Diced Hose

 from $110

Made in USA.  Allow 4 to 8 weeks for delivery.

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On kilt hose...

...modern fashion decrees that tartan [hose] shall not be donned for day wear... Tartan hose are still worn by liveried servants. Pipers also cling to them. For day full dress they are proper. -- Stuart Ruadri Erskine, The Kilt and How to Wear It, 1901

...For evening wear, I strongly recommend diced hose in preference to tartan stockings… Red and white diced hose are the kind most generally worn nowadays… Black and red, green and red, black and white diced hose are all suitable for evening
wear; and, doubtless, there are numerous other checks which would serve this purpose equally well. -- Stuart Ruadri Erskine, The Kilt and How to Wear It, 1901

Remember… that tartan hose are for evening only! They are not correct for day wear… Diced hose in blue and white or red and white have always been an alternative choice for evening wear... -- J. C. Thompson, So You're Going to Wear the Kilt, 1979.

Some time ago, the only hose “ruled” proper for evening wear were “tartan” hose, with fold-over or castellated tops... The books say that “tartan” hose should not be worn during the daytime, without remembering that kilt hose were originally of tartan cloth, cut from the piece and worn all the time (cadadh).  -- Bob Martin, All About Your Kilt, 2003

As you may surmise by reading the above quotes from published authorities, ranging in date from 1901 to 2003, opinions about the proper place and time to wear tartan or diced hose vary widely.  Some will insist that they are only proper for eveningwear.  Some will, in fact, say that they are the only hose truly proper for eveningwear.  In truth, there is no reason why one cannot wear tartan or diced hose with daywear, as well.  In fact they look quite nice with a tweed kilt jacket for a walk about the estate or the field at the Highland Games.  The origin of the argyle hose are the old cut-and-sewn cadadh, made from tartan cloth, which were worn at all times with the kilt in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.  So whether you are looking to complete your formal ensemble or just looking to add a bit of color to your daywear outfit, these custom dyed hose are just the right touch.

 

Generally speaking, the castellated tops are considered a good option for eveningwear, while the fold down cuffs are suitable for both day and evening (though there is no good reason why one could not wear castellated top hose for daywear, as well).  Remember with castellated top hose you need true tie garters, not the modern elastic garter flashes, as the entire garter will be visible when worn.

 

If you have any questions at all about our kilt hose and would like to speak to us before ordering, please give us a call or send us an email and we will be happy to give you our attention.