Badges, or topping your bonnet questions.

[OC Richard]

Very nice vintage Scottish brooches are listed on Ebay all the time. I love the look of those! Many are just the right size for a Balmoral. Probably few of them were originally intended as bonnet badges but they look great on a bonnet.

Like this

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-SCOT...item4d032f1a3c

or this

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VTG-SILVER-I...item3375b3c3d2

A bit pricey yes, but here's one under $20

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Scot...item2c695db1f6

The classic clan cap badges were usually made in two sizes, a smaller size (1 5/8" or 42mm dia) intended for Balmorals and a larger size (2" or 53mm dia) intended for Glengarries. It never looks "right" to my eye when people wear badges on their bonnets which vary much from these traditional sizes. (The traditional Army glengarry cap badges were slightly larger, that of The Cameron Highlanders being 2 1/4" or 55mm for example.)

I must admit that except for traditional bonnet badges I'm not a "pin guy".