Need advice: run in with Kilt (feather?) Police

[Ronusan]

If anyone can clarify the details of what this is about please do!

Friday night at the North Texas Scottish Festival a fellow-kilt wearer had some odd questions and comments for me that took me a bit by surprise. The discussion didn't relate to my kilt but to my hat oddly enough, something I really hadn't worried too much about breaking any rules on. For context rest of my casual outfit was: My olive-green, generic tartan (far as I know) home-sewn box-pleat kilt. Kilt hose with flashes of the same tartan with plain brown shoes (not brogues). A dark olive polo shirt.

My hat was one of my small beret/tam hats that I make out of my left over tartans from my kilts. It's the one I'm wearing in my avatar photo to the left only I've added feathers to the pin since then. The pin is a small brass pheasant with 4 small pheasant or quail feathers poking out of the top of it (a hackle?).

While trying to order a meat pie a fellow kilt-wearer with I think an Australian accent asked me if I had a crest. I thought he was asking if either of my pins had my clan badge on it so I showed my kilt pin. He said no, a crest as in a coat of arms, and explained that you can only have feathers in your hat if you have your own crest and are a laird. I can't type verbatim what he said as I was hungry, exhausted, and didn't understand most of what he was talking about. Something about how he can wear the feather because he's an armiger or armsmen or something and only the laird can have 1 feather or something or other. And that basically I shouldn't have any feathers in my hat. I'm a little socially awkward at times, especially when an already random conversation goes in a totally different direction than I was prepared for, so I think I just said that was interesting and maybe asked him to clarify what an armsman was. At some point he apologized to the meat pie vendor for "insulting one of his customers." I received no such apology of course.

Well I'm kind of OCD about trying to do things right and not insult Scottish culture by wearing something wrong or inappropriate or undeserved, so as soon as I got home I scoured the internet for any information to corroborate his accusation. And as far as I was able to find out what he said seems to only refer to eagle feathers. Every mention I found of the significance of feathers in the hat to station of rank within a clan referred very specifically to big long eagle feathers. Not little clusters of short pheasant feathers.

So who's right? Is my hat safe or does it somehow unintentionally proclaim me Lord of Pheasanton, High Protector of Hennery or something? Are feathers of all types reserved only for lairds, armigers and/or clan chieftains? Help!

[beloitpiper]

I've heard it was just eagle feathers too, but I avoid wearing all (non-hackle) feathers despite how good I think they'd look on my bonnet.

[Phil]

Apart from feathers being a little OTT, what you wear in your bonnet is your own business. There are the usual silly conventions that only clan chiefs are allowed to do this but I really wouldn't give it a second thought.

[McClef]

It is to do with 3 eagle feathers for a Chief and one eagle feather for an Armiger but this is often confused to mean any kind of feather by those who are not fully in the know.

There is a distinct difference between pheasant and eagle feathers even to non-ornithologically trained eyes.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

The above replies are correct. There are indeed rules and conventions regarding the use of eagle feathers worn in the bonnet to denote rank. Some are entitled to either one, two, or three eagle feathers. However, these feathers are pretty distinctive. HEre is a picture of a gathering of several clan chiefs at a Games:


The usual advice is not to wear eagle feathers (obviously), but also nothing that might be confused for one at a distance; i.e. no large, straight & tall feathers. Something small, however, like you describe, is generally acceptible and just considered ornamentation. The fellow who talked to you most likely is confused and thinks the restriction to be on any type of feather at all. It is not.

[Arlen]

As everyone has noted above, it's just the thing with eagle feathers. I've never heard a single thing about any other type of feather and people here regularly wear even large bird feathers because they are so distinct from eagle feathers that there is no issue.

[Glamrockdj]

Over here in Scotland the Tartan Army,(Scotland Soccer Supporters) wear pheasant feathers in their Glengarries and very good it looks too, maybe a wee nod to our highland roots!!

[Galb]

In my opinion, enjoy your pheasant feathers in your hat. Forgo the Eagle.

[muirkirkca]

Why not wear turkey feathers as this atractive bird is nature to North America.

[macwilkin]

The following information leaflet from the Lyon Court in Scotland explains the issue quite nicely:

http://www.lyon-court.com/lordlyon/242.html

Generally, armigers today usually have the feather incorporated in their badge when it is cast.

So, I would agree with Matt; you are fine in using the feathers, but it's always good to be mindful of such customs, even when it may seem they are "silly" or not applicable to those of us in the colonies.

Regards,

Todd