Argyll Hose with Day Wear

[JohntheBiker]

Given the cost of made-to-order tartan hose, I can fully appreciate why one would be reluctant to wear them as daywear, or perhaps more accurately as daily wear. After wearing tartan hose, I dry clean them rather than washing them in order to preserve size shape and colour, so wearing them about is a not inexpensive proposition.

Aside from the practical consideration, there are lots of photos about with Mat Newsome wearing tartan hose with tweed and frankly it's a very sharp look - check out the photo gallery at New House Highland - http://www.newhousehighland.com/kilt_gallery.html

Would I do it, absolutely, but not often. I wouldn't consider it a highland fashion faux pas.

[CMcG]

I see diced/tartan/argyle hose for daywear—apart from with morning dress—as more historical than traditional.

For the aforementioned Chiefs it might be traditional because their fathers probably did it and they may very well have inherited the family hose. For others folks to do so seems more like an effort at revival of a historical style. This is a question of convention, which has generally and widely moved to plainer hose for daywear.

I don't think it would be a faux pas to wear fully patterned hose with tweedy daywear, but it can be a bit over the top. There's nothing wrong with it per se, and one might make a case for it being personal flair.... For someone who likes a little extra impact, patterned hose tops might be a better choice.

All that being said, diced/tartan/argyle hose for daywear is close enough and reasonable enough on the traditional-historical continuum that a revival might be possible

[ShaunMaxwell]

Though I understand that argyle hose are typically reserved for more formal occasions, I once wore them with daywear and wasn't struck by lightening. Mine were pretty subdued in color, and I thought it worked well enough. That said, I haven't done it since... Nor for that matter have I had the opportunity to wear them again, as I have no formal events that I attend. Too bad... I like them.