Hose color?

[Hachiman]

G'day to the Rabble

I have looked through the forum and haven't been able to locate a thread to answer my question, so I'm going to seek the Rabble's advice here. If this has been answered before, I beg your forgiveness for the repetition.

I'm about to buy my first kilt (well, technically it's my second, but that's another story) and am seriously thinking of a Black Stewart heavyweight from Stillwater Kilts. My quandary is that I'm unsure what colour hose to purchase to complete my ensemble? Since I don't have a great deal of extra cash, I probably won't be able to wear brown leather accoutrements, so I'll be wearing black leather (shoes, sporran, and belt) regardless of the time of day. It's just one of those things one has to compromise if one wishes to have a kilt.... And I do want a kilt!!
Also (and in case someone asks), I will be wearing regular leather shoes and not boots - at least, not until I can acquire some decent black boots sometime down the track.

So, I ask: what color hose would y'all recommend?

regards,

Hachiman

[LandRover]

You're going to be very pleased with Jerry's offering methinks. I was so happy with his Stewart that I bought the Black Watch a week later ...

As to the hose, I were lovat green, black, and oatmeal. The green adds the colour, the black blends beautifully, I'm still thinking about the oatmeal. I think red hose would go nicely as would bottle blue.

Like you, I do not have but black accessories; sporran, sporran strap and boots. Soon I'll get with Donnie at Wyvern for a two-tone sporran and that should do quite nicely for day and evening use.

The Stewart has six colours and is a very nice weave; you'll be hard-pressed to use hose in a "bad" colour-match.

[Chas]

I wear black with my Black Stewart. I've got a variety of garters in the various colours from the tartan, so I can ring the changes.

Regards

Chas

[unixken]

I wear black with my Black Stewart. I've got a variety of garters in the various colours from the tartan, so I can ring the changes.

I was going to say... if funds are limited, you might get more mileage out of a single color of hose, and a few different sets of flashes for the immediate future, and then add hose of additional colors as funds permit, for greater mix-and-match options. You can even make flashes on the cheap, from scraps of fabric, while saving for additional hose.

[Chas]

Cheap Garters -

Buy a yard of 1" wide elastic tape;

Cut it in half;

Tie one half round the top of your calf (or where the top of your hose will be), a little looser than you would have thought;

Do the same for the other;

Take them off and put to one side;

Acquire some wool in the colour required. You can either buy cheap wool, or go to a charity shop, or ask relatives and friends. You don't want a lot - a quarter ball is too much;

Get a piece of stiff cardboard about 10" wide;

Loop the wool round the cardboard about 20 to 30 times to form a hank (you choose - the more you wrap, the bigger your tassels), cut off;

Remove hank:

Roughly 3" in from each end tie a loose overhand knot in the hank;

Put to one side;

Repeat for second hank;

You should now have two hanks - 3", knot, 4", knot, 3";

Working on them together, even them out so that the knots are in the same place on each;

Cut the loops on all four ends and trim so that they are all equal;

Put your hose on;

Put on one of the elasticated garters (knot to the inwards);

Take one of the hanks, tuck under the garter and fold over;

Fold over top of hose;

Repeat on other leg.

For next to no money you can have dozens and dozens of garters. My favourites are mixed colours. I have a pair of black and gold that I love.

And no one knows that they are not expensive hand made garters - well apart from us, now.

Regards

Chas

[McNulty]

I too have a Black Stewart from SWK and love the maroon combo shown below. But for versatility I'd get an off white pair as they will go with about any kilt you may get in the future.
McNulty

[Jock Scot]

G'day to the Rabble



-------- Since I don't have a great deal of extra cash, I probably won't be able to wear brown leather accoutrement's, so I'll be wearing black leather (shoes, sporran, and belt) regardless of the time of day. It's just one of those things one has to compromise if one wishes to have a kilt.... And I do want a kilt!!
Also (and in case someone asks), I will be wearing regular leather shoes and not boots - at least, not until I can acquire some decent black boots sometime down the track.



regards,

Hachiman

The hose question has been covered so I can add nothing to the discussion. I can put your mind at ease over your "accoutrements" concerns though. Why worry about wanting brown? You have black and that is absolutely fine at any time of the day . If it puts your mind at ease, in 7 decades of kilt wearing I have never owned a brown sporran and strap and 90 times out of 100 I will wear black shoes and rarely ever boots of any shade. Many take this style route in Scotland.

