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WHAT DOES A SCOTSMAN WEAR UNDER HIS
KILT? SOCKS!
©2005 Matthew A. C.
Newsome, FSA Scot, GTS
published in the Scottish Banner October
2005
It seems that the
question of what hose should be worn with the kilt comes up perennially, yet
surprisingly little has been written on the subject. This month, we will take
a survey of informed opinions regarding just what color hose are “proper” for
both formal and casual wear.
The original hose
worn with the kilt were cadadh. These were stockings made from tartan
cloth – often times a different tartan from the kilt – cut and sewn on the
bias giving the tartan a diagonal appearance. The earliest portrait I have
found depicting the cadadh is from the first decade of the seventeenth
century. Since the earliest form of kilt, the feileadh-mhor, can only
be documented to 1594, it is safe to say that the cadadh have been worn
for nearly as long as the kilt itself. Knit goods were produced in Scotland
at this time, but knit hose were not worn with the kilt until the middle of
the nineteenth century.
Since we are
concerned with contemporary fashion, let’s examine what has been considered
“proper” during the past century. We will begin with a source that we have
visited before in this space, The Hon. Stuart Ruaidri Erskine, author of
The Kilt and How to Wear It, c. 1901.
After referring
to the historic cadadh, he writes, “Nowadays, however, hose are
invariably knitted, and modern fashion decrees that tartan shall not be donned
for day wear.” In a footnote to the above comment, he adds, “Tartan hose are
still worn by liveried servants. Pipers also cling to them. For day full dress
they are proper.”
He continues on.
“I think a neat pair of plain hose looks infinitely better and more
serviceable than a pair of the same articles knitted upon a tartan plan… 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;
and they would appear to have been the most popular in the past… 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.”
Most readers will
be familiar with J. Charles Thompson’s So You’re Going to Wear the Kilt!,
published in 1979. For decades now, this has been used as the unofficial
manual of kilt fashion. Thompson writes, “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, and
since even these are hard to come by, 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.”
The only real
change from Erskine’s opinion is that Thompson now says solid hose may be worn
formally, but only white. Of this, Bob Martin, in All About Your Kilt
(2nd edition, 2001) says, “Since when, may I ask, must a color be
apportioned its time of day or night? May not a good, strong red be worn with
equal ‘correctness’ at night? Perhaps one is wearing an all-tartan evening
outfit with no white save a jabot. Wouldn’t hose that tone with the kilt be
preferable to white ones? 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).”
As usual, I find
myself in agreement with Martin’s common sense position. The only “rules” to
follow regarding kilt hose are rules of fashion and good taste. If you have
enough sense to match your socks with a trouser outfit, surely you can do the
same with a kilt! Let us consider a few practical matters.
Firstly, if you
want a pair of traditional cadadh, you are likely going to have to make
them yourself. These are rarely seen any longer outside of historical
reenactments, but if you desire to wear them, there is no reason why you
shouldn’t. I, for one, think they would look especially sharp with formal
attire.
The modern
version of cadadh are the tartan knit hose. These are not actually
tartan, but are knit in a tartan-like pattern in the same colors and
proportions as your kilt. Typically these are custom made and quite
expensive. Because of the cost, people tend to invest in these only for use
with formal outfits. So even though it is perfectly legitimate to wear them
for day wear, you see them most often used in evening dress.
Diced hose are
easier to find than the tartan hose. Manufacturers can make them in standard
colors, and not have to worry about all the possible color combinations of the
tartans. Even so, they are a far cry more expensive than solid hose, and for
that reason are still seen mostly at formal events. Personally, this is a
style of hose that I wish we saw worn more often, but until they become as
readily available as the solids, this is not likely to happen.
Truth be told,
most people are concerned not with choosing between tartan, diced or solid
hose, but with choosing between which solid color to wear. Specifically, the
place of white hose is debated. Some will say white hose should be reserved
for formal wear, and others say just as emphatically that white hose should
never be worn formally! Keep in mind that most of the “white” hose sold are
really off-white or cream colored. Pure white hose are actually quite rare,
and are seen mostly worn by pipe bands.
I say wear
whatever color you want, casually or formally, so long as it tones well with
your kilt. In general, the darker color hose go well with modern shades of
tartan, and the lighter colors (such as the lovat mixtures) go well with
ancient tartans. But there are always exceptions, and what looks good also
depends upon what shirt or jacket you are wearing. Make sure your whole
outfit tones well together.
The off-white
hose go well with just about any tartan, which is probably one reason why they
are so popular. And the lighter color provides good contrast to the dark
laces of formal ghillie brogues. But don’t feel like you have to limit
yourself. There are many different colors under the sun! And the kilt hose
(the solid color ones, anyway) are the least expensive part of the whole
outfit. This is where you should splurge a little and buy a few different
pairs. Having more than one color option to choose from can really expand
your Highland wardrobe.
There is much
more that could be said, but in the end this really isn’t that huge an issue.
If you are worried about what color hose to wear, you are probably
over-thinking it. Use your eye. Use common sense. Keep the overall look of
your outfit in mind. And if you simply have no eye for fashion, don’t be
embarrassed to ask. I wear the kilt all the time, and have a drawer full of
kilt hose; yet even I sometimes have to ask my wife, “Will these hose look
good if I wear this shirt?” She’s the one that must be seen with me, after
all!
