Highlanders Discuss Highland Attire

[Hothir Ethelnor]

I often fold my balmoral flat and stuff it into my sporran strap to the right of the sporran. It is flat enough that it sits nicely and has almost never fallen out.

[ThistleDown]

I suppose I may be the only Highlander still awake on this forum since it is now 4 in the morning. In the Highlands we rarely wear head gear with Highland dress so his isn't an issue today. Never, ever, ever would we wear head gear within doors, so that part isn't at issue, either. But if we do wear head gear with Highland dress it will always be a Balmoral, so I can answer that part of your question specifically. On the hat rack or on the hall table. Never under your epaulet if you have one, never stuffed in your jacket pocket (inside or outside), never in your waist band or in your sporran. For you Americans think cowboy hat -- where do you put it indoors? On the hat rack, right? Oh oh, I have just heard you say "no, on my head." Shudder.

[xman]

For you Americans think cowboy hat -- where do you put it indoors? On the hat rack, right?

Hat rack? Oh stop it you're killin' me! I haven't seen a hat rack in years. I wish! I have to set mine on the bloody table and hope nobody demolishes it or the brim doesn't get too warped if I can't find a seat post for it. It's a tragic and uncivilized situation.

[BoldHighlander]

For you Americans think cowboy hat -- where do you put it indoors? On the hat rack, right? Oh oh, I have just heard you say "no, on my head." Shudder.

I have a spot on my dresser reserved for mine. Always resting upside on its crown, and never ever on its brim!

[ThistleDown]

I've never thought about taking such great care of the two bonnets I have. The one I'm wearing if I'm wearing it might get stuffed in my wellies until I leave. Ah, though, I do have one I take much better care of: Lady Crystal made me a doolander more than a year ago, and that one is carefully hung up. But that's because it's a work of art just as much as something to keep the weather out.

[BoldHighlander]

I've never thought about taking such great care of the two bonnets I have. The one I'm wearing if I'm wearing it might get stuffed in my wellies until I leave. Ah, though, I do have one I take much better care of: Lady Crystal made me a doolander more than a year ago, and that one is carefully hung up. But that's because it's a work of art just as much as something to keep the weather out.

Yeah, with my bonnet I've always just tossed it wherever handy (dresser, shelf, table top, stack of books, etc)

[Jock Scot]

I think I can say that we cerainly used to take our bonnets(general term for hat) off when entering a building, shops being an exception, as a matter of course and there are many of the older generation that still do. The younger generation on the other hand appear to never take those damned baseball things off and I have a strong suspicion that they sleep with their caps on! I will still ask people nicely to remove their head wear when entering my humble abode if they had "forgotten"(it is a pet hate of mine!) and it does seem that so many people these days do not know of this courtesy.

Bonnets and caps are left wherever I happen to leave them, usually on the dashboard of the car, or by the telephone in the office,or stuck on the end of my cromach by the door. Bowlers, top hats, hunting(horses and hounds) caps and panamas are looked after rather better and sadly these days they reside in moth proof boxes in a cupboard

I brought this subject up a long while back, but lets bring in those in that might have missed it. Do you raise your hat/cap/bonnet/cover when greeting a lady? With a balmoral, in fact we touch the edge by the eye brow in a sort of loose salute(almost a wave of the hand) instead, as the balmoral is rather floppy and really needs two hands to replace it.

[ThistleDown]

I brought this subject up a long while back, but lets bring in those in that might have missed it. Do you raise your hat/cap/bonnet/cover when greeting a lady? With a balmoral, in fact we touch the edge by the eye brow in a sort of loose salute(almost a wave of the hand) instead, as the balmoral is rather floppy and really needs two hands to replace it.

As you say.

[Bigkahuna]

Sadly, cap courtesy, in this country is a forgotten art. It use to be when watching a parade or at a public event when the American flag passed or the National Anthem played, one stood, removed his hat and placed it over his heart with his right hand. Hats were removed indoors and tipped to ladies. These days we are lucky to get people to stand when the Flag passes or The National Anthem is played.

[Rob Wright]

My students have been fascinated by my "old" ways. Wearing of waistcoats, using a pocket watch (finally found a nice one I like !), and insistence on a level of decorum they are not use to.

Rob