kilts, hose and flashes

[rveaks73]

I have a blair modern kilt and flashes, do you think it would be better to wear green hose or white, the flashes dark and i dont know if they would stand out from the hose

[Steve Ashton]

The general consensus is that there is no rule that you must build the colors of your outfit based on the colors of your Tartan. You probably did not choose your sock color based on the color of your pants.

Look at the outfit as a whole. The kilt should be the centerpiece of the outfit and you should let it shine. If your whole outfit is built around the colors of the Tartan the kilt ends up becoming just another part of the overall background.

There is also the thinking that White hose came about from the needs of pipe bands and rental fleets. Pipe bands need hose that can be bleached and rental fleets need cheap hose they can buy in bulk.

You can wear ecru or cream hose but do so as a conscious choice. A choice that says this color looks better with the whole outfit. Do not wear something out of some misconception that white is more traditional just because that is what is all over the web. We actually call that look "The website cookie cutter look".
There are so many colors that you can coordinate almost any outfit without the hose sticking out as glaring white.

Flashes are little ribbons that simulate the ends of the traditional tied garters. Most use the flashes as 'that little splash of color" in the outfit. Some coordinate flash color with the pocket square or tie.
Most agree that Tartan flashes are a sales gimmick.

This same thinking is also applied to the kilt pin. It is 'that little glint of jewelry". About the same as a lady wearing a brooch. Don't be misled to think that it hold the kilt closed or is a weight to hold the aprons down. The kilt is a wrap around garment. If the front apron is flipped up by a gust you have another right behind.

The Belt is totally decorative. The straps and buckles of the kilt hold it in place. Old School dressing rules say that if you wear a vest, you do not wear a belt. A buckle distorts the lay of the ends of the vest.

If you like Ghillie Brogue shoes fine. But they are not required or 'more traditional'. You can wear any good dress shoe, just put some polish on them. If you wear boots for a more casual look you may prefer to scrunch the hose down over the top of the boots.

[Taskr]

You said "white" and "hose" in the same sentence ..be prepared for many opinions.

On opinions, mine is that the white-ish hose I was encouraged to buy from the kilt shop was a mistake. I am not a piper and don't have any other uniform requirements needing white hose. I far prefer colours over the appearance of two white pins standing my kilt up. As for flashes, they don't necessarily need to stand out. Many of us do not have tartan flashes at all, preferring one or a few of colour, and some with full garter ties - the opinion being that the tartan is in the kilt and need not be hose flash. Perhaps tartan cloth was once used to tie about the hose to hold them up (I have absolutely NO idea if that was the case), but when one considers the utility of hose garters, a tartan flash doesn't equate.

So, IMO, worry not that the tartan flash does not stand out. Colour hose are preferable (complimenting shirt/vest/jacket and not matching the kilt). If you wish the flashes to stand out, you can find many colours. I make my own from cloth ribbon over elastic (the garter flashes type)

[Richrail]

Have a good look at these threads- http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...-attire-46888/ and http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...entures-72206/. Some good examples of putting looks together.

[rveaks73]

Very good examples indeed, tyvm

Have a good look at these threads- http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...-attire-46888/ and http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...entures-72206/. Some good examples of putting looks together.

[Father Bill]

I don't own any white, cream, or ecru hose. None. As for flashes; red is my go-to colour.

[Tobus]

You said "white" and "hose" in the same sentence ..be prepared for many opinions.

Yes. Mommy Dearest has a strong opinion on this.

[Spartan Tartan]

I have a blair modern kilt and flashes, do you think it would be better to wear green hose or white, the flashes dark and i dont know if they would stand out from the hose

Personally, I wear garter ties. I'll even wear ties of the same colour as my hose on occasion. Sometimes, I like them to have a different colour to provide a little contrast, but on the whole I wear them to keep my hose from falling down. That all being said...

You asked about hose colour and FLASHES, not ties. I agree with previous comments that you should wear what "looks right" to you when considering the entire outfit. Nevermind the white hose haters...

If you are concerned that your flashes would get washed out by darker hose, I wouldn't be concerned. They will certainly stick out (no pun intended) enough to add some pop.

If all that previous was just too "on the fence" or "non-committal" to be a satisfactory answer, then: GREEN. I prefer colour hose and like others do not own white hose. But green happens to be my favourite colour as well... so I'm perhaps biased to green.

Enjoy!!

[JohnClanFarquharson]

My 2 cents, I do not wear white hose, as Steve said it looks cookie cutter, to me it is that, just plain. I do go against the x marks consensus, I like my tartan hose, and my tartan top hose. I realise the opinion is they are for dress, but they look great. Ive seen many in Scotland wear them with day wear. I have just gone from the flashes the garter ties and it looks much better, again my opinion. I would say wear what you like, when it comes to hose and ties. Ive seen many mixed matched colors with them and none have looked awful. I stay with ancient color hose with my ancient tartan, modern or darker colors with my modern and white popcorn hose with the pipe band

[rveaks73]

I have the dark green ones as well