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

[Adam Pound]

Good heavens man! A toque is as follows:

"A toque or tuque (Canadian French: tuque, sometimes also spelled touque in English[dubious – discuss]) is a knitted hat, originally of wool though now often of synthetic fibers, that is designed to provide warmth in winter. All tuques are tapered, they sometimes have ear-flaps, and may be topped with a pom-pon, this style of tuque is sometimes referred to as a sherpa.[citation needed] Tuques may have a folded brim, or none, and may be worn tightly fitting the skull or loose on top although the latter is considered more standard. The tuque usually is considered Canada's national winter hat, much like the fur hat is in Russia." Courtesy of Wikipedia.

Bonhomme de Neige is a fat snow man found rampaging through the streets of Quebec City in the winter ( and he'd look great in a kilt!)

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I, for one, think that the flat cap looks just fine with a kilt, when worn in a casual style. I can't give any justification for why that is, other than -- to my eye -- it looks just fine. This is especially true for a tweed flat cap. I own a Harris Tweed flat cap, but I don't wear it very often because I don't think the style looks all that great on my particular head.

I don't really buy the argument that it doesn't look right because it does not have a toorie. I own a Highland bonnet (and have owned others in the past) that are made without a toorie, and they are very traditional items of Highland dress. And, of course, they look just fine with the kilt. As always, pictures are helpful. This one doesn't show the bonnet in all its glory, but you get the general idea:


I do agree with you about the beret, however. I don't think it looks quite right with the kilt, and it has nothing to do with the presence or absence of a toorie. The reason I don't like the look of it with a kilt is due to the fact that it somewhat resembles a Balmoral, but is not a Balmoral. So whenever I see someone wearing a beret with their kilt, the impression that I immediately get is that this person bought the wrong hat because they didn't know the difference. (This is evidenced by the fact that I frequently get people coming into the museum shop asking if we carry "Scottish berets" or "those berets you wear with the kilt.") Now, this is not true in all cases -- Jamie, for example, wears a beret with his kilt at times and he knows perfectly well the difference between a beret and a Balmoral. But that's just the overall impression that the look gives me.

My most recently acquired peice of headwear is a shire hat, made by Christies of London. I purchased this on a recent trip to Charleston, SC. It's made from Harris Tweed and I have a sport coat in the same pattern, as well as a kilt jacket & vest in a pattern so similar as to practically be the same. I absolutely love this hat and have worn it often since buying it. However, not with the kilt.


I couldn't tell you why I don't wear this with my kilt other than the fact that I don't think the style would look right. If anyone has contrary opinions I'd love to hear them. (I also don't generally wear it with my sport coat of the same tweed, as I think the overall look is a bit effected; I think it looks much better with a solid jacket, or one of a different pattern).

But when I wear my kilt, if I need headwear, I generally reach for one of my balmorals, or the tweed Highland bonnet mentioned above.

[Panache]

...My most recently acquired piece of head wear is a shire hat, made by Christies of London. I purchased this on a recent trip to Charleston, SC. It's made from Harris Tweed and I have a sport coat in the same pattern, as well as a kilt jacket & vest in a pattern so similar as to practically be the same. I absolutely love this hat and have worn it often since buying it. However, not with the kilt.


I couldn't tell you why I don't wear this with my kilt other than the fact that I don't think the style would look right. If anyone has contrary opinions I'd love to hear them...

Matt,

I like that hat very much. I have one in a similar style and found it wonderfully comfortable and practical. I accept that it is not a traditional hat for Highland attire but I think it does work with a kilt.

Why?

Well first off tweeds and tartan go together like bread and butter.

Second, the "bucket" hat in tweed shares a similar look to deerstalkers which are traditional head wear

Third, I think that Jock Scot himself once mentioned that authentic Highland attire shouldn't look like it has been planned to death. Things don't have to perfectly coordinate, in fact they can look a bit like a costume if they do.
It is a practical and comfortable hat and when you are heading out the door you grab it (and your favorite walking stick).

