White Hose

[Peter Crowe]

Just to illustrate how pervasive the "white hose = dress up" mindset is, here's a pic from a Burns Supper I attended this past winter:



The three X-Marks members are NOT wearing white/cream: Steven (black), Seumas (back row, blue), myself (diced). The five or six additional kilties who didn't make it into the pic all had white hose on, as well.

I must say, the cream/off-white shade looks much better than the stark, blinding white...!

I agree about the blinding white! I have often wondered though why there is an expectation we wear the Kilt for a Burns Night or Burns Supper (something I do myself) when the Bard himself never wore a kilt in his life. BTW, I know he wore a shepherd's shoulder plaid in fillemot and shepherd tartan check.

[Mark Stephenson]

I have quite a few different colored hose. However, when wearing a PC, I usually wear off-white kilt hose. Why? Because my charming wife, who is the love of my life, likes them. It pleases me greatly to please her, and would probably wear polka dots if it brought her a bit of happiness when there's no harm to it. http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/i...icon_smile.gif

[Phil]

I have quite a few different colored hose. However, when wearing a PC, I usually wear off-white kilt hose. Why? Because my charming wife, who is the love of my life, likes them. It pleases me greatly to please her, and would probably wear polka dots if it brought her a bit of happiness when there's no harm to it. http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/i...icon_smile.gif

Well said - I couldn't agree more. It really is time these white hose prejudices were scotched. Everyone is entitled to his own taste and no one has the right to attempt to impose his views over those of others.

[Woodsheal]

Well said - I couldn't agree more. It really is time these white hose prejudices were scotched. Everyone is entitled to his own taste and no one has the right to attempt to impose his views over those of others.

Agreed. It's the still-pervasive notion that white hose are the "correct" choice for Highland evening wear (formal/semi-formal) that seems outmoded - and even goofy in appearance, when you attend an event and 90% of the gents present are so uniformly accoutered.

No one's attempting to "impose" their views on others, but rather merely expressing their views - a right I'm sure you would deny no one!

And - to reiterate - while NOT a fan of the bright white stockings, I do like the off-white ivory shades, especially in a heavy, hand knitted type. I would definitely wear a kilt hose version of these, for example:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/55987976...d-slouch-socks

[davidlpope]

In my mind it's simple in-group/out-group behavior. Most who wear white hose think it is what one is supposed to do. Most who do not wear white hose think it is not what one does.

I'm perfectly content to have all those who wear white hose to continue to do so.

I attempt to wear Highland dress the way it is worn by Highlanders. If that leaves folks at the local games scratching their head that's okay with me.

[Phil]

I agree about the blinding white! I have often wondered though why there is an expectation we wear the Kilt for a Burns Night or Burns Supper (something I do myself) when the Bard himself never wore a kilt in his life. BTW, I know he wore a shepherd's shoulder plaid in fillemot and shepherd tartan check.

I know and it has always been a bit of a mystery why members here feel it is appropriate to "kilt up" for Burns night or St Patrick's day. neither of which have anything whatsoever to do with Highland Dress. Of all the Burns suppers I have been to in Scotland I have never seen anyone kilted although I can't speak for St Patrick's day events, never having been involved in one. I have to admit, however, that it is a fair number of years since I attended a Burns Supper so things may have changed.
Getting back to the white hose subject, I really do wonder about the attitudes prevailing here, and I do not mean you,Gradatim Vincemus, but others on this forum. I have full tartan hose -

and

as well as self coloured hose, and white hose all of which I wear as the occasion demands. I really do find the sort of supercilious comments here about white hose unnecessary and unhelpful for those new to kilt wearing. When I joined this forum tartan hose were pretty well unknown here, as were jabots, doublets and buckle brogues. Now, it seems, we have a snobbish coterie of "nouveau - kilties" who feel they can propound upon all matters kilted and woe betide any ingenue who disregards them. Dare to wear what was common currency here four or five years ago and you invite scorn and invective upon you. So is this what is called progress, or is it actually a small group of individuals who have decided that they are right and everyone else is wrong?