Winter thigh high socks fer me kilt

**tundramanq** · 12th January 13, 04:01 PM

Back in October I started looking for thigh socks for the winter as I wear the kilts year around and my knobby knees get cold.
After searching and buying a few, One thing became clear, If marketed as male or Unisex it will not stay up!
Bought a garter belt but can't kid myself into wearing it. Should mention I have skinny legs here.

The knee warmers mostly look orthotic - in either compression or too loose - most of these clowns size by your waist size !?!

There is no correlation between the two.

SO, I took my masculinity in hand and looked at what there is for gals.
The selection is vast, cotton, wool, sythetics - Most have some spandex in them.

The five pair I have so far stay up, the American Apparel solid cotton with 1% spandex very well, The Smartwool pretty well - and when they slip it is to above my knee not down to slouch level.

I have ordered more colors of the AA cotton in solid and heathers - these also fit snug enough that I think I can get by without my light compression socks. Also some Yogacolors cotton solid thigh-highs that promise to be thicker and has 3% spandex from MoonTree - Uh-Huh in midnight Navy - they also have some "very bright" colors. The quest goes on.

WHY COTTON? In the wet wool is king, in the dry cotton rules. I have a 365 day a year shedding pug - skip the synthetics.

**Jon Lilley** · 12th January 13, 05:44 PM

Greetings from NE, Ohio, Chuck!

Just another idea, . . . When we had to march in a St. Patricks Day Parade and it was snowing like mad, I'd just pull on a pair of light colored thermal underwear, some footies (not sure what else they're called) to protect the toe of my hose and then the hose top/spat, etc. would go on up over everything. Works like a dream. Now, if there were a good fix for my pipes in the cold, I'd be set. Anyway, from a distance you couldn't really tell what was worn, but closer up, people would just shake their heads knowingly, smile and carry one with what they were doing. The alternative (fuel line freeze-up) really isn't worth the annoyance.

I hope this helps a bit . . .

Jon

**tundramanq** · 12th January 13, 06:35 PM

Jon, I love the signature - a lot like easy to learn, impossible to master. Sure dosen't take much to turn a bag pipe into a howling cat quartet

No idea how you could tune the drones for that.

When I'm going to be out a long time I wear my New Balance black running tights - warm, fuzzy on the inside, non shiny and thin so I can wear my black compression socks over them. Looks like all one piece from a distance.
This is for the shorter exposure times where serious freeze up isn't a real issue. I value the freedom a lot. And I'll carry my tweezers and wee flashlight in my sporran.

Working a little Highland Park 18 yr antifreeze right now - it's 26 now and headed for 6 degrees tonight here in Albuquerque - way below normal temperatures.

**TheOfficialBren** · 12th January 13, 08:24 PM

Yikes, Chuck! That IS cold! I don't kilt up when it's that cold but then again, I only have an acrylic. I'm going to spring for wool very soon.

**1oldsarge** · 12th January 13, 08:41 PM

Wool boot socks at military surplus???

**Chas** · 13th January 13, 06:14 AM

I was in the RAF during the 70s. Airfields are by their nature big, open, windy areas. And when the winter wind blows, it will howl across the runway with nothing to stop it.

Our cold weather clothing consisted of our 'hairy Mary' uniform (mainly wool, but bulked up with 'other mixed fibers') and a 100% thick cotton boiler-suit - that's it. Those of us who had to work on the field took to wearing a pair of pyjamas under the working uniform, but it was often just too bulky.

Then a wonderful invention was upon us - the one legged tights! For those who do not know, each one is one leg of a pair and a waistband. You wear one one each leg and end up with two waist bands. The up-side was warmth (an extra layer, for no extra bulk) and we could still get access to anything we needed to get access to.

My wife tells me that they are still available today.

Regards

Chas

**tundramanq** · 13th January 13, 06:38 AM

1oldsarge - I looked and the tallest I find is 20 inch - just above my knees. wool, in khaki - Amazon

Chas, I am hoping to avoid the waist bands. Gotta slide my kilt up to deal with them. But they sound warmer than the running tights I use now when the north pole comes down - like now. Used to call it "The Canadian Express" but the term fell out of use.

Tempted to get out the scissors and make a less expensive pair of tights crotchless. Most nylons nowdays don't fray much. My sewing machine/me handles light leather OK but the thin nylons are a real trainwreck for me.

**CDNSushi** · 13th January 13, 08:29 AM

I don't think I'd have a need for thigh-high kilt hose... Either it's warm enough to wear regular kilt hose, or if it's that cold, I'd just wear wooly tights. Then there's no need to worry about them staying up...