Formal Hose--loads of questions

[Alan H]

I'm not sure that my message got across.

I LIKE white hose with a kilt, my Eton/Spencer jacket, a white formal shirt and a black tie. I think it looks good and no amount of telling me that it's "incorrect" is going to change that. I COULD spend $45 and get very nice dark blue hose to go with my X-Marks tartan kilt. Matt sells Hawick hose that would look just smashing. I could (and probably will) wear Strings hand-knit hose with formal gear in the future, as well. those, I believe will pass muster (though just barely) in some circles.

But you know what? I think they're ruddy GORGEOUS socks, off-white or not.

I like white hose. I CHOOSE to wear white hose even though I can afford to get solid blue hose that would match the X-Marks kilt, which is the only kilt I wear formally, anyway. I don't CARE that some people go on and on about kilt rental companies. I notice many of those same people telling others to rent a kilt and formal kit for a special occasion rather than buying one if they're only going to wear the formal kit now and then. I assume they'd be renting white hose, eh?

I notice that almost every single guy at our recent X-Marks Burns Night wore white or off-white hose with their formal outfits and we all looked pretty darned good and had a great time. Go look at the picture thread if you don't believe me. If I recall properly only one guy had black hose on, that had on a jacket and tie, the rest of us wore white or off-white. I'm sure those who think that white hose are just horrid would in fact have had a lovely time at our Burns Night despite the dozen-plus pairs of awfully glaring hose in attendance.

I don't have a problem with someone who wants to wear argyle hose, or diced hose. They look great, good for you, that's great! Wear them with pride and joy and have a great time at your event. I don't have a problem with someone who wants to wear black or solid color hose with their formal kit, either. Others are welcome to choose to NOT wear white hose with THEIR formal kit. If it' s not for you, then that's just fine. I hope others don't have a problem with Me, personally, for CHOOSING......because I LIKE white hose... for wearing white socks.

Because guys....get real. We're talking about SOCKS, here.

socks. socks

Not, like....life or death, yanno? I can't stomach dropping $200 on a pair of SOCKS, no matter HOW long they are going to last me or how beautiful they are. I don't care...they're socks, guys....socks. Socks to wear once a year.

socks

Two hundred dollars for a pair of socks? Sorry, I just can't wrap my head around it. If you can, then that's great for you, and McMurdo's Isle of Skye socks look ruddy gorgeous, they do! Good for McMurdo! Wear them with pride and joy! But me?............ I'll stick with those really sharp-looking cream or brilliant white hose that I like just fine.

[macwilkin]

Not, like....life or death, yanno? I can't stomach dropping $200 on a pair of SOCKS, no matter HOW long they are going to last me or how beautiful they are. I don't care...they're socks, guys....socks. Socks to wear once a year.

socks

Two hundred dollars for a pair of socks? Sorry, I just can't wrap my head around it. If you can, then that's great for you, and McMurdo's Isle of Skye socks look ruddy gorgeous, they do! Good for McMurdo! Wear them with pride and joy! But me?............ I'll stick with those really sharp-looking cream or brilliant white hose that I like just fine.

Alan,

I respect your right to wear whatever colour of hose you wish. I personally don't care for white hose, but I would never say "I just can't wrap my head around" why you'd wear them. Different horses for courses and all that.

But, the whole $200 thing is getting a bit old. I'm tired of the general insinuation that because someone chooses to invest in quality accessories, they are either wealthy spendthrifts or intolerant snobs. I can't speak for the other traditionalists here, but I know I am neither. And for the record, I didn't spend $200 on my hose -- they were a gift from my wife, and they were not $200.

Let's drop the whole "$200 for a pair of socks" line, please.

Regards,

Todd

[ForresterModern]

Being a newbie to the kilted world, along with the three new kilts I have recently purchased I have acquired a virtual rainbow of matching hose in solid colors, and even ordered a few patterned ones I am jonesing to arrive soon. But I must admit I really lust for those beautiful matching tartan hose and believe that they are really the classiest look with a colorful kilt. I did an exhaustive search (twice) and, besides the unbelievably low priced hose at Higgins, have found several other reasonable options without dropping $200+ for pair.

I am having trouble putting links into my post so if you want my source list just PM me.



j

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I'm not sure that my message got across.

I LIKE white hose with a kilt, my Eton/Spencer jacket, a white formal shirt and a black tie. I think it looks good and no amount of telling me that it's "incorrect" is going to change that.
[large snip]

Because guys....get real. We're talking about SOCKS, here.

socks. socks

Not, like....life or death, yanno? I can't stomach dropping $200 on a pair of SOCKS, no matter HOW long they are going to last me or how beautiful they are. I don't care...they're socks, guys....socks. Socks to wear once a year.

Alan,

Calm down a bit, my friend! I've been following this thread and I think you are the only one that seems to be getting stressed over this issue.

I don't think that we are going to solve the "great white sock debate" here on this forum. Everyone has their opinion, and regardless of whether you personally like white hose or not, I think we all can agree that they are rather common and frequently seen at both formal and informal kilted gatherings.

I think one issue that you've missed, though, is that the original question wasn't about socks in general, or even just socks for formal wear, but specifically what to wear with a Montrose or Sherrifmuir doublet.

You mentioned wearing white or ecru socks with your Eton jacket. This would be the equivalent of a Prince Charlie jacket, and constitutes black tie affair. And I think it can be agreed that ecru kilt hose (whether one personally likes them or not) have become standard fair for black tie events.

However, Montrose or Sherrifmuir doublets would be another level entirely, more akin to white tie. And different rules of fashion apply depending on if you are talking white tie or black tie, in Highland dress or otherwise.

Now, I'm not the kind of gent that gets invited to a lot of white tie affairs. If it were not for annual Burns Suppers I wouldn't even get invited to any black tie affairs! And that's why I don't own a Montrose or Sherrifmuir.

But the question was what type of hose would be most appropriate with these styles of formal doublet. And the answer is, traditionally, Argyle or diced hose. Are these the only options? No. Could other options look good? Sure. But I think that all the Highland attire "fashion experts" would agree that argyle or diced would be preferred. And that's all anyone here is really saying.

You also write:

Mixing the words "clothes" with words like

"correct " and
"proper" or
"approved"

....sets my teeth on edge, and I fully admit that logic soon shuts down in my brain. Again, this is just me! I figure if you're in the military or a club with a uniform, then those adjectives apply. Otherwise I figure, do what works, treat people well and fairly and respectfully, and carry on.

In general I agree with you that it makes little sense to think of Highland dress in terms of being "correct," etc, unless one is wearing it as a uniform. And I don't think we'd be even having this discussion if the topic were more casual dress.

But the thing to realize here is that, in a sense, very formal attire is like a kind of uniform, in that there are fashion rules that exist that simply are not there for more casual attire. Whether you choose to follow or flaunt those rules is another matter. But they are there nonetheless and one should at least be aware of them; even if only to flaunt them with panache!

Aye,
Matt