To hat bow or Not to hat bow

[Tobus]

Traditionally speaking, civilian cockades should be made up of one's livery colours, or the livery colours of one's chief. And shame on those who do not know their chief's livery...

Well double shame on me then, because I don't even know what livery is in the first place. I don't know how I'm supposed to have livery colors if I don't have livery in the first place (or not that I know of anyway). What the heck is livery???

[Friday]

What the heck is livery???

Livery - Clothes or uniform a person of rank gave to his retainers or servants.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Well double shame on me then, because I don't even know what livery is in the first place. I don't know how I'm supposed to have livery colors if I don't have livery in the first place (or not that I know of anyway). What the heck is livery???

Friday has given us the text-book (or is that the Funk and Wagnels?) definition, but there is a bit more to it than that:

Livery colours, in the Scottish sense, are comprised of the first mentioned metal (gold or silver) and colour (red, blue, black, green, etc.) in the arms of your clan chief, thusly (for Campbell, Duke of Argyll): a gyrony of eight OR (gold) and SABLE (black). So, the cockade of a Campbell would be YELLOW (representing gold) and BLACK; the arms of Menzies being Argent (white) a chief Gules (red) the livery would be WHITE and RED, and so it would follow for every armiger in the whole of Scotland, not just Chiefs and Peers.

In the early days of Scottish heraldry only the personal retainers of the Chief were given the buckle and strap; other clanfolk showed their allegiance to their chief by wearing his livery colours as a cockade, or as ribbons. As the concept of the clan badge came to denote membership in the clan (as opposed to being physically in the service of the chief) the use of livery ribbons and cockades slow faded away.

When specialized clothing is supplied to retainers (Friday's definition of livery) the custom is to use the colour for the garment, and the metal for the trimming. Although rarely seen these days in private homes, most servants' livery is of a serviceable colour (something that will not be overly conspicuous) with trimmings on the cuffs, and around the collar or lapel, of the livery colours, usually in the form of flat tape (or ribbons) although sometimes piped in the appropriate colour or colours.

Today there is a revival of livery colours being worn as cockades as a more colourful way of showing clan affiliation and recognition of one's chief.