Which Hat or Nae Hat?

[Livingston]

I too will be representing Clan MacLea (Livingstone) at the Tattoo. My choice will be my balmoral, which I really need to replace. Been looking for a fawn one but won't be able to receive it before we leave.

[Sparky McFizzlenuts]

I don't know about others here but, when I go outside I wear a hat. I especially make sure to wear one if I amgoing to be outside for any length of time due to the fact, that if I don't, I will get a sunburn on my head. This is no fun so I wear a hat. My only requirement is that it fits the dress situation.

My two cents worth.

Stoff

Same here -

I have worn a hat outside for as long as I can remember, and rarely go outside with out one (the one real exception was PT in the army or a real quick run outside to get something from the car). I exit the building a cover goes on my dome, I enter a building, it comes off. I too coordinate my hat with the dress occasion - everything from my lucky baseball hat to 1930s fedoras - I honestly can not see how a habit that has been instilled in me for 45+ years could easily be broken.

[kingandrew]

I am with Sparky, I always wear a hat outside. I have a large collection of all sorts of hats, from fedoras to cowboy hats to special items like top hats and Tyroleans.

With the kilt, I generally wear a balmoral. I have two: one maroon with matched dicing and toorie and one in black with red toorie and dicing. (It's funny that the "auto-correct" has tried to change "toorie" into "foodie" and "rookie" in the past sentence 3 times). I also have a tam-o-shanter in the same tartan as my kilt that I wear on warmer or more casual occasions. And for running races, I have a tam I made myself out of lightweight cotton fabric in a tartan print, that incorporates a terrycloth sweatband. It is red and black with a bright green toorie I made myself, which is attached with velcro so I can remove it and throw the sweaty hat in the washing machine as needed.

I don't see any problem with wearing any balmoral or tam with your kilt, as it is traditional and practical. The glengarry is traditional, too, but seems less practical as headgear (I have one in Royal Stewart that I inherited from my aunt, but it is too small for me to wear. It looks great on my wife, though.) I've considered wearing a pith helmet in hot, sunny conditions (I am from Florida), as it affords good ventilation and sun protection. But those issues are less important in Scottish weather.

I will also admit that I think the flat tweed "driving cap" or "Sherlock Holmes" deerstalker hats also look fine with a kilt and are certainly traditionally Scottish. I am not sure why Jock finds the flat cap so objectionable, but would welcome being educated on that count. I do agree with Jock that baseball caps are best avoided (this is a general rule for me anyway).

The only hat that seems uniquely military with the kilt is the bearskin-style feather bonnet, which I sincerely doubt anyone is considering wearing outside of a required uniform.

[Terry Searl]

I am with Sparky, I always wear a hat outside. I have a large collection of all sorts of hats, from fedoras to cowboy hats to special items like top hats and Tyroleans.

With the kilt, I generally wear a balmoral. I have two: one maroon with matched dicing and toorie and one in black with red toorie and dicing. (It's funny that the "auto-correct" has tried to change "toorie" into "foodie" and "rookie" in the past sentence 3 times). I also have a tam-o-shanter in the same tartan as my kilt that I wear on warmer or more casual occasions. And for running races, I have a tam I made myself out of lightweight cotton fabric in a tartan print, that incorporates a terrycloth sweatband. It is red and black with a bright green toorie I made myself, which is attached with velcro so I can remove it and throw the sweaty hat in the washing machine as needed.

I don't see any problem with wearing any balmoral or tam with your kilt, as it is traditional and practical. The glengarry is traditional, too, but seems less practical as headgear (I have one in Royal Stewart that I inherited from my aunt, but it is too small for me to wear. It looks great on my wife, though.) I've considered wearing a pith helmet in hot, sunny conditions (I am from Florida), as it affords good ventilation and sun protection. But those issues are less important in Scottish weather.

I will also admit that I think the flat tweed "driving cap" or "Sherlock Holmes" deerstalker hats also look fine with a kilt and are certainly traditionally Scottish. I am not sure why Jock finds the flat cap so objectionable, but would welcome being educated on that count. I do agree with Jock that baseball caps are best avoided (this is a general rule for me anyway).

The only hat that seems uniquely military with the kilt is the bearskin-style feather bonnet, which I sincerely doubt anyone is considering wearing outside of a required uniform.

I have worn a flat cap for almost 50 years and flat caps are the only style of hats I own and wear. I'm sure if I wore something else it would be commented on by those who know me. I wear my Canadian tartans, with or without jackets and waist coats but always with great pride. I always wear a flat cap usually tweed as that is the kind of flat caps I have and I prefer when I go outside. I am fortunate that I am of an age that wearing a kilt with a jacket and waist coat doesn't look ostentatious or like a costume. To be honest I don't think of my kited attire to be strictley highland attire.......just like blue jeans aren't considered American although that is where they originated from. I am a west coast Canadian, and I don't wear my kilt as a costume or in anyway try to look like a highland person. Here in Canada most folks think a kilt is Scottish attire and don't attribute it to just the Highlands. As a matter of fact I don't think most west coast Canadians think that Scotland differentiates between the Highlands and Lowland anymore, unless they have some family connection. I do have some Scottish roots although obliquely, more Irish roots if that matters, but as I say I wear my kilted attire because I like it. I always wear it with pride and would never wear either of my kilts with any disrespect........like I say, this is just my opinion image.jpg 104.jpg 108.jpg

[llyd]

I don't particularly understand the dislike for the flat cap either...except to note that there are so many varieties of them are bloody obnoxious in appearance...But I don't get what is wrong with a tastful tweet flat cap and a kilt....

One that will probably get some backlash at some point...I occasionally wear a bowler with the kilt....mostly because SWMBO adores it...

Truthfully...I prefer a TOS....SWMBO is knitting me one for my birthday in a nice heather blue/green...