About red & white diced hose, they have had a long popularity in civilian Highland dress which predates their military adoption.
Very true. However, I was proffering my information of someone who lives in Nova Scotia and in close proximity to the 78th Highlanders base at Citadel Hill in Halifax.

In my previous post I mentioned the hose of the persons I had seen wearing the NS tartan and only used the examples of people I had seen not engaged in highland dancing as of course you know that dancers are always required to wear full tartan hose. But, dancers need a matching waistcoat or vest and the most striking combination of NS tartan I have seen was with a claret jacket.

You don't often see dancers wearing the NS tartan kilts, it's far more popular as aboyne costumes. Dancers prefer the dress NS tartan which is very striking.