Right or Wrong

[Cowher]

I would say that you should be comfortable in whatever it is that you are wearing. No more, no less.

You see, ya can't please everyone, so ya got to please yourself. - R. Nelson


Oh, and welcome from Ithaca, NY!

I agree with this also. Wear white hose and whatever you like! The important thing is that we love kilts and in my view to keep all traditional wear alive!

Matt Cowher

[AFS1970]

Welcome.

I am somewhat in the middle of the road with the whole Jacobite Shirt issue. I had two of them, one ripped and the other does not fit any longer. The one that ripped was much nicer in that it was a rough linen with flecks of brown and gray in it. Still not traditional but certainly a bit better than some of the modern colored ones from museum replicas. I have not decided if I will replace them or not, as I really don't have many places where they would be appropriate.

The white hose issue is indeed a myth of the rental industry, however it is one that has been with us long enough that there are some really nice ones out there. My former favorite pair of hose was off white, but very heavy wool with a nice pattern to it, more reminiscent of a fisherman's knit sweater. I was sad to see them wear out. I just recently got my first pair of argyle topped hose, and on the whole I do think colored hose looks better, but I don't have a problem with white hose.

I gotta tell you, the denim Jacobite shirt is a bit much for me. So even I have my limits.

[Bill aka Mole]

First and foremost: Welcome aboard from the Midlands of South Carolina. Enjoy your stay!

White hose and Jacobite shirt? Don't have either of those but my limited opinion is that they can be like Pat Boone's white shoes: Anyone can buy them but only a few can make it look good!

If you feel good while wearing those items, don't let anybody convince you that you don't look good.

I am a new kiltie and when I got my first one in I thought I was pretty good looking in it while wearing my sneakers with kilt hose. I'm on my third kilt now and I look back and can see what my wife was snickering about. Cheers!

[Whidbey78]

Welcome from a Whidbey Islander currently residing in the middle of nowhere.

It's been well put by others so I won't beat a dead horse, but will say that since the populace of this forum runs the gamut from staunch traditionalist to modern and contemporary kilters and those who cross many lines there is a lot of good info here and a lot of opinions on what is and isn't right, proper or acceptable. It's up to you to make up your own mind. Just remember that nothing is really written in stone so do what you like!

[Tartan Hiker]

Believe it or not there is another consideration that has not been yet mentioned in regards to white hose. If you stand back and look at someone in a kilt and white hose, or view a photo of same, you will find that your eye is drawn down to the hose. The bright white hose attracts your eye much more than the more subtle kilt fabric, and your attention will follow. This presents the problem of balance...you become "bottom heavy" Do you really want the focal point of your outfit to be your shins?

Avoiding white because it smacks of rental outfits is well and fine, but there are more legitimate aesthetic reasons to avoid them.