Matching Kilt Hose

[PatrickHughes123]

You don't quantify 'the past' but assuming that you mean pre mid-18th century, some did.

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Yeah, actually, I meant pre-19th Century but thank you for this useful post.

[Steve Ashton]

As long as you realize that Tartan hose and diced hose are very different.

Please expect to pay about $120.00 usd per pair for diced hose.
These are military diced hose

They can be hand knitted but this pair were made on a circular sock knitting machine.



And

Upwards of $200.00 - $350.00 usd per pair of what are called Tartan hose but are actually Argyle.
Dancers hose are called Tartan but are Argyle.



Knit hose in the actual Tartan pattern are almost always hand knit of sometimes as many as 6 colors and I have seen them sell for upwards of $350.00 - $500.00 usd per pair.

[Tobus]

Upwards of $200.00 - $350.00 usd per pair of what are called Tartan hose but are actually Argyle.

Yikes, it's been about 8 years since I last bought Argyle hose. I don't remember them costing that much! I have a pair that matches my Ancient Colquhoun kilt, and had been thinking of getting a pair for my Reproduction Colquhoun kilt. Looks like I'll be holding off on that particular purchase until I have a REALLY good reason for it.

[PatrickHughes123]

As long as you realize that Tartan hose and diced hose are very different.

I know the difference between Argyle, tartan and diced hose.

Tartan hose are simply hose with a tartan design. Argyle hose are hose that are made when a tartan pattern is too complicated to copy exactly. Tartan hose and Argyle hose are similar but are not the same thing.

Diced hose, are hose with a checkered pattern.

[tokareva]

I don't understand why Argyle kilt hose should be so expensive. The ones below are $16.50 and yes I know they aren't wool, but they are still no more expensive than plain socks of the same material. What's creating the drastic price difference between plain and Argyle kilt hose? Sounds like there price gouging to me.

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[Jock Scot]

Hello rabble!

I have a question, is it incorrect in modern kilt wearing to wear matched tartan hose? It used to be in the past that Highlanders didn't wear matching hose. This is something that I've been going back and forth on for a good bit now, I just can't decide. I don't have tartan hose, but will do in the future. I think that it is perfectly fine to wear non-matching hose but can't decide if it also applies the other way.

Generally for traditional kilt attire these days,then patterned hose of all types, are worn for the more formal event and not for general day attire and minor black tie events. Some these days make the mistake of “ over-egging the cake” with their hose choices.

[YOJiMBO20]

Full argyle/tartan hose are generally more formal. If you want to wear them, great. Maybe pass on the ghillie shirt while wearing them, though.

I don't own full argyle hose, and probably never will, but I do have argyle top hose - similar to the shooting socks that tarheel posted. I picked the colours that I felt best matched and complimented my kilt.

You can see them in this pic where I'm warming up for a solo competition at the Las Vegas Highland Games back in 2015.

And yes, before anyone mentions it, I know (now) that the dress sporran doesn't really go with with the mostly daywear everything else.

[PatrickHughes123]

Full argyle/tartan hose are generally more formal. If you want to wear them, great. Maybe pass on the ghillie shirt while wearing them, though.

I don't own full argyle hose, and probably never will, but I do have argyle top hose - similar to the shooting socks that tarheel posted. I picked the colours that I felt best matched and complimented my kilt.

You can see them in this pic where I'm warming up for a solo competition at the Las Vegas Highland Games back in 2015.

And yes, before anyone mentions it, I know (now) that the dress sporran doesn't really go with with the mostly daywear everything else.

Beautiful. Thanks for sharing.

I'm not like most people, so I think that full-dress sporran goes great with your outfit. Me when kilting, I'm a bit more relaxed about formal vs informal than most people, I'd happily wear a horsehair sporran with a Ghillie Shirt. It appears odd to other people but I like it. Again, a reference to the Ghillie Shirt outside the actual thread, is this going to keep happening? Am I going to get known as the Ghillie Shirt guy on this forum? I'm not complaining, I'd just like to know. I probably shouldn't be typing this as I feel it will increase the probability of this coming true.

Anyway, back to the subject, I think your hose look excellent. You look really smart. I am very neutral towards the Argyle top hose though, don't know what to think of them. I tend to stick to the most traditional option with kilt wear, with the exception of the upper body of course before anyone says it. I stick to traditional hose options, plain, diced, tartan and Argyle.

[Tobus]

Again, a reference to the Ghillie Shirt outside the actual thread, is this going to keep happening? Am I going to get known as the Ghillie Shirt guy on this forum? I'm not complaining, I'd just like to know.

If the shoe ...err, shirt fits!

Yes, I think at this point you've clearly identified yourself as the ghillie shirt guy. Not just because you wear it (there are many members who do wear it on occasion), but because of your insistence that it's the only proper shirt to wear with a kilt, your fierce defence of it, and your choice to highlight it in your avatar picture. It's a consistent theme with your posts. So when people are offering advice on other items, they are trying to put it into visual context with your boldly-defended choice of shirt. For a lot of people, it will be difficult to envision how some of these things would be worn with that type of shirt. They're just trying to put it all into context with your known choice, and they would likely do the same with any other choices you've made. That's one of the advantages of this forum; members will get to know your personal style and offer advice tailored to what they know of you. It's not a bad thing.

[derosa]

And yes, before anyone mentions it, I know (now) that the dress sporran doesn't really go with with the mostly daywear everything else.

I must be odd as I rather like the overall look, though its as formal as I'd ever dress outside a wedding.

Patrick, I'd suspect it really has to do with the cost of modern production. I suspect in the good old days many a wife could probably churn out some pretty decent matching socks in a fairly short period of time. Barring that women's work in the past wasn't as highly valued and any extra money from the work was needed so that finding someone who could make them affordably probably wasn't hard. I've watched a number of usually older ladies whip out a pair of baby booties in an hour long class while taking notes and make a blanket in less than a week. Wearing something made at home or even cheaply by the village knitter regularly wouldn't be that big a deal.
Now a days its a specialty item and demands an accompanying premium, I've wanted a couple pairs of matching socks but just can't justify the costs. A kilt worn 2-3 times a month will last 8 years so far making the overall cost not so bad on a per year basis while a pair of socks that costs 150.00 that won't make it more than a couple years at best of being worn an equal number of times.