balmoral

[bubba]

Personally, I like mine blowing free rather than tied. I guess it's all just a matter of personal preference.

[Nanook]

Tied: Civilian
Loose: Military

The Balmorals that were issued and worn in the army don't have ribbons to hang. The Glengarry bonnets have ribbons but they are not to be tied. The standard Black Watch Balmoral pattern as issued has neither a rosette at the front nor ribbons at the rear but a kind of micro-rosette at the rear. Most of the Balmorals I've seen that have ribbons have tended to be cheap grade bonnets (more often than not, made offshore). Military Balmorals tend not to have a rosette but a backing tartan and a badge (the Black watch have neither) and so would look strange with a large rosette bow at the rear (which is what tied ribbons are really about). This might be why most regiments wear the Glengarry style of hat :-)

[AtagahiKC]

Fascinating. I'm much the richer for the thread, but I still have no idea whether to tie or not.

I think I'll leave them loose and let everyone interpret it how they will. If they ask me If I mean X or Y, I'll just say, "Yes."

[McClef]

Fascinating. I'm much the richer for the thread, but I still have no idea whether to tie or not.

I think I'll leave them loose and let everyone interpret it how they will. If they ask me If I mean X or Y, I'll just say, "Yes."

I think that the answer would still depend on what question is asked!

[Cawdorian]

The ribbons are tied on the Balmoral in the old "Blue Bonnet'" style and left loose on the Glengarry according to the Scottish traditions.

This is my understanding of the customs.

[Don Patrick]

I had no idea that the state of a bonnet tied or untied was of issue. Mine has always been tied, but after reading these posts, I guess I will untie mine.

Don

[Phil]

And of course you all know that a chequered band around a Balmoral or Glengarry signifies allegiance to the British crown. Maybe want to get the scissors out.

[mcvarmit]

thank for the info, i guess the real question is "to loose or not to loose, that is the question" couldn't help myself, sorry for that unfurtunate pun.

thank for the help

SLICK

[mbhandy]

So the way I have been wearing my Balmoral is right or is it wrong
Guess I'll have to Think about it and then and then
I'll just keep on wearing it the way I have been.

MrBill

[thescot]

I always wear the balmoral with the ribbons tied in a neat little bow at the back as they do in the regiments. In fact, a regimental tam comes with a pseudo bow sewn on to the back. On my glengarrys (glengarries?), I let 'em fly--again, like the regiments. I figure they've been wearing 'em a long time, and what we wear is mostly a copy of the military style anyway. And there's something kind of cool and devil-may-care about those flying ribbons on the back of a glengarry that just doesn't look the same on a bonnet.

But whatever you do doesn't really matter. At the worst someone may think you're "out of style," but, for man wearing a kilt, I always figure I'm setting my own style anyway.

And I should offer the caveat that I am somewhat conservative in most things, so I am more likely to go along with conservative ways of doing things than some would. I am old, and I do not like change! Ha!