hose resources for "calves of substance"

[Alan H]

No, I don't think they are being silly or making a mistake, not in regards to how to spend their money, in any case. I will admit that I have seen some outfits being worn (and I'm speaking in general, not particularly on this forum) that do look rather silly, in my opinion. There are some things being sold as "Highland dress" that truly more in the realm of cheap costume than any form of clothing. I don't like to see things that in my mind belittle the Scottish culture or heritage.

But I don't think that is what you are referring to. I think what you refer to is the person who maybe pulls down six figures a year and attends a few black tie dinners in his kilt every now and then; and is perfectly content with his $25 pair of navy blue kilt hose that he bought five years ago when he ordered his kilt. He simply does not see the need to buy expensive custom Argyle socks. He thinks others look nice wearing them. He just doesn't personally feel compelled to lay out that kind of cash for socks. I think that is perfectly fine.




Thank you, Alan, for admitting that. That's all anyone can do, I think. Far be it for me or you or anyone else on this forum to decide what might be too expensive (or too cheap) for anyone else. We all have our own budgets. All we can do is make our personal recommendations, and let each buyer decide what they can or cannot afford (or what they want to spend).

And thank you for clarifying that, Matt, not just for me, but so that everyone can see it. I think a number of people will sit up and take notice, that you think that it's perfectly fine for that fellow to wear his $25 hose. I'm glad to hear it.

BTW, I don't pull down six figures, nor do I attend ANY black-tie events in a year. The closest thing to black-tie that I ever might attend is the Nor Cal Rabble Burns Night, and that's just "black tie" because some guys happen to own it. However, everyone is welcome to attend wearing whatever they have.

I'm entirely serious about this.. I NEVER attend anything that is "black tie". Ever. I know guys who do and the events they attend are things like the Saint Andrews Society annual ball.... not something that's really my cup of tea. Outside of that; the Saint Andrews Society Ball and the Caledonian Society annual Tartan Ball....and Opening Night at the Symphony and the Opera, and the Symphony's Viennese Ball, I'm not even AWARE of any black-tie events in the San Francisco Bay Area. I'm dead serious. I'm sure they're out there, I just have never heard of them.

I don't go to Opening Night at the Symphony, either. When I go to the Symphony, I go to listen to the music, not to hang out with the local glitterati. ..and "white tie"? Except for Panache, I don't know anyone who even owns the kit for "white tie". I think maybe this is because I live in California, where the overall climate is just a whole lot less formal.

[artificer]

The sound you may be hearing right now is that of my head not-so-very-gently banging against my desk.

A chap asks a simple question about hose for his "hard to fit" size, and this is what we get.

[Joshua]

USA Kilts now makes custom Argyll hose and Diced hose.

Dear Lord, I am ruined. RUUUUINED!

More stuff from USAK that I must eventually get.

The prices look good as well on those.

[Alan H]

The sound you may be hearing right now is that of my head not-so-very-gently banging against my desk.

A chap asks a simple question about hose for his "hard to fit" size, and this is what we get.

Oh, come now, it's not THAT bad is it?

Besides, look at the educational process we all just went through.

I agreed that my comment was probably inflammatory. So in the future, I should try to express my opinion without letting some personal innuendo get in the way. It's a good point.

Matt, one of the most respected of the traditionally-inclined fellows on the board, very clearly said that he feels that it's just fine for the fellow who wants to wear his simple $25 solid color hose, to go right ahead and do so....that there is no need for him to "upgrade" to more expensive hose if he doesn't want to. He quite clearly stated that the fellow who chooses to stick with the less expensive option, and was fine with it was not foolish for choosing lesser quality hose when he had the means to purchase more expensive stuff.

And Joshua got his information about upscale hose.

Life is good!

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Alan,

I will go one step farther and say that I would rather see a decent quality pair of solid color kilt hose (which one can easily obtain in the $20-$50 range), than a pair of cheap, low quality argyle or diced hose which might have cost twice as much.

I think that quality can be had at many price points, and that quality shines out much more than a lot of other considerations.

[Alan H]

Alan,

I will go one step farther and say that I would rather see a decent quality pair of solid color kilt hose (which one can easily obtain in the $20-$50 range), than a pair of cheap, low quality argyle or diced hose which might have cost twice as much.

I think that quality can be had at many price points, and that quality shines out much more than a lot of other considerations.

To paraphrase you, if I may try.... we are all adults, and we all can choose to what level we spend our resources on things that are important to us.. or less important.

This includes Highland clothing.

So that fellow who chooses to spend $40 for a nice pair of Lewis hose from your museum is not guilty of a foolish choice when he chooses that pair of hose, over a pair of $140 argyll hose, even if he has the resources to easily afford the more expensive option. He's the adult, he chooses. He is not "foolish" or "making a mistake by not buying the best quality" or somehow a lesser person for his choice.

However, there ARE limits. Someone who chooses to wear a pair of white, athletic cotton tube socks folded over, with a homemade, low-skill kilt constructed from inexpensive flannel from Joannes Fabrics, to attend an evening function where he meets Prince Harry and Kate Middleton might be making a foolish and unnecessary mistake.

??

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I'd say that's a pretty good summary of my thoughts, Alan, with a few caveats. I would never say that a person who chooses to buy a pair of $48 Lewis hose over a pair of $140 Argyle hose is "not buying the best quality." He's getting an excellent quality pair of solid colored hose. It's just that to get that same level of quality in an Argyle or diced pattern is going to cost a lot more. And some people just decide they don't want/need that extra expense.

And I think that hypothetical fellow going to meet Prince Harry would be better off in trousers than the outfit you described! lol...

[Joshua]

However, there ARE limits. Someone who chooses to wear a pair of white, athletic cotton tube socks folded over, with a homemade, low-skill kilt constructed from inexpensive flannel from Joannes Fabrics, to attend an evening function where he meets Prince Harry and Kate Middleton might be making a foolish and unnecessary mistake.

??

I personally make due with what I have. Because I've been as heavy as I was at one time, and am already retiring a kilt only purchased 6 months ago because of my weightloss, I have not yet invested in a full wool "tank", instead opting for fairly well-made PV kilts (I have two 8-yard PV kilts). My jacket was very inexpensive. In fact, the only upscale items in my wardrobe are my brooks brother's shirts, but they were purchased during a "buy 3, get one free" sale that took their $80/each price down to about $50 each. I will admit that the years I was paying $75 bucks for shirts from the Big and Tall shops to only have them fall apart within three months, I have greatly recouped my losses by buying quality shirts that have as of now, lasted me a full year and still look brand new (and also fit my freakshow 20" neck, while not being parachute-sized in the torso).

Like you, I am frugal, and like you, I avoid spending money superfluously on clothes. However, I have bought quality items, and those are the items that have really started to change my opinion. This is why I wear fairly pricey ($60-$70 pair) police uniform (5.11 brand) slacks to work... the pairs that I have have lasted for 5 years, and only recently did I split the *** out of a pair when teaching my son how to do a squat properly. It felt like someone shot my dog, having to throw those pants away.

I understand the effort in a pair of diced hose and argyle hose. I also have seen poor, machine made ones. If I had found a workable solution to my desire for patterned hose, I would have done as I have with my kilts and found a "workable", less expensive alternative. If one doesn't exist, what do you do? For now I will do without, but at least now I know where I can find what I need when I feel the time is right.