My New Mackie Balmore, Love It, the Lovat.....

[CollinMacD]

Greetings all,

I still think of all the Scottish Headwear that I have, my Robert Mackie hats are far the best made and fit the best. Normally, all I get is the standard black or navy blue, but me wife wanted me to get something much more daring, or as she put it, stylish. So, I decided to get a new Balmore to go with my MacDonald Clanranald Ancient Tartan. I chose the Balmoral Diced by Robert Mackie (Lovat Green).

Please I am not trying to be vain, but I really wanted to share the hat, as I think the color is beautiful and goes so well with my family tartan. I know the unspoken rule is black or navy, but boy I do like the change, thinking about getting the Lovat Blue also....



The occasion was going to a Scottish Pub to listen to Scottish Music with the St. Andrews Society of DC, and here is a photo of myself and wife... It was a very bone chilling cold, damp, misty/rainy Sunday, and the pub really was so much fun....Thanks for looking, and I highly recommend Robert Mackie headgear....just the best there is. CHEERS.

The MacDonald's, Wife is wearing the Nova Scotia Tartan, she decided she would like to honor my Ancestors, so bought a few things with this tartan, and she love it. She picked this skirt up on eBay for $15.00, and we found out it was made in Halifax, and is a full 100% wool, 11 ounce.

[Garth]

Rather dapper young man. I appreciate the fact that you 'swam' upstream. Your headress compliments your kilt entirely.

[kingandrew]

I don't currently own a Mackie bonnet, although I hope to do so in the not so distant future. However, I agree with your wife that branching out into other colors can really add some pizazz to your look. My favorite Balmoral is a maroon one with dicing I bought many years ago from the Tartan Museum in North Carolina. It looks great and really brings an extra bit of panache to the outfit. One of my students even told me it was "a very beautiful hat."

Your lovat bonnet looks great. Enjoy it in good health!

Andrew

[CollinMacD]

I don't currently own a Mackie bonnet, although I hope to do so in the not so distant future. However, I agree with your wife that branching out into other colors can really add some pizazz to your look. My favorite Balmoral is a maroon one with dicing I bought many years ago from the Tartan Museum in North Carolina. It looks great and really brings an extra bit of panache to the outfit. One of my students even told me it was "a very beautiful hat."

Your lovat bonnet looks great. Enjoy it in good health!

Andrew

I agree the maroon is beautiful, however my family Tartan has a more bright orangey red, and really would not go well with it. However I do I love the color. I really did consider at one time getting the maroon, but balked for another Navy Blue one. Now, they do offer the bright red, and I really like the bright red that Mackie offers, but maybe that is just a little over the edge, however that would go great with the MacDonald Clanranald dress, ancient, and the MacDonald of the Isle, modern red. Here it is....HOWEVER......



the question is: is this colo rbright red Balmore over the edge, too bright, acceptable, or up to you who wears it?

[Jock Scot]

Wherever did you get this idea of either black or blue for a colour for bonnets is the "unspoken rule" Colin? Yes for sure, there are colours that do definitely sear the traditional eye, like that orange/red bonnet you showed above, but try not to overthink this bonnet colour too much. As a suggestion, fawn is another good traditional bonnet choice.

I am sorry Collin that I seem to be "knocking" you at the moment and I have no wish to cause you upset, but your undoubted enthusiasm for Scottish Highland attire requires a dose of subtlety with some of your attire choices, if you are wanting to emulate how we think this side of the Atlantic!

[CollinMacD]

Wherever did you get this idea of either black or blue for a colour for bonnets is the "unspoken rule" Colin? Yes for sure, there are colours that do definitely sear the traditional eye, like that orenge bonnet you showed above, but try not to overthink this bonnet colour too much. As a suggestion, fawn is another good traditional bonnet choice.

I am sorry Collin that I seem to be "knocking" you at the moment and I have no wish to cause you upset, but your enthusiasm for Scottish Highland attire requires a dose of subtlety with some of your attire choices, if you are wanting to emulate how we think this side of the Atlantic!

