Diced Kilt Hose

[MikeC]

I am sure this has been covered before, but I'll ask anyway.

So i have a Black Watch kilt. Once or twice a year, I get to go to formal black tie events. I have a nice Prince Charlie for these events. Usually i just wear black hose, but was wondering is it ok for me to wear red/white or red/black diced hose with it? I know that the military wears them, but not being military or even ex-military, I want to know if its proper.

[Father Bill]

Just to clarify your question:

Are you combining this with any other Black Watch militaria - hackles? spats? BW sporran or hat badge? Are the hose the same colour combination as BW?

If none of those, it's not really an issue.

[davidlpope]

I am sure this has been covered before, but I'll ask anyway.

So i have a Black Watch kilt. Once or twice a year, I get to go to formal black tie events. I have a nice Prince Charlie for these events. Usually i just wear black hose, but was wondering is it ok for me to wear red/white or red/black diced hose with it? I know that the military wears them, but not being military or even ex-military, I want to know if its proper.

Diced hose (red/black, red/green, red/white) are very traditional for evening dress and do not imply a military connection.

[figheadair]

I don't see this being an issue. Red and white dice hose have been worn by civilians since the mid-18th century. The fact that you have a Black Watch kilt (you don't say whether you mean military issue or simply the tartan), is not an issue unless you are dressing up and purporting to have served in that regiment.

[Father Bill]

I don't see this being an issue. Red and white dice hose have been worn by civilians since the mid-18th century. The fact that you have a Black Watch kilt (you don't say whether you mean military issue or simply the tartan), is not an issue unless you are dressing up and purporting to have served in that regiment.

My point exactly.

[Jock Scot]

If you like them, then wear them. Although many in this part of the world would consider that you were "over-egging the cake" with civilian attire for any event other than an ultra formal event.

[Dr Bee]

I want to know if its proper.

Yes, it is perfectly proper. My understanding is that the Royal Regiment of Scotland's current uniform diced hose is red/black and that other/former/parent regiments specified red/white in the past but fortunately they do not and never have had a monopoly on these designs of hose and we can all choose to wear whichever combination of colours we think is appropriate with whichever tartan we choose to wear - including all variations of the Government or Black Watch tartan.

I have a Modern Lamont kilt with which I like to wear my green/black diced hose by House of Cheviot (which by co-incidence they call 'Black Watch' - although they match a Black Watch kilt pretty well, I don't think the Regiment of that name ever had a green/black pattern of diced hose for uniform).

[OC Richard]

I have a Black Watch kilt. I have a nice Prince Charlie...usually I just wear black hose, but was wondering is it ok for me to wear red/white or red/black diced hose with it?

Not only is it OK, it is far more "correct" (as they were fond of saying back in the 1930s) to wear diced or tartan hose with Evening Dress, as opposed to selfcoloured/plain hose, which have never been associated with Evening Dress.

There has never been any unique correlation between diced hose and the military. Military and civilian Highland Dress has always used both diced and tartan hose.

Here, a purely civilian outfit from c1930 showing red & white diced hose



A soldier in tartan hose



IMHO either red & white or red & black diced hose would look perfect with the Black Watch tartan.

Actually practically any colour-combination would look fine: blue & green, claret & green or blue, scarlet & green or blue, and so forth.

If you wanted to avoid a military look then claret & green or claret & blue would do the job. https://houseoflabhran.net/product/s...ced-kilt-hose/