The Fit of the Balmoral?

[ghostlight]

How does sizing typically range on a civilian balmoral? Does a balmoral typically fit tight like a military cover (i.e. should you order a size or two larger if you don't want a tight-fitting cap)?

My future father-in-law has decided he'd like to wear one at the wedding reception (out of doors) and asked me for advice on fit and wear. Unfortunately, I don't have any experience with them myself so I offered to ask here.

[JS Sanders]

I prefer mine to be snug enough to remain in place. Comfort is paramount to me.

Manufacturers are a bit generous in their sizing, eg., if you normally wear a 71/4, the balmoral will be a bit loose. I usually stitch a an inner headband to take up the slack.

Over time though, they shrink - and it ain't my head gaining circumference either. I remove my additional headband to improve the fit and continue wearing the lid until it fades too much, or simply wears out.

Slainte yall,
steve

[Jock Scot]

The first thing with your new balmoral is to remember that we are talking civilian attire here NOT military.The military berret is,these days,shrunk,ironed,pressed and even cut to the shape of a soldier's head and very smart they are too---FORGET this for a civilian balmoral!

When you buy your new balmoral it needs to be a just a wee tad large,I stress the wee tad bit, when you get home, soak your bonnet in tepid(NOT HOT) water until is is soaked right through, VERY GENTLY wring out MOST of the water, put on your head and adjust, so that you pull the front foreward so that the back has a tight foreward look and then pull the RIGHT side foreward and down to the RIGHT hand side,foreward and over you right ear in other words. You should also have the bottom edge of your bonnet about an inch above your eyebrows.Take off the bonnet and leave to dry naturally----NO artificial heat.

You may have to repeat this a couple of times.Or failing that stand in the rain for a day!The cloth will shrink to make a snug fit and you have the ribbons to tighten up or slacken off for fine adjustments.The ribbons SHOULD be tied.

The clan/xmarks badge(?) should be placed just behind the left eyebrow and in front of the left ear.

The end result is a vaquely military look ,but without the sharpness of a berret.They are NOT meant to have a military look,so you servicemen leave the ironing, pressing,etc., alone!

[Jock Scot]

I have tried to post a couple of pictures from photobucket,but for some reason they won't transfer across.If you look at the fairly recent pictures in the picture section,here, you will see in "Hamish and Jim's Scottish tour"(first page),there you will see two dashing kilted gentlemen wearing balmorals.Or,if you go the the threads that I have started and go to "wedding in France" you should get a rough idea how a bonnet should look.Hope this helps.

[ghostlight]

Thank you both for the assistance!