Ghillie Hat

[creagdhubh]

Ah, Jamie. So fine to see you with us all hale, 'hearty' and hatted.

Good eye, Kyle!

Thanks, Rex. I though to myself, "Now I know I have seen this (Jamie's) face somewhere else before!" Hahaha!

[TheOfficialBren]

I'm glad I stumbled onto this thread. After looking at the above link I think I've been confusing the Ghillie hat with the Deerstalker? I recently sold a Barbour hat like the one above thinking it was a deerstalker. Do those wiser on the subject than myself have anything to offer in comparing the two? Many thanks!

From what I gather, "Ghillie Hat" is more of a trade name. The style is called a fore-and-aft hat. A deerstalker is a hunting hat similar in style but with earflaps.

A F-&-A hat is suitable for country or town wear but a deerstalker ismstrictly a country hat.

I could be mistaken on any of these points.


As Jock and others more in-the-know have said, neither hat is EVER called a "Sherlock Holmes" hat. I love Holmes, personally, but intend to wear mine (when it arrives) in a way that is completely un-Sherlock.

(Totally random fact: Holmes only wears the Deerstalker hat once in the original stories and usually goes hatless. Once or twice he wears what Watson calls a "cloth country cap." He never dons the Inverness cape, either. The Jeremy Brett portrayal was usually spot on with this.)

[Jock Scot]

Just to put the record straight. Deerstalkers are quite at home being worn in a town and I don't recall saying that neither a fore'n aft or a deerstalker are"EVER" called a "Sherlock Holmes", as some merchants most certainly do describe them(with ear flaps) as such.

[TheOfficialBren]

My apologies, Jock. I interpreted your post a while back as saying that they are not ever referred to as a Sherlock Holmes hat in Scotland.

Also, I was unaware that they are fine for town wear. Good to know. Thank you for setting the record straight, sir.

[ThistleDown]

I'm sure that IS what Jock was saying, Bren. Calling a deerstalker a Sherlock Holmes is a bit like calling a cowboy hat a JR Ewing.

[TheOfficialBren]

Oh! Right-o. Thanks, Rex.

JR Ewing. Ha!

I think that we need to remember that the deerstalker and the F&A are not seen often in the US. Most people have only seen Holmes wear a deerstalker. Most people have never even heard of a ghillie hat (other than what snipers wear).

[Jock Scot]

It is what I was saying? I think not. JR Ewing etc? It is? That's news to me! I really do not recall saying anything like that!

[Jock Scot]

Until this thread arrived on the scene, I had never heard the term "ghillie hat" before.

[TheOfficialBren]

It was the marketing term used by Scotweb. Until this (see below) thread I had never heard "fore-and-aft" hat.

Here's where I got that, Jock (edited down to get to the guts of the post):

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...stalker-42338/

31st October 08,04:04 AM#4Jock Scot
Join Date
6th July 07
Location
The Highlands,Scotland.
Posts
9,368
"Haggarts of Aberfeldy label their hats the same way. I have had it explained, by some one who knows, that they are so tired of explaining to visitors which hat is which, that they have bowed to pressure to call a deer stalker aSherlockHolmes for a quiet life! I could be wrong(please accept my apologies if I am), but at a guess the Sutherland Tweed shop probably gets their hats from the same source as Haggarts, hence the same labeling. REST ASSURED WE LOCALS call a deer stalker a deer stalker NOT repeat NOT EVER aSherlockHolmes and WE call a fore and aft a fore and aft and NOT repeat NOT EVER a deer stalker. In other words, Deer stalker with flaps. Fore and aft WITHOUT ear flaps."

[Jock Scot]

[QUOTE=Jock Scot;1143741]Here you go. The hat in the picture is known locally as a "fore and aft" and the ones with the ear flaps are known as "deer stalkers". BEWARE, these styles are called by other names by other tailors and merchants so care needs to be taken when ordering. These bonnets are a first rate choice for informal kilt attire and are worn without a second thought here.

I certainly did say "BEWARE" etc., and you confirm my warning.