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

[puffer]

would say that the TOS whether felt or pieced appears to have a different shape, with a defined band area then flaring out to the broad diameter. The beret and the balmoral appear to share the same shape (no well defined band) and differ only in diameter and furnishings.

This brings up another question. It would seem to me, that to keep the same proportion, the diameter of the hat would have to increase with the diameter of the head. But your information would seem to disagree.

Here is another example of a "TOS" From Diane @ Russet Lodge. (she calls this "version a "Jacobite" It is sim. to the one she is making me.


As to the diam changing with the "head size"?? contact Diane

Puffer

[Mael Coluim]

Now this fellow (who will go nameless) pictured below, to me pulls off a kilt and flat cap rather, well. He is not trying to be a Highlander. Just a guy who likes to wear kilts and have a good time.

[muirkirkca]

Have no particular problem with them except the tartan ones.

[Captain Karrot]

When it comes to clothing, not matter whether "rules" or "guidelines" exist, it really comes down to taste. If someone likes it, whether anyone else thinks they look ridiculous or dashing, doesn't matter. If it did, most of us wouldn't wear kilts.

As long as you like what you are wearing, go for it.

[Zardoz]

Wow! It's good to see that Flatcaps have replaced hose as the topic of the month!

As for my opinion....

I think they are fine!

Basically, because I'm bald, if its cold out, or sunny, I'm wearing a cover. And it's gonna be either a Tam, Flatcap or for very casual... a ballcap!

The flatcap I'm wearing in this photo came from Ireland, (where they are called 'vintage caps') and I think of my working class Irish roots when I have it on. I didn't need to see the vintage photos to justify wearing it with the kilt, I simply find it to be suitable headgear for some situations.

Even though I'm in Texas, and own cowboy hats, I do not think they should be worn with kilts, I see people at our Games wearing their cowboy boots and hats, and I think about how that must look to the average citizen, I'd bet it looks comical. I know some of them are trying to beat the Texas sun, but it just looks off to me.

[Carolina Kiltman]

As a certified, card carrying, member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Old Farts, I'll just throw in my tuppence worth. (At least they still had tuppences when and where I grew up!)

Flat tweed caps should match the tweed jacket (with leather trim) which in turn was matched by the waistcoat (vest) and the plus-fours. In short, a totally coordinated outfit. Worn by the gentlemen of my youth when they were in the Great Outdoors, doing such things as shooting innocent wildlife, buying horses and the like. (Most of these were Irish or Anglo-Irish. (My Father, an American living abroad often wore leather putees over his tweed trousers, but then allowances were made for his being a "Yank".)

For the Kilt wearers; I only remember the Balmoral or TOS, and the latter only for those in uniform.

For me, unless the person is a piper, I do not care for the Glengarry.

Thus endeth the rant

[SteveB]

Phil - the count is up to 11 pages and growing.

Mael Coluim - the performer pictured is wearing what looks to be a contemporary version of the kilt. For some on this board the garment is not a kilt. (BTW - I own a Utilikilt).
For those whose traditional opinions which I deeply respect, while I am wearing a kilt (Tartan, wool, knife pleats, etc.) I respect the heritage of Scotland, and wear what is considered the proper traditional accessories. ( In this I agree with Jock Scot, Chef, cajunscot, etc.)
When I am wearing a kilt like garment (The similarity to the kilt is pleats in back and aprons in front, such as the Amerikilt, Utilikilt, etc) I dress in a far more casual manner to include flat caps, baseball caps, scrunched hose, sneakers, steel toed boots, lack of kilt pin, and whatever else.
While I am out shoveling that white s#@t that we have been overly blessed with this winter, I will wear a ball cap, so as to have the visor protect my eyeglasses from quickly becoming useless.
What hat is proper to wear with the kilt? I will stick to the Balmoral, and Glenngarry. Indoors no hat is worn and the discussion moot.
When I wear the kilt, I am being seen by the public as an ambassador of the Scot heritage. I should honour it properly.
When in kilt like garments, most of the public around here think of the Utilikilt movement. This is a U.S. thing from Washington State, that has become a popular garment with ball caps, T-shirts, work boots, and low socks. Just about as opposite to the wearing of the kilt as Highland attire as you can get.

My observation, and my tuppence worth.

I hope I have not offended anyone with this post, as it is intended to present a set of perceptions, that I have personally observed.
Peace

[pdcorlis]

Yeah Steve, just imagine how long this thread would be if we discussed something really important like jumpers (sweaters) and kilt belts yea or nay!

[O'Callaghan]

This is a long thread!

From the ethnic Irish point of view, the only examples I have to go on are pictures of pipe bands in the Republic of Ireland, and what I see is that they either wear caubeens (usually dark green) or increasingly glengarries (usually black) with the kilt. They never wear a diced hat band, because they associate it with the British Army, and out of respect I would never do that either, even though I am actually British, having been born in England. They also never wear balmorals or tams, which makes sense as the caubeen is the Irish equivalent.

I have a green caubeen, although I am not really a hat person and usually prefer to be bare-headed anyway. The glengarry doesn't appeal to me atall, personally, although I have nothing against others wearing them. The same goes for flat caps, although my uncle and my son wear them, but they don't wear the kilt anyway.

Personally, I think adding the caubeen on my head weirds people out far more than the kilt, so I'd rather not wear a hat atall unless I really want to feel overdressed.

One strange anomaly I discovered on eBay is that light green caubeens with a dark green toorie were issued to Canadian Irish soldiers. Doesn't the toorie make it a balmoral? I suppose you have to be Canadian to understand!

Mind you, the caubeens issued to pipers in the Irish National Army are apparently officially designated as glengarries, which is even odder.

[Marshal Moroni]

Hats and caps for every occasion. It has been many a decade since I left the house without a headcover of some kind.

When kilted I tend to wear whatever fits the occasion and weather; Summers are hot in CA, so brimmed straws, wet weather, felt Aussie styles mostly, flat caps and jacobites (see Arlen's Diane's patterns my Mom knitted me a pair), and other bonnets.

All work for me. Hats are as much fun as kilts!

Or at least they are for me,

Marshal Moroni