Taking the Plunge: Diced Hose

[CypherMagnum]

A word of caution, if I may, from a traditional viewpoint. With dress(formal) attire, particularly black tie events then, not all events are equal. In other words, some are more formal than others. Wearing diced or argyll hose can cause one to be overdressed for most black tie events. Traditionally, this type of hose is really reserved for the rare and ultra formal "white tie" events.

Just saying.

Jock,

Excellent advice, I had assumed black tie required diced hose regardless. I certainly don't want to over-do it! In the case of a "less-formal" black tie event, would you wear solid-color hose? If so, any color guidelines?

Thanks!

[Pegasys]

I just ordered claret & navy on the 31st , but then they went on holiday ? and said they wouldn't be back untill 5th Friday , so I figured I would wait untill tomorrow to call and ask . I can ask about your claret & dark green while I'm speaking voice with them if you want .

The claret & dark green doesn't appear on the current Cheviot kilt wear page. Who is offering it for sale (possibly out of old stock)?

[Pegasys]

I spoke on the phone this morning with Ashley at House of Cheviot about the claret and dark green kilt hose . She said they do have them but they aren't specifically mentioned on the web site . She said also best to call them to assure you of getting the correct color at 441450378670 . The price on the web site of 66.83 GBP will be ending on the 12th of this month . Hope this helps .

The claret & dark green doesn't appear on the current Cheviot kilt wear page. Who is offering it for sale (possibly out of old stock)?

[OC Richard]

Of the 40 odd examples in 18th century portraits and prints I examined, Red and White dice appear in 27 but crucially none before c1745.

For sure that's technically correct.

But there are examples of red & white patterned hose earlier than 1745

[figheadair]

For sure that's technically correct.

But there are examples of red & white patterned hose earlier than 1745

Absolutely Richard, assuming of course that the pale shade in the Grant Piper was white then yes, red and white but not dice. It's interesting that in the companion portrait, that of Alister Mohr Grant, the tartan of the plaid is the same, give or take, as that worn by William Cumming but the hose are quite different and look more like the same sett as the plaid.

Alister Mohr Grant - champion to the Laird of Grant by Richard Waitt 1714.jpg

[freddie]

I personally can't see what all the fuss is about 'off white' (some call it cream) kilt hose. It would go really well with the white line in your tartan and shows off the ghillie brogue laces (please not half way up your legs) really well.

[figheadair]

I personally can't see what all the fuss is about 'off white' (some call it cream) kilt hose. It would go really well with the white line in your tartan and shows off the ghillie brogue laces (please not half way up your legs) really well.

We're discussing diced hose here rather than shades for solid colour hose. The horrors of white hose have been amply discussed elsewhere.

[Pleater]

Writing purely as a maker of hose, not with guidance - there are diced made from two clear colours and a marl of one strand of each, and there are argyles made - to drive the knitter mad as far as I can make out.

I suspect that the development of knitting machines able to make the simpler diced hose is what brought them into use, if not popularity. The first ones would have been seamed up the back but these days there are machines able to knit them in the round.

There are simple argyles, though that is a relative term, with vertical rows of diamonds in the same colour yarn, and with a criss crossing of single stitches in different colours. These are best attempted by one with a strong affection for the intended wearer as some sort of protection against the inevitable discovery of errors in the patterning. Some makers of yarns have attempted to create the pattern using high tech dyeing equipment, but the effect can be erratic.

Finally there are the hose where an attempt is made to imitate the tartan of the kilt, though even amongst these there are degrees of difficulty. The diamonds can be subdivided into lesser diamonds using two or four colours and the single stitches arranged so that every colour in the tartan is represented to the same extent and juxtaposition as the sett. These should not be knitted singly but as a pair, so that if there is an error of yarn selection at least it is in both halves of the pair.

If the first type were to be worn for posh dos, with the more complex ones worn to more formal events, with the most complex only when being presented at court or receiving a knighthood it would mean preserving both the hose and the sanity of knitters in general.

Anne the Pleater

[freddie]

We're discussing diced hose here rather than shades for solid colour hose. The horrors of white hose have been amply discussed elsewhere.

The O.P. said he didn't want to go the ecru route. I was merely addressing this point.