Here are some pictures with "The Hat" and for the life of me I can't see that this bit of head wear looks ridiculous or bad with my attire .








Give it a try and take a picture of your outfit and see for yourself.

ith:Cheers

Jamie

[svc40bt]

I do agree with you about the beret, however. I don't think it looks quite right with the kilt, and it has nothing to do with the presence or absence of a toorie. The reason I don't like the look of it with a kilt is due to the fact that it somewhat resembles a Balmoral, but is not a Balmoral. So whenever I see someone wearing a beret with their kilt, the impression that I immediately get is that this person bought the wrong hat because they didn't know the difference. (This is evidenced by the fact that I frequently get people coming into the museum shop asking if we carry "Scottish berets" or "those berets you wear with the kilt.") Now, this is not true in all cases -- Jamie, for example, wears a beret with his kilt at times and he knows perfectly well the difference between a beret and a Balmoral. But that's just the overall impression that the look gives me.

Let me start by saying I own neither a beret nor a balmoral. That said, I have examined both a US Army spec black beret, and looked at balmorals being offered for sale by vendors at highland games. Other than the trim, they did not strike me as being very different. They were both soft felt with a crown larger than the band. Now I have never seen them side by side. Is there some difference in blocked shape or crown size? It seems to me a beret with a swatch of tartan and a cap badge would look very similar to a balmoral with the same.

[puffer]

Let me start by saying I own neither a beret nor a balmoral. That said, I have examined both a US Army spec black beret, and looked at balmorals being offered for sale by vendors at highland games. Other than the trim, they did not strike me as being very different. They were both soft felt with a crown larger than the band. Now I have never seen them side by side. Is there some difference in blocked shape or crown size? It seems to me a beret with a swatch of tartan and a cap badge would look very similar to a balmoral with the same.

See below picture for examples. (TOP feft to Right, then bottom left to right)

IMHO a "Militery Baret", is not the same as an actual Balmoral.

1 A military beret is smaller = 9 1/2" diam. & is in it's current isue "blocked" for the "flash" The one I am wearing is my 1960 SF ( and is unblocked)

2. A "standard " Balmoral = 10 1/2" diam.

3. A current Brit. issue Tam O Shanter (TOS) = 11" diam.

4. A WWII & prior Brit issue TOS = 12" diam.

5. A "period" TOS = 14" diam

Hope this helps
PUFFER

[svc40bt]

See below picture for examples. (TOP feft to Right, then bottom left to right)

IMHO a "Militery Baret", is not the same as an actual Balmoral.

1 A military beret is smaller = 9 1/2" diam. & is in it's current isue "blocked" for the "flash" The one I am wearing is my 1960 SF ( and is unblocked)

2. A "standard " Balmoral = 10 1/2" diam.

3. A current Brit. issue Tam O Shanter (TOS) = 11" diam.

4. A WWII & prior Brit issue TOS = 12" diam.

5. A "period" TOS = 14" diam

Hope this helps
PUFFER

Thanks for the thorough explanation. Based on your pictures, and the one of ForesterModern sporting a balmoral similar to what I have seen (yours being more 'rustic' pieced rather than blocked felt); I 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.

[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

[CelticSire]

It may partly be a cultural clash thing like wearing leiderhosen and cowboy boots.

Just as a side note, I've seen this in Muenster, TX, at Octoberfest.

[svc40bt]

This is a favorite topic here. (For the record I think they look fine together, though I have never worn any type of hat with my kilt.) I recall on a previous iteration of this thread (that I could not find) someone posted a picture of one or another highland regiment who wore their TOS (I think) with the crown pulled forward, very much resembling a flat cap.

It does seem that your opinion will tend to show on which side of the Atlantic you spent your formative years.

[Riverkilt]

Deep on the Navajo reservation lurks a kiltie in a.....gasp!!!