Proper hose with the PC tux

[Mark Stephenson]

Wear the cream hose if you like them. Wear the fly also, if you wish. I've been to five black tie Highland events in the past year alone and saw plenty of cream hose and a surprising number of fly plaids as well. I do not understand the fear of looking like you rented your outfit. If you have a well-made PC and kilt, and a nice sporan you will look great regardless of your hose. Wear what you like and be proud to be kilted!

[Azrobert]

There is NO rule book. Wear what you think looks good on you. Everyone has an opinion, none carry any authority over what is correct or not.

[fluter]

(another good part is due to an irrational fear of cream hose, exacerbated by reading a gazillion "Oh No! Not the white/cream hose!" stories )

A condition known as asprokalitsophobia, IIRC.

If the cable hose are hand-knit, and your wife thinks they look good, then wear them. In my mind's eye, hand knits in maroon, brick red, purple, or a vibrant blue or green would look even better.

I probably mangled that made-up word, as my classical Greek is non-existent.

[MacLowlife]

There are at least two truisms about advice. One is that we often choose the source based on the advice we can expect to get. Lately, people have talked about the delineation of the different subforum groups, specifically modern vs traditional. Had you asked your question in the Traditional subforum, you would have gotten even more advice against the light colored hose and the fly plaid. But you didn't, and as a result, you got mixed advice, which pretty accurately reflects the mixed opinions on these two points amongst the larger membership.

I think the longer version of the story is that some of the sellers of kiltwear (and certainly many of those who rent the stuff) have skewed notions of what is proper to coincide with their own motives, specifically that white goes with everything and that more is more ( at least on the sales tape) so a plaid has to be better than no plaid. I think also that an essential part of connoisseurship is the element of learned arcana- the idea that your longer participation has led to superior knowledge- and the accompanying notion that badges of superior knowledge are frequently invisible to the newly initiated. Humans are a race of beings who distrust being able to go in and just buy the whole thing, especially those of us who can't afford to. We demand that element of having earned it- and that element of superiority. Frequently the antidote to easy availability ( for mere, common, indiscriminate money) is restraint. You are talking to a bunch of people who spend so much time thinking and discussing kilts that they have joined a special web forum dedicated to that purpose. Until we can get a secret handshake, we have to rely on things like a dislike of white hose.

Oh, and the second truism about advice? That anything free is worth what you paid for it.

Wear what you will and wear it proudly.

[KEArnold]

The heavy hose I bought for $70.00 at a local store as they are hand knitted and shipped from Scotland. My other sets of cream hose were cheaper ones I bought as part of a set. So I understand the comments now about the "rental/cheap" look.

AKScott's comment on the person in the hose and sweater I believe is actually about me. I posted a photos back in Feb. of what I wore out for my birthday.

The blue hose Will also hide the fact I am wearing American style brogues and not ghillie brogues, not that I feel it really matters. I have them tassel laced, the shoe design is what's different.

[room2ndfloor]

A condition known as asprokaptsophobia, IIRC.

I probably mangled that made-up word, as my classical Greek is non-existent.

ΜΙΣΩ ΤΙΣ ΑΣΠΡΕΣ ΚΑΛΤΣΕΣ: "Meso tis aspros kalitses": "I hate white hose".

[M. A. C. Newsome]

While it is true that there are no "rules" in this regard, only matters of opinion, it is also true to that the OP posted on here asking for people's opinions. So let's help him out with our opinions.

Yes, you will see A LOT of men at formal functions wearing their Prince Charlies with white or ecru (cream) colored hose, and no, it does not necessarily look bad. You'll even see Prince Charlie jackets advertised from some of the major Highland dress manufacturers and suppliers worn by models wearing white hose.

So why do a lot of people also have such a negative reaction to the idea? A few reasons:
1) The bright white color really looks glaring on some people's legs and to my eye can unbalance an outfit.
2) They are SO common, and with so many different colors in the rainbow why do you want to pick the same color hose as everyone else (and a relatively boring one at that)?
3) Historically diced or argyle hose were the proper thing for evening wear, and while they are less common now, it seems somehow incongruous with tradition to have this style replaced by the simplest, plainest option.

My advice for you would be this -- wear your best pair of hose. If that is your ecru hose, then so be it. You'll probably look and feel ten times better in a pair of real quality ecru hose than in a pair of real cheap navy hose.

My further advice would be that if you find yourself attending a lot of formal functions and getting a lot of wear out of your Prince Charlie, it might be worth investing in some diced or argyle hose. You'll get a lot of use out of them and feel like a million bucks at your next formal occasion.

[creagdhubh]

I would suggest wearing either the green or the blue hose. Please don't wear the white/cream hose!

May I make a couple of suggestions?
1. There is no need to call the jacket in question a "Prince Charlie Tux." It isn't a tuxedo or dinner jacket at all; rather, it is a Prince Charlie coatee...or just a Prince Charlie!
2. Skip the fly plaid. They really aren't necessary and tend to spoil your "look."

I agree with you Sandy (as well as with many other members) - the fly plaid is superfluous with evening attire, and the so-called, "Prince Charlie" is just a simple coatee based upon Regimental mess jackets...that's all.

Go with what Sandy mentioned, anything but white/ecru/cream hose! Nothing screams "rental look" louder than white/ecru/cream hose! Red and black, red and white, or navy blue and tartan green diced hose would also look wonderful with the Black Watch tartan. Try House of Cheviot's line of diced hose. Solid coloured hose would of course be fine as well, perhaps a more vibrant colour that contrasts with the darkness of the Government tartan such as, tartan red, claret, or brick red. House of Cheviot also makes a superb line of kilt hose in solid colours, either in the Rannoch, Lewis, or Harris styles. Good luck!

Slainte,

[CMcG]

<snip>
My advice for you would be this -- wear your best pair of hose. If that is your ecru hose, then so be it. You'll probably look and feel ten times better in a pair of real quality ecru hose than in a pair of real cheap navy hose.

These are some carefully considered words! The knee jerk reaction against white/cream/ecru hose sometimes does not pause to take in other considerations. The OP said his coloured hose are the "usual" ones that can be found online. I wonder what the quality of them is like i.e. are they serviceable for formal wear or stretched thin in the calf with a wimpy cuff?

Diced or Argyle hose would get my vote because they are more suited to formal wear, but that was not one of the OP's options.

[Tony]

seconding the excerpt and the post above.
Wear your best, wear it with pride and manly bearing.