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

[Kerr the Walker]

My opinion is that if one is dressed "traditionally" (read: semi-formal and above) traditional head gear should be worn, if any at all.

If one is dressed casually, I think the "rules" have been automatically relaxed by the very definition of the word casual.

When dressed casually, I've worn knit watch-caps, ball-caps, flat-caps. When dressing-up, I tend to leave the cover at home.

[george7]

I think it's funny that half of your xmarks posts are repetitive remarks about your disapproval of wearing hat that many people accept as common apparel in the US. On the other hand, you use the pith smiley, which is a very unusual hat to wear with a kilt, especially for a night out. That said, they both fit certain people's personalities and preferences.

[Jack Daw]

Well, if you are the type of person who wears the kilt exclusively, then traditional wear shouldn't apply; otherwise, you can noly wear the balmoral or, to a lesser extent, the glengarry. Not much choice.

You're excluding the caubeen, among other caps and hats, b/c it doesn't have a tourie. Frankly, I wished the tourie was never invented. It annoys me for me to wear one. For this reason, I have a caubeen and wear the glengarry only when I pipe.

[ForresterModern]

Fond of hats and caps here, of all manner, partly because of regularly cold weather and partly becasue when it isn't cold the sun beats he** out of my balding pate. so few days out of the year when I don't at least doff a chapeau of some sort for some period of time. I like flat caps with kilts and have several solid and tartan to match my kilts, as well as several solid balmorals in various colors, a few tammies in tartan or matching colors, and even a standard diced glengarry and one tartan glengarry (it was on special clearance and matched the kilt I waswearing that day---have not worn it since). I guess I think the looks of any and all are pretty good with the kilt (except maybe the tartan glengarry, which should probably be reserved for special pipe bands or something like that). I also wear then with other casual and sometimes dress wear, as long as the occasion and cap are approptiate looks in my own mind. Wife generally agrees wit hmy choices. I also have an Irish Caubeen in customary bottle green that I throw on occasionally with just about any kind of outerwear in cold weather.

I like and wear hats and caps often, and I think in appropriate situations and with appropriate garb, including the kilt. Other than the occasional negative comment about wearing them in pictures posted here, comments mostly from the native scots, I have recieved nothing but compliments from others here and in my daily life. But in a way I am a bit like Jamie, I dress with a bit of style and flair in general, and so the little bit of added color and style a cap brings along only helps carry off the whole look.

[irishrob]

I have several Harris tweed caps and wear them regularly.(the guys around here call them snap brim hats, even though none of mine have snaps!) Two of which match the tweed fabric of my two modified kilt jackets. My wife and others of the feminine ilk have commented quite positively on my sartorial coordination and look on more than one ocassion. My take is that if I like it and "the girls" like it...it must be fine. But then again, I live in the desert in the unsophisticated Washington State!

Rob

[Good Egg]

I tend to agree with you it does not look too bad - personally I would not be offended by a deer stalker either (I'm not 'offended by a flat cap, but you no what I mean: they're just wrong with a kilt)

BUT wouldn't you look better in a bonnet?

[svc40bt]

As I said before, this topic seems to come up frequently here, and to bring out strong opinions, especially by those against. So I was thinking about it while doing other things. I came back to check on it, looked at the various pics posted, and thought that the one Ron posted with the tweed argyle looked good, but would look better with a crail.

So I was wondering to myself why I thought that. Started with the English vs. Scottish theory. The argyle looking more 'Scottish', but no that wasn't it. Then it occured to me that the argyle looked military, while the crail looked civilian. As far as I know, my comment about wearing TOS to resemble a flat cap notwithstanding, no military has ever used a flat cap as uniform headgear. This would apply to the bucket hat as well.

All the 'traditional' highland gear is derived from military uniforms; the jackets with gauntlet cuffs or whatever the extra material on the sleeve of a PC is called, the numerous buttons, the scalloped pocket flaps, are all derived from 19th century military uniform jackets. The balmoral is very military looking, even if it is not 'ironed and starched'. The flat cap, or bucket hat could not be made to look 'sharp' for a military review.

[macwilkin]

As I said before, this topic seems to come up frequently here, and to bring out strong opinions, especially by those against. So I was thinking about it while doing other things. I came back to check on it, looked at the various pics posted, and thought that the one Ron posted with the tweed argyle looked good, but would look better with a crail.

So I was wondering to myself why I thought that. Started with the English vs. Scottish theory. The argyle looking more 'Scottish', but no that wasn't it. Then it occured to me that the argyle looked military, while the crail looked civilian. As far as I know, my comment about wearing TOS to resemble a flat cap notwithstanding, no military has ever used a flat cap as uniform headgear. This would apply to the bucket hat as well.

All the 'traditional' highland gear is derived from military uniforms; the jackets with gauntlet cuffs or whatever the extra material on the sleeve of a PC is called, the numerous buttons, the scalloped pocket flaps, are all derived from 19th century military uniform jackets. The balmoral is very military looking, even if it is not 'ironed and starched'. The flat cap, or bucket hat could not be made to look 'sharp' for a military review.

Re: "Bucket hats" and uniforms, whilst not worn with Highland kit, there is such a thing as a "jungle" or "boonie" hat which has been worn by soldiers of the US and Commonwealth forces since the Second World War in various climes.

I've been trying to find a picture of a ToS that resembles a flat cap; here's a picture of a squaddie in the HLI wearing one:

http://cache.gettyimages.com/xc/3420...5A1E4F32AD3138

Regards,

Todd

[svc40bt]

Re: "Bucket hats" and uniforms, whilst not worn with Highland kit, there is such a thing as a "jungle" or "boonie" hat which has been worn by soldiers of the US and Commonwealth forces since the Second World War in various climes.

I've been trying to find a picture of a ToS that resembles a flat cap; here's a picture of a squaddie in the HLI wearing one:

http://cache.gettyimages.com/xc/3420...5A1E4F32AD3138

Regards,

Todd

You are absolutely correct, although I was talking about the tweed creased crown hats Jamie and Matt were sporting. (Which I thought looked fine with their outfits by the way.)

Further, I would say that the military elements I was talking about would only be seen on dress uniforms, at least in the time-frame that boonie/jungle hats have been part of any military uniform.

So, I would agree with you, while holding that my theory still stands, as narrowed down by me.

[macwilkin]

You are absolutely correct, although I was talking about the tweed creased crown hats Jamie and Matt were sporting. (Which I thought looked fine with their outfits by the way.)

Further, I would say that the military elements I was talking about would only be seen on dress uniforms, at least in the time-frame that boonie/jungle hats have been part of any military uniform.

So, I would agree with you, while holding that my theory still stands, as narrowed down by me.

You didn't read my post close enough. You'll notice I specifically said that the "boonie" hat would not have been worn with Highland kit, but only in the field.



T.