Robert Mackie bonnets on Ebay

[OC Richard]

Errrr not quite. From an imperfect memory, the Lovat Scouts wore a black bonnet with black and white dicing.

Good to know, I've always heard the two-colour black/white dicing called "police dice" and associated it with police. Though in truth, it wouldn't surprise me if the "police" headgear was actually extremely dark blue.

Here's the photo I've sometimes used to show the difference between police 'blue' (the shirt) and black (the tie).

The Mackie standard "blue" is pretty much like this.

[OC Richard]

Here's a dark blue with the red/white/black civilian dicing in size 57, $46

https://www.ebay.com/itm/356676683855

[OC Richard]

About diced hats especially Glengarries over 150 years of military use has cemented that look as "military" in the public eye.

For me, and I would guess for many others especially Scots, seeing a civilian wear this sort of hat looks a bit out of place, a bit like Fancy Dress (as worn by many supporters at Scotland football and rugby matches).

Jock it is the same with you?

The Royal Regiment of Scotland:



The Tartan Army:

[RGM1]

I avoided the diced look since it seems to be a military preference for a black glengarry with a red button on top which appears to be the Murray of Arnold style. For the tartan day parade, I elected to stick with tweed to avoid looking like one of the piper`s.

Also.figured out one benefit of button is it helps gets the hat on right side up in the dark.

[OC Richard]

I avoided the diced look since it seems to be a military preference for a black glengarry with a red button on top

Also figured out one benefit of the button is it helps gets the hat on right side up in the dark.

With the one notable exception mentioned by Jock Scot above, the army Glengarries have always been an extremely dark blue.

When civilian pipe bands the world over switched to the black Argyll + Glengarry + Ghillies outfit in the 1980s Mackie Glengarries in black suddenly became popular, the idea being to match the jacket and Glengarry.

Throughout the decades the vast majority of bands wore black Argylls you'd see a mix of blue and black Glengarries in nearly every Pipe Band. In truth most people have always had difficulty telling the two colours apart. Plus, even today it's a common sight to see a mix of black and red touries in Pipe Bands.

About tourie colours, as I was working at a Highland Outfitter in the 1980s who was a Mackie stockist I gained a clear idea of their standard colour offerings.

The traditional dark blue Balmorals and Glengarries came with red touries as standard.

The recently popular black Balmorals and Glengarries came with black touries as standard.

Of course Pipe Bands could do large bespoke orders from Mackie, and you began seeing black Glengarries with red touries worn by some Pipe Bands. And you'll see bands with light blue, green, and even purple touries.

Our band was staying in Glasgow during which time we would be competing at three Games and performing in George Square. The night before our first event the Pipe Major had everyone report, with our Glengarries, to a big room (there was around 50 of us). He handed out black touries for everyone with red touries, or missing touries, to attach to our hats. He had plenty of thread and needles.

[Jock Scot]

About diced hats especially Glengarries over 150 years of military use has cemented that look as "military" in the public eye.

For me, and I would guess for many others especially Scots, seeing a civilian wear this sort of hat looks a bit out of place, a bit like Fancy Dress (as worn by many supporters at Scotland football and rugby matches).

Jock it is the same with you?

]

Personally, I would rather that they didn't. But then, I am not interested in football or rugby, I think partly, that is because the attire chosen by Scottish supporters looks so dreadful.

[OC Richard]

Here's an authentic Mackie Glengarry (with label intact) for 40 Pounds, in a strange colour combination.

Body: claret/maroon
Tourie: scarlet
Dicing: scarlet & white (the "93rd dice" or "Argyll dice")
Ribbon binding, cockade, tails: black

https://www.ebay.com/itm/13560276614...temCondition=4

[OC Richard]

Another Mackie (with label intact) in a beautiful blue which I can't recall seeing before.

30 Pounds.

Not navy, not Lovat, not Saxe. I wouldn't know what to call it.

But Mackie had made up matching dicing, suggesting that it was a production colour at one time.

(I know photos can be deceiving, but generally if an Ebay seller posts a large number of photos at least one of them will hint at the true colour.)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/31654401227...temCondition=4

[OC Richard]

Mackie Glengarry size 58 (with Mackie label) $35

https://www.ebay.com/itm/16728377930...temCondition=4

This one doesn't have the label but IMHO it's clearly a Mackie.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/15656967591...temCondition=4

[Bad Monkey]

Another Mackie (with label intact) in a beautiful blue which I can't recall seeing before.

30 Pounds.

Not navy, not Lovat, not Saxe. I wouldn't know what to call it.

But Mackie had made up matching dicing, suggesting that it was a production colour at one time.

(I know photos can be deceiving, but generally if an Ebay seller posts a large number of photos at least one of them will hint at the true colour.)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/31654401227...temCondition=4

If only it was a wee bit bigger...

That is a fantastic color IMHO