style question - tartan flashes, solid flashes or no flashes?

[Moose McLennan]

Hi, long time lurker and first time poster here with a question for the sartorialists among us:

Will tartan flashes matched to my kilt (Cameron of Erracht) make me look like I'm on my way to a fancy dress party?

Or should I go with solid dark green or navy flashes - or just the elastic without flashes?

I prefer a more streamlined and toned-down look - save me from looking like a stepped off a shortbread tin please and post your thoughts!

Cheers
Moose

[dwg]

Hi and welcome, I like not to have flashes for a every day outing but on a more formal day/eve out then flashes

[Pour1Malt]

aye... like dwg69 ai usually scroonch ma hose doon

and dinnae wear flashes a'taw...

ai wear tartan flashes fur maire formal occasions ...

like ga'in' oot fur supper....

[Moose McLennan]

aye... like dwg69 ai usually scroonch ma hose doon

and dinnae wear flashes a'taw...

ai wear tartan flashes fur maire formal occasions ...

like ga'in' oot fur supper....

Ah wisnae sure I could pull off yon "Vin Diesel" look masel ... aye thought it wis mair ey a young man's look, but ah'll gie it a go!

Cheers PTM
Moose

[Pour1Malt]

weel... it works fur Hamish tae...

[Colin]

Personally when I am wearing my hose up, I now base my flashes on matching the tartan. My first pair of flashes were solid balck and worked ok, but the red ones were better and than the MacKenzie and the Watson tartan flashes (depending which kilt of course) just add to the whole outfit.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I'm going to disagree with the others in this thread and say that I always prefer solid flashes to tartan.

The reason for this is because the original garters were long woven bands, and not cut from tartan cloth. They would have been a solid color.

See the garters shown at the bottom of this page:
http://www.almostunwearoutable.com/system/index.html

Theses were wrapped under the knee and tied into a knot. The flashes on our modern elastic garters are meant to emulate the ends of the tied knot of the old style garters. For this reason, solid color flashes are actually the more traditional choice.

I also think that a simple solid color adds a bit of flash to the outfit without being over the top. I prefer to keep things simple whenever possible.

It's not that tartan flashes don't look nice - they do - but I still prefer solid colors for both historical reasons and for reasons of style.
Aye,
Matt

[highlandcelt]

Hi and welcome, I like not to have flashes for a every day outing but on a more formal day/eve out then flashes

Great pics! Very nice liking kilts!

[davedove]

If I wear the hose pulled up, I almost always wear flashes. And I basically agree with Matt here. While I have and do occasionally wear some tartan flashes (always matched to the tartan), I prefer solid color flashes in a coordinating color.

Moose, flashes by themselves won't make you look too dressed up. If anyone notices anything it will be the kilt. The kilt, worn with hose, solid color flashes, a plain leather sporran, and maybe a knit golf shirt will give you a nice casual kilted look.

[David Dalglish]

I always wear tartan flashes to match the kilt I am wearing as I think they look much smarter that plain ones (a matter of choise)