CitBos Posted August 11, 2023 Share Posted August 11, 2023 (edited) The Cavaliers bringing back their aussies (hats) this year for me has brought up a question I've had for several years. I've asked in a drum corps group on Facebook a couple of years ago, but I don't remember getting an actual answer. So I figured I'd try asking here. I've noticed that for their aussies, the tubas/contrast have the fold and feather on the left side, while the rest of the horn line and drum line would have the fold and feather on the right side. Basically, my question is why the difference in side? Obviously I know the tubas need the fold on the left because of the horn sitting on the left shoulder. But why not have the fold on the left for everyone. With other groups I've seen wear aussies, Madison and Crossmen come to mind, everyone did have the fold and feather on the left. Even when the few years the Crossmen had the fold and plume on the right in the early 90s, the contras wore cabbie hats. So why doesn't everyone in the Cavaliers horn line and drum line have the fold and feather on the left side? Edit: to add that SCV is/was another popular marching music organization that wore aussies, all with the fold and feather on the left Edited August 12, 2023 by CitBos 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rylan Posted August 11, 2023 Share Posted August 11, 2023 My OCD approves of this suggestion. Lol 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Corps Guy Posted August 11, 2023 Share Posted August 11, 2023 The right side is actually the traditional side. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hook'emCavies Posted August 11, 2023 Share Posted August 11, 2023 If the aussie sat on the same side as the rest of the hornline, the contra players would be at a higher risk of knocking them off at each horns up or horns down moment. So to help lower the risk of that happening they are on a different side. I don't represent the corps but my closest friends are contra players and that is the feed back I got a few years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CitBos Posted August 12, 2023 Author Share Posted August 12, 2023 25 minutes ago, Hook'emCavies said: If the aussie sat on the same side as the rest of the hornline, the contra players would be at a higher risk of knocking them off at each horns up or horns down moment. So to help lower the risk of that happening they are on a different side. I don't represent the corps but my closest friends are contra players and that is the feed back I got a few years ago. Yes, I know that much. But why not have it on the left side for everyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Milano Posted August 12, 2023 Share Posted August 12, 2023 (edited) I aged-out of the Cavaliers after my final season in 1974. When we switched to the aussie hats from the shakos (1975) I was on the management team when the new uniform design was being contemplated. If I recall correctly, we talked about which side the feather should be on and Don Warren said he thought that English Cavaliers wore the feather on the right side and French Cavaliers (musketeers) wore it on the left side. He wanted our hat to reference the English Cavaliers. Whether he was correct in his understanding of English versus French hat feathers or not, that was why the decision was made. Afterward we realized the contras (tubas) would have to switch sides, but it was already a done deal by then. Edited August 12, 2023 by Paul Milano Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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