New bonnet

[Tobus]

I would also add that the US tends to be a bit more of hat wearing culture in the modern day. If you look at the average crowd in the States versus a similar crowd in Scotland, you will see far more hats (usually baseball caps) in the states. You take those same people and put them in Highland attire, they will be more likely to want to wear some sort of cap. Now add what Tobus and David said... voila... your explanation.

This may come down simply to living in different climates. Perhaps it's the norm in Scotland, with its mild weather, for folks to spend time out-of-doors without hats. Here in the U.S., depending on location of course (it's a big place), as well as time of year, it's just not the norm. I tried it a couple of years ago when I went to the Highland Games in late March without wearing a hat. I had a nicely burned scalp by early afternoon.

So for many of us, it's not a matter of whether to wear a hat or not. It's a matter of which hat to wear. And I suspect I'm not the only one who has a wide variety of hats to go with whatever I'm wearing on any particular day. When I'm wearing blue jeans or cargo pants, it's a ballcap or Tilley hat. If I'm wearing a suit and tie, it may be a fedora. If I'm on horseback, it may be a cowboy hat. If I'm on a tractor, it may be a Tilley hat or a sun helmet. And yes, if I'm in a kilt, it's most likely going to be a Balmoral. I'm sort of failing to understand why Jock Scot thinks this is an oddball thing to do.

[Luke MacGillie]

I somewhat alluded to this earlier, but I think my attempt at humor went flat.

For some Americans of Scottish ancestry, the path to kilt wearing starts with a glengarry or bonnet purchased at a festival, then perhaps a jacobite shirt the next year, a kilt the 3d, and then straight to the full PC with white hose.......

So with the headgear being the first purchase, it remains an important part of the whole process of wearing ethnic dress of any sort.

[freep]

I am not wishing to poke a hornets nest here and I also understand the need to protect yourselves from the sun, but I really do fail to understand the very apparent need for you chaps outwith these shores to seemingly almost obsess about wearing a bonnet(balmoral/glengarry) with the kilt. Why?

I wear a bonnet, Balmoral with modern kilt and Historical Caps broad bonnet with great kilt.

If I'm wand'ring about trying not to look too scruffy in a modern kilt, I'll wear a Harris Tweed cabbie cap with clan pin, of course.

When I go to the Phoenix AZ gathering I wear a desert tan boonie hat complete with clan badge (Gunn).

When I go hiking, fishing or off roading ('85 Toyota LandCruiser FJ60) I wear a cammy or OD boonie hat or slouch hat a la the movie "The Sundowners."

When I (rarely) wear a ute kilt to do the irrigation (an utterly foreign concept in Scotland I'm sure) I wear a well-battered straw cowboy hat.

Oh, and sometimes I wear my "alternative balmoral bonnet," A white ball cap with maroon bill and embroidery on the front saying "Balmoral Cigars."

Pretty is as pretty does.

[Father Bill]

Well alright my question could be taken that way.

But, I hope to have some sensible answers as there really does appear to me that there is yet another trans-Atlantic trend here that does not follow Scotland's lead. Does it really matter? No, but I am interested.

Yes, the bonnet(general Scottish term for a hat)is worn by pipe bands and the military, but it is fairly unusual for civilian kilt wearers here to wear a bonnet unless there is a real reason to, like stormy weather, or perhaps a dandelion carried behind the Clan badge, or some identification device on rare occasion. In my experience over here, bare headed is our usual civilian choice when wearing the kilt even in damp, informal or, formal conditions.

AND PLEASE let us not discuss flat caps!

Only to keep warm in winter or (and rarely at that) for identification.

[OC Richard]

I really do fail to understand the very apparent need for you chaps outwith these shores to seemingly almost obsess about wearing a bonnet(balmoral/glengarry) with the kilt.

I can only speak to the Pipe Band people, who nearly universally detest wearing the Glengarries they must wear in competition. Both Balmorals and Glengarries are as ill-suited as can be imagined to hot sunny climes: they hold in the heat, and provide scant shade from the brutal sun.

So a random meet-up (at the Las Vegas Games for example) will usually show this



or this (at the Woodland/Sacramento Games)



But as of late I've gone a different route, the Trilby or 'bucket hat' which keeps off the sun wonderfully and isn't too hot (Loch Norman Games)



I can't imagine voluntarily wearing a Balmoral or Glengarry all day. Yes we have to wear them in competition, but the moment we march off the Glens come off.

A pipe band running through their sets before competition (Pleasanton)... when a band is about to march into the circle the Pipie calls out "hats! hats!" and the hated Glengarries go on everyone's heads.



And a Scottish band (Grampian Corby) at a Scottish Games, no bonnets during down time

[OC Richard]

kilt wearing starts with a glengarry or bonnet purchased at a festival, then perhaps a jacobite shirt the next year, a kilt the 3d, and then straight to the full PC with white hose...

[McKerrell]

As a total freak for neat bonaid, I say OCH AYE to you, Sir!

[Guthrumironhead]

I just got this bonnet from Norma at Highlandandmoor Etsy shop. It's fast becoming my favorite one. I've tried it a few ways, forward like a flat cap, pulled down really far over the right ear, and as pictured. I think I like this way best, as with my WW2 TOS. Speaking of the tam, it can make for a really interesting sun burn, especially with a shaved head. Has anybody else ever had one of those diagonal burns? I looked pretty funny the first couple of days after the Loch Norman games!

[Tarheel]

Speaking of the tam, it can make for a really interesting sun burn, especially with a shaved head. Has anybody else ever had one of those diagonal burns?

This comment reminds me of the one sided facial sunburns I used to get after all the driving to job sites as a land Surveyor. I get a white line (un-tanned forehead) because of my hat wearing habits also. There isn't a "spray tan" product that changes the effect of the sun on my skin.

I do like the color of your bonnet.