Question about flashes...

[longhuntr74]

My hunch is that as long as elastic has been readily available, that elastic topped flashes have been used. When people talk about "traditional" with respect to garter ties, I think they're referring to the 18th and 19th centuries. The lack of availability of garter ties at modern highland games and many, if not most, kilt/scottish attire retailers would seem to be an indicator to me that garter ties are not considered de rigeur among most kilt wearers these days...and probably haven't been for several decades.

[Zardoz]

I've seen elastic flashes mentioned or shown in materials on Highland dress going back to the 40s and 50s. They are mentioned in MacKinnon's 'Tartans and Highland Dress', a book often quoted here, which I think is at least 50 years old.
If I recall correctly in that book, MacKinnon states that elastic garters with the flashes sewn on are the most "sensible" type for most applications, and that garter ties should only used with castellated style hose, where they are tied outside the hose. He said, and I tend to agree, that the garter knots make an "unsightly bulge" in turn down style hose.