Hose Height / How much knee?

[MacKenzie]

And since people are posting some selfies, Yours Truly piping at Fort MacArthur last weekend, in Great War period Warm Weather Service Dress

Looking sharp, Richard!

[Nathan]

Finally, I think the "kilt should just brush the floor when kneeling" thing is still present, and in fact was trotted out by the woman in the BBC radio 3 clip that was posted on these forums a few days ago. I don't know where it comes from, but I hear it over and over again. I believe one method of measuring for a kilt involves measuring from floor to navel when kneeling so maybe that's where it comes from, but as a rule for wearing a kilt it leaves something to be desired.

I have this standard in a guide to kilt wearing that was written in Scotland pre WWI and it was the standard of my Highland Regiment. Thompson calls this look "old fashioned" in "So You're Going to Wear the Kilt". The mid knee and top of knee debate has raged for a long time and I can post some sources when I get time to show that it's nothing new.

[creagdhubh]

I have this standard in a guide to kilt wearing that was written in Scotland pre WWI and it was the standard of my Highland Regiment. Thompson calls this look "old fashioned" in "So You're Going to Wear the Kilt". The mid knee and top of knee debate has raged for a long time and I can post some sources when I get time to show that it's nothing new.

Nope, it sure isn't!

[CeilidhDoc]

First of all, thanks to all of you for such detailed answers and photos. It is nice to see that there is so much consistency amongst members of this forum who's style I often admire. Cheers mates!

However, I am still not wrapping my brain around the folding method being suggested by some to rectify the situation when the hose are too long to fold the standard way and achieve the height you want. The only one I can envision not ending up with the top cuff of the hose inside-out would be an elaborate accordian type fold. Some have mentioned folding the cuff back up at the end, but I can't picture how that also would not end up with the cuff inside-out so perhaps somebody could explain that to me in further detail. Sorry for being a bit daft on this. I'm just trying to figure out how to get the hose I already own (that were not custom made) to the proper height.

Kyle, you and I have similarly sized feet. I'm a 10 or 10.5 US depending on the brand of shoe so I do appreciate your tip on going to a size small, as I never would have imagined that would fit on my foot. But it does not solve my dilemma with the hose I own already and the last thing I need is an excuse to spend lots of $ on all new hose, lol. My highland kit addiction has been on a bit of a shopping spree lately after about 15 years of admiring things I had no way to afford.

Tips like these are so useful when one has no other family or friends that wear the kilt!.. well, I have convinced my father to begin wearing it. Still working on my brother...

Slainte!



Clarification: My issue with the concept of the upward fold at the end has to to with proper sizing of the cuff and the placement of the garter. I'm thinking that if I did it doubles over the garter and then back up with the full width of the cuff then it would now be too low rather than too high, or have an unsightly bulge only for the top part of the cuff if it was done in a way that did not expose the back side of the cuff while still turning the whole cuff out the right way. Perhaps I am just over thinking this. I will have to play with it when I have time.

[Nathan]

First of all, thanks to all of you for such detailed answers and photos. It is nice to see that there is so much consistency amongst members of this forum who's style I often admire. Cheers mates!

However, I am still not wrapping my brain around the folding method being suggested by some to rectify the situation when the hose are too long to fold the standard way and achieve the height you want. The only one I can envision not ending up with the top cuff of the hose inside-out would be an elaborate accordian type fold. Some have mentioned folding the cuff back up at the end, but I can't picture how that also would not end up with the cuff inside-out so perhaps somebody could explain that to me in further detail. Sorry for being a bit daft on this. I'm just trying to figure out how to get the hose I already own (that were not custom made) to the proper height.

Kyle, you and I have similarly sized feet. I'm a 10 or 10.5 US depending on the brand of shoe so I do appreciate your tip on going to a size small, as I never would have imagined that would fit on my foot. But it does not solve my dilemma with the hose I own already and the last thing I need is an excuse to spend lots of $ on all new hose, lol. My highland kit addiction has been on a bit of a shopping spree lately after about 15 years of admiring things I had no way to afford.

Tips like these are so useful when one has no other family or friends that wear the kilt!.. well, I have convinced my father to begin wearing it. Still working on my brother...

Slainte!



