A serious thread about hats with kilts in the USA

[Just Hugh]

Well, I'm posting to revive this old thread. I was at the Bonnie Brae Scottish Festival and Highland Games (in Basking Ridge, N.J., U.S.A.), and there it was again. Many, many Scottish/Irish-American Pipers, Drummers and celebrants wearing a baseball cap with their kilts on.

One of the most Scottish-American things I saw was a pair of pipe band members in the band area, waiting to compete, wearing kilts and band vests with ties and baseball caps with baseball mitts having a catch with an actual baseball.

Only in America?

[ASinclair]

Well, I'm posting to revive this old thread. I was at the Bonnie Brae Scottish Festival and Highland Games (in Basking Ridge, N.J., U.S.A.), and there it was again. Many, many Scottish/Irish-American Pipers, Drummers and celebrants wearing a baseball cap with their kilts on.

One of the most Scottish-American things I saw was a pair of pipe band members in the band area, waiting to compete, wearing kilts and band vests with ties and baseball caps with baseball mitts having a catch with an actual baseball.

Only in America?

Maybe in Japan, as well. They are crazy about American baseball over there.

[Just Hugh]

Okay, but would the Japanese be playing baseball in kilts? If so, we've truly become a multi-cultured world.

And while I'm on that thought, the tent next to ours was a Scottish woman selling books from the U.K., Scottish and otherwise, and my son was close to buying one titled, "The first 100 Chinese words."

At a Scottish Festival in the U.S.! Awesome.

[Bob C]

I bought this hat for $2 at a flea market today. Obviously never worn. I'll probably wear it without the kilt more often than with one, but will wear it with the kilt, as well.

[BlueDog]

Just to contribute another Aussie perspective, I wear this to Highland Gatherings.

The hat is a typical Aussie leather hat (and has a Clan Mackintosh badge on the left side). Quite a few kilted Australians wear similar wide brimmed hats - its not only hot here, but very sunny.

[KentuckyCeltophile]

I'm all about American exceptionalism, but I just can't see a baseball cap with a kilt. Sorry, mate. Then, again, I'm also trying to build up courage for a plain black Tammy. Just can't do that either…yet.
KC

[OC Richard]

Many, many Scottish/Irish-American Pipers, Drummers and celebrants wearing a baseball cap with their kilts on.

At our recent, largest Games, in Costa Mesa, California, the Glasgow Skye Association Pipe Band made the trip from Scotland, and set up a table selling... baseball caps and t-shirts with the band logo on them.

At Games in Scotland one sees not only Overseas bands from Canada, the USA, and Down Under but also UK bands wearing baseball caps during the bands' down time. Most bands have baseball caps made with the band logo on them, which serve the dual purpose of giving band members a cap to wear that's still uniform, and giving the band merchandise to sell for fundraising.

One of the most Scottish-American things I saw was a pair of pipe band members in the band area, waiting to compete, wearing kilts and band vests with ties and baseball caps with baseball mitts having a catch with an actual baseball.

Very cool! Would have made a nice photo.

I took at pic at the West Virginia Games a few years ago of some kids playing football (gridiron) in kilts. Heck, they were bored, there was a big grass field, and somebody had a football! Put kids and a football on any field and they will start playing... it's the way it is.

[OC Richard]

Quite a few kilted Australians wear wide brimmed hats - its not only hot here, but very sunny.

Same here in the US Southwest for the same reason: fairskinned Northern European DNA and hot sun don't mix, and the obvious answer is brimmed hats and sunblock/sunscreen.

I used to do baseball caps until I realized how much heat they hold in. (Except for the mesh truckers' caps.) Ditto with tweed caps or hats of any sort.

Tilley hats with the mesh sides are the answer! Doesn't hold in heat, any cooling breeze blows through, but keeps the sun off.

[crsbryan]

Nice meeting you at Bonnie Brae yesterday, Hugh.

The ball-cap and kilt seems to be very common with the pipe band members while off-duty. It's a comfortable cover and what most wear with jeans or shorts, and what the "cool kids" do to dress down their uniform. Doesn't bother me a bit, and I have done it a few times. I need a little more coverage to prevent sunburn, so usually wear a Tilley instead, and save the ball cap for cloudier days.

What got to me was the number of band members that went a step farther and shed the kilt while off-duty. I understand it for travel to have on dress shirt, tie, vest, hose, flashes, and put the kilt on at the venue, but there seemed to be lots walking around after they finished their performances in that manner. Shorts with waistcoat and flashes just seemed odd.

[RLDaily]

When you wear an Army kilt, you wear an Army hat (they cropped out the kilt...grrrrrrrrrrr)