The Hosiery Debate: Splurge or Save? What Do You Think?

Reader "lolo04" raised a good point in the comments section the other day, noting that expensive European stockings are worth the extra cash, given that they last a lifetime. I agree when it comes to the more sheer kind of hosiery: They really do seem to have a more refined look and are weirdly run-resistant. But for opaque tights, I'm more on the fence. My routine has been to go to discount department store Century 21 once a year and do a bulk buy of whatever they have on-hand (I've been really happy with the ones I've gotten by Calvin Klein and Lauren by Ralph Lauren). I've definitely succumbed to the temptation to buy exponentially more pricey Euro brands, just to see what all the fuss was about. In my (very unscientific) research, I've found that all the ones I've tried, no matter how much I've paid for them, hold up well, even after multiple washings, until you scratch them against something—sadly and unsurprisingly, nothing is snag-proof. And I'm more annoyed having snagged $50 tights as opposed to $10 ones, so I tend to stick to the cheap. Having said this though, I still think it's worth it to pay more if you can't find the exact color you want (Falke makes really nice, thick cotton tights in the perfect shade of steely gray), and the fancy labels tend to have more variety if you're into lacy patterns or more fashiony detailing. I'd love to hear what the rest of you think, though: Is it worth it to splurge on hosiery?