Choosing hose

**Jon** · 27th July 17, 10:24 AM

I'm having a kilt made in a custom weave Perry Hunting tartan. https://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/ta...tails?ref=3323
I'm having a difficult time figuring out what color(s) hose will go well. Anyone have any suggestions?

**WalesLax** · 27th July 17, 10:34 AM

My personal choice would be black hose with yellow flashes.

What are you wearing it with though? That may change the answer, as you may prefer to match the hose and/or flashes to match what you've got on up top.

Rob

**The Wizard of BC** · 27th July 17, 10:41 AM

Just because you put a kilt on does not necessarily mean that you must now base all the colors in your outfit on the kilt.

I bet you did not choose the color of your socks based on the color of your pants.

In fact from an artists way of thinking if the colors of your kilt are too close to the colors of your accessories the kilt will have a tendency to blend into the background.

If you go to a wedding in Scotland everyone in kilts is wearing the same jacket, shirt, tie, hose and shoes but everyone is in a different Tartan.

There is no brown in this Tartan.

There are so many colors. Why not experiment and try some of them, you may find two or three you like.

**WalesLax** · 27th July 17, 11:01 AM

Steve, it looks like you did what I often do when not wearing kilts (and sometimes when wearing them) - you matched your socks to your shirt. Obviously I do like it. As you are insinuating, I do like my socks (whether kilted or panted) to "pop."

When kilted, I generally match my socks or flashes to a minor element in the tartan, as I feel it makes that minor element really "pop," and it matches without being overly matchy.

Kilt wearing wise, I can't disagree with your suggestion to experiment. Actually, that's something I want to try more now that you've mentioned it/reminded me.

I would say to Jon, if you are only looking to buy one pair of socks and wear them with this tartan every time, I would revert to my original suggestion of black. Just my $0.02.

Rob

**Tarheel** · 27th July 17, 02:04 PM

Jon, you caught me in a "pondering" mood with your question. First, I will give you two extremes of leg shape to consider. There is the power lifter and the marathon runner.

Here is a small selection of hose colors and styles to consider with your kilt (certainly not the only ones available).

I would be thinking (for myself) of a mustard (knitted pattern) with a russet or light brown upper band tied with grey flashes. (This speaks to my champagne tastes outside of my beer budget). For you, imagine you legs moving below the bold colors of your kilt. What do you want to display, a sturdy foundation or a parade of color?

Sorry to provide any confusion or stress to your decision, but hose are viewed by the public as well as the kilt. I regard the kilt as the focus of the outfit and the hose supplying a supporting role. Forgive the pun.

**McMurdo** · 27th July 17, 03:08 PM

If you want something a little different you could go with claret.

**OC Richard** · 27th July 17, 06:22 PM

When I look at the tartan (at least this computer-generation version, which I realise might not reflect the actual colours of the kilt you receive)

I see black, bottle green, and yellow.

My approach is to not copy any of the major ground-colours of the kilt if possible, or even the minor colours, so I myself would avoid black, bottle green, or yellow.

I myself would go to either much lighter/brighter versions of the kilt's green (Lovat green, or moss green, etc) or better yet go with different colours altogether, say blue (St Andrews blue) or red (claret or scarlet).

The House Of Cheviot "bison" hose look great with a variety of tartans.

The name of the game is co-ordinate, which is the diametric opposite of match.

BTW to be technically correct white, black, and anything on the grey-scale in between aren't "colours" but the absence of colour. Those shades thus "go with" anything, and co-ordinate with nothing; they don't interact with the kilt's colours.

Here's a very famous kiltwearer with a similarly-coloured kilt (Gordon) showing Lovat hose co-ordinating nicely

**Terry Searl** · 27th July 17, 06:52 PM

8 .jpg 3 Rannoch mustard.jpg I really enjoy my House of Cheviot Claret hose and am hoping the Mustard Rannoch will give as much pleasure. I have Grey hose, and a Brown, as well as off white hose, that some people think is to "rental". The different coloured tie garters will help with a splash of colour if needed, but forget trying to "colour coordinate" every thing ....be yourself and don't feel there are "colour rules" when building your day wear ensemble. I have just received my Canadian Maple Leaf tartan kilt, a glorious tartan it is...but as usual most of the photos I try and up load fail so you are left with just the suggestion ..... don't try and match the hose with the kilt ....the kilt will stand on it's own..........and don't be afraid to put some colour into your ensemble

**Jock Scot** · 28th July 17, 07:49 AM

Originally Posted by Jon

I'm having a kilt made in a custom weave Perry Hunting tartan. https://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/ta...tails?ref=3323
I'm having a difficult time figuring out what color(s) hose will go well. Anyone have any suggestions?

You will find your own way on this subject, but just so you know, as a start, any colour will do other than white or black. Now this comment may cause meltdown on this website, but from a traditional Scots point of view we don't go in for all this matching and co-ordinating nonsense and just go with whatever colour you have got in the drawer and for almost certain sure, it won't be white or black. Certainly over time, your own personal preferences will win through eventually, but claret, lovat green or yellow hose might be a good place for you to start.