What About White Hose?

WHAT ABOUT WHITE HOSE?

originally published in The Scottish Banner, June 2008

It seems that whenever I enter a discussion about the finer points of Highland attire, the controversial subject of white kilt hose arises. Should one wear them, or not? For such a seemingly innocuous article of clothing, people tend to have rather strong opinions one way or another. Some say they are only for formal dress. Others say they should never be worn formally. Some say they are only for pipers. Others say they are a “must have” in every Highland wardrobe. What is a kiltie to do?

The Scottish Tartans Authority states the following in an article on their web site: “White kilt hose is [sic] regarded by many as an abomination and should only be worn by pipe bands. The culprits in the wide spread exposure given to this sartorial 'faux pas' are the kilt hire companies who, understandably, find it much more economically viable to offer hose of any colour as long as it's white! Cream hose is acceptable as are any colours that tone in with the jacket or kilt.”

This brings up an important point that many fail to consider when entering this debate. There are white kilt hose, and then there are cream (or ecru) hose -- the two are not the same. I hazard that most people have the cream colored hose in mind when they speak of “white hose” as this will be what they are most familiar with. Most Highland dress shops keep shelves stocked full of cream hose, which are a popular seller, but true pure white hose are more seldom seen. It is important when discussing this issue to determine what shade is really being discussed. Two kilt wearers could go back and forth, each adamant in his own opinion on the appropriateness of “white hose” only to discover later that they were talking about two different animals entirely!

I cite the statement from the Scottish Tartans Authority web site above simply as one “expert opinion.” Not everyone would agree. This is an issue where there does not seem to be true consensus. If one looks back through older books on Highland dress, treatments of hosiery usually centered around argyle or diced hose, and the appropriateness of these over solid hose for various occasions. Whether white or cream was more appropriate than a color did not seem to even be an issue. Today, however, it is “the” kilt hose issue.

For example, in The Scottish Clans and Their Tartans, published by W. & A. K. Johnston in 1890 (mine is the 33^rd edition, published in 1947, so it remained in print for some time), the authors state that for formal wear, the hose should be “either made from the web of tartan or knitted in check of its prominent colours in the proper proportions.” For day wear, “plain knitted hose” suffice -- no mention of color.

Look ahead now to 1979 when J. Charles Thompson wrote So You Are Going to Wear the Kilt. (Mine is the 3^rd edition from 1989; this is still a standard reference in wide use today). The author writes that argyle or diced hose are for formal wear, but these days “you will see many men in evening attire with solid color stockings. The purists have given in on this point, but they insist that the only correct color is white.”

In an on-line article entitled “Wearing Highland Attire,” Thomas Gordon Mungall III has stated that for formal wear hose can be either pure white or another solid color (or, of course, argyle or diced), and for day wear, the hose can be off-white or another solid color.

Some blame this current popularity of white or ecru hose on the kilt hire industry. It is easier and less expensive for them to stock bulk hose in a single color, and white (or off-white) is the easy choice. It goes with everything so one doesn’t have to worry about toning with this tartan or that. The majority of those who hire their kilts do so for formal wear. And so white hose for formal wear became almost expected.

I have talked with long time, regular kilt wearers who absolutely abhor white or even cream colored hose and would never deign to wear a pair. I have also talked with long time, regular kilt wearers who love their white hose, and think them the only acceptable option for evening dress outside of the more expensive argyle or diced hose. Their line of thinking is to match the hose with the shirt (this advice works well for casual wear, too, I might add). Coordination is the key.

Those who argue that white is utterly inappropriate for formal wear will retort that one would never wear white socks with a suit or (egad!) a tuxedo. And they also have a good point.

So, now you are thinking, come on, Matt, tell us what you think. I have given you others’ opinions, but what about my own. When I am outfitting someone else, I always make sure to give them all the options when it comes to their hosiery. If they want to wear white or ecru, that is just fine, I will not stop them. However, I want them to know that there are other colors available, and I encourage them not to limit themselves. Part of the problem is that a lot of Highland dress shops stock only cream hose, with perhaps a few selections of alternate colors (two shades of green and two shades of blue). Not very inspiring. Why not red, yellow, purple, charcoal grey, or claret? All very fine choices, as well. The darker colors also show dirt less readily than do the light, which can be a consideration for outdoor use.

And what about my own wardrobe? I wear a kilt most days of the week. I do not own a single pair of pure white hose, and I get by just fine, thank you. I do own a couple of pairs of cream colored hose, though they are not my favorite. I keep them for a few reasons. First off all, as a neutral color they tone well with just about all of my kilts, so I can use them in a pinch if my preferred pair of hose is in the hamper. I also like to wear cream hose paired with a nice ecru-toned Arran sweater. And lastly, I think cream is a good color for the more modern, casual “scrunched down hose with hiking boots” look.

Otherwise, though, you’ll rarely see me in cream hose. There are just too many other colors available to limit myself to vanilla white!