Hose tops were typically worn as part of the tropical kit by the Australian Army for service in North Africa, Greece and Crete. They were worn with either puttees or anklets and normal socks underneath. 

They were issued as a cost cutting measure. Long knee-length socks were typically worn with shorts and also with putees or gaiters to prevent sand and dirt from working its way down inside the boot. However, the long socks eventually became useless when the foot portion became riddled with holes. As a result short socks were substituted and the hose top used as the visible part of the sock. 

Please note: as these are military surplus there may be some colour, quality and style variation to the image shown.