socks

[Barb T]

Ron, with respect, for best effect your hose/socks should 'compliment' or 'tone with' the colour of your kilt rather than 'match' it. Too much of the same colour is not a particularly good idea.

General comment on rugby/soccer socks: The one problem with these, as I see it, is that because they are so thin the observer can see the colour of the wearer's calves through them - especially with the darker colours. Personally, I find this a great turn-off and would only wear them if I could roll them down, with boots ........... in which case, they are not really thick enough to look good worn in that way!!!

So, for me, this type of sock does not work with the kilt.

Just my opinion!

I agree, at least for trad kilts. A trad kilt is a substantial garment that I think needs to be balanced with substantial socks. Of course climate is an issue, but I think that the kilt hose with the big bulky tops (and a no see-through look) balance a kilt better than thin hose.

I know I posted this pic on another thread, but I think it illustrates what I mean and I don't have another different picture that's better. Both the tartan hose and the black hose have tops that are long enough to be rolled over twice, giving a nice, balancing cuff. Just my opinion, though!




Barb

[Riverkilt]

Rolled over TWICE.....Thanks Barb ....see what a great board this is...I'm out here in the hinterlands and have wondered WHY the kilt hose was soooo long, thinking I was just supposed to roll it over once...

Now I know!!....soooo many little things to learn.

Sensing there might be a market for some of our experts to combine and form an online "Kilt School" with a certificate of completion of a whole bunch of courses on kilts....history, construction, wearing...including color coordination of accessories...

Visions of tartan mortarboard caps at graduation...

Ron

[bubba]

The Tartan University ;)

[Blu (Ontario)]

... Of course climate is an issue, but I think that the kilt hose with the big bulky tops (and a no see-through look) balance a kilt better than thin hose.... Both the tartan hose and the black hose have tops that are long enough to be rolled over twice, giving a nice, balancing cuff. Just my opinion, though! Barb

Can't argue with that one, Barb! My wife pointed that out to me a long time ago. IMHO you just can't beat the hand knit kilt hose for that effect. With the weather we get here in Ontario, heavy socks are not a problem. But they are a bit expensive for casual wear. I have several pair of soccer type socks which get me by for hiking etc. but I always wear the hand knit where a more formal effect is called for. I'm not sure that I have enough patience to learn to knit them myself though!

[Barb T]

But they are a bit expensive for casual wear.

Last year, our band got really great heavy _cotton_ hose that have bobble or waffle tops and are really long for a great double roll that actually looks like a cuff (some guys get their hose too short, and a double roll makes them look like they're wearing a bagel under the knee...). They are white (see one of our other threads for a discussion of white kilt hose), and they are machine wash and dry. I just put bleach in the wash with them, and they've stayed glowingly white for two seasons of parades and dusty competitions. Best of all, they don't itch, and they're not expensive (under $30) compared to heavy wool kilt hose.

Lots of places carry them. Burnett's and Struth in Ontario carry them for $28 Canadian. Go to

http://www.burnetts-struth.com/foot.html

and scroll down to item 13 with the picture (Piper's Hose), or go to

http://giftshop.scottishtartans.org/hose.htm

and scroll down to Piper's Hose.

Cheers!

Barb

[Ranald]

[QUOTE=Hamish]Ron, with respect, for best effect your hose/socks should 'compliment' or 'tone with' the colour of your kilt rather than 'match' it. Too much of the same colour is not a particularly good idea.

Sorry to question one who I hold in high regard, but I thought you said the colour of your hose should match your top/shirt ?
Or have I just got this all wrong with the word being compliment.

[Hamish]

[QUOTE=Ranald]

Ron, with respect, for best effect your hose/socks should 'compliment' or 'tone with' the colour of your kilt rather than 'match' it. Too much of the same colour is not a particularly good idea.

Sorry to question one who I hold in high regard, but I thought you said the colour of your hose should match your top/shirt ?
Or have I just got this all wrong with the word being compliment.

I take your point, Ranald, but we are talking here about hose and kilts, not hose and shirts!!!

Yes, I do try to match my hose and shirts whenever possible, but that does limit the choice of shirts most of the time and so I resort to good old oatmeal/beige hose for 90% of my day wear, whether informal or casual. I find that colour hose 'goes' well with virtually any of my tartan or plain kilts and seldom is a problem with almost any shirt.

Take another look at Barb's great photo. If the guy had chosen grey hose to match his grey kilt, rather than black to match his shirt, he just would not have looked right. It's all a matter of aesthetic balance!

Final word: whenever possible, match your hose with your shirt/top rather than with your kilt.

[Hamish]

Rolled over TWICE.....Thanks Barb ....see what a great board this is...I'm out here in the hinterlands and have wondered WHY the kilt hose was soooo long, thinking I was just supposed to roll it over once...

Ron

For as long as I can remember (well, for the past 55 years - since I have been wearing the kilt), I have always worn my kilt hose double-folded at the top. It is really a matter of folding down by twice the 'cuff' you want, and then folding half of that back up. Unfortunately, a few brands of hose - especially those in thick acryllic - are not long enough to make this double fold.

[Archangel]

For as long as I can remember (well, for the past 55 years - since I have been wearing the kilt), I have always worn my kilt hose double-folded at the top. It is really a matter of folding down by twice the 'cuff' you want, and then folding half of that back up. Unfortunately, a few brands of hose - especially those in thick acryllic - are not long enough to make this double fold.

well, thanks for explaining that, I was sort of embarrassed to ask what double folding was.

memo to self: there are no stupid questions, only stupid answers on the final exam.

[Ranald]

I would like to say thank you to Hamish for his guidance in all things kilt related, if it were not for the likes of you I probably would look a state.

Note to myself; Be more adventurous with colour but observe the guidelines.