Berets, Anyone?

[JakeHacker]

People often feel awkward wearing things because of the associations they make with them. When it comes to berets, those connections range from military men like Lord Montgomery and the Special Forces segment of the U.S. Marines to labor leader Che Guevara and Hollywood film directors. There are many other associations, as well.

Actually, the original beret was a woven affair, in the same familiar shape though quite large and floppy, worn by sea fishermen from the Basque region of Spain and France. If you want a tough and hardy association, these fishermen are it.

My generic/superficial (probably wrong) association with berets was as typical of eccentric French painters.

 

[Fern]

A great look. Very cool mask collection too!

Thanks MM!

 

[Fern]

My generic/superficial (probably wrong) association with berets was as typical of eccentric French painters.

Welcome, Jake! Nice to see a post from 2008 get rebooted.

Others will tell you that beret and artists go back a long time in the 1900s! French and Spanish, but also Dutch and a little German even.

 

[JakeHacker]

Welcome, Jake! Nice to see a post from 2008 get rebooted.

Others will tell you that beret and artists go back a long time in the 1900s! French and Spanish, but also Dutch and a little German even.

I can not justifiably take credit for the "reboot". I stumbled across this thread and immediately had an image of an artist with easel, paint smeared coat, neat mustache, over size brush, and of course beret, in exotic plaza somewhere, and he just had to be French. Probably a hold-over from some movie I no longer remember.

 

[Mm25]

My “Daily Boina”, as Fern says. Out hiking restored prairie grasslands.

 

[Fern]

My “Daily Boina”, as Fern says. Out hiking restored prairie grasslands.

View attachment 409939

Double like!

 

[1280almas]

Beret at work
Thank you Fern, brindis con pacharán

 

[Fern]

Beret at work
Thank you Fern, brindis con pacharán

Almas, amigo! Vos sos uno de los originales de este foro! You’re one of the originals in this forum!

Where are you grinding away in a machine shop? Freaking rockstar with that boina in the shop!

 

[quikrick]

I like the Daily Boina theme.
Here is one from @Daan at South Pacific Berets. Excellent quality. Auloronesa Universal in a rich dark brown, small 9.5 plate. I received it pretty quick too. Exactly two weeks from NZ to California.

 

[Fern]

View attachment 410207 View attachment 410208
I like the Daily Boina theme.
Here is one from @Daan at South Pacific Berets. Excellent quality. Auloronesa Universal in a rich dark brown, small 9.5 plate. I received it pretty quick too. Exactly two weeks from NZ to California.

Photographs very different indoors and outdoors. Love the chocolate!

 

[Mm25]

Txapeldun Tuesday!
Really, it’s a thing.
Let’s see them.

 

[Fern]

Txapeldun Tuesday!
Really, it’s a thing.
Let’s see them.
View attachment 410219 View attachment 410220

So huge. I stop at 12” vuelo.

But looks great with that denim jacket buddy!

 

[Mm25]

I like the Daily Boina theme.
Here is one from @Daan at South Pacific Berets. Excellent quality. Auloronesa Universal in a rich dark brown, small 9.5 plate. I received it pretty quick too. Exactly two weeks from NZ to California.

Rick,
Looks great!
We need to keep the daily posting going.

 

[Fedster]

Does anyone have any experience with a Scottish Tam? I think they are made on a much smaller scale, so I am not aware of any 'brand'. They also seem to be felted much more loosely than continental berets, so I wonder how weatherproof they are (alternatively, since the weather in Scotland is not exactly balmy, maybe even an Elosegui Fina could take a serious downpour -- I always wear berets that have a thicker felt in bad weather, but maybe they are an overkill?).

 

[Mm25]

Does anyone have any experience with a Scottish Tam? I think they are made on a much smaller scale, so I am not aware of any 'brand'. They also seem to be felted much more loosely than continental berets, so I wonder how weatherproof they are (alternatively, since the weather in Scotland is not exactly balmy, maybe even an Elosegui Fina could take a serious downpour -- I always wear berets that have a thicker felt in bad weather, but maybe they are an overkill?).

This may not be a direct answer, as I do not a have a tam, however, I have balmorals and Irish caubeens, both of which are similar.
Robert Mackie is a respected Scottish maker.
Most modern tams are constructed from two pieces, with the top sewn onto the sides. Caubeens are constructed the same way. They can be cut from heavy felted wool, or a smoother woven cloth type. Obviously, the thick denser version are more water resistant. Tams are usually wider in dimension than the others.
Balmorals are made like berets in one piece, from felted wool. The one I show is about the same density as my Elosegui berets, but they are generally smaller, and have a definite headband, like a military beret, tied in back with a ribbon.
And they all share the toorie!

 

[Fern]

This may not be a direct answer, as I do not a have a tam, however, I have balmorals and Irish caubeens, both of which are similar.
Robert Mackie is a respected Scottish maker.
Most modern tams are constructed from two pieces, with the top sewn onto the sides. Caubeens are constructed the same way. They can be cut from heavy felted wool, or a smoother woven cloth type. Obviously, the thick denser version are more water resistant. Tams are usually wider in dimension than the others.
Balmorals are made like berets in one piece, from felted wool. The one I show is about the same density as my Elosegui berets, but they are generally smaller, and have a definite headband, like a military beret, tied in back with a ribbon.
And they all share the toorie!
View attachment 410378

This green one is called a Balmoral? I need a closeup of that flash (the left side that has what appears to be a patch or embroidery.)

You must have THE hat collection, MM!

 

[Fern]

#dailyboina while the weather is still chilly spring. La Encartada, 12”.

 

[Edward]

This may not be a direct answer, as I do not a have a tam, however, I have balmorals and Irish caubeens, both of which are similar.
Robert Mackie is a respected Scottish maker.
Most modern tams are constructed from two pieces, with the top sewn onto the sides. Caubeens are constructed the same way. They can be cut from heavy felted wool, or a smoother woven cloth type. Obviously, the thick denser version are more water resistant. Tams are usually wider in dimension than the others.
Balmorals are made like berets in one piece, from felted wool. The one I show is about the same density as my Elosegui berets, but they are generally smaller, and have a definite headband, like a military beret, tied in back with a ribbon.
And they all share the toorie!
View attachment 410378

My experience too. I'd put them all in the same family as berets, but to me they're not actually berets. The Jacobite bonnets (pretty much the same construction as a Tam - but no pompom on the top, mind) worn by Highlanders, and particularly associated now with the 15 & 45, hence the common name, are close to a beret but have that sewn-together patter with separate top & bottom in my experience. The similarity, though, does rather intrigue me, given a history of trade and co-operation with the 'Auld Alliance'.

 

[Mm25]

View attachment 410396
#dailyboina while the weather is still chilly spring. La Encartada, 12”.

Great ensemble!

 

[Mm25]

My experience too. I'd put them all in the same family as berets, but to me they're not actually berets. The Jacobite bonnets (pretty much the same construction as a Tam - but no pompom on the top, mind) worn by Highlanders, and particularly associated now with the 15 & 45, hence the common name, are close to a beret but have that sewn-together patter with separate top & bottom in my experience. The similarity, though, does rather intrigue me, given a history of trade and co-operation with the 'Auld Alliance'.

I separate them by construction method.
One piece, I consider as from the beret family.
Multiple pieces, sewn together like a cap, I consider to be peakless caps.