Berets, Anyone?

[Mm25]

The smaller ones have a great fifties vibe to them, imo. I have a Laulhere in grey in that smaller size, and it has a slightly different vibe to it than one with a wider body. Very beatnik still. Tempted to try the SJC beret they're doing now; they have them in brown and navy, two colours I don't yet have among my berets...

After reading this, I took an old military beret I don’t wear and turned the band under so it fits more like a Basque beret. It measures just under 9.5 inches. Added a pic of getting some yard work done

 

[Fern]

The smaller ones have a great fifties vibe to them, imo. I have a Laulhere in grey in that smaller size, and it has a slightly different vibe to it than one with a wider body. Very beatnik still. Tempted to try the SJC beret they're doing now; they have them in brown and navy, two colours I don't yet have among my berets...

After reading this, I took an old military beret I don’t wear and turned the band under so it fits more like a Basque beret. It measures just under 9.5 inches. View attachment 404066 View attachment 404067

Looks good @Mm25 – is that one you bought or were issued?

 

[Mm25]

Looks good @Mm25 – is that one you bought or were issued?

It was a gift from my brother.

 

[Babbo Philipe]

The smaller ones have a great fifties vibe to them, imo. I have a Laulhere in grey in that smaller size, and it has a slightly different vibe to it than one with a wider body. Very beatnik still. Tempted to try the SJC beret they're doing now; they have them in brown and navy, two colours I don't yet have among my berets...

After reading this, I took an old military beret I don’t wear and turned the band under so it fits more like a Basque beret. It measures just under 9.5 inches. Added a pic of getting some yard work done View attachment 404066 View attachment 404067 View attachment 404079

yeah some of the smaller pouce are nice

 

[Babbo Philipe]

Happy 59 birthday Daan

 

[Mm25]

Trying to add a bit of color to a gray day. It started snowing about five minutes after the pic.

 

[Fern]

Fellas — I haven’t said Mail Call since I was in the Army, but today I finally got my latest Gorostiaga package and I’m so happy! Some of these are nearly impossible to find (La Encartada, 150 Años Elosegui) and I’m really grateful to now have these for the rest of my days.

I also bought some Basque patches from him, specifically with the Tree of Guernica. It’s a symbol of endurance and resilience, and I really dig it. So cool!

 

[Babbo Philipe]

Fellas — I haven’t said Mail Call since I was in the Army, but today I finally got my latest Gorostiaga package and I’m so happy! Some of these are nearly impossible to find (La Encartada, 150 Años Elosegui) and I’m really grateful to now have these for the rest of my days.

I also bought some Basque patches from him, specifically with the Tree of Guernica. It’s a symbol of endurance and resilience, and I really dig it. So cool!

View attachment 405514 View attachment 405515 View attachment 405516 View attachment 405517 View attachment 405518 View attachment 405519

ooo nice I like the first one

 

[Fern]

ooo nice I like the first one

Sure enough! That’s also my fave of the 4.

I’m surprised by how thick the Spanish are and how thin the French one is.

La Encartada felted the thickest wools. I love how they hold tight lines and shapes. Not floppy whatsoever.

Also — hello, 1995! They’ve held up amazingly well. Quality and durability. I can see why Encartada folded, if their cost of materials or labor/processes was too high to sustain for low prices with low volumes. Anyway, they feel special. I’m gonna wear them all weekend and see how they feel.

 

[Babbo Philipe]

Sure enough! That’s also my fave of the 4.

I’m surprised by how thick the Spanish are and how thin the French one is.

La Encartada felted the thickest wools. I love how they hold tight lines and shapes. Not floppy whatsoever.

View attachment 405536 View attachment 405541 View attachment 405538 View attachment 405540

Also — hello, 1995! They’ve held up amazingly well. Quality and durability. I can see why Encartada folded, if their cost of materials or labor/processes was too high to sustain for low prices with low volumes. Anyway, they feel special. I’m gonna wear them all weekend and see how they feel.

are these new or used any 10 pouce

 

[Babbo Philipe]

well i have a BA that was a little too small so i washed it and put it in a my tire treacher , i have used this to get wrinkles out too with steam

 

[Mm25]

well i have a BA that was a little too small so i washed it and put it in a my tire treacher , i have used this to get wrinkles out too with steam
View attachment 405573

Clever.

 

[Fern]

are these new or used any 10 pouce

They’re all brand new. In Spanish pulgadas, not French pouces.

 

[Fern]

well i have a BA that was a little too small so i washed it and put it in a my tire treacher , i have used this to get wrinkles out too with steam
View attachment 405573

I remember you tried selling this one but no bites. This the one Dennis made for you?

 

[Babbo Philipe]

I remember you tried selling this one but no bites. This the one Dennis made for you?

no this one is from sara, i have sold a few a couple of years ago. i had almost all the colors , maybe this was one in the pictures

 

[Babbo Philipe]

They’re all brand new. In Spanish pulgadas, not French pouces.

i was looking at the site and saw the measurements , how much was shipping

 

[1280almas]

Boina del maquis

 

[Fern]

Boina del maquis

Welcome back, @1280almas — hope you post some more of your collection!

 

[Mm25]

Beautiful day to hike the river.

 

[Daan]

Good to see all those Spanish Basque berets on the forum lately. With Boinas Elósegui left as the only bonetaire in Spain, usually there isn't much news in the way of berets, or boinas.
I enjoy my own La Encartada boinas, but an Elósegui Super Lujo is still among the very top for me, a shared height with Auloronesa and Flamingo.

Where I disagree about both La Encartada and Boinas Elósegui berets, are the headbands. Whereas both manufacturers (and other vanished Spanish manufacturers like Pradoluengo) fitted their berets with beautiful and supple, flexible leather headbands during the 1950s and early 1960s (see examples below from my collection)

since those days a much thicker, more rigid leather headband is used. This not only leaves a sweaty imprint on the forehead, over time it will stiffen and crack and is not easily pocket-able as a headband-less universel or talla única beret.
The reason why Boinas Elósegui does this, is to prevent shrinkage of the head-opening, the size. A conventionally knitted beret does shrink over time. If a headband is soft and pliable, the headband will "shrink" along and diminish the size of the beret.

The only exception are the berets made by Auloronesa/Manufacture de Bérets. This is because a different knitting process which was invented by it's founder Denis Guédon and is a well kept secret. It allows for the use of a soft and supple leather band (in fact, the same leather used for top end French car's upholstery). See picture above.

Unfortunately, the handmade process of fitting these leather bands plus the cost of the leathers, makes for much more expensive berets. At South Pacific Berets I only restock leather banded berets on special order for that reason (with a small number presently in stock still).
Working with Denis on an alternative, he came up with a artificial leather band that has all the positives of "real" leather and the benefits of a synthetic band. These are not in production anymore, but again, a small number is still available in all diameters, many sizes, lined with natural unbleached French linen and fitted with the Aotearoa label.

A kind of hybrid, taking the place between universels and sized berets, are the Flamingo models with adjustable headband. Instead of a leather band, the berets are fitted with an ingenious system to adjust the size with a small Velcro strap, see pictures below.