Cock feather in a bonnet for civilian attire.

[Kilted Cole]

Hi all,
Normally I wouldn't be asking this question, but I found a picture that makes me wonder. I know the guidlines when it comes to feathers, 1 for armigers, 2 for Chieftains, and 3 for a Chief. But what about this? Would this be considered acceptable or inappropriate? I also must say that I have no idea whatsoever who this gentleman in the photo is. I found it while looking on ebay.

Oldscotwithcockade.JPG

[Downunder Kilt]

If you are in a band, a highland regiment or a highland dancer, yes, otherwise a bit of plummage I think we can do without.

[Kilted Cole]

That's what I was figuring, my question I should have specified was completely scholarly in nature. I just thought the picture was "interesting" to say the least and it made me think of, why would the gent be wearing that.

[Phil]

Looks like a black cock tail. If you really want to wear feathers then why not? Just leave the eagle feathers at home.

[Downunder Kilt]

As it is a studio shot, we have seen some wild and wonderful attire from the props department in the past. The gent may well have been a highland man, but then again he could have just a well been a tourist that wanted a photographic portrait in highland attire. Cheers

[Chas]

I think it is a question of size. Four inches or less would, I think be quite acceptable.

[Kilted Cole]

Looks like a black cock tail. If you really want to wear feathers then why not? Just leave the eagle feathers at home.

Or the Goose feathers painted to look like Eagle feathers. ;)

[Pleater]

Pheasant feathers are often worn in the hat/cap by English morris dancers, and the kilt, both black and tartan is being seen more frequently as part of the kit. There seems to be no concept of feathers being restricted to certain ranks amongst them.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[tripleblessed]

The only constant in feather wear for a long, long, time and across a broad selection of cultures is that some people choose to do it. For a much shorter time, people in Scotland have used certain feathers worn in a certain way to indicate certain things. If it is one's choice to be a person wearing feathers, one would be well-advised to avoid giving the impression one is claiming an identity or authority to which one is not entitled. Other than that, it's no other person's business. A look back through extant records of actual Scots actually living in Scotland as Scots actually did it reveals a different reality than some tout currently, said currently touted reality having arisen in the last hundred or hundred fifty years. Average Scots did stick a feather in their cap on occasion, as they were a notably independent lot, and the rule was dress as you can, and don't worry about how somebody else does it. They were not above wearing a feather simply as a poke in the eye to those who, for whatever reason, believed they had the right to make rules. Read your Burns. Read the court cases. Be prepared to have people tell you the facts are irrelevant, their granda' said it just isn't done. One can't argue with that, he probably did say that. And all are free to hold that as their belief. We do, after all, tip our hat (with or without feather) to the idea of freedom, whether or not we are prepared to share our freedom with all and sundry.

Don't pretend to be an armiger, or a baron, or a chief, if you aren't. Be prepared to catch some grief. You are the only one who can say it's worth the flak to dress as you like.

[Nathan]

I posted a thread about black cock feathers a while ago and have since learned a lot. They are quite different looking from Clan Chief eagle feathers but usually indicate that the wearer is in a pipe band or is a piper. Here's my mom, displaying hers in all her seven year old glory. This bonnet was part of her band uniform.

Mary Frances MacDonald age 7.jpg