement ranges. Between sizes: size up rather than down — too-tight tights tear at the toe + lose elasticity faster. Properly-sized Conte tights last 30-50+ wearings before showing significant wear; undersized run-prone.

Three care practices: (1) Hand-wash cold + mild detergent for tights specifically. Machine-wash gentle cycle is acceptable but reduces lifespan. (2) Air-dry only — tumble drying degrades elastic + can cause runs. Lay flat or hang to dry. (3) Store rolled rather than folded — folded tights crease + stress at the fold lines. Roll into a ball or use a hosiery storage organizer. Properly-cared-for Conte tights last 30-50+ wearings; mass-market budget tights last 5-10 wearings — the cost-per-wearing is similar despite Conte's higher upfront price.