How do you put on a balmoral?

[LANCER1562]

I wear my Balmoral much the way I wore my military beret: band one finger-width above the eyebrows and parallel with the ground, tails centered and the top canted over to the right. Worn this way, the cap badge automatically ends up at my left temple and slightly forward of my left ear. As far as when and where I take of my hat or don't take it off, I again, fall back on my Army training. I put my cover (hat) on portal to portal and uncover indoors. Regardless of weather I'm wearing a baseball cap, flat cap, Tam, beret,etc. the first thing I do before entering a church is uncover or remove my hat. It's just the way I was taught and I have taught my son the same thing.

[Mike_Oettle]

Since I wear a tam o’shanter, rather than a balmoral (in my regiment, the men wore tammies and the officers balmorals) I have no suggestions to offer regarding the shape of the bonnet.
But regarding the bonnet badge, I notice that several members recommend wearing the badge over the left ear. I would not call this wrong, but in the regiment we wore the badge over the left temple. Consequently I still do.
I suppose different regimental sergeants-major interpret the rules differently, as can be seen with the prescribed position of garter flashes.
When I wore a beret (while serving in a training battalion) we had to wear the badge over the left eye, rather than further back.
Regards,
Mike

[BBNC]

Welcome to the rabble, Crawdad!

I always use two hands when putting on and adjusting my Balmoral bonnet. I first get the band portion of the bonnet just right on my head or to my liking, which tends to be positioned straight and low on the brow, just a wee bit above my eyebrows (I have never been fond of Balmorals placed further back on the head and canted, exposing large amounts of the forehead) ensuring that the cockade is positioned over my left temple and the ribbon bows are centered in the rear. I then firmly hold the band of the Balmoral to prevent the whole thing from moving (though it seldom does, since a proper fitting bonnet should not move around on your head too easily) as I pull the right side of the Balmoral down at the same time. I have never "Jocked" any of my Balmoral bonnets, as I prefer to allow the natural process of years of use to effectively "break in" my bonnets. To each is own, I suppose.

I used to wear a Glengarry bonnet once in a while, yet I have always preferred the Balmoral style. I have since sold off the two Robert Mackie Glengarry bonnets and I only wear Balmorals nowadays. I have seen quite a number of Americans at various Highland games and gatherings/events of a similar nature, wearing the Glengarry bonnet. I think many of them prefer this style of bonnet because it may prove easier to wear than its counterpart, can be a bit more compact when carrying and has more of a military look to it. If you are much more comfortable with the Glengarry bonnet, then by all means, go with it! It's all about personal preferences and what you feel comfortable in.

A couple of photos of me wearing the Balmoral bonnet.



Cheers,

Is that a clan badge on your balmoral? One way to help it point in the right direction. Looks great!

[Tobus]

But regarding the bonnet badge, I notice that several members recommend wearing the badge over the left ear. I would not call this wrong, but in the regiment we wore the badge over the left temple. Consequently I still do.
I suppose different regimental sergeants-major interpret the rules differently, as can be seen with the prescribed position of garter flashes.
When I wore a beret (while serving in a training battalion) we had to wear the badge over the left eye, rather than further back.
Regards,
Mike

Over the left temple is correct for the Balmoral, but it's not like there's much choice. The badge is mounted on the cockade, which is in a fixed position from the maker. If you center the tails in the back, the cockade ends up wherever it ends up, which is usually "pretty close" to the left temple. As you can see below, it's slightly different between these two Balmoral makers. But generally in the correct place at the temple.

bal02.jpgbalside01.jpg

[MNlad]

Referring back to Father Bill's story concerning a first encounter with an elevator, we all find new norms and concepts hard to understand and accept.

Rodney Dangerfield once recalled his introduction to wife swapping. "Got a lawnmower for mine. It was a fair trade—neither one of them worked." Bada-boom.

As for placement, I always just place the back seam at 6 o'clock and let the rest handle itself. Level port and starboard with a tug to the right.

[plaid preacher]

+3. I have been told the lack of hat etiquette of recent has been due to folks not wearing hats so often since the automobile took over and not even caps after the airplane. Thank you for the post and the whole discussion. I will try to do better in the future.

... not to mention the evolution of what sociologist Marc Auge refers to as "non-places": large public areas that seem to bridge inside and outside such as malls, airports and even the lobbies of large buildings (thus the confusion about evelators and bars etc.) I tend to wear brimmed hats often and therefore remove them in malls etc because I can see around me a little better.

[plaid preacher]

Sorry about that Tobus. Guess I have failed phrenology again. Of course there always needs to be a little variance allowed for our variously shaped melons. But too often I see picts in which the wearer clearly has a bonnet that is about 4 sizes too big and it is almost falling down over his ears or perched so far back that it hits the collar of his jacket. (again, however, I think that has a lot to do with the fact that save for the ubiquitous ball cap very few men wear anything on their heads - as has been already eulogized here).

And Crawdad ... a well soaked and formed balmoral should almost fall into its shape when you put it on ... but you must abuse it .. oops I mean form it first.

[Elf]

... not to mention the evolution of what sociologist Marc Auge refers to as "non-places": large public areas that seem to bridge inside and outside such as malls, airports and even the lobbies of large buildings (thus the confusion about evelators and bars etc.) I tend to wear brimmed hats often and therefore remove them in malls etc because I can see around me a little better.

(I hope this is not flogging the proverbial dead horse) As for lobbies, they are intended to neither outside nor inside, a place to put on and take off outside gear. Taking off one's hat at the precise threshold instead of holding the door for one's lady is misplaced exactitude. With due respect to BCAC, I have seen historical (19th C) photos of hats being worn in banks, shops (but not offices), workshops and in bars. It seems the public/private divide replaces the outside/inside. Of course history is only a guide. I take my hat off when coming to the bank counter, especially for a female clerk. Good hat-wearing to all.

[BCAC]

(I hope this is not flogging the proverbial dead horse) As for lobbies, they are intended to neither outside nor inside, a place to put on and take off outside gear. Taking off one's hat at the precise threshold instead of holding the door for one's lady is misplaced exactitude. With due respect to BCAC, I have seen historical (19th C) photos of hats being worn in banks, shops, workshops and in bars. Of course history is only a guide. I take my hat off when coming to the bank counter, especially for a female clerk. Good hat-wearing to all.

For clarification, I don't avocate taking one's hat off instead of holding the door for ones's lady, but taking one's hat off should be the first act accomplished once inside the building.

[creagdhubh]

Is that a clan badge on your balmoral? One way to help it point in the right direction. Looks great!

Yes, it is the Clan Macpherson badge.

Thanks!