If I recall correctly (sorry; I couldn't find a reference), the precursor to hose as we know them were "moggins"; strips of cloth wrapped around the feet & legs. At some point someone had the bright idea to stitch these up, which became bag hose, with a seam running up the back of the leg. Neither of these were elastic, therefore garters were needed to keep them up, the precursor to today's flashes.
Both Irish and Scottish footwear (pampooties and brogs, respectively) resembled Native American moccasins. As I recall, the Scots were noted for wearing brogs made on the spot literally of raw hide; raw, hair-on, untanned Highland cow skin, hair inwards, and stuffed with straw or grass; they were said to stink like rotting corpses. The open, tongueless, lace-up style of ghillie brogues are said to derive from these early field-expedient styles of footwear.
Perhaps Matthew Newsome can correct and elaborate upon the above.