Quote Originally Posted by Nanook View Post
I don't agree. The quality of kilt hose provided by the rental outlets--- and sold as cheap hose--- are miserable and in any colour look like the cheap, thin, mixed-acrylic knee-highs they are. A good stout quality cream and oatmeal Aran knit hose can look wonderful and anyone would could mistake the two would surely also confuse a traditional hand sewn kilt with a £25 thing from a supermarket or a bath towel. Off-white (cream to beige to oatmeal ) really show off tanned skin and highlights well toned muscular legs. By using plain coloured flashes (picking out a line from the tartan or a complementary colour to the main hue) one can indeed wear them with a wide range of tartans. These should not be the only colour of hose in ones closet but any wardrobe should have a pair or two.


I also don't agree. Dark sold black socks even with long pants is considered sufficiently somber but not always stylish or elegant. Black knee-high socks will on most people rarely look good. They are ill-suited, I think, for anyone with a cold skin complexion (reddish in contrast to yellowish) or pale skin with less than ideal skin and muscular tone as they highlight both. Women's fashion is filled with black tights as a universal because it makes their legs look slimmer--- and combined with a shorter skirt longer (and thus also younger)--- but notice also that few women will ever wear black knee-highs and those that are worn are more often show some skin as lace, arabesque or fishnet in style rather than plain opaque knit! They can work but not for or with everyone.
Well, that's intersting, even though I don't agree with everything you've posted. But the question wasn't about women's fashion, or the difficulties or choosing the right colours for sallow complected people, or what to do if you have flabby calves; it was about why kilt hire shops only stock/rent white hose.

The fact that probably 99% of all rental outfits come with white hose has really put them in the category of "rented socks" no matter what their quality-- especially when worn with jacket and tie, or after 6pm. Likewise, given that the vast majority of pipe bands (certainly in North America) wear heavy white socks with thick "Aran" cuffs, is another reason why they should be avoided in "civilian" attire.

As far as creme hose are concerned, well to me they always have the look of white socks that have gone off colour. Just my personal observation.