The Glengarry Bonnet: Usage


Figure 1.--The Glengarry is used as part of some chool uniforms, The boys of the Gordon School at Woking wear a Scottish Glengarry bonnet with streamers when in their formal uniform.

The Glengarry bonnet is still worn, but primarily as part of a uniform or costume boh in Scotland and other countries. Scottish Scouts wear the Gengarry, but not usually the Cubs who until recently wore the traditional peaked cap. The Scottish Boys Brigade used the Glengarry as a cap for the officers. Initially the boys wore a pill-box cap, although they later adopted the Glengarry-like campaign cap as their principal headwear. The Glengarry, unlike the Balmoral, bonnet can be worn with the Highland kilt outfit. It is very popular with kilted pipe bands, both Irish and Scottish pipe bands. It is also worn as part of a dress uniform at some Scottish schools. School cadet groups in Scotland also wear the Glengarry as do actual Scottyish units in the British military. Boys also commonly wear it with a wide variety of outfits at Highland gatherings.

Uniform Use

The Glengarry bonnet is still worn, but primarily as part of a uniform or costume both. It is primarily worn by Scotts, both in Scotland and other countries, but it is also worn by other nationalities as well. There are different uniform glengarries.

Classic Highland

The classic Highland glengarry is a red, black and white diced cap. It is a regimental glengarry In blue/black wool with a red pom, black ribbon tails, silk rosette, and a red, blue, and white diced wool band.

Classic Highland

Another classic Highland regimental glengarry was with red and white dicing. It is a blue/black wool cap with a red pom, black ribbon tails, silk rosette, and red and white diced wool band. It was worn by the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.

Plain glengarry

The classic plain Highland regimental glengarry. It was made in blue/black wool with a red pom, black ribbon tails, and silk rosette. It was worn by the Black Watch and pipers of the Scots Guards and Highlanders.

Specific Groups

Several different groups are noted for wearing the Glengarry.

Youth groups

Modern Scottish Scouts sometimes wear the Gengarry, but we do not see early Xcottish Scouts wearing it. They mostly wore the traditional wide-brimmed Scout hat. We have never noted Scottish Cubs wearing Glengarries. Until recently Scottish Cubs wore the traditional English peaked school cap in green and yellow. The Glengarry is worn by officers/leaders (both warrant and lieutentants) of the Boy's Brigade when in uniform. The founder, Sir William Alexander Smith (a Scot himself, and born in Thurso, Scotland) adopted it for the officers uniform, but not the kilt, for the Boy's Brigade when it was founded in Glasgow during 1883. . When the Boy's Brigade spread to England, officers also adopted the Glengarry. The campaign cap is worn by the boys of the organization. Although, their uniform head-dress has changed somewhat over the decades, (the smaller pill-box hat was originally adopted for the uniform), the Glengarry has not changed from its position as an officers cap/hat since the Brigade was founded. [A.L. Smith]

Pipe bands

It is very popular with kilted pipe bands, both Irish and Scottish pipe bands. The pipebannds wear a variety of colors and trim. The proper cap to be worn by a kilted pipe band is the Glengarry bonnet. There are several different versions. There are both plain and diced headbands. They almost always come with streamers. Some have poms. One popular style is a blue Glengerry with a red pom. Glengarrys are worn with full-dress military attire, or when wearing military ribbons and/or armaments with summer (white shirt) uniforms. It is considered inappropriate to wear a Balmoral bonnet with the kilt.

School uniforms

It is also worn as part of a dress uniform at some schools. Most but not all of these schools are in Scotland.

Cadet groups

School cadet groups in Scotland also wear the Glengarry as do actual Scottish units in the British military.

Individual Use

The Glengarry can be worn with the Highland kilt outfit by individuals. Boys also commonly informally wear the Glengarry with a wide variety of outfits at Higland gatherings.

Sources

Smith, Adam L. E-mail message, October 6, 2003.






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Created: July 4, 2002
Last updated: October 9, 2003