White Hose

[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 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?

[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.

[mookien]

Mark: "Because my charming wife, ..., likes them."

Offhand, I cant' think of a better reason for wearing any color hose. Matrimonial felicity trumps style conventions. You've got your priorities properly ordered. Good for you!

[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

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Woodsheal is correct. At least here in the States, white hose with formal attire are so prevalent that many are of the opinion that they are required. You'd be surprised in our gift shop, with a wall full of different color hose, how many people just grab a pair of white and don't even glance at any other option.

Would I ever tell anyone they cannot wear a certain color hose? Never.

But when people ask my opinion (and they do) I encourage them to consider other colors both for style and variety.

When I see a photo such as the one above posted, and look at the minority wearing hose other than white or ecru colored, those men give me the impression that they put some time and thought into their wardrobe.

I happen to really like kilt hose. I think they are often an underconsidered aspect of the Highland wardrobe. People think that if they have a pair of ecru hose they can get by with those for any occasion and they never think about their socks again until they start wearing holes in the toes! But there are so many other colors, patterns and styles out there. Let's give our choice of hose proper consideration.

When people come to me for advice on Highland attire, I want to help them look the best they can. That rarely means recommending white hose.

[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.

[Jock Scot]

If you like white hose then wear them. Personally I am not a fan of either white hose, or patterned ones and much prefer solid coloured hose for any occasion. My reasons are entirely personal, although if asked, I am perfectly happy to give my reasons.

[Phil]

Well this is now post #49 and all because of the dreaded white hose. If my memory serves me right this wouldn't have been a discussion we would have been having more than 4 years ago when I first joined here. In those days everyone seemed happy with white hose and to wear their Prince Charlie outfits with ghillie brogues morning, noon and night. That is when they weren't wearing cargo or utilikilts which really were the norm at that time. Hardly anyone knew of buckle brogues or tartan hose, montrose, sheriffmuir and regulation doublets had yet to be widely recognised beyond Scotland's shores and some would even happily wear garish pipers doublets to weddings. Tartan waistcoats cut on the bias were unknown then but what do we see now? It really does please me that most here now have a much greater awareness of the kilt and how it should be worn, with what accessories etc. to the extent that they are now able to authoritatively pronounce on these matters themselves.
I see that I even composed a short ditty on the subject a couple of years back -
There once was a kiltie called Phil
Whose white hose were making him ill
But rather than cry
He bought tartan dye
And everyone now thinks they’re brill!

[Peter Crowe]

Maybe post 50, but my two bobs worth:

I am ambivalent about cream/off white hose although I personally strongly dislike the brilliant white hose worn by some pipe-bands. Let me elaborate-I grew up wearing the kilt in Scotland and when I was a boy I always had lovat green hose with a lovat green argyll jacket. When I became an adult and began to have some disposable income of my own at around 18 (1984) I started to expand my kilt accessories, and wore various shades of solid coloured hose including cream/off-white, lovat green, lovat blue, bottle green, and navy. Such cream hose were common among grown men during my childhood who owned their own kilts and PC's including my dad who then (in the 70's) had a barathea dark green Montrose doublet worn with cream hose and finer black ghillies, besides day-wear in lovat green tweed. It was not unusual. I do like other colours of hose too, and I would consider buying tartan/diced hose in the future for evening-wear, but I think some folks on here are missing the point which is to promote the wearing of the kilt, and not get hung up on what is after all something of secondary importance.