Acceptable attire?

[Kiltman]

There are always experts! Take a look at Monarch of the Glenn and see Golly (I believe that's how it's spelt) and how often and with what diverse clothing he wears the balmoral. Also see So You're going to wear the Kiltwhen it is suggested to start by wearing the balmoral as a way of working your way in to wearing the kilt.

[Bugbear]

Thanks. I tend to not wear the ball caps because they are too beatle bug shaped and I already have a thin face and tall forehead. I might get a tam and keep it a bit squished forward in the front or something... The flat cap is what I've always tended to wear, though.

At some point, I'll probably convert those pictures over to url links or something so they aren't sitting around in the way.

[Alan H]

I practically live in a flat, black driving cap, though I've got a tweed one I inherited from Dad for when it's cold.

[Bugbear]

I practically live in a flat, black driving cap, though I've got a tweed one I inherited from Dad for when it's cold.

They're good hats and easy to fold up and get out of the way, or even tuck in your waist band and use as a temperary pouch. I have had many of them over my life, but right now I've started all over and have three. I'm sure I'll have a bunch before long... I did have a brown tweed deerstalker at one point...

[ardchoille]

I found some very nice looking flat caps at Amazon and I'm going to get one of these. I've always like the look and it's about time I acted on it

[Larry124]

I like these "Poorboy" caps from North Star Leather.
They come in S/M/L/XL and a strap-adjustable to size.
And in seven (!) colors of suede and two of leather.
The crown can be pushed to the front or to the side or back or just flattened down.

[Bugbear]

The flat cap and gadsby/newsboy hats were a popular topic in one of my threads. Here is a quote from that thread with some links to flat caps.

Ted,

was poking about the 'web and found some different single-panel "Driving" type of caps out there. I think the most common name (from what I've seen) for this style is either the "Ivy" or "Flat" cap.

Here's the links:

Ivy Cap
http://www.getahaton.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=99

(Cavanagh) Flat Cap
http://www.noggintops.com/page.cfm?p=233

Irish Flat Cap (nice brown or gray tweeds)
http://www.noggintops.com/page.cfm?p=66

Ted, if your searching for a nice tweed style, I think the last link is what you might want. These Irish Flat Caps come in either a brown or a gray tweed, and are not badly priced at about $42.

Very stylish looking caps Ted!

Thanks to BoldHighlander for those links, and the quote also has a link to the original thread and quote in it.

[Jock Scot]

Ted,you have set me thinking about flat tweed caps. I would not consider wearing a flat cap with the kilt and I don't remember seeing anyone in Scotland wearing one with the kilt either,not even visitors.Now, I hasten to add that this is not a criticism,just an observation.What I was wondering is this,in the late 1800's and early 1900's there are many photographs of people wearing flat tweed caps with the kilt.

It seems that around the First World War flat caps went out of fashion,when worn with the kilt and certainly by the 1940's it was a definite "no no" to wear a flat cap with the kilt.As far as I am aware it still is, here. Does anyone know the reasons for this, or, is this just a fashion thing that has moved on?

[Hamish]

Ted,you have set me thinking about flat tweed caps. I would not consider wearing a flat cap with the kilt and I don't remember seeing anyone in Scotland wearing one with the kilt either,not even visitors.Now, I hasten to add that this is not a criticism,just an observation.What I was wondering is this,in the late 1800's and early 1900's there are many photographs of people wearing flat tweed caps with the kilt.

It seems that around the First World War flat caps went out of fashion,when worn with the kilt and certainly by the 1940's it was a definite "no no" to wear a flat cap with the kilt.As far as I am aware it still is, here. Does anyone know the reasons for this, or, is this just a fashion thing that has moved on?

Jock, I would venture to suggest that the reason was quite simply that hat-wearing by British males in general took a serious dive after WWII. Pre-war, until the late 1930s, men's hats were seen everywhere: Bowlers in the City, Homburgs on businessmen, and flat caps in the country and on the heads of practically every 'working' man. After the war, maybe as a result of clothes-rationing (which I remember well), men's hats had all but disappeared here in the UK, and we still really are a nation of non-hat wearers.

An exception might be the (fashion) trend among teenage males who sport those shapeless, woolly 'tea-cosy' Beenie hats which, to my eye, would look fine on the ski slopes, but which look ridiculous on the streets of our towns and cities - just an opinion!

Take care,
Ham.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Ted,you have set me thinking about flat tweed caps. I would not consider wearing a flat cap with the kilt and I don't remember seeing anyone in Scotland wearing one with the kilt either,not even visitors.Now, I hasten to add that this is not a criticism,just an observation.What I was wondering is this,in the late 1800's and early 1900's there are many photographs of people wearing flat tweed caps with the kilt.

I suspect that the flat cap had it origins in the upper strata of society (shooting, bicycling, motoring, that sort of thing) and would have been considered appropriate for all sorts of outdoor pursuits prior to the Great War.

It seems that around the First World War flat caps went out of fashion,when worn with the kilt and certainly by the 1940's it was a definite "no no" to wear a flat cap with the kilt.As far as I am aware it still is, here. Does anyone know the reasons for this, or, is this just a fashion thing that has moved on?

I suspect that the adoption of the flat cap by the working classes (often seen breast feeding shovels next to enormous holes in the road) caused it to fall from social grace, at least as far as kilted wear was concerned. Lairds generally do not wish to be mistaken for laborers. Another factor (and there are probably a hundred more) would be the change from patterned tweeds (checks and "plaids"), to solids colours for jackets. This sartorial change would make the flat cap look very much "out of place" when worn with a kilt.