I note with interest and a smile the venom which some forum members hurl at defenceless white hose. Now, I have fairly conservative tastes, so am not enamoured of white hose; they just seem to shout a little too loudly for me. However some whites are whiter than other whites (?!?). "Off-white" or cream is another matter. This colour, called "ecru" in french or "ban" in irish gaelige, is the natural colour of undyed/unbleached wool. Before the days of mass production, this would have meant a significant cost saving, important and therefore popular for the poorer class, who are rarely seen in paintings of the time. So not only is the visual attack muted, the colour is more traditional.

The above is the result of my mind going on a ramble Not one word is written from knowledge. I would be very interested to hear from those who HAVE real knowledge...