Kilt hose

[Regimental]

1 and 2 I rather like – not over the top but a bit more interesting that plain hose. I think they would look quite good in some formal contexts.

(I tend to find fully diced hose clashes rather unpleasantly with tartans in contrast)

[OC Richard]

One sees diced hose with marl cuffs in old photos and also in MacLeay



Many years ago, before I started collecting Victorian photos, I though such hose were unique to the 79th New York (red & white diced hose with red/white marl cuffs)



But then I started seeing them in other photos, this one from 1860



Victorian photos show a much greater variety of hose than one sees in the 20th century- the modern traditional Highland Dress than appeared around WWI did away with most of this variety.

It's cool to see current knitters reviving some of these old styles.

[kingandrew]

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

[Jock Scot]

Patterned kilt hose.

I have to admit, after many years mulling over the pros and cons of assorted kilt hose, I tend to now regard patterned hose for day attire, or formal wear are rather like "go faster stripes" on cars and that is that they are rather unnecessary and just don't help the overall kilt attire look one bit, although for the very rare ultra formal event, I reluctantly concede that they are appropriate.I also concede, that patterned hose are part of the attire expectations of musicians in the right circumstance, but not for everyone. I hasten to add, that I quite accept that choices are there for everyone, but for me, I find patterned kilt hose just too much for my eye for day attire and the more usual formal evening attire.

[OC Richard]

For my Evening Dress outfits I have patterned hose for two of my kilts:

-Argyll hose to match my Drummond of Perth (muted) kilt. With the more modern seal Evening sporran it makes for a standard modern traditional (1920-present) outfit.

-diced castellated hose to match my Isle of Skye kilt. With the Edwardian goat sporran it makes for a c1910 style outfit.

I wouldn't have considered getting the IoS hose, but they came up fairly inexpensively used, and in my hard-to-find size.

I should point out that to match modern non-Highland Black Tie etiquette I should be wearing a shirt with ordinary collar.