Berets, Anyone?

[Daan]

From the very beginning in 2008, South Pacific Berets operated from the Ngaio Plateau, located in the hills around Wellington.
Moving houses and a lack of storage saw the business move to a temporary storage facility in the city last week. All going well, SPB will move to a permanent store again before the end of the year.

No changes for customers or to the speed of order processing - I still aim to send any order out within 24 hours! However, one big change is the increased number of berets on CLEARANCE (storage space being a precious commodity at present).

First reduced in price are the Coffee2Go upcycled berets ($29.50); the Harris Tweed berets by Laulhère, from $57.50 @ $37.50 and the Boinas Portuguesas from $79.50 @ $49.50!

To be continued...

 

[Daan]

The 19th battalion of Chasseurs à Pied (“Hunters on Foot”) is a unit of light infantry in the French Army that was created in 1853. The regiment participated in the Crimean War and both World Wars.

Between the world wars, the 19th BCP became a Battalion of Chasseurs Alpins, while stationed in occupied Germany. It was then that the “Hunters” started wearing the Tarte, the beret of the Chasseurs Alpins. In 1930, it became a Chasseurs à Pied battalion again, but the Tarte remained!

During WW2, the 19th trained in Scotland and were assigned to the expedition to Narvik (Norway). The battalion was dissolved after the defeat to the Germany's WWII-era leadership’s but recreated on 31 August 1944 by Parisian volunteers.

After WW2, the 19th Chasseurs were part of the French occupation forces in Germany (FFA) and fought during the war in Algeria.

Presently, and for as long as stock lasts, I include an original and genuine beret badge of the 19th BCP with any Chasseur Alpin beret ordered!

 

[Daan]

A First Time Ever: Boinas de Argentina on SPECIAL!

Export restrictions and currency exchange regulations make importing from Argentina a difficult business; hence too little stock usually to do a SPECIAL on these fantastic berets.

So, for a first time ever, on SPECIAL this week at a 20+% discount, a variety of Boinas Espinosa, Tolosa Tupida and Plato Grande.

The boinas Espinosa and Tolosa Tupida are made of 100% Argentinian merino wool; soft to the touch, durable, light and extremely comfortable. What better recommendation than that the gauchos of the Argentinian pampas principally wear these berets?

Available in a large range of diameters and colours, all in one-size models without headband - so no worries about sizing.

The boinas Espinosa are unlined berets in 28cm diameter; the boinas Tolosa Tupida have satin lining fitted and are 30cm in diameter.

The boina Tolosa Tupida Plato Grande is a generous 32cm diameter.

 

[Nico]

A rust red Boneteria Auloronesa kinda day.

 

[alanfgag]

In a pub in Greenwich.

 

[alanfgag]

This picture taken by Lily (shown in the photo above) as I was standing on the colonnade of the Queen's House in Greenwich. The Royal Obsrvatory is seen up the hill. Wearing my black Boinas Elosegui.

 

[Humanfactor]

Living in Bordeaux for a while and seeing a few bérets in the wild. I hope to pay a visit to Manufacture de Bérets in Orthez, France in October. Sara does great work there.

 

[Daan]

Yesterday the new stock by Boinas Arandú has arrived; replenishing the stock of standard and vintage cotton berets (the brown, white and navy models are well stocked again!), but more interesting are the brand new 'Boinas Crochet'.
Arandú's 'Boinas Crochet' sits among the most comfortable cotton berets to be found.

Crochet is a process of creating fabric by interlocking loops of yarn using a crochet hook (the name comes from the French term crochet, meaning 'small hook'). The salient difference between crochet and knitting (which is the usual method of manufacturing berets), is that each stitch in crochet is completed before the next one is begun, while knitting keeps many stitches open at a time.

These berets have the soft touch of corduroy, easily stretch to (even the largest) size, are excellent work-wear (being sturdy and tear resistant) and are fitted with a solid cotton lining in a 30cm diameter.
Available in 4 colours @ $52.50.

As the present stock was a small sample order, these berets are presently in very limited supply.

 

[alanfgag]

Two hours before the mast.

 

[Bouwerij_Jongen]

Living in Bordeaux for a while and seeing a few bérets in the wild. I hope to pay a visit to Manufacture de Bérets in Orthez, France in October. Sara does great work there.

I spent seven days in Bordeaux last year.
Bordeaux is a great city for history, wine, dining, shopping, hanging out, museums and wine.
The pedestrian old town section invites wandering around.

 

[Humanfactor]

I saw this book at an outdoor market here in Bordeaux.

 

[Bouwerij_Jongen]

With colder weather arriving earlier than usual in the Pacific Northwest.
I have been wearing my Chyldish Fear Naught wool beret in Russet color.
Very comfortable mid weight beret good for wearing outside and inside.

