How to wear bright colored hose?

[Manu]

Hello all,

As I continue to put my kit together, I was browsing the options for hose that house of cheviot offers. I figure I need somewhat of a neutral color for ease of wear, like bison. Then I saw the bright colors like mustard, cinnamon, and such, and I found these to be quite interesting. Does anyone here own hose in these bright options that could share some pointers on how to do these colors without overdoing it? What's the proper way to balance these colors? I own an Ireland's National from USAK and I'd like to add a little bit of color to the outfit without looking like a flag. Thanks in advance for the wisdom sharing!

[Mathew MacKillop]

I own a pair of the Cheviot Lewis hose in Mustard, as well as a pair of their Sandringham hose in Wild Broom (orange). I wear them like any other pair of hose. There is no real need to balance them. Trying to match colours to the kilt is not really necessary, though a popular tactic seems to be to wear a shirt in a complementary colour to the hose.

[Steve Ashton]

When wearing my bright colored hose I usually fine that it avoids those embarrassing moments if I wear them on my feet.


Seriously, don't overthink this. The kilt is not a uniform. Yes, it is sometimes worn as part of a uniform, but unless in a band or the military using common sense and dressing with the same care you would at any other time will usually get you through.

Think of hose like you would any other item of clothing. Did you pick the color of your regular socks to match your pants? Probably not.

Does powder Blue go with hot pink? Well, yes some do wear those together.

I usually find that picking everything in my outfit based on the colors of my kilt will usually cause the kilt to get lost in all the matchy-matchy instead of letting the kilt shine as the centerpiece of the outfit.

The best piece of advice I was ever given as a young boy learning to dress was - "It's not what you wear, but how you wear it."

The second best piece of advice was - "You should wear your clothes. Don't let the clothes wear you."

And the next - "The first thing any person should notice when you walk into a room is your smile. If they notice your clothes first, you are overdressed."

[Jock Scot]

Its easy, just put them on!

Jock in the office.


Out for a stroll.

[GrainReaper]

Wear whatever hose you choose, I just usually grab a pair of hose, grab some garter ties and get dressed. I like the matchy-matchy look to an extent but do prefer to just wing it! Being color-blind makes matchy-matchy rather daunting for me anyway.

[Father Bill]

If you HAVE to match something, compliment your shirt or tie, not your kilt.

[McMurdo]

The great thing about Highland wear is it need not match. When i first got my Scottish Wildcat Tartan kilt, I felt the need to match the colours, so I wore Brown or Grey hose, there is nothing wrong with that but sometimes it seems a bit boring. A year or more into wearing this kilt more than any of my others I thought I would branch out and had a pair of Lovat Blue hose knit for me, then a pink/purple pair followed.





I recently picked up a pair of Orange hose from House of Cheviot


Of course Mustard always works

If you like the look try it out.

[Manu]

Aah yes, so based on pics from jock and mcmurdo, I take it that bright and fun colors work all on their own without matching but rather complimenting whatever other colors. As Steve said, let the kilt make the statement all on its own. I had a feeling orange hose with the Ireland's National would be a bit too matchy as orange is the secondary color in the tartan. I guess I have a case of bringing Saxon conventions into kilt wearing!

[styphonthal]

Think of hose like you would any other item of clothing. Did you pick the color of your regular socks to match your pants? Probably not.

Don't you? I wear black socks with my business pants, black socks if I was to wear dress suit+tie, white socks when I play tennis. So if you were to compare the two, should certain colors be used for certain events?

[GrainReaper]

Don't you? I wear black socks with my business pants, black socks if I was to wear dress suit+tie, white socks when I play tennis. So if you were to compare the two, should certain colors be used for certain events?

I have never given much thought to kilt hose, I like the brighter hose colors, and regardless of event I just grab what strikes my fancy, to me what makes your apparrel fit the event is the jacket, waistcoat, tie....