Quote Originally Posted by thescot View Post
A caubeen does not have the toorie you see on Scottish bonnets. And the military khaki versions you are probably referring to are actually tam-o-shanters, i.e., they have the top sewn to the sides instead of having the entire bonnet in one piece. Ham's balmoral is all one piece. You can even see the grosgrain ribbon head band on Hamsh's bonnet. In addition, I don't think caubeens have a grosgrain headband either.

It may look a little like the military tam because you are seeing the black cockade under his bonnet badge. Some of the regiments used to wear their own tartan under the badge, some didn't. Now, I think, they all wear the government tartan under the new rampant lion badge.

I have sewn a whilte cockade on all my own balmoral bonnets "just 'cause" I think it looks very Scottish, not as any sort of political statement. (I am a citizen of the US, and I am not even entitled to an opinion of other countries' politics.)

Military tam's have no head band; it's wool only against your head.

I wear one of the tams just about all the time in the winter. I like the look of it, and the newer ones have a very small top. The tams from WW II and earlier were quite large, but the new ones are smaller than most berets.

Well, that's enough of that.
Well said, sir. You summed it up quite nicely.

T.