 

[Daan]

Berets are big in Japan and have been for many decades.

Apart from a good presence of imported French and Spanish berets, most berets are made in Japan. As it happens, Japan may have the largest number of quality beret manufacturers within its borders and these berets are made to a very high standard.

Most famous are the DEER Basques, made by Kongo-Shokai until the company’s closure in 2014. Since then, I have been searching for adequate alternatives, but it was hard to find a compatible brand.
Now South Pacific Berets has found two that very much live up to the “DEER Standard”: the Shigematsu beret in 9.5p (26.5cm) and the Flamingo 10p (28cm).

The first is a universal model (sized at 57.5cm but can easily be stretched to the largest head size), while the latter has a most comfortable elastic headband (like the DEER Basques, for those in the know). All models are made in the finest quality merino wool.

These berets are typical examples of Japanese berets with the raised roof of the beret and having a more plumb, rounded appearance. The appearance of these berets is larger than the stated diameter.

The small number presently in stock sell at the manufacturer's website price; more stock will come in soon (but cost will go up).

 

[Nico]

Wearing the Laulhere Rugby beret today.

 

[NoHorse]

Help with Laulhere Chasseur Alpin size!

I have been driving myself nuts over what size of the Laulhere Alpin Chasseur to order from Daan.

My head measures 56.5 - 57cm.

A lady on the phone at the Paris shop listed on the Laulhere website said that due to the large size of the Alpin I should get a size 57 (so it stays in place I guess). I’d rather have one in Navy, all things being equal (which they never are), but that would be at least a size 58. And I gather that these berets neither shrink nor stretch as much as some others...

Alan F, is that an Alpin you’re wearing? What is your experience with the size?

Anybody here on this board bought over or under their actual size?
I’d be grateful for any viewpoints!

 

[Bouwerij_Jongen]

Re the Laulhere Chasseurs Alpin,
I measure 59 cm and I have a size 59 in black.
The Laulhere is a heavier weight beret made for cold and wet conditions.
My Laulhere fits comfortably and snugly,
so it will not fly off in active conditions.

 

[Daan]

After a few people asked me about vegan berets over the past few months, I started searching for berets without any leather, wool or other materials of animal origin.
Of course, there are many cotton (vegan) berets, but these are distinctly different in feel, look and insulation compared to traditional wool (merino) berets.

Interestingly, the Israeli military issues vegan (synthetic) berets to its members.
Major Dimitri Romnatzov: "A few years ago we began receiving requests from some male and female soldiers saying that due to their vegan beliefs, they could not use a beret made with animal by-products."

The standard Israeli army beret is made of 100 percent wool. In 2012 the army began providing black vegan-friendly berets, though starting in 2014 soldiers who declare themselves to be vegan will be able to receive green synthetic berets. Thus far a few hundred such berets have been issued.

While contacting Japanese beret manufacturers (to find alternatives for the DEER Basques), I came upon a 100% vegan beret, made of polyester and rayon fibers. To my own surprise, these are actually fantastic berets to wear! Ultra light, cool in summer, warm in winter, fitted with a comfortable wide elastic headband and a drawstring to adjust the size (similar to the Auloronesa Universel).

The shape is typical of Japanese berets with a roomy hood, slightly plumb appearance and without a cabillou (or 'chobo' in Japanese). A selection of four colours is now available at South Pacific berets.

 

[Humanfactor]

Hello my fellow béret lovers. While living here in Bordeaux, France I had the chance to visit the Manufacture De Bérets atelier (workshop) which also shares a very nice retail section in the front of the store. This visit was on Saturday October 19th and Sara Goupy was hosting her 1 year anniversary celebration in her new Orthez location. This is some video and photos from the event.

 

[NoHorse]

Thanks for your replies Tchoupi and Bouwerji_jongen! I have ordered the Roma and an Alpin size 57. The thing about Daan is that in addition to his having an unequaled selection and knowledge, he is also a paragon of patience.

Now I wait for the parcel, and hope for truly awful weather this winter so I can give the Alpin some wear. Genteel eccentricity is my goal.

Years ago there were TV ads for a brand of potato chip. The theme was “Betcha can’t eat one!” An open bag would be offered to a person who took up the challenge... and then promptly tried to grab the whole bag as it was snatched away. Berets are like that: “Betcha can’t own one!”

And I keep seeing boinistas (?) more and more... hehe.

 

[Daan]

When I introduced the new Shigematsu and Flamingo berets just under 2 weeks ago, I expected these to be instantly popular, but couldn't foresee that the whole stock would sell within a couple of days...

Happy to write now that new stock has come in (and more is still coming across the Pacific).
New from Flamingo are the small diameter Basque beret in black and the 10p model in navy.

The Shigematsu models are now available in navy and khaki (and you can pre-order black, wine and green models that will come in in 2 weeks’ time).