Socks and flashes when casual

**Jay** · 21st January 11, 12:41 PM

Going to wear the kilt out tonight. Probably going to wear some 8" black leather boots.

Up to this point, I have worn hiking boots with basic grey wool socks. Now I have proper kilt hose from WB Socks in the UK.

Would you wear a longer kilt hose/sock with tall boots? Would you wear flashes with them? Or do the flashes look silly?

I have been looking through pictures in various boot threads here and calt really see if flashes are being worn to keep the hose up.

**tulloch** · 21st January 11, 12:46 PM

You will need the hose pulled up to just below the knee to keep from freezing if it is cold in Toronto as it is here in Massachusetts. I use garters that I tie and rarely show more than the tips of the ends out from under the top. I think it looks great. You'll need them to keep the hose up.

**Jay** · 21st January 11, 01:19 PM

It is very cold here, although likely not as wet as where you are.

That humid cold gets right through whatever you are wearing.

**NewEnglander** · 21st January 11, 01:30 PM

I almost never wear flashes with my garters. I just slide the ribbons off the elastic and wear them that way.

**Whidbey78** · 21st January 11, 02:29 PM

With boots 8'-10" I just wear boot socks myself. I tried kilt hose but didn't personally like it. Pulled up they seemed a little "off" somehow, and pushed down the extra bulk reminded me of those leg-warmers my sisters wore in the 80's. With short hiking boots, 6" or less, I think the hose work alright. Just no flashes. I either use just the elastic from my flashes or some garter ties in a color that doesn't stand out(but usually the elastic).

Some guys look perfectly fine with hose pulled up and tall-ish boots. I'm just not big on it. Of course, freezing legs and shivering in the cold would look sillier than any combination of boots, socks, hose, flashes and garters. Just my $.02USD.

**Larry124** · 21st January 11, 11:49 PM

In this season I'd forgo both garters and flashes whatever the height of the hose (disclaimer: my calves are so shaped that the hose stays in place wherever placed).

GG · 22nd January 11, 12:07 AM

For casual wear I never wear flashes.

When my kilt socks are pulled up I wear DIY garters made of Velcro strips and w/o flashes.

Greg

**Nighthawk** · 22nd January 11, 01:30 AM

I wear whatever I find to be most functional and comfortable. It's as simple as that.

**jason10mm** · 27th January 11, 08:14 AM

When I wear my old army boots (not sure how high they are , 8" sounds about right) I just fold the extra hose over the tops of the boots and think it looks pretty good. I have dark green hose to that probably helps.

**The Barry** · 27th January 11, 09:40 AM

As has been stated a couple of times above, I also don't wear flashes or garter ties with boots. If I'm dressing casual enough for 8" boots, I just wear boot socks and it looks great. I also wear a rather casual day sporran and a casual shirt, no buttons below the nipples (this is my way of saying "not a button down shirt").

Do this with a nice tartan kilt, and you get a really good, casual effect which looks natural because you aren't trying to hard, but you still look sharper than the guy wearing the UK with his 5" leather belt with the 6lbs of chrome stapled to it. Casual, but nice looking.