But then I came across this....

J.HIggins sells diced hose for $45...now we're talking

http://www.jhiggins.net/catalog/hose_diced.html

IF you can make red and green or red and white work for you. But they also will custom-make hose in any colors you want on special order for $45. Does anybody have a pair?

http://www.jhiggins.net/catalog/hose_argyle.html

OK, so that is almost sort of affordable. It's no more expensive than the hose from the Scottish Tartans Authority. I've seen those and they're very nice, Panache has a few pair.

Anybody have the J Higgins?
I did at one time, as I've mentioned on numerous occasions -- and I would never recommend them to anyone. A friend of mine and I both ordered tartan hose from Higgins, both followed the "care and feeding" instructions to the T, and both of us saw our pairs start to fray and develop holes after 4-5 timers of wearing them to formal functions.

Trust me -- go with the Tartan Thistle in Washington State. You can get 100% wool hose in tartan or diced for about double what you'd pay from Higgins -- but they're worth ever penny. I've had mine for almost three years now, and no problems yet.

Remember my Scottish grandmother's defintion of frugal -- you buy the best item you can so you don't have to keep replacing it!

T.