Barnard Castle mum’s tights finally get hole after 19 years

Joanna Buchanan, 40, bought the black 60-denier tights by designer Jasper Conran in her first job as a trainee manager at Debenhams in 2007 when she was 21.

She wore them on some of her first dates with husband Andrew, 46, on the evening of her engagement and has donned them at interviews for each one of her six jobs.

And they didn’t suffer a single ladder in almost two decades until last month when she noticed they had finally sprung a hole in the heel while brunching with friends.

Joanna Buchanan, with the first hole she got in one pair of tights which lasted 19 years. (Image: SWNS)

Joanna Buchanan, in her long lasting tights. (Image: SWNS)

“They’ve been with me for almost all of my adult life and have been my favourite tights for almost 20 years,” Joanna, from Barnard Castle, County Durham, said.

“At the time, £15 was a lot of money for me, but they really have proven their worth.”

Joanna graduated from Lancaster University with a 2:1 in marketing in 2006 and moved back to live with her parents.

Joanna Buchanan, in her long lasting tights (Image: SWNS)

She applied for Debenhams’ graduate trainee scheme, and was posted to their Middlesbrough store on a salary of £19,000-a-year.

But when she went into work with a hole in her tights, her boss told her off.

“She told me to stop buying cheap tights and to go and get myself an expensive pair as they’d last me for life,” she said.

“I hated it at the time, but she was right.”

Joanna Buchanan, 40, with her husband Andrew, 46, not long after she first bought the Jasper Conran tights. (Image: SWNS)

Joanna went up to the store’s lingerie department and bought three pairs of Jasper Conran tights in different colours and designs.

The black pair has been worn by her at least twice a week ever since – around 2,000 wears.

The year she bought them – 2007 – the first iPhone was released by Apple, the average cost of a pint was £2.60 and Tony Blair was still Prime Minister until June.

Joanna Buchanan’s long lasting tights. (Image: SWNS)

Joanna moved from Debenhams after two years having run the lingerie department.

She married Andrew in 2009, has since had six jobs, moving into recruitment before becoming a website content writer.

She also had kids Jake, 14, and Isla, 11.

She added: “I think of my old manager a lot. At the time I thought she was a bit scary but her lesson about my tights has shaped me and shaped my work ethic for life.

Joanna Buchanan, in her long lasting tights in 2007. (Image: SWNS)

“Don’t get me wrong, I still do shop in Primark, but ever since then I’ve always thought the important stuff – for example your underwear – should be of decent quality.”

Tight manufacturers estimate that with regular wear, good quality tights should last at least a year.

Joanna Buchanan. (Image: SWNS)

Joanna has always washed her pair on 40C “with no special treatment” and even tumble-dries them.

She now plans to stitch or glue up the hole in the hope she can keep wearing them.

Jasper Conran was contacted for comment but did not respond.