Need help picking hose colors.

[AKScott]

I think I can justify three pairs of hose with maybe two pairs of traditional garters and one pair of flashes. I don't want to show up in the same pair of hose everytime I wear my kilt.

I'd druther order it all at once to save on shipping.

Kilt will be Scott modern green. I am partial to the Strome mill, but it shouldn't make a huge difference. http://www.usakilts.com/store/tartan...show&gazgal=23



My daywear sgian will have a light colored wooden handle, likely quilted maple.
http://www.woodgems4u.com/example.htm


I have yet to read anything negative about Matt's "Lewis" line of kilt hose, I am leaning to Lovat Green and claret for the first two color choices, trying to pick among tartan red, yellow, and dark natural for the third pair.
http://giftshop.scottishtartans.org/hose_lewis.htm


For traditional ties I am thinking yellow and gray; looking at orange or light blue flashes; but I am kinda wondering if the purple garter tie might work with yellow hose. It would require a shirt and tie combination I can't name.
http://giftshop.scottishtartans.org/garters.html

Plain leather sporran, big smile; mostly thick heavy sweaters in natural tones, oatmeal or heather or salt grass. Levels 2-6 on the "ten ways" scale.

Thanks,
Scott

[BoldHighlander]

I think I can justify three pairs of hose with maybe two pairs of traditional garters and one pair of flashes. I don't want to show up in the same pair of hose everytime I wear my kilt.

I have yet to read anything negative about Matt's "Lewis" line of kilt hose, I am leaning to Lovat Green and claret for the first two color choices, trying to pick among tartan red, yellow, and dark natural for the third pair.
http://giftshop.scottishtartans.org/hose_lewis.htm

Yellow hose would make quite the statement (& I think would look cool)!

However I also really like the idea of the Dark Natural paired with Yellow traditional ties. I would also consider a pair of Red garter ties (Tartan Red or Brick Red perhaps?). They go with just about anything, and would look nice paired with those Lovat Green hose

[Jock Scot]

Yes your first two choices of hose fit the bill well and for your third pair I find dark "bottle" green pretty versatile. Over time you will whittle down the colours that you will need, both in hose and flashes /garter ties and I find that blue flashes and red flashes are all I ever need. You know it is not necessary to think too hard about matching shirts and ties with anything and it is not something many Scots even think about.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I agree that a pair of red garters is a must. Assuming your first two colors of hose will be lovat green and claret, I'd personally pick yellow for the third color (though I think you wouldn't be amiss to choose dark natural, as it is such a nice neutral color it would go with most anything).

I say yellow not only because I think it would look great with that tartan, but also because the red is fairly close to the claret you'd be getting and a bottle (tartan) green is in the same family as the lovat green. Might as well get something different.

[OC Richard]

I'm a strange guy, who spends more time thinking about stuff like hose colour than is normal, or healthy.

What I've noticed over the years is that, if a tartan has (for example) two main colours, that if you wear hose that match one of the colours it has the effect of sucking or draining that colour out of the kilt, making the tartan weaker than it was before. I know that everything is in the eye of the beholder and this effect may not be obvious on the conscious level, but I believe that the visual effect is real and present whether we're aware of it or not.

Another thing is that certain hose colours can diminish the overall vividness of the tartan's colours. A local pipe band, who wear lovely kilts with nice burgundy hues accented with greens and sky blue, switched from white hose to mid-grey hose and immediately all their kilts looked dull. All the interesting colour interactions present in the tartan were drained away by the dull mid-grey hose (and shirts).

You can't go wrong with black and its cousin a deep charcoal grey. These allow all of the tartan's colours to interact with each other without interference. (Same with jackets.)

It's very tricky to find just the right colour hose which enhance a kilt's colours rather than dulling them. The hose which look "right" usually aren't an exact match for ANY of the various colours in the tartan, but rather a shade that somehow works well with the kilt's overall effect. Often the hose that work best are a colour that's a strong contrast with the kilt's overall shade. Dark kilt? Try lighter hose.

[MacMillans son]

Although not on your final list of three, another consideration may be the Ancient Blue hose, coupled with claret garter ties.

I favor garter ties over flashes, and get the most use out of the claret color. I find it is red enough to tone well with most colors, and add some flair without being shockingly red. My second color choice in garters would also be Ancient Blue.

Yellow is a challenging color for me in hose. I own two pair of mustard (diced top and plain) and find I rarely wear them. I don't know what it is, perhaps the chicken leg look ? I keep trying them hoping I get used to them though

I have a disproportionate number of earth tone kilts and really like the Dark Naturals with them. I don't tend to wear them with blue/green kilts as I still lean towards tying in some variation of the kilts color in my accessories. I just can't seem to get too far away from that, and still feel comfortable.

Good thing is, if you aren't completely satisfied with your color choices you can keep buying kilts until you get one that works with the hose!!

[longhuntr74]

Out of your colors, I'd go with dark natural. Yellow, while flashy and daring, is just too shocking for regular wear in my opinion. I think you'd probably end up feeling the same way MacMillan's Son does about his mustard hose (by the way...if you'd like to part with either of those pairs, I'll put them to use!!)

Based on all the colors available, however, I'd strongly encourage you to consider ancient blue/St. Andrews blue...something in that shade. I own three green-tone kilts and think that the blue really sets them off...conversely, I hardly ever wear my bottle green hose...because they're just too similar to the color of the kilts...looks like I'm trying to hard to match. Contrast and lighter colors is best, IMO.

I do wear my charcoal hose more often...when I'm looking for sedate colors...though I think that the dark natural (basically a light grey), would provide the same effect with a lighter hue and more contrast. Blue is my top choice however...with red garters...follow Jock's advice there...red and a light or navy blue...all the color you ever need.

[EagleJCS]

Knowing what the tartan looks like in person, the Lovat green may not look right with the Scott Green modern. (On my monitor, it looks almost like sea green or teal). Bottle green, will maybe work OK. Unless that yellow were actually a little more yellow and less brown, it may not work either.

The claret doesn't do anything for me, but the tartan red will probably pop well, and bring out the red stripes (although those stand out pretty well on their own).

Of the options provided, I'd go with navy blue, tartan red and bison, myself.

[xman]

Personally I think there are many good options. I would be inclined to go with Bottle Green and Navy Blue hose and Red, Yellow and Off White flashes/garters. having something to shake it up isn't a bad idea though. Red hose fits that bill and can be matched with Green or Blue flashes, even White. The options are many as I said before.

[AKScott]

Santa won't be stuffing hose cash into my stocking for a few hours yet. Feel free to keep chiming in if you have another idea.

I do concede red or blue flashes would be much more versatile with yellow hose. I guess having let go Norte Americano "samey-same" disease I still suffer from the "contrast-coordinate" sequelae.

Matt, you'll be hearing from me next week sometime.