Frustrated by the Lewis Kilt Hose Colors

[Riverkilt]

I own a LOT of pair of Lewis Kilt hose - because I love the quality and value and comfort.

But they don't make a TAN/KHAKI color for some reason...a basic neutral color that goes with ALL tartans. Go figure???

So I needed to wear tan kilt hose last week and gritted my teeth and wore a cheapo pair of tan kilt hose. Just made me more aware of the Lewis Kilt hose quality and more frustrated that for some reason they choose not to weave their hose in tan.

Have been surfing the Internet looking to see if its a vendor decision and maybe someone carries a Lewis Kilt hose in tan...no luck.

Found a rose pink...why would they choose to weave kilt hose in rose pink but not in tan?

Any enlightenment appreciated....

[Riverkilt]

So found the House of Cheviot website...their home page has a quote from me...

"I love 'em. Only hose I buy now. I have 20 pair! ...What addiction?"
-Ron Macdonald, Arizona

Their yarn color page shows tan yarn....so where are the tan kilt hose??

Or it that the light brown color that's brown not tan....soooo frustrating...

After the silly white kilt hose one would think tan kilt hose would be a top seller since the color goes with anything....

[Bugbear]

That's how they keep you hooked, Ron.

[Mael Coluim]

There are many mysteries in life, Ron.

[Riverkilt]

Still haven't found tan kilt hose in a quality brand...but did find SAFFRON traditional garter ties from House of Labhran...hadn't heard of them, good web site, says they're in the Highlands of Scotland - but no address on the contact us page...makes me a bit leary...just might risk it for saffron garter ties.

Wonder why the stateside vendors don't carry that color? Know folks gotta make decisions...but pink over tan??

Okay, found the House of Labhran on X Marks and an explaination of why they hide their address...they're a member but haven't posted in nearly a year.

Wish the Lewis Hose folks were a member...

[AKScott]

Does House of Cheviot make a white or ecru hose you could treat with some coffee?

I too love my Lewis hose, absolute top shelf.

20 pair man? really? I take it you are single.

[davidg]

House of Cheviot only have Ecru, Bison and Brown in the brown shades on their colour range. Of these, only the Ecru is available from stock in Lewis Hose but they will supply the other shades if you order in quantity (I think it's around a dozen pairs)

The Bison shade is available from stock in the Orkney hose and the Border Check hose

[Thomas H]

I too want TAN hose as it would go good with my Cameal Hair kilt jacket.

So I posted here to see if anyone comes up with a place to get them I would hear about it. Thanks

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Ron,

I'm the North American distributor for House of Cheviot... and a very active member here. :-)

That does not mean I have a direct say in what colors they knit their hose in, but I am very familiar with the product range and availability. Here's a page showing the usual range of sock colors (note that they don't stock support every color in every style of sock).
http://www.scottishkilthose.com/sock_colors.html

I have to say in all fairness that the House of Cheviot produces a wider range of color and style than any other kilt hose manufacturer that I know. Just listing out the "neutral colors," they make an ecru, light grey, dark grey, charcoal, black, bison (light brown), brown, and dark natural (dark brown).

In particular, the bison color comes pretty close to what I would call a tan.


I don't want to speak for them, but I imagine their answer to your question of why they don't make a tan color hose might be that they feel their current color selections fit that need.

I am reminded of an incident that happened to me at the Scottish Tartans Museum one time. A man called us up and asked if we had yellow garter flashes. I said yes we did. So a couple of hours later he walks in, says he is the man who called about the yellow garter flashes. I showed him our yellow garter flashes from Lochcarron. He says those are not yellow, they are gold.

I tell him that if he wants a lighter shade of yellow, we have traditional garter ties, and I show him the yellow garters from House of Cheviot. He says they are not yellow, they are "lemon."

He then proceeds to get very cross with me, because he called ahead specifically to see if we had yellow garters before he drove up, and I misled him.

I told him I did not mislead him, and that in fact we had two different shades of yellow garters for him to choose from, and I apologized if he didn't like either shade, but there was nothing I could do about that!

Perhaps something similar is going on here? You say:

But they don't make a TAN/KHAKI color for some reason...a basic neutral color that goes with ALL tartans.

I would say they do make a tan color, it's called bison. And they make several colors in addition to that which are neutral colors that go with all tartans.

They just may not make the specific shade of tan you would prefer, and I am sorry for that.

They do change their color offerings from time to time based on what has been selling well, and also yarn availability. Since I have been doing business with the company, I have seen slight color changes in the navy, dark natural, and loden colors, which I assume to be because of changes in the availability of the yarn stock.

So there may be hope yet, Ron, just keep an eye out!

Regarding the garter ties, the colors that are considered "standard offerings" are shown here:
http://www.scottishkilthose.com/trad...l_garters.html

However, the garters can be made in any color the socks are available in. For example, I have both yellow, mustard, and orange knit for the Scottish Tartans Museum gift shop.

So it is entirely possible that House of Labhrain had some saffron color ones made up for them. They are in the UK and so buy direct, therefore I would not know. But looking quickly at their web site, I don't see a "saffron" garter tie. I do see mustard, though, and that might be what you saw.

I can tell you that House of Labhrain is a legitimate company, offering quality goods.

If any retailer wants hose or garters done up in a non-standard color they are free to send me an inquiry and I'll see what can be done.

[Riverkilt]

Its actually 22 pair...two pair each of 11 colors. Including the two shades of brown.

I ain't gonna dye hose. Synthetic fabric in the hose won't take a dye.

I understand about the shades of color - that's why I tried the Bison. It just doesn't go with tartans in a neutral way in the same way a tan/khaki hose does.

What baffles me is that I can buy tan/khaki hose all day long from the inexpensive hose vendors - and I have many pair from the inexpensive vendors. I'd just like a couple pair from a quality vendor.

I understand its my expectations that tan/khaki would be a basic color for any hose vendor but that Cheviot has a different idea. I'm giving them feedback....the decision remains theirs.

I found their list of vendors and went to every single one of the vendor websites to see if maybe there were some old ones or some weird ones - no joy. I did find the saffron traditional garter ties at Labhran (they called it cinnamon/saffron Matt) and I now understand why one of my large Lewis hose orders was drop shipped from New Hampshire.

But, I still want what I want when I want it....so both curious how tan/khaki gets overlooked and giving feedback that if they ever made kilt hose in a true tan/khaki (not bison) I'd buy a couple pair.