Summer rugged outdoor wear: awesome or blasphemous?

[Kilted Magyar]

It all looks brilliant to me!

[haukehaien]

It looks fine, although I agree with Panache that the diced hose tops look too formal. I'd replace them with some of What Price Glory's khaki/dark green hose tops, which would (I think) look more appropriate while having the same functionality.

[rmccool]

I think it's a good choice, and one I may imitate (minus the leggings, which are less necessary in the Bluegrass) for summer wear.

[Tobus]

It looks fine, although I agree with Panache that the diced hose tops look too formal. I'd replace them with some of What Price Glory's khaki/dark green hose tops, which would (I think) look more appropriate while having the same functionality.

It's curious that some of you guys think of diced hose tops as formal only. I do agree that if we were talking full hose, worn civilian-style with low-cut shoes, diced hose are best left for formal wear. But these are military hose tops, worn with leggings in a similar style to spats. There's nothing formal about that. Heck, men used to march into battle wearing spats and diced hose. And considering the nature of hose tops (which have no foot on them), these can only be worn with spats, which IMHO give them a decidedly outdoorsy look. They are not designed for formal wear; the closest they could come to formal wear is a military dress uniform.

Does the general kilt-wearing world not make an exception for diced hose tops worn with leggings/spats, given their long history of military service? If not, then should they?

Now, I can certainly understand ThistleDown's "costumey" remark, considering a recent discussion which revealed that many of the native Scots shy away from diced hose due to associations with corny musical acts of yesteryear. I can even understand it being "costumey" in the sense that it's loosely emulating a military style when I am obviously not in a Highland Regiment. I very much expected that reaction, though I was hoping at least one person would call it blasphemous.

As an aside, my wife hates this outfit. She says it's too busy, there's too much going on, too much for the eye to look at, nothing matches, nothing flows, she hates that tartan, doesn't like epaulettes on shirts, etc., etc., etc. The one thing she didn't say was that the hose looked too formal.

[Dale-of-Cedars]

Another vote for Tilleys!

[ThistleDown]

The boundary line between traditional and non-traditional is a moving one, Tobus, but the one between military and civilian is much more defined, I think. Perhaps its the confusion of the two your wife is referring to as "busy". Form follows function.

[KenB]

Good look. As to a hat; I agree that a brimmed hat would probably be a better look. Personally, I wear a Big It Up straw snap brim. Great hat, but as has been said, not necessarily "the" hat for every taste. But I like your ensemble.

[gary meakin]

Looks pretty good to me except the hose.
Just my opinion but those hose say "formal" to me.

[sydnie7]

Another vote for Tilleys!

[threadjack] Fabulous place, have enjoyed visiting there since the early 1970s! [/threadjack]

Nice hat too, we're working on a brimmed hat for Bob so this thread and some other currently "hot" ones are of great interest.

[Andy Ternay]

You wear it with confidence and stature and it works.

Side comment: as a fellow Texan I agree completely about the footwear. I've been hiking and seen rattlesnakes sunning themselves and encountered scorpions in urban areas. Protection around the feet is necessary.