Kilt Socks & Flashes
Finish off your kilt with the finest quality tartan or plain kilt socks and a set of kilt flashes made in Scotland.
Finish off your kilt with the finest quality tartan or plain kilt socks and a set of kilt flashes made in Scotland.
Learn the stories behind every piece of your Highland Dress and how to wear them with style.
Kilt socks or hose are traditionally worn pulled up to cover the calf and sit just below the knee. They are made longer in length so they can be folded down over the elastic of the flashes to create a cuff of usually about 3 inches.
For a formal event, it is standard to wear ecru (or cream) socks with a Prince Charlie jacket, or alternatively tartan kilt hose. For a less formal occasion, or a daytime event, it is standard to choose a solid sock colour that compliments your tartan or highlights a colour in the sett of your kilt.
Kilt Flashes were first used back in the days of the Feileadh Mor (also known as the Great Kilt - more on this in a recent blog post), as men wore socks with this outfit in order to keep their shins warm. However, they found that their socks would fall down constantly throughout the day, and to stop this problem they started tying a yard of tartan ribbon around the socks under the knee. The ends of the ribbon would hang down from where they had been tied, and modern flashes are worn the way they are today, to mimic the original style.
There is also an old folklore tale that says Kilt Flashes were worn to show a mans marital status. Legend has it that if a mans Kilt Flashes were displayed then this meant that he was single and available, whereas if his flashes were hidden this meant he was either married or courting with someone.
Kilt Flashes are two pieces of fabric with a small V taken out of the bottom and attached to a piece of elastic, commonly referred to as garters. They come in a pair (one for each leg) and are extremely practical holding the socks up on the leg however wild the ceilidh dancing. The flash should be worn on the outside of the leg. Kilt Flashes can either be a solid colour that compliments the tartan of the kilt or made up in the same tartan to match your kilt. Or of course you could pick a colour or tartan that clashes with your kilt, or choose a different tartan, showing your allegiance to two clans or families or wearing the ancient variation with a modern kilt, making a style statement. Although there are rules surrounding Kilt Flashes, you can really wear whatever colour you would prefer.
Kilt Socks can also be called Kilt Hose. Knee high socks usually made in a blend of wool and nylon and available in a plethora of colours to co-ordinate with your kilt. You can even have tartan kilt socks or kilt hose. Kilt socks are made specifically to wear with your kilt and show off the long laces of kilt brogues or shoes, with a fold over top to cover garter flashes worn to hold your socks up.
For a formal event, it is traditional to wear ecru (or cream) socks with a black Prince Charlie Jacket, or alternatively tartan kilt hose. For a less formal occasion, or a daytime event, it is standard to choose a solid sock colour that compliments your tartan or highlights a colour in the sett of your kilt. Kilt socks are made in colours to co-ordinate with the many clan tartans so you are sure to find one that suits. However it is of course down to personal taste which colour socks you choose to wear with your kilt and a bold sock can lift the colour of a stripe in a tartan to great effect.
Kilt hose is quite simply kilt socks. Knee high socks with a 3 inch turnover top, available in a variety of colours to co-ordinate or contrast with your kilt. Taking a step back in kilt hose history if you return to the late 13th century the Old English "hosa" means covering for the leg, and at that time this covering for the lower leg could be made of woven cloth or leather, with or without feet. Form fitting kilt hose with a fully fashioned foot has come a long way since then!
Traditionally kilt socks should be worn pulled up over the calf to sit just below the knee, to be precise 2 fingers width below the knee. If you pull your kilt socks up too high you won't see any knee which isn't a flattering look, and if you wear your kilt socks too low you lose all the shape of your leg, so do try to buy the correct size of kilt sock for you. If you are attending a more casual event and teaming your kilt with boots or trainers then a pushed down sock is also totally acceptable.