There you go, Jock's standard black "accoutrements".



Have fun.

[ForresterModern]

One suggestion would be a couple pairs of "go to" hose that will do you stead in almost any situation even as your kilt collection grows and blossoms new color combination confusion. A nice Charcoal grey goes with nearly every thing, as does a nice claret red, although they go better with some than others. Many feel black goes with anything but I disagree as it seems too strong and dark a color for many tartans, hence the charcoal which softens that darkness a bit. There is always the perennial natural or "ecru" kilt hose (not bleach bright white) which also look fine with everything but not especially great with anything. As you venture into other opportunities to add to your hose collection look at the secondary colors in your kilt/s, be they navy blue, tartan green, lovat blue, lovat green, ancient blue, even brighter red or yellow or orange, etc... for accent coloration possibilities, or stick with your standby standards and choose these secondary colors for your flashes and other accessories in you attire such as ties or shirts. Most feel that red or claret flashes look good with just about any hose and just about any tartan, within reason.

As Chas says above there are several ways to make flashes and garters in a variety of colors as well as from tartan remnants if you have any from your kilt build. A couple pairs of "go to" hose and a variety of complimentary flashes should stead you well for a long time, at least till you can either afford more or can decide which others you might want to try. Look at lots of pictures here on X. If you find someone whose style fits yours, or who may have the same tartan kilt as you, look in their personal photo albums (if they are public) or for photo posts by them in the forum threads or gallery to get some ideas how others deal with the hose and flashes as they relate to your specific tartan, and how folks do it in general. Everybody is a little bit different but some generalities arise over time for most of us. Or just graze the gallery or the "Give us your best kilt picture" thread for some ideas. Lots of great examples to be found just with a little focussed grazing.

Not having a Black Stewart I am not personally aware of the specific colors in the tartan but I assume black, white, red and at least some green, and a couple more minor colors like yellow and possibly some blue. I imagine one could wear black or charcoal or red hose with impunity, and look for complimentary flashes to set off the hose from the group of minor colors in the set. I would personally not wear black flashes unless with a much lighter hose (red, yellow or ecru) or unless going to a funeral, far less likely to a wedding unless it was part of the wedding party attire. When I wear tartan flashes I tend to roll them up once to shorten the amount of tartan that hangs below the hose cuff turnover so it really is only a little flash of tartan (maybe an inch at most) rather than a pair of long ribbons of tartan hanging off each calf below the turnover cuff. Still provides the desired flash but less of the kilt shop mannequin appearence look, especially realizing that flashes are really an option rather than a necessity.

I like Chas's ideas for generating a broad variety of flash color options in a very inexpensive way. You can also buy sets of color flashes that come with a single pair of garters and simply swap out the flashes onto the garters at will---I have two sets, one in modern colors (tartan blue, bright gold/yellow, bright red, and tartan green) as well as a second in ancient or muted colors (rust, a faded yellow, ancient blue, and almost lovat green) to compliment a few other frestanding colors like grey, as well as my tartan flashes and a few mixed color garter ties.

Good luck in your choices. Pictures or it didn't happen.

[Spartan Tartan]

Many others have addressed the hose color choices. But I agree with Jock, don't bother worrying about the color if leather....I only have black as well. I prefer it, and fkr the cost of a new nice leather belt, sporran and shoes I could have several other hose and probably another jacket!! Certainly, the jackets (to my mind) add far more versatility to a wardrobe than a full set of matching leather accessories (which you will find is not even necessary )

[Joshua]

There are also some less expensive hose options if absolutely needed. Woolen hose are sometimes impractical in the warmer months - and the less expensive options normally do just as good a job in a casual environment. I would say my $12 sock dreams marled hose get more wear than my more expensive woolen hose.

But I would suggest whatever color of hose you like... you'll find with multi-colored tartan, it's very difficult to pick the wrong color hose. I'm still trying to find the right pair of maroon for myself, personally...