Talk:Balmoral bonnet

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Military history: British / European

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Evolution

The term 'Balmoral' in the context of military headgear only dates from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. In the mid 18th century Highland troops wore traditional bonnets of blue wool, decorated with a black Hanoverian cockade. As the century wore (perhaps influenced by the introduction of the East European 'shako' into military fashion) the bonnet was stiffened and cocked high into a more formal cap, often decorated on the side with a strip of bear's fur, an ostrich feather or a turkey hackle. While after 1815 the cap in its dress version evolved into the extravagant confection of the Highlander soldier's 'feather bonnet', the undress cap remained much the same for the next 50 years and, as both uniform designs and manufacture were standardised, it came to be known as the 'Kilmarnock' bonnet after the town where it was manufactured.

The Glengarry bonnet, essentially a folding version of the cylindrical military cap, had also been evolving during this time and, apart from the Black Watch who wore the Kilmarnock, was favoured by Highland regiments as non-regulation undress wear. It officially replaced the Kilmarnock as regulation undress and field service headgear in 1868 and remained in use until 1915 when the so-called 'Tam o' Shanter' khaki bonnet was adopted for use in the field by all Scottish troops in Europe.JF42 19:54, 29 July 2007 (UTC)JF42[reply]

I will belatedly say that these are interesting notes, and they may well be correct, but we cannot use them without citation to a published reliable source. (See WP:V, WP:RS, WP:NOR). — SMcCandlish ☏ ¢ 😼 03:16, 11 March 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Feather?

Is this the bonnet that is sometimes worn with a feather in it? --67.187.177.243 (talk) 22:27, 17 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

No traditional Scottish hat is typically worn with feathers (by civilians and commoners). Clan chiefs are entitled to use feathers with their clan crest badge, and they might do that on their bonnet, but that's a special case. Some American, Canadian, etc. elected presidents/chairmen of clan societies (nonprofit social organizations) have sometimes adopted this habit, but heraldically it is flat-out wrong, and the practice is excoriated by those who know better. See: Thompson, J. Charles (1989) [1979]. So You're Going to Wear the Kilt (American printing, revised 3rd ed.). Arlington, Virginia: Heraldic Art. pp. 8–9. ISBN 0-86228-017-6. The book has chapters on bonnets at pp. 3–7 and 102–106; and on crests and badges at pp. 8–14. — SMcCandlish ☏ ¢ 😼 03:16, 11 March 2021 (UTC)[reply]

PS: Some military regiments wear a feather on the bonnet (typically the Glengarry); this started around 1860, and seems to have been increasingly abandoned since WWI, though the uniform specifics will vary by regiment. Just as you wouldn't go wandering around with a long sporran if you're not in a pipe band and performing or about to perform in it, you wouldn't go around wearing military uniform gear if you're not in (or retired from) the unit. — SMcCandlish ☏ ¢ 😼 03:29, 11 March 2021 (UTC)[reply]

North American usage

My Cadet corps, 2422 Canadian Scottish Regiment, uses Balmorals in the field. Not sure if this helps. 70.67.15.67 (talk) 20:03, 14 January 2012 (UTC)[reply]

We should probably have a list of military units that do or did use them, but that will take significant research. I'm not sure it would make much sense to add trivia about a single regiment in the interim (especially without a published source). Might have a bit of a non sequitur effect, as the reader will be expecting a list (i.e. complete information), not just an isolated data point. Or we could start a list and flag it with {{incomplete list}} so people know it is incomplete and may be inspired to add to it. — SMcCandlish ☏ ¢ 😼 03:16, 11 March 2021 (UTC)[reply]