Just to weigh in on the dicing issue, I've never come across any resources that would indicate the wearing of dicing on the bonnet (or any particular color or style of dicing) was indicative of loyalties one way or another. I could be proven wrong, mind you, but I've just never come across anything that would suggest this except in a very modern context, and (as Todd has said) without any primary references being cited.

Regardless, today the decision to wear a bonnet with or without dicing is strictly a matter of taste.

M