. ▁The ▁name ▁der ives ▁from ▁Tam ▁o ' ▁Sh anter , ▁the ▁e pon ym ous ▁hero ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 7 9 0 ▁Robert ▁Burn s ▁poem . ▁ ▁Description ▁The ▁tam ▁o ' ▁sh anter ▁is ▁a ▁flat ▁bon net , ▁originally ▁made ▁of ▁w ool ▁hand - kn itted ▁in ▁one ▁piece , ▁stretch ed ▁on ▁a ▁wooden ▁disc ▁to ▁give ▁the ▁distinct ive ▁flat ▁shape , ▁and ▁subsequently ▁felt ed . ▁The ▁earliest ▁forms ▁of ▁these ▁caps , ▁known ▁as ▁a ▁blue ▁bon net ▁from ▁their ▁typical ▁colour , ▁were ▁made ▁by ▁bon net - m akers ▁in ▁Scotland . ▁By ▁the ▁year ▁ 1 5 9 9 ▁five ▁bon net - m akers ▁gu ild s ▁had ▁formed ▁in ▁cities ▁around ▁the ▁country : ▁Edinburgh , ▁Aber de en , ▁Per th , ▁St ir ling ▁and ▁Glasgow . ▁At ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁six teenth ▁century , ▁it ▁was ▁said ▁that ▁the ▁Scottish ▁caps ▁were ▁the ▁normal ▁fashion ▁of ▁men ▁and ▁servants , ▁and ▁they ▁remained ▁so ▁throughout ▁the ▁sevent e enth ▁century . ▁▁▁ ▁Similar ▁in ▁outline ▁to ▁the ▁various ▁types ▁of ▁flat ▁bon net ▁common ▁in ▁north western ▁Europe ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 6 th ▁century , ▁ ▁the ▁later ▁tam ▁o ' ▁sh anter ▁is ▁distinguished ▁by ▁the ▁w ool len ▁ball ▁or ▁to orie ▁decor ating ▁the ▁centre ▁of ▁the ▁crown ; ▁the ▁name ▁itself ▁did ▁not ▁enter ▁common ▁usage ▁until ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 th ▁century , ▁subsequent ▁to ▁the