Robert Mackie bonnets on Ebay

[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.