Hunting for a Lovat Scouts Style Bonnet

[Troglodyte]

Pictures of my LS bonnet...

I am uncertain of the date, but the dates between which the Scouts operated as a distinct unit is well-known. In the post-war rationalisation of the British army, it was amalgamated or incorporated a number of times, and I am uncertain how much of their original service issue (such as headwear) they will have kept.

I guess mine dates from around WWII, almost certainly not earlier.

You can see in detail the how the ribbons are attached, and how there is a V-shape cut-out with a gusset in the headband, that allows for the bonnet to be shaped to the head. The ribbons were originally trailing, but I have always kept them tied.

Notice, also, how far forward the crown is set over the headband, to allow the traditional 'cocked-up' style to be achieved easily. The pictures I have seen of the Lovat Scouts show them wearing their bonnets at very rakish angle - but that maybe just for the sake of the picture.

[Guthrumironhead]

Thank you for the reference pics. That blue is so dark it looks black. J Higgins still has a few black and white Mackie bonnets in stock and I was tempted to go that route and call it close enough, but I think I would regret it.

[Troglodyte]

Thank you for the reference pics. That blue is so dark it looks black. J Higgins still has a few black and white Mackie bonnets in stock and I was tempted to go that route and call it close enough, but I think I would regret it.

This must be a good example of why warnings are given about how different devices display colours.

The bonnet is distinctly dark blue - something very obvious in sunlight - but is quite a dense shade. It appears blue on my screen.

The colour shades currently used for bonnets seems some way from the colour they claim to be (I have no idea why this should be) as I would expect 'Lovat' to be the earthy, mossy green normally thought of - but the recent examples I have seen of Mackie bonnets labelled as Lovat appear a bright pale green, almost a candy-colour in tone. The same is true of the pale blues.

Conversely, some of the darker blues can only be distinguished from black when placed side-by-side with the black version - especially under artificial light.

But the colour of this old bonnet of mine cannot be doubted when seen 'in the flesh' and is probably closer to, but still some degree darker than, the traditional blue-bonnets seen in the old illustrations. No-one seems to have made those for decades.