For black tie, I generally wear argyle/tartan hose. I have a couple of pairs in green/red combos that go well with my Boyd tartan kilt.

I would avoid solid-color hose with black tie, especially the dreaded white hose so beloved to the rental industry.

For daywear, I love the marl look. i have lovat blue hose that certainly are a marled mix of colors. I also enjoy wearing "shooting socks" that feature colorful cuffs that contrast with the rest of the sock. These are generally in earth tones, although I also have a nice pair in maroon/claret with a bright red cuff edged with bight green.

So my daywear hose are less elaborate than formal ones, but can be nearly as colorful.

Andrew