Balmoral Hat

[AndrewSinclairYoung]

Hey all,

Hope you all had a happy Christmas and New Year's.

I'm thinking about buying a balmoral hat - something simple like the one attached here.

Quick question though - when and where would I wear something like this? Thinking day time outdoor country persuits etc?

Thanks for the clarity!

Screen Shot 2021-01-03 at 10.47.47 PM.jpg

[ShaunMaxwell]

Outdoors, at the Highland games (provided it’s not too warm!) for one:



(Texas XMarkers at the 2019 Kerr County Celtic Festival)

Cheers,

SM

[Jock Scot]

The balmoral bonnet(best not to call it a hat) for country wear and country pursuits-----shooting, fishing in particular, when there is a strong wind.

IMG_1482.jpg rule 11 stuff. Force 8 gale

August. Sept 2012 054.jpg Pointe-Du-Hoc, Normandy. Very windy

Two particularly windy days! Why no kilt? I rarely wear the kilt outwith Scotland. But for very special people I do make an exception.

August. Sept 2012 016 2.jpg A wedding(V. wet), in Avranches Normandy.

WGN_1530.jpg Another very windy day in Scotland.

WGN_1191.jpg Checking the deer.

WGN_1280.jpg A wee stroll.

In truth though most go bare headed with or without the kilt from day to day and its fair to say for country pursuits the kilt is not often worn in Scotland/UK. Tweed plus 4's and breeks are the most usual choice worn with a flat cap, or fore and aft, or deerstalker.

[OC Richard]

When and where would I wear something like this? Thinking day time outdoor country pursuits etc?

Screen Shot 2021-01-03 at 10.47.47 PM.jpg

Balmoral bonnets are the original "Highland bonnet" and show up in our very earliest images of Highland Dress, so traditionally they were the Highland headdress and worn anytime a hat would be required.

The other Highland bonnets- the Glengarry bonnet and Feather Bonnet- are modifications of the original "Balmoral" bonnet.

Yes Balmoral bonnets are usually worn with Highland Day Dress, because Evening Dress would generally be worn indoors sans any sort of hat.



The bonnet you show appears to be a Mackie in "fawn" which is an attractive and versatile colour.

I recently got one, though mine as the diced border.



I should point out that in the old days bonnets might indeed be worn with ornate Evening Dress



Here, these gents in Evening Dress, though outdoors during the day, are going hatless (c1905)



By the way nice Stonehenge!

We have one. It's very nice.

[Holcombe Thomas]

Being, shall we say, follically challenged, I wear the Balmoral when it's cool enough that my head gets cold.

Holcombe

[AndrewSinclairYoung]

Thanks for all the updates and photos.

What do you all think about wearing a Balmoral without a clan pin? Is that weird - should it always have a pin?

[Jock Scot]

Thanks for all the updates and photos.

What do you all think about wearing a Balmoral without a clan pin? Is that weird - should it always have a pin?

I would not trouble about it , if I were you.

[imbrius]

Any time I'm kilted and will be outside for any length of time and the occasion calls for something more formal than hiking attire (in which case, I wear a wide-brimmed suede hat): barbecues, highland games, outdoor weddings where hats are acceptable, etc.

I do NOT wear any sort of headwear with black tie, even outdoors, unless it's very cold outside (and then it's a knit cap that I remove as soon as I get inside), as I'm no fan of silk top hats, which would be the acceptable "black tie" headwear, though some brothers of mine look quite smart in silk bowlers with black tie (think Winston Churchill). I don't have the features to pull off that look, however.

[Tobus]

What do you all think about wearing a Balmoral without a clan pin? Is that weird - should it always have a pin?

A clan badge isn't necessary, although the cockade can tend to look naked without something on it. Its purpose (on modern style bonnets, anyway) is pretty much to act as a backboard for a badge. If you don't want to wear a pin, you could put something else there instead, even if it's just a plant badge stuffed into the cockade, or any sort of decoration you like. Or, you could remove the cockade entirely if you don't need it. It's probably more common to see a Balmoral without a cockade than to see one with an empty cockade.

[jock gray]

As a Follicle deprived person, as soon as the weather turns cold or windy then the Tilly, comes off and on goes the Balmoral. (Kilt or No Kilt)