Familiarity Breeds Contempt

[AKScott]

Yup, it's a loaded situation, and an inoportune time to argue with the nupital couple.

Perhaps a pair of lovat green hose as a wedding gift?

[Nighthawk]

Misconception based on misinformation does not make a tradition.

[xman]

Misconception based on misinformation does not make a tradition.

Ah, but common practice does.

[McElmurry]

I am very new to this topic but I always thought David Letterman’s white socks looked weird. Of course we wore white tube socks with cutoffs in the 70’s but we also wore leisure suits, so there ya go.

I assume white hose are ubiquitous with rented kilts because the outlets only have to stock one color and white doesn’t actually clash. The white also enhances the “authentic” look of the outfit if you are wearing ghillie brogues because you can clearly see the laces, which is an advantage in the outlets website photos. It also appears that many pipe bands wear white hose in lieu of white spats.

We may have to accept this as a web driven cultural shift in fashion. But then again it just makes it easier to look different. As I begin to develop my personal style I have been studying photos of HRH Duke of Rothesay. I have never seen a photo of him in white hose.

[Nighthawk]

Ah, but common practice does.

No it doesn't. It makes it a fashion trend. Saying that wearing white hose out of familiarity makes it a tradition is like saying that ebonics is a language. It's just an excuse not to do things right.

I was not aware that black hose were a new invention. Here is a picture of me in a PC and black hose. I don't think it looks that bad, does it? Maybe a little too conservative, but that's just me. And, yes, I know it is not the proper sporran for the attire, but it was all I had at the time.

They are indeed a modern convention. They don't look as in-your-face as white, though. Bleached white hose just scream "LOOK AT ME!!" I personally really like the look of black hose. An there's not a thing wrong with that sporran. It looks spectacular with that outfit. Then again, I'm a big fan of that style.

[davedove]

No it doesn't. It makes it a fashion trend. Saying that wearing white hose out of familiarity makes it a tradition is like saying that ebonics is a language. It's just an excuse not to do things right.

This always brings up the question of when does a trend become a tradition. Like it or not, traditions are not carved in stones by holy fire, never to be changed. They can and do change (just like languages do). The main point is when does something become tradition. Some will say, well it's traditional because my father and his friends always did it. Others will say that something is not traditional because their great grandfather would not of heard of such a thing. We have to remember that EVERYTHIGN traditional was at one time a fashion trend. It's just the ones that tend to stay around that get labeled traditions.

[MacMillans son]

I think it goes to that old debate about what is historical, traditional, most common etc, and, if and when does one become the other. I think it has been established that white hose are a result of surplus military supplies and kilt rental outfits. In North America we don't have a firmly established tradition of the kilt. What we see most often (white hose, ghillie brogues etc) from the rental outfits became OUR visual "normal". I suspect that your brother is not wanting to look abnormal in North America regardless of how non traditional, in the Highlands, he may look.

Rex (Thisledown) and I had a discussion in my early days here where he put it in context for me. Essentially any culture can adapt, or adopt, anything they want from another culture, but it is only that new cultures version of it. It doesn't change the original tradition. A kilt worn in North America with white hose, ghillie brogues, a fly plaid and PC during the daytime, is how a kilt is often worn in North America. That doesn't change the accepted traditions of how the kilt is worn in the Highlands.

The rub comes when we (or the marketeers) promote what we are wearing, or they are selling, as traditional in the country of origin, when it is far from the truth.

I like AKs suggestion, allow your brother his choice of hose during his big day, and provide him with an opportunity to do it differently at his leisure.

Best regards,
Brooke