Tweed Bonnet Review

**BoldHighlander** · 26th June 10, 12:05 AM

Originally Posted by odysseios

Hi from an italian enthusiast of the celtic culture and history (mainly irish)!

My tam o'shanter is not made by tweed, but is also a Mossie Croft realization.
Laurie made for me a very good job: a repro of the tam worn by the terrible Auxiliaries of the police (often named "Black and Tans") in the irish independence war of the 20s, as you can see on some movies ("The wind that shakes the barley", "Michael Collins").
Rifle green colour, badge and red flash were copied from an original one.

I like the size of the crown/body of yours, it reminds me of my WPG WW1/WW2 style tam

**odysseios** · 26th June 10, 12:17 AM

Yes, you are right: this is an historical reproduction of a military cap worn in Ireland in the 1920-21, and is surely the same pattern of the WWI (2 only years before), and WWII too. Just like the one you wear in the picture!
Consider when it came it didn't have that shape: it was larger, and i had to make the shaping (hot and cold water treatment) and shaving of the tam, as in use in the armies of all the world for the berets.

Mossie Croft made a very good research job.

**Antonio** · 26th June 10, 04:11 AM

That is a beauty!

**Mael Coluim** · 26th June 10, 07:34 AM

Oysseios that is a great looking tam! Thanks for sharing another Mossie Croft hat with us!

**Mael Coluim** · 26th June 10, 07:36 AM

Originally Posted by BoldHighlander

And you wear it well, Terry!

**BoldHighlander** · 26th June 10, 02:14 PM

Originally Posted by Mael Coluim

And you wear it well, Terry!

Thanks Ern

I really like the looks of the tweed bonnet, I may just have to look into one of those in the near future

**Mike_Oettle** · 27th June 10, 12:11 PM

Hi, Ern – that is a handsome bonnet, although I must agree with Forrester that it is more of a tam than a balmoral.
It suits you well – the colour of the bonnet matches your beard, for one thing!
Odysseios’s bonnet is also a tam of sorts – you wouldn’t want to wear that bonnet on a visit to Ireland! But it is well shaped, and I rather like the black badge on its red flash.
Regards,
Mike

**odysseios** · 27th June 10, 12:26 PM

Originally Posted by Mike_Oettle

you wouldn’t want to wear that bonnet on a visit to Ireland!

Sure not, Mike! Not in Eire, at least...

Badge is dark copper, the old colour of the british officers badges: Royal Irish Constabulary auxiliaries were former WWI officers.

**Mike_Oettle** · 27th June 10, 01:37 PM

Well, Bruno, it was claimed by the British that the Black and Tans were all former officers, but there were some pretty rough fellows in that unit.
The colour of the badge looked to me like the blackened metal traditionally used by the British Rifle Brigade and other rifle regiments, but looking again I see that it simply hasn’t been polished.

Ern was a bit worried about the appearance of the bow at the back of his bonnet, but it looks fine to me. At any rate it is neater than the old bootlace I used to tie mine up!
Perhaps another colour besides black might work better, but what is important is that it holds the bonnet at the right size for the wearer.
Regards,
Mike

**odysseios** · 27th June 10, 01:51 PM

Originally Posted by Mike_Oettle

Well, Bruno, it was claimed by the British that the Black and Tans were all former officers, but there were some pretty rough fellows in that unit.

Yes it is.
I am interested in the history of the irish independence, and i am reading a book about the Black and Tans, after i known their evil behaviour through the movies i mentioned.
The badge on my tam is not a R.I.C. insignia but a repro of the London Irish rgt badge, nearly the same.