Not at all Jock, I did grow up in a very Scottish household, but on this side of the pond, and since family left Scotland in 1690, I am sure much influenced of my ancestors and how my Grandfather was brought up influence him who influenced my Father, especially my Grandfather coming from Angtigonish, Nova Scotia. So my family was not pure Highland like you. This is why a I like your input, and guidance, I just don't know what is right as I go to many Scottish Events, and what I see is so wrong, but you see it over and over, and starts looking right, but does not settle well with me because of my Grandfather and Fathers. So to answer your question why I over thing, because of my Grandfather and Father who both would never think of wearing anything but black or navy blue, hats and rest of their Scottish attire.

They were very conservative in many ways, they would NOt wear a clan pin on their bonnet, nor would they ever wear a Glengarry. Clan pins and such clan jewelry was looked up as junk, as my Grandfather said many times your clan plaid tells you all you need to know. The only thing I remember they wore was heather pined on the lapel of their tweed jackets. As far as headwear, it was only the Balmore, no dice, plain, no ribbons, but the hat binding was black leather and tied on the inside for adjustment. For a kilt pin they wore a kilt pin, plain and had to be silver. My father did have some animal claw one year. Both Grandfather (from Antigonish, Nova Scotia), and my Father born in Massachusetts, wore their Scottish attire twice a year, Burn Night out, (held at my house), and to the Scottish Games at Antigonish, NS in July. Once in a great while when family from Nova Scotia came down all would wear Kilts and go to some Scottish Club in Boston for diner and time out. Otherwise all this Scottish Attire was put in a garment bag and hung in the front hall closet.

Always the MacDonald Modern Dress (Clanranald), plain tween jacket, no waistcoat, square silver buckle on a plain black belt, Black Hose, flashes were little different than what we have today, they tied, Balmore, fly worn over left shoulder, wrapped under the arm, white shirt (always), cuff links, plain black or navy tie. Sporran was a leather in black, and wore cap toe oxford shoes, polished and in black. My grandfather also had a MacDonald Dress Kilt. My grandfather did carry some type of walking stick but nothing fancy, just a stick. FYI hose were knit by my Aunt, every other year they go new hand made hose, again nothing fancy but i remember they were soft.

So this stopped when my Grandfather took ill in 1961, passed year later in 1962. Father never work his stuff again, gave it to his sister (My Aunt Margaret) who passed it to family back up in Nova Scotia. Gave both my Grandfather and my Fathers Scottish clothing and accessories, wish they kept it for me.

So my fashion sense from what I remember was rather plain and stark, as my Grandfather said you never dress above your class is life. And he grew up as a farmer and worked in the coal mines, Father worked as a Boiler-man. That is what I remember from my Scottish Heritage, never was interested until about 10 years ago, when I got more curious about what I remembered. Hope this answers your questions on my background and why I ask so many question. Just look at it this way, I grew up Scottish Catholic, so I ask because of guilt that I might have...

[Jock Scot]

I am sorry Collin, I don't do the religious thing, so I have absolutely no conception of how a Scottish Roman Catholic thinks!

[Father Bill]

I am sorry Collin, I don't do the religious thing, so I have absolutely no conception of how a Scottish Roman Catholic thinks!

I was told... that the Jewish community invented guilt, but it took the Romans and particularly their mothers to perfect it.

Some cultural insight perhaps, Jock.

[CollinMacD]

I was told... that the Jewish community invented guilt, but it took the Romans and particularly their mothers to perfect it.

Some cultural insight perhaps, Jock.

Trust me, 12 years of Irish Parochial School in Boston, you know guilt....you live it the rest of your life.

[CollinMacD]

I am sorry Collin, I don't do the religious thing, so I have absolutely no conception of how a Scottish Roman Catholic thinks!

Trust me not a good thing You overthink everything.