Flat Caps. No no and thrice no! Suitable hats when wearing your kilt. Discuss

[puffer]

Let me start by saying I own neither a beret nor a balmoral. That said, I have examined both a US Army spec black beret, and looked at balmorals being offered for sale by vendors at highland games. Other than the trim, they did not strike me as being very different. They were both soft felt with a crown larger than the band. Now I have never seen them side by side. Is there some difference in blocked shape or crown size? It seems to me a beret with a swatch of tartan and a cap badge would look very similar to a balmoral with the same.

See below picture for examples. (TOP feft to Right, then bottom left to right)

IMHO a "Militery Baret", is not the same as an actual Balmoral.

1 A military beret is smaller = 9 1/2" diam. & is in it's current isue "blocked" for the "flash" The one I am wearing is my 1960 SF ( and is unblocked)

2. A "standard " Balmoral = 10 1/2" diam.

3. A current Brit. issue Tam O Shanter (TOS) = 11" diam.

4. A WWII & prior Brit issue TOS = 12" diam.

5. A "period" TOS = 14" diam

Hope this helps
PUFFER

[svc40bt]

See below picture for examples. (TOP feft to Right, then bottom left to right)

IMHO a "Militery Baret", is not the same as an actual Balmoral.

1 A military beret is smaller = 9 1/2" diam. & is in it's current isue "blocked" for the "flash" The one I am wearing is my 1960 SF ( and is unblocked)

2. A "standard " Balmoral = 10 1/2" diam.

3. A current Brit. issue Tam O Shanter (TOS) = 11" diam.

4. A WWII & prior Brit issue TOS = 12" diam.

5. A "period" TOS = 14" diam

Hope this helps
PUFFER

Thanks for the thorough explanation. Based on your pictures, and the one of ForesterModern sporting a balmoral similar to what I have seen (yours being more 'rustic' pieced rather than blocked felt); I would say that the TOS whether felt or pieced appears to have a different shape, with a defined band area then flaring out to the broad diameter. The beret and the balmoral appear to share the same shape (no well defined band) and differ only in diameter and furnishings.

This brings up another question. It would seem to me, that to keep the same proportion, the diameter of the hat would have to increase with the diameter of the head. But your information would seem to disagree.

[puffer]

would say that the TOS whether felt or pieced appears to have a different shape, with a defined band area then flaring out to the broad diameter. The beret and the balmoral appear to share the same shape (no well defined band) and differ only in diameter and furnishings.

This brings up another question. It would seem to me, that to keep the same proportion, the diameter of the hat would have to increase with the diameter of the head. But your information would seem to disagree.

Here is another example of a "TOS" From Diane @ Russet Lodge. (she calls this "version a "Jacobite" It is sim. to the one she is making me.


As to the diam changing with the "head size"?? contact Diane

Puffer

[Mael Coluim]

Now this fellow (who will go nameless) pictured below, to me pulls off a kilt and flat cap rather, well. He is not trying to be a Highlander. Just a guy who likes to wear kilts and have a good time.

[muirkirkca]

Have no particular problem with them except the tartan ones.

[Zardoz]

Wow! It's good to see that Flatcaps have replaced hose as the topic of the month!

As for my opinion....

I think they are fine!

Basically, because I'm bald, if its cold out, or sunny, I'm wearing a cover. And it's gonna be either a Tam, Flatcap or for very casual... a ballcap!

The flatcap I'm wearing in this photo came from Ireland, (where they are called 'vintage caps') and I think of my working class Irish roots when I have it on. I didn't need to see the vintage photos to justify wearing it with the kilt, I simply find it to be suitable headgear for some situations.

Even though I'm in Texas, and own cowboy hats, I do not think they should be worn with kilts, I see people at our Games wearing their cowboy boots and hats, and I think about how that must look to the average citizen, I'd bet it looks comical. I know some of them are trying to beat the Texas sun, but it just looks off to me.

[Carolina Kiltman]

As a certified, card carrying, member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Old Farts, I'll just throw in my tuppence worth. (At least they still had tuppences when and where I grew up!)

Flat tweed caps should match the tweed jacket (with leather trim) which in turn was matched by the waistcoat (vest) and the plus-fours. In short, a totally coordinated outfit. Worn by the gentlemen of my youth when they were in the Great Outdoors, doing such things as shooting innocent wildlife, buying horses and the like. (Most of these were Irish or Anglo-Irish. (My Father, an American living abroad often wore leather putees over his tweed trousers, but then allowances were made for his being a "Yank".)

For the Kilt wearers; I only remember the Balmoral or TOS, and the latter only for those in uniform.

For me, unless the person is a piper, I do not care for the Glengarry.

Thus endeth the rant