Checkered Kilt Hose Etiquette?

[McMurdo]

So where did you buy them? I'd love to add to my growing hose collection.

[Coemgen]

$35!!!!!!


I WANT!! I WANT!!

[Chef]

Great find! Enjoy them.

[Phil]

You asked about the etiquette and the answer is diced or tartan hose are only worn with evening wear. Daywear you wear plain self-coloured hose. I like the hose by the way and they tone in well with your kilt, but please don't wear them through the day.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

No offense, Phil, but says who? Oh, I know all the "Highland fashion experts" say that Argyle hose and diced hose are for formal evening wear only (or maybe full day dress), and solid knit hose are for day wear. But why the restriction?

In 1901, the Hon. Stuart Ruaidri Erskine commented in The Kilt and How to Wear It that "modern fashion decrees that tartan [hose] shall not be donned for day wear." Granted, he is talking about tartan Argyle hose here, and he gives three exceptions" liveried servants, pipers, and for full day dress. Regarding diced hose, he mentions them only as an alternative to full Argyle. "For evening wear, I strongly recommend diced hose in preference to tartan stockings… Red and white diced hose are the kind most generally worn nowadays; and they would appear to have been the most popular in the past… Black and red, green and red, black and white diced hose are all suitable for evening wear."

But what I wanted to draw attention to was the fact that he is talking about "modern fashion," implying that this was not always so. He's writing in 1901, so I'd suggest that this rather arbitrary regulation of different socks for different times of day or levels of formality dates back perhaps 150 years at most.

J. Charles Thompson, in The Kilt and How To Wear It, written in 1979, pretty much echoes what Erskine says. Tartan Argyle hose are for evening wear only, and diced hose are an acceptible alternative for Argyle. The only difference is that he says these days solid knit hose are also considered proper for evening dress, as they are now more popular due to the high cost of Argyle or diced hose.

I think one of the main reasons people tend to reserve Argyle or diced hose for evening wear is for that very reason -- the high cost. If people are spending over $200(US) for a pair of socks, they are understandably going to reserve them for fine dress occasions!

But I am still of the opinion that there is nothing inherant in diced or Argyle hose that dictates they must be reserved for formal evening wear. They are the modern day equivalent of the traditional tartan cadadh, which were worn with Highland Dress by all classes, day or night. I think, like solid hose, one should be free to coordinate diced or Argyle hose with an outfit, be it evening or day dress, depending upon the colors, texture, and their own sense of style.

That same Stuart Erskine also said (in a passage I quote quite often), "The Highland dress is essentially a 'free' dress -- that is to say, a man's taste and circumstances must alone be permitted to decide when and where and how he should wear it... I presume to dictate to no man what he shall eat or drink or wherewithal he shall be clothed."

To give an example, my wife knit for me a pair of "shepherd's check" hose in brown and white. Technically they are diced hose, and I suppose should be reserved for "evening wear" if I were to go by what the experts say. However, I don't think the color or size of the pattern lend themselves to formal dress. I think these socks work much better with day dress. I made a fashion judgement based on the color and pattern, taking the whole of the outfit into consideration -- not any rules that say certain types of hose must be reserved for this or that time of day.


I have a lengthy blog post about kilt hose that goes into some detail here:
http://kiltmaker.blogspot.com/2005/07/on-kilt-hose.html

[ChattanCat]

No offense, Phil, but says who? Oh, I know all the "Highland fashion experts" say that Argyle hose and diced hose are for formal evening wear only (or maybe full day dress), and solid knit hose are for day wear. But why the restriction?

In 1901, the Hon. Stuart Ruaidri Erskine commented in The Kilt and How to Wear It that "modern fashion decrees that tartan [hose] shall not be donned for day wear." Granted, he is talking about tartan Argyle hose here, and he gives three exceptions" liveried servants, pipers, and for full day dress. Regarding diced hose, he mentions them only as an alternative to full Argyle. "For evening wear, I strongly recommend diced hose in preference to tartan stockings… Red and white diced hose are the kind most generally worn nowadays; and they would appear to have been the most popular in the past… Black and red, green and red, black and white diced hose are all suitable for evening wear."

But what I wanted to draw attention to was the fact that he is talking about "modern fashion," implying that this was not always so. He's writing in 1901, so I'd suggest that this rather arbitrary regulation of different socks for different times of day or levels of formality dates back perhaps 150 years at most.

