Robert Mackie Bonnets Available from Scotland Shop

[OC Richard]

Richard, I have a Robert Mackie 'Traditional Scottish Headwear' brochure from 2021. It lists all the colors you have except brown and khaki drab. Also, sky blue is Saxe blue. Scotland Shop does not offer faun, maroon, Lovet blue or Saxe blue.

Thanks!!

Yes "Saxe blue" I had forgot. It's a beautiful blue, a bit deeper than "sky blue". I've seen blue hose that colour called "St Andrews blue".



About the Khaki Drab, I wasn't sure about that one. At one time (as I've been given to understand) Robert Mackie had the MOD contract for bonnets which included Glengarries and probably the dark blue Balmorals introduced as part of the 1953 "Coronation" No1 Dress.

Edit: I found a place that had been selling Robert Mackie military Tam O Shanters, but whether they had a MOD contract I couldn't say.

[bookish]

Today I received a black Balmoral bonnet that is new old stock from Kilts and More in Germany. If you don't want to special order from Scotland Shop, there may be a color and size available for you. I wasn't sure it would be my style, but I would wear it to a special event.

[OC Richard]

Here's the Mackie colours I happen to have photos of.

I don't have photos of Balmorals in

-the ubiquitous Navy Blue

-Royal Blue (not the Saxe blue, it's a deep and very strong Royal Blue, I have a photo of a guy wearing it but not a photo of just the bonnet)

-Red (not the claret, it's a bright pure red, I've seen it but can't find a photo of one)

If any of you can contribute photos of those colours it would be great, I'd like to have a collage of every Mackie colour.

I'd prefer photos of the diced versions if possible.

[DCampbell16B]

Maybe it's just me. I like dark blue. Somehow "All the Fawn Bonnets are over the Border" just doesn't have the same ring to it.

[OC Richard]

Ha!

For sure they originally always seemed to be blue.



The Highlanders of Scotland (1860s) of course is by far the largest collection of colour portraits showing pre-modern Highland Dress. I just looked through and I only spotted one non-blue bonnet. I appears to be black.



Then there's the series of illustrations apparently done around 1900 showing men (and one woman) in Highland costume, the purpose being to illustrate various Clan tartans. Some men are in ornate late Victorian Highland Dress, others are fantasy illustrations showing 'ancient Highlanders' (similar to the RR McIan fantasy illustrations). These illustrations seem to have been initially published by W & AK Johnstone (Edinburgh) between 1901 and 1907, and later in book form around the end of WWI.

All the bonnets appear to be blue save for two that appear to be mid-grey, and one green bonnet on a fantasy 'ancient Highlander'.

Here's a selection but the grey bonnets (Buchanan and MacLennan) aren't shown. Ross shows the green one. (Nary a sword that's not unsheathed!)

[Bad Monkey]

Not to offer lovat blue seems a shame.

[figheadair]

For sure they originally always seemed to be blue.

I can think of at least one historical exception. Aeneas (Angus) MacBean of Kinchyle c.1743 is shown wearing a maronish-red bonnet.

[DCampbell16B]

@figheadair I don't want to derail the thread, but I'm not familiar with that portrait. Where is that located?

[SF Jeff]

Maybe it's just me. I like dark blue. Somehow "All the Fawn Bonnets are over the Border" just doesn't have the same ring to it.

You need to keep the alliteration, so perhaps All the Bordeaux Bonnets Are Over the Border.

[ASinclair]

...

-Royal Blue (not the Saxe blue, it's a deep and very strong Royal Blue, I have a photo of a guy wearing it but not a photo of just the bonnet) ....

Here's a picture of Royal Blue -



Also, I emailed you a PDF containing the brochure this came from.