Civilian Spats

[AKScott]

Thank you both for helping fill in some gaps in the historiography. Strange how spats/gaiters where recommended wear in 1914 but we see so few photos or paintings showing them being worn...

I opine it is because they served no useful purpose outside fashion conciousness, and are a pain in the neck. Kilted, they aren't going to keep you any warmer, and they aren't going to keep bugs from crawling up your legs.

And they were supposed to match the hose color? I have four different colors of hose already and really want at least two more. I feel like changing hose color gives me freedom to wear for instance the same shirt with maybe four different ties and not look like a rental shop patron. Six pairs of gaiters is not in the budget.

For you guys that are thinking about this, the one thing they are going to do for you is smooth out your foot line, make the shoelaces go away. I am not going to bust anyone's chops for ordering eight pairs in eight different colors. But really, you are going to need more wardrobe space, it is more stuff to keep clean and I don't think you are going to wear them very often.

Tell you what, figure out your favorite look, shirt/tie/kilt/hose/shoes and order one pair of gaiters to match those hose. See how often you really wear those after two years before you order a second pair of gaiters.

Claret might be a good choice. But in my neck of the woods if I show up in a tie, a kilt and claret hose no one is going to comment on claret spats; the few that notice probably won't see the point.

Thirsty Viking, you look great in those. I am not sure how far up the formality scale you could take them, but you look quite at home in them as pictured.

Tobus, I can see the point. You are geared up for more than a day hike and you don't have to worry about thorns, bugs or your socks (or anything else below the knee) while you are wearing those. You might get some bug bites ON your knees, but not through your leggings.

Harry Lauder looks like a million bucks. I notice his gaiters contrast with his hose, and HRH the Duke of Rothesay seems to generally wear his garter ties in the same manner.

I'll wager ten US dollars that if we buy MacMillan of Rathdown a pair of claret spats this month he will find less than five excuses to wear them to official functions in the next two years.