Thoughts on hose color etc.

[Alan H]

However, Meghan, if you're paranoid about someone thinking poorly about your man in white kilt hose, then go buy him some black kilt hose.

Just understand that I, personally, happen to HATE black kilt hose.

[Alan H]

This is fun.

[madmacs]

Look Meghan....you're the chick who spat out everclear and set it on fire, right? Right? And who, BTW, didn't provide video of this epic event... *AHEM*

I was going to ask why... Then I saw everclear... Explains much I suspect...

[Jack Daw]

What are your thoughts about hose color?

Youre plannin an afternoon in town. Youre wearing a Black Watch kilt. What color hose would you be wear?

What tabs/flashes will you be wearing?

When wearing my Black Watch, I've worn red-and-white diced hose with red flashes and khaki (from What Price Glory) with red or green flashes, and solid red hose.

[OC Richard]

Here are a few of the "looks" I've seen over the years which have helped mould my ideas of what looks good with Black Watch (or BW-like) kilts...

Originally the Black Watch tartan was known as the "Government tartan" and was worn by all Highland regiments. Red and white diced hose were worn by all these regiments (red & black hose, and red & green hose, came into the army much later, in the 19th century)



While not Black Watch, the colours are very similar, and you can see Angus MacKay wearing black and red diced hose, showing that such things were being done also in civilian dress:



and here are Red & White diced hose still being worn with Government kilts in the 1850s:



and both red & white and red & black diced hose being worn with Government kilts recently in the Army



But not only in the Army! From a 1940 Paisley catalogue, red & white diced hose in this youth's costume (showing that it's not just BW/Govt kilts which are suited for such hose)



So, if I were to own and wear a Black Watch kilt, especially if I were to wear it with formal dress, I would most probably get a pair of red & white or red & black diced full hose, though scarlet & yellow tartan hose would be very tempting...

[AFS1970]

While the white hose controversy is likely something that will never go away, I think that they need to be used sparingly. I actually think that the Black Watch is probably one of the few tartans that could make white hose look good, mostly because it is such a dark color. The white hose would be in stark contrast to the kilt. I would think then that flashes would be needed to tone down the hose, I can think of black, dark blue or dark green being the best choices.

As for the diced hose, I realize that when in uniform these are somewhat of a unit identifier and not selected for any fashion related reason, but in civilian dress fashion is a factor. I am not sure red really goes with all those dark colors of the tartan, unless also being accompanied by the red coat. Since red coats are rarely if ever seen in civilian wear, the red would stick out like a sore thumb (or in this case a sore toe).

Now as an aside, I have to wonder about the mindset that white hose are bad and should never be worn, however covering colored hose with white spats, not that is a smart look. I have white spats left over from my color guard days, I never wear them anymore, but one never knows when one might need them again. I find it hard to believe that white spats are any better or worse than white hose as far as fashion goes, considering that all spats are non-functional at this point in our history.

[creagdhubh]

Lovat green, with red. That will get me through 99 percent of daywear with any tartan, so it's my default answer.

Very true! I have worn that colour combination many times - it tones well with almost any tartan.

Cheers,