Flat Caps. No no and thrice no! Suitable hats when wearing your kilt. Discuss

[Good Egg]

As I said before, this topic seems to come up frequently here, and to bring out strong opinions, especially by those against. So I was thinking about it while doing other things. I came back to check on it, looked at the various pics posted, and thought that the one Ron posted with the tweed argyle looked good, but would look better with a crail.

So I was wondering to myself why I thought that. Started with the English vs. Scottish theory. The argyle looking more 'Scottish', but no that wasn't it. Then it occured to me that the argyle looked military, while the crail looked civilian. As far as I know, my comment about wearing TOS to resemble a flat cap notwithstanding, no military has ever used a flat cap as uniform headgear. This would apply to the bucket hat as well.

All the 'traditional' highland gear is derived from military uniforms; the jackets with gauntlet cuffs or whatever the extra material on the sleeve of a PC is called, the numerous buttons, the scalloped pocket flaps, are all derived from 19th century military uniform jackets. The balmoral is very military looking, even if it is not 'ironed and starched'. The flat cap, or bucket hat could not be made to look 'sharp' for a military review.

Not so: Some English regiments in the Great War (14-19) wore what was called a Gor Blimey which can be veiwed at http://www.kaisersbunker.com/ceftp/caps.htm was a flat cap. I can't find any pictures but locally produced Gor Blimeys where even more so:

[svc40bt]

You can mock me all you want for wearing flat caps with kilts (in Scotland, by the way) but I will take on anybody who says my little boy doesn't look good in his flat cap and kilt in the last picture.

I think your outfits look good, but I note that you chose a balmoral with your black argyle rather than a flat cap.

As for the last, anyone who said the lad was anything but adorable deserves to be knocked about.

[siva011]

When my grandfathers (either side of the family) died, I inherited all of their flat caps as somethnig to remember them by. I started wearing them and adopted that 'look' when I was 18 and continue to wear them today.

This is how I got my first one. Of course, it was nylon I think... with a Seagram's logo on it.... but hey it works.


I love my flatcaps and do frequently wear them with my kilts. I dont' know why but I think it looks good. I did a "study" on this where I took cap off, then put back on, and asked the ladies what they liked better. Flatcap ON was the undisputed winner.

Sorry folks, but opinions of attractive ladies beat those of kilt police 10 times out of 10.

[Good Egg]

You can mock me all you want for wearing flat caps with kilts (in Scotland, by the way) but I will take on anybody who says my little boy doesn't look good in his flat cap and kilt in the last picture.

I'm not mocking, but why on earth did you ruin what are very smart outfits with those dreadful confections - especially when you had a perfectly good bonnet to hand? Did you not notice people cringing when they saw you? (And I don't mean oriental tourist but local people)

I'm sorry, and I'm being harsh but it looks as if you have stood under comedy hats.

I'm guilty of the reverse. On my recent holiday in TX I bought a black cowboy hat and put gold cav officers hat band. Several people, rightly, questioned my right to wear a cav officers hat. Most were satisfied that as a Brit officer formerly in a Cav Regt I was just about OK but...

[Alan H]

Rocky, when all said and done whether we wear a flat cap with the kilt, or not, as the case may be, is hardly an earth shatteringly important matter. Perhaps the traditionalists you come across are too polite to comment,not bothered,or, don't want a black eye! Sorry ,only joking. Outside this website most of us would never dream of openly laughing, or, commenting on any one's style of dress. However that does not mean that I and others do not have a point of view.

This great website encourages friendly discussion and allows for honestly held opinions to be aired, robustly put sometimes maybe, these points of view may also not be voiced out load in public for reasons of tact and diplomacy. Providing these firmly held views are voiced courteously, we all get an opportunity to learn of other points of view. I suppose it can be a surprise to learn that what I/we thought was a non issue suddenly becomes one.

Hear, hear!

I wear flat caps with my kilts, in fact I wore one in to work today. I also happen to thoroughly enjoy Jock Scots contributions to this board, find him to be a gentleman, and an open-minded sort whilst sticking to his upbringing and his opinions. I'd be happy to buy the man an ale should I ever have the pleasure of meeting him, and I look forward to that happy possibility..

There ya go.

But I'm still going to wear flat caps with my kilts. I will also wear baseball caps with my kilts, though I tend to wear them with the "contemporary" kilts and not so much with the tartan ones.

One other thing... At the largest Highland Games in California, last September, the day that the clan tents went up it was 104-106 degrees F in blistering sun. It was down to 100 on Saturday and 92 or so on Sunday. That translates to 40-41 degrees C on Friday, 37 on Saturday and 33 on Sunday.

I can wear sunscreen in that, and that's fine but I sweat it off about every hour. I simply can't wear my glengarrys in that, I sweat in them like it isn't funny and I sunburn my face. I don't own a balmoral, though I own two nice Army berets...they're way too hot as well and don't provide shade. And so in fact what I wear to events like that is a straw panama hat....and tradition be hanged in the heat. What I wore before I wore the Panama hat was...... a baseball cap.

[ForresterModern]

I honestly felt that the Balmoral with cap badge was too formal an appearence to be worn out and about with the casual outfits in the first three photos. Maybe okay for the tweed jacket situation, but felt over the top for the others. I did wear some tammies as well, just no photos of them, but even they seemed a bit contrived by comparison to the flat caps.

And no, I did not under any circumstance get strange looks about the caps----far more about the kilts. I actually got quite a few compliments about the caps from locals (although I am not stupid enough to not realize these may have simply been courtesy to an obvious visitor).

[macwilkin]

The year is 2009 and fashion should forward beyond 1875. When most people here advocate kilt as every day wear, people should adopt to the kilt to the current fashion trend as well.

Raphael,

With all due respect, why? If someone wants to dress like it's "1875", it's certainly their perogative to do so. Not all of us here wear the kilt as every day wear, nor do we wish to adopt the kilt to current fashion trends.

If wearing kilts is about freedom, then that freedom should be extended to traditionalists as well -- if not, then the full-timers have no reason to complain when the general public doesn't "accept" them.

Horses for courses.

Todd

[pdcorlis]

I have been known to wear a flat cap with my kilt - most recently in a photo highlighting the awesome tweed kilt Rocky made for me. But, I must admit - that is the exception rather than the rule. I usually save my tweed flat cap for those occasions I choose to wear my tweed breeks and shooting vest.

I own two balmorals and dearly love to wear them. In fact my navy blue balmoral is the first piece of "highland" wear I purchased - so I guess that was my gateway drug into the world of kilts - hey no wonder I love it so much!

As always - my opinions are only about my personal preferences - everyone please mill about smartly until the discussion moves along from here.

[macwilkin]

Not so: Some English regiments in the Great War (14-19) wore what was called a Gor Blimey which can be veiwed at http://www.kaisersbunker.com/ceftp/caps.htm was a flat cap. I can't find any pictures but locally produced Gor Blimeys where even more so:

A "gor blimey" was a modification of the traditional Service Dress (SD) cap, though, not a military version of a flat clap:

http://www.kaisersbunker.com/ceftp/caps.htm

Regards,

Todd

[macwilkin]

You are absolutely correct, although I was talking about the tweed creased crown hats Jamie and Matt were sporting. (Which I thought looked fine with their outfits by the way.)

Further, I would say that the military elements I was talking about would only be seen on dress uniforms, at least in the time-frame that boonie/jungle hats have been part of any military uniform.

So, I would agree with you, while holding that my theory still stands, as narrowed down by me.

You didn't read my post close enough. You'll notice I specifically said that the "boonie" hat would not have been worn with Highland kit, but only in the field.



T.