Is a Bowler acceptable

[jordanjm]

I think that while I tend to associate a bowler with the men in Mary Poppins, and the wimps in Western Movies, like in McLintock the dancing scene at the party. While the kilt brings up images for me of a much more rugged outdoorsy kind of people. I think there is something to be said for different articles of clothing have different connotations to them based on our own world view. With that said I also think that there is usually a way to bridge any two fashion gaps. For example I personally think that Western wear, like western music has Celtic culture as a root. If you were to make a western outfit more Celtic, embroidered celtic knots on the shirt, and band around the cowboy hat. Ditch the cowboy boots for roping boots. Then Kilt belts and cowboy belts in terms of size very similar, or as I once heard a cowboy belt buckle described, "The size of Texas"? Some of the things I would try to bring the bowler into harmony with the kilt is to find a way to make the Kilt more English, which a pinstripe kilt suit would accomplish nicely I think. I would then find a way to make the bowler more Scottish. Perhaps a band of tartan fabric around the hat, which matches a tartan tie. This is just my quick thoughts on how to mix items from different cultures. Find something they have in common, and build on the commonality.

[Presuming Ed]

Not something I would do, myself.

The bowler hat (particularly in black) is a hat, most traditionally worn (in the UK at least) by office workers in the City of London - the financial district. They have now almost completely fallen out of favour - the only time I can think of where you find a number of people wearing bowlers is at the annual Cavalry Memorial parade.

Mixing items of traditional dress, IMHO, is not a sensible thing to do - to my eye, a bowler and a kilt would look very wrong.

I've never seen bowlers in any other colour. They would smack of costume to me - I would just think of Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid.

To me, the traditional kilt epitomises the outdoors/rugged/highlands. The bowler is urban.

[davedove]

I've never seen bowlers in any other colour. They would smack of costume to me - I would just think of Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid.

That's not completely off base, as the bowler was very popular among the 19th century folk of the United States. It was even popular in the west, possibly more so than the more commonly known wide brimmed cowboy hat. The cowboy hat was popular among those who rode the range out in the sun, but town folk tended to wear other types of hats, including the bowler.

I've got a bowler that I use in my western costumes when I want a different look.

[Pleater]

I wore a black bowler with a black 8 yard kilt, just slightly off white shirt and hose, black waistcoat, and it did look rather good, but it was at the Sidmouth folk festival (in England) where people can and do wear the strangest things.

There were also many other people wearing bowlers and top hats and antique costumes.

I did get a couple of compliments on the attire though, which is quite something in that company.

For the torchlit procession and fireworks I added a red hatband, red shoes and red drum - with snares - and a red - cloth - shoulder thingie - so as not to have the shoulder strap of the drum cut into my neck, and a grin which was likely to have the top of my head fall off.

So - I think it can be done, but - only where socially acceptable, which is a bit of a shame really.

I will be wearing it again this August, having made the kilt smaller. The look is good, but you need the venue to be able to get away with it.

[cavscout]

I believe this was because the bowler is what they wore back east in the urban cities they migrated from, and probably for many, from Europe. As hats were a major purchase back then, you wore what you had until you had to buy a new one. I would imagine that people who had lived in the west for a long time viewed the bowler as a sign that a person was either new to the area or a "banker" type. While it is never mentioned in the movies directly, the type cast is clear. We think nothing of it as we grew up seeing movies with characters in westerns wearing bowlers, it was probably a focal point of prejudice by those who had been in the west long enough to have moved on from the bowler they inherited from their father.

To go with JJM's concept on mixing headgear, there was a character in the movie "Quigley Down Under" who wore a balmoral instead of the expected cowboy hat. It worked for the character.

[macwilkin]

To go with JJM's concept on mixing headgear, there was a character in the movie "Quigley Down Under" who wore a balmoral instead of the expected cowboy hat. It worked for the character.

You see a similar combination with the numerous Scottish fur trappers and traders in the early 19th century that worked for the HBC, the Northwest Company, etc.

I wear my bonnet with my "mufti" (no kilt) during the winter for the very practical reason that the bonnet is a warm piece of headgear.

T.

[cavscout]

I believe also the character Alexander McKeag in Centennial wore a balmoral as a fur trapper with Pasquinel who wore a french style hat with his.

Lot of examples of mixing, but you must also consider the social environment Mountain men are not always the best judge of fashion sense

[macwilkin]

I believe also the character Alexander McKeag in Centennial wore a balmoral as a fur trapper with Pasquinel who wore a french style hat with his.

Lot of examples of mixing, but you must also consider the social environment Mountain men are not always the best judge of fashion sense

True, but I wouldn't say that to their faces! :mrgreen:

T.

[Erisianmonkey]

I believe also the character Alexander McKeag in Centennial wore a balmoral as a fur trapper with Pasquinel who wore a french style hat with his.

Lot of examples of mixing, but you must also consider the social environment Mountain men are not always the best judge of fashion sense

<thread hijack>

Centennial...wow. I haven't thought about Centennial in years! I loved it.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled thread as Erisianmonkey's flashback fades.

</thread hijack>

[Archangel]

As I move up the evolutionary scale, less hair, I need more protection. In summer I wear the Australian Outback Hemp Safari hat. Seems to work well with the kilt in most occasions. It seems to get compliments, usually some Sean Connery comment, which is okay by me. Online price is higher than some outlets.



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