Clarification: My issue with the concept of the upward fold at the end has to to with proper sizing of the cuff and the placement of the garter. I'm thinking that if I did it doubles over the garter and then back up with the full width of the cuff then it would now be too low rather than too high, or have an unsightly bulge only for the top part of the cuff if it was done in a way that did not expose the back side of the cuff while still turning the whole cuff out the right way. Perhaps I am just over thinking this. I will have to play with it when I have time.

It depends on the length of the hose. They're not all alike. Some of the hose I have are shorter and I fold them over once. On others, I pull the sock up all the way (often reaching above the top of my kneecap), tie the garter where I want the top of my hose to be, fold the hose down over my garter and if the turnover is really long, halve it by folding it back up.

Someone posted photos of this process a few months back, but I'm not sure who or what the context of the thread was.

[kilttrip]

Or you could just wear them where you thought they look best, and let the rest of the world and any kilt police go hang.

Hahaha, good on 'ya.

[Calgacus]

First of all, thanks to all of you for such detailed answers and photos. It is nice to see that there is so much consistency amongst members of this forum who's style I often admire. Cheers mates!

However, I am still not wrapping my brain around the folding method being suggested by some to rectify the situation when the hose are too long to fold the standard way and achieve the height you want. The only one I can envision not ending up with the top cuff of the hose inside-out would be an elaborate accordian type fold. Some have mentioned folding the cuff back up at the end, but I can't picture how that also would not end up with the cuff inside-out so perhaps somebody could explain that to me in further detail. Sorry for being a bit daft on this. I'm just trying to figure out how to get the hose I already own (that were not custom made) to the proper height.

Kyle, you and I have similarly sized feet. I'm a 10 or 10.5 US depending on the brand of shoe so I do appreciate your tip on going to a size small, as I never would have imagined that would fit on my foot. But it does not solve my dilemma with the hose I own already and the last thing I need is an excuse to spend lots of $ on all new hose, lol. My highland kit addiction has been on a bit of a shopping spree lately after about 15 years of admiring things I had no way to afford.

Tips like these are so useful when one has no other family or friends that wear the kilt!.. well, I have convinced my father to begin wearing it. Still working on my brother...

Slainte!



Clarification: My issue with the concept of the upward fold at the end has to to with proper sizing of the cuff and the placement of the garter. I'm thinking that if I did it doubles over the garter and then back up with the full width of the cuff then it would now be too low rather than too high, or have an unsightly bulge only for the top part of the cuff if it was done in a way that did not expose the back side of the cuff while still turning the whole cuff out the right way. Perhaps I am just over thinking this. I will have to play with it when I have time.

Folding the way I described does indeed end up with an 'inside out' cuff. It's not really a problem with the hose that I own, some have a ribbed cuff which works either way, some have a cable-knit pattern which also works either way. Some have a more complex pattern, but they all seem to work OK inside out.

I do agree that some patterns might not work inside out, so you would then be forced to simply turn down the cuff once, or maybe try a down-up-down fold, which would need very long hose and would lead to quite a thick cuff, but would mean that the pattern was the right way round.

[Couper]

This has been quite adequately answered by all of the above, but answer I will. This is the absolute lowest the top of my hose will go. This picture was taken towards the end of a long day and the hose might have slipped a inch. I am the good looking one in the middle, by the way.

This is a perfect example photo - for me, at least. I go with all three of those looks - depending on mood, activity and/or destination. When I wear hose, non-scrunched, they are at about the height shown on Chas.

I have a good, if not perfect, resource on determining look, height and/or length - my wife. She, evidently likes to see a "bit of knee," and she is the one who first got me to wear a kilt with sandals. Hey, after 40 years with the same woman, who am I to argue? That might not be four centuries of tradition but it is four decades; certainly good enough for me.

[rlloyd]

IMG_0284.jpg
Photo courtesy ASinclair.

I'm 6'1" and fairly long-legged for someone my height. I'm seen here (along with ASinclair and balaamsass51), at Grandfather this past weekend, wearing a pair of Lewis hose, size Large (marketed Size 11-13, and I wear a US Size 13). All that being said, it seems my hose, with no fancy folding or sizing down with the entirety of the cuff folded down, fall right in line with where most member's have said they like to wear their's.

[Mel1721L]

It depends how much your hose has shrunk in the wash.