Buy a balmoral?

[thescot]

At the risk of sounding like a nay-sayer, I must say Nay to Glengarry hats--well sort of Nay. (Disclaimer: this I based on experience from a few years back. Maybe it's different now, but there is that Negative Reinforcement thing, i.e., not being positively reinforced by avoiding the stimulus is quite strong!)

I own one of their balmorals, a khaki that I really wanted. It fit well when it got in, no problem with the workmanship, etc. BUT . . . the amount of material in the bonnet is less than most bonnets, so it doesn't drape to the side like other bonnets. I have several bonnets, including a Mackie, and all of them have more material in the bonnet which allow the side to drape well over the sweat band. On the Glengarry model, it only just comes to the bottom of the sweat band and ends up looking like one of those modern military berets. (See a Legionaire wearing a Foreign Legion beret to get the idea.) It just doesn't look right, so I never wear it. I mentioned this once, and another prominent X-marker agreed. In fact, I spotted his bonnet as a Glengarry Hats version because of this.

Also, I expect a small amount of shrinkage from a wool bonnet, so I would recommend going with a larger size if you fall in between sizes. And remember that working with cloth is always a bit sketchy; it's impossible to make two identical items exactly the same size. If a bit loose, you can sew a small strip of elastic inside to take up slack, better than trying to stretch one that's too small. I wear a 7 1/2 hat, so I purchase a 60 cm, and it works out fine.

Yes, a Mackie costs more--substantially more--but it's a top quality bonnet that is proven as a fine garment. Ask around on the forum--Jock Scot,
creagdhubh, or other experienced kilters. When you buy something like this, you want one that'll be with you for years. And a Mackie certainly will be.