I've seen various people wearing their balmorals and occasionally glengarrys with tying the ribbons on the back in a bow. The first time I saw this I inquired and was told that this indicated your marital status -- untied means single, tied means married. My gut feeling about these folks suggested that these folks didn't know what they were talking about, and even with seeing it a fat handful of time since it still seems like like hooie to me. Yes/no -- are modern hats with ribbons ever supposed to have ties, and if so when & why? I think someone also said that this is noted in "So You're Going To Wear The Kilt", true or false?

Relative to this...
  • I understand that the diced check pattern in hats, as with some pipe bands/drummers, comes from early versions of the hats where the ribbons actually laced through the hat around the head and would be tied making the fit of the hat to the wearer. Is this historically accurate?
  • I understand that in modern use w/ pipe/drum corps (and any body else?), wearing hats with dicing is supposed to be done when and indicating service to the queen/crown. Correct/incorrect?