Some excellent points covered there.

On the 'wearing white hose' front.......

Where has the aversion to wearing white / cream hose come from? I'm from Scotland but living away from home at the moment and for me the white / cream hose are the correct attire to be worn with black tie. From many years of Scottish weddings and black-tie events this is what the majority of men wear at formal occasions.
Of course for less formal occasions then the field is more open although I've never seen some of the less subtle outfits which I see here as being the norm.

I guess its just wearing the right outfit for the occasion and what you feel comfortable in