J. Charles Thompson, in The Kilt and How To Wear It, written in 1979, pretty much echoes what Erskine says. Tartan Argyle hose are for evening wear only, and diced hose are an acceptible alternative for Argyle. The only difference is that he says these days solid knit hose are also considered proper for evening dress, as they are now more popular due to the high cost of Argyle or diced hose.

I think one of the main reasons people tend to reserve Argyle or diced hose for evening wear is for that very reason -- the high cost. If people are spending over $200(US) for a pair of socks, they are understandably going to reserve them for fine dress occasions!

But I am still of the opinion that there is nothing inherant in diced or Argyle hose that dictates they must be reserved for formal evening wear. They are the modern day equivalent of the traditional tartan cadadh, which were worn with Highland Dress by all classes, day or night. I think, like solid hose, one should be free to coordinate diced or Argyle hose with an outfit, be it evening or day dress, depending upon the colors, texture, and their own sense of style.

That same Stuart Erskine also said (in a passage I quote quite often), "The Highland dress is essentially a 'free' dress -- that is to say, a man's taste and circumstances must alone be permitted to decide when and where and how he should wear it... I presume to dictate to no man what he shall eat or drink or wherewithal he shall be clothed."

To give an example, my wife knit for me a pair of "shepherd's check" hose in brown and white. Technically they are diced hose, and I suppose should be reserved for "evening wear" if I were to go by what the experts say. However, I don't think the color or size of the pattern lend themselves to formal dress. I think these socks work much better with day dress. I made a fashion judgement based on the color and pattern, taking the whole of the outfit into consideration -- not any rules that say certain types of hose must be reserved for this or that time of day.


I have a lengthy blog post about kilt hose that goes into some detail here:
http://kiltmaker.blogspot.com/2005/07/on-kilt-hose.html

Matt,
Always informative, thanks. But you have a lengthy blog? It seems that it just may be a chapter in a book. You have an excellent way with words. I can see it now "The Historical Wearing of the Kilt and Accessories" by Matt.

[McMurdo]

Matt,
Always informative, thanks. But you have a lengthy blog? It seems that it just may be a chapter in a book. You have an excellent way with words. I can see it now "The Historical Wearing of the Kilt and Accessories" by Matt.

You might want to check here

http://albanach.org/books.htm

[Phil]

No offense, Phil, but says who?

The question was about etiquette, Matt, not whether or not anyone thought it was a good idea. Personally I see no reason not to wear tartan/diced hose although it is a bit like wearing a dress sporran with a tweed jacket. Perhaps the attitude of "If you've got it, flaunt it" is more alien to we Scots who generally tend to be respectful of customs and tradition. Part of being comfortable at social occasions is knowing that your appearance and behaviour is correct and the rules of etiquette help to keep you in the right direction. What may pass unnoticed in your locality, where kilt-wearing is perhaps a minority fashion, is less likely to do so here in Scotland and knowing that you are correctly attired can only add to your relaxed enjoyment.

[Nervous Jock]

What a find.

They originated with the military, are often worn at formal events, rarely match the kilt and by convention don't have to at all, and are not usually worn with spats. It is the diced tops that are more often worn with spats.

More commonly known as "footless hose". The fact is diced hose would be worn with spats however footless hose evolved because heels toes and soles of hose wore out a damn sight faster than the legging element. As you can't see the foot under the spat it doesn't matter what you wear so you can be much more flexible particularly when it comes to repair.

[Pleater]

I make all sorts of clothing, I began some fifty years ago, and have been making things for sale for about fourty years now.

My general rule is that a thing should look right, no matter what the measurements or colour or fabric or yarn, if it looks out of place then the effort of making it is wasted.

The diced hose Matt wears with jacket and tie do not look 'over done' at all. In fact, to my eyes, they are entirely apt.

The Rules of Etiquette are usually regarded as guiding the novice to correct decisions and proper behavior, so as to enable them to fit into society easily. Society changes, and so do the rules, so what was written a hundred years ago should be carefully weighed before applying it to today.

There is also the fact that even though the term global village is common nowa days, there are different rules in different places.

I'd not think twice about wearing my tartan, plaid and checkered patterned kilts here in the south of England, but should I ever visit Scotland I'd not take them.

Isn't there a saying that rules were meant for the obedience of the simple and the guidance of the wise?