what kilt hose to wear?

[Bugbear]

I usually do have the wrong opinion, so I have to borrow someone else's. I also have learned to edit or leave out several things that I know would not go over well, but that would be all right to say.

One or two of those involve cream colored hose...

[Highland Logan]

I might get bashed for this, but,
How often are any of us around people who actually know and/or care about what color our hose should/should not be? I understand all the differences of opinion about day/evening wear, white for 'pipers, etc. However, it seems there are many of us who think that we are right and everyone else is wrong, (which sometimes can be the case. Just ask my students.)
IMHO, if we are trying to pay respect and honor to our ancestors and heritage, then we should dress and conduct ourselves as best we can, including quality kilt hose that look good and wear well, whatever their color. If we're wearing a kilt because it feels good or because chicks dig it, then wear whatever works.
About the "kilt-for-hire" look: I know I don't get out much, but I've never seen a rented kit, much less rented hose, and if I did I don't believe I would recognize it. I'm sure some of you would, but I hope none of us would have a conniption because of the color of hose someone was wearing. (I still can't bring myself to call them socks. Thanks, Veronica Gainford.) And I further hope no one would point out the offense to the unsuspecting fellow who was bold enough to wear a kilt for the first time. I'm not accusing anyone here of that, but it could happen.
In short, we'll never all agree on every point, and besides, the "rules" are fairly recent inventions which no one has to follow. Remember, this is a Scottish thing, and Scots are not usually folks who abide by someone else's ideas of what they should do, much less wear.

The "rules" have been around for a little over a hundred years with very little change. As for Scots not abiding by the rules of others, I think like and other western people, I'm sure when it comes to basic conformity they take no issue. However as a non-scot I can not speak to their sensibilities.

Frank

[gilmore]

...In short, we'll never all agree on every point, and besides, the "rules" are fairly recent inventions which no one has to follow. Remember, this is a Scottish thing, and Scots are not usually folks who abide by someone else's ideas of what they should do, much less wear.

It never ceases to amaze me how so many non-Scots seem to get their ideas of Scots' mores and values from "Braveheart" or "Rob Roy." It would be like some one seeing "Gone with the Wind" or "Birth of a Nation," deciding that that is how US Southerners today behave and think, fetishizing it, and wearing 19th Century clothes and behaving in ways that they fantasize we do.

Reality is a far different thing.

[triolamj]

My two cents worth: The first pair of hose I bought from J. Higgins were off-white wool made in Scotland and too small to fit over my 16-inch calves. I exchanged them for a pair of snow white and a pair of lovat blue acrylic hose to go with my Bermuda Blue kilt. For very formal occasions, I wear the white hose with a solid green flash, and for not-so-formal events I wear the lovat blue with a tartan flash. Now, I have a pair of white Lochcarron wool hose from a local British imports store that I wear with a solid green flash with my Munster kilt and my Black Watch kilt. I keep the acrylic hose for working the local Games and more casual events though the soles have pilled up and the inner cuff seams appear the worse for wear. I recommend the Lochcarron instead because they're thinner and tougher while still a good fit for almost the same price. To my eye, oatmeal and off-white just don't go with a predominately blue or green kilt. If I were Scottish and not Irish, I would add a pair of navy and green diced Argyle hose to my wardrobe for formal occasions for tradition's sake but more for the look which really seems to work (see photos of the Black Watch pipers). Instead, since I'm Irish, I'm contemplating a pair of white W. Brewin kilt hose with a shamrock embroidered on the turndown cuff along with a pair of lovat green hose (set off with a navy flash). Solid black, navy, and red hose remind me of over-the-calf dress socks more appropriate for wearing with Bermuda shorts, but not a kilt. They always look like thin nylon support hose and the red flashes are like red arrows pointing this out. The hose with the diced cuffs and the popcorn cuffs look ridiculous. Last but not least: I don't spend more than $50 bucks on a pair of socks unless I'm slated for a Himalayan expedition. See my pics in the gallery for white woolen hose and green flashes with dark green dancing ghillies or lovat blue acrylic hose with tartan flashes and black velcro strap sneakers (I plead bad feet).

[Bugbear]

I would probably get the most use out of the dark gray lewis hose. While saving up for diced hose.

I am under the impression that only dark shades of colors for hose should be used with the non-casual attire; for example, bottle green rather than lovit. Am I mistaken?

[Highlander 578]

I'd suggest any solid colour for formal and informal wear, avoiding the 'rental shop' white unless you are non-military pipe band members.
As for black hose ("I have come across X Marks posts that speak very harshly of black hose") I see black hose worn regularly on our estates by workers who would never dream of traipsing through the muck and glaur or walking the hills at work with white socks!
Traditionally estate workers who were reuired to wear the kilt would wear dark solid colours, with spats or puttees to keep the socks clean and the brogues from getting stones and mud over the cuffs and into the shoe.
When required to look 'presentable' if the maister should appear, the puttees/spats would be whipped off and a quick dicht of the shoes would be fine. Incidently, older workers found plain leather semi boots to be much more easily cleaned than traditional brogues as they had no 'holes' to catch the muck.