Argyle hose and day wear?

[Kilted Cole]

I was just wondering if wearing of Argyle kilt hose with day wear...not formal....is a fashion no no, or is it perfecly acceptable? I'd be wearing a different shirt, and a jacket and vest.

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[MacLowlife]

It seems the tradition of argyle hose for formal/evening only arose from the hose being expensive and thus very special. However, I do not think there is anything particularly formal about them and I wear them day and night. In a world where a single man might own three kilts, the idea of argyle hose being expensive seems kind of secondary. However, they do tend to be pricey, so take good care of yours!

Of course, this is just my own opinion- others may disagree entirely

[piperdbh]

I must disagree with my Palmetto neighbor. I think Argyll hose are best reserved for dressy evening functions. To my eye, solid-color hose, or maybe some sort of colorwork hose look better with day wear than do Argyll hose. However, they're your socks on your feet, so if you decide to wear them during the day, go right ahead and I hope you enjoy the day.

[mookien]

And I don't disagree with either MacLowlife or piperdbh, ... or both for that matter.

[Kilted Cole]

I was thinking of pairing this with a bottle green jacket and vest. Thank you all for your input. I do value it.

[TheOfficialBren]

I have to concur with Piperdbh. I would reserve them for dressier occasions (though not necessarily strictly black- or white-tie events), though certainly leaning towrd formal almost exclusively. The are expensive. Seriously. Very expensive. Average price: $100......for socks. Madness. I don't fuss much over hose, though, as long as they keep my feet warm (when applicable) and dry.

Edited to add:

Just to clarify, I prefer solid-coloured most of the time but I do really like Argyll hose.

[creagdhubh]

I must disagree with my Palmetto neighbor. I think Argyll hose are best reserved for dressy evening functions. To my eye, solid-color hose, or maybe some sort of colorwork hose look better with day wear than do Argyll hose. However, they're your socks on your feet, so if you decide to wear them during the day, go right ahead and I hope you enjoy the day.

Agreed.

[OC Richard]

As always I take the long view of things, that is, looking at what is as only the most recent representative of a long continuum.

We can well be aware that self-coloured/solid hose are a somewhat recent innovation, in other words, it seems that ALL hose were patterned originally.

True that when Highland Dress became systematised/compartmentalised/categorised in the early decades of the 20th century, the rigid categories of Evening Dress and Outdoor Dress each having specialised shoes, hose, sporran, and jacket, that patterned hose (tartan and diced) were reserved for Evening Dress.

You see things like this over and over









and so forth. It's this system which has come down to us as "traditional Highland Dress".

But throughout the 19th century these categories weren't strictly observed and you will see numerous examples of patterned hose being worn with grey or brown tweed jackets, jackets which by the 1920s would be considered Outdoor/Day jackets.













So nowadays it would look a bit odd, but heck, why not wear what you want?

[piperdbh]

Since the original question has been answered (multiple times), I shall now begin the obligatory threadjack.
1. I have had the privilege of meeting Sir Malcolm MacGregor, and I can tell you he's at least 6-foot-two in his tartan stocking feet and has a good firm handshake.
2. The picture of Matt Newsome et al was taken at Stone Mountain, not Grandfather.

There.