Balmoral Hat

[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.