The old diced kilt hose question – simply, as I’m quite young; I can’t really afford a pair of proper wool diced or tartan hose. I’ve plenty of excuses to turn out in the Highland finery, but since my grandfather died I can’t ask him to settle questions of propriety! I'm familiar enough with the day kilt and tweeds, less so with black tie - I know the magnificent Lumsden of Cushnie, perhaps the great authority on Scots heraldry, dress and so on in Scotland (I’m in the Highlands), deplored the off-white kilt hose – it’s said he used to present a small card printed with ‘any colour but white’ to transgressors! For a ‘black tie’ event, would solid coloured hose be, not ideal, but acceptable? Kinloch Anderson sell solid coloured hose* (in, for instance, black and Lovat Green) for a far more manageable £20.00. Would Lumsden look kindly on it? Would you?



Of course, what colour? I think black is unlikely, but what would you suggest? Also, what sort of shirt ought to be worn with black tie? I can find no source – I assume as I have always done,a starched marcella shirt with studs and a turn-down collar, not the ‘boiled’ shirt and wing collar which is reserved for white tie.


Thank you,
P

PS: Forgive the anglicism - to those of you in the New World, marcella is piqué.

* http://www.kinlochanderson.com/mens/...ilt-hose-socks