over doing the bling?

[Tobus]

Are we overdoing the bling for black tie events?

Fly plaids are an issue of their own (and some will argue they aren't appropriate or correct for any level of formality). But I don't see anything amiss with wearing buckle brogues or diced/Argyll hose for black tie events. Historically speaking, these items were worn every day by many people. So there's no real basis for relegating them to white tie only, is there? They certainly didn't start off as "formal wear". If they've been moved to the formal category of accessories, it's a modern idea, not one rooted in long tradition.

Personally, as my eye sees it, I think plain hose and brogues (or other non-buckle shoes) are great for daywear, but when moving up to the black tie level of formality, it behooves one to upgrade these items. That way, the outfit is upgraded evenly from the shoes to the jacket, instead of just being an above-the-waist upgrade in attire.

So I guess I'm taking the opposite tack. Instead of wearing plain hose for everything but the most formal of all occasions, I think we should be wearing plain hose only for the most casual occasions, and patterned hose for everything else. I even think patterned hose should be seen more often as daywear, with plain hose being relegated only to situations where one doesn't want to ruin a good pair of hose.

*edited to add:

To take it a step further, as another poster mentioned above, we have really seen a 'dressing down' of people over the centuries. In past centuries, people tended to wear very ornate and 'fancy' clothes compared to today. The portraits we see of Highlanders from the 1700s and 1800s attests to this. I can recall only a couple of them wearing plain hose. All the rest, even in casual situations, are wearing diced or otherwise patterned hose.

So I see the modern trend toward plain hose as a 'dressing down' effect, just like wearing blue jeans, flip-flops, and other casual attire have found their way into normal life. I'd rather revive the good old traditions of wearing the kilt with patterned hose and looking grand than to keep making it more casual and plain.