Berets, Anyone?

[Daan]

Talking about labels I notice you have no photo of the Arandu boina gaucho pampa on the website or your other pages. I think it's a great label, a stirrup but when upside down looking like a boinero!!
View attachment 94345
View attachment 94344

Thanks for the added photo's, Erik. Yes, it's a nice label and quite different from the usual South American labels that typically have heraldic symbols in them.
Meanwhile, since my previous post the new stock of foulards Aotearoa has arrived at these shores, just in time to finalize your Christmas shopping!

The original models (Graphite, Fox & Txapeldun) are a massive success; berets developed by South pacific Berets to offer an affordable, high quality, super comfortable beret at a very competitive price.
Now the range has expanded with the colours navy, green, rust and black in plateaus of 27 and 31cm.

Completely new are the Casquettes Aotearoa - made along the same lines as the Basque berets mentioned above: a peaked beret in the best possible quality, at the highest comfort level and at the same low price.
All models @ $50.00!

 

[Nico]

Wearing my new Czech Classic Mammoth. Very comfortable with that relaxed feel to it.

 

[Daan]

Honor whom honor is due!
My brother Emile, in daily life a professor in criminology, but here better known as The Beret Spy, has supplied his little brother with a good amount of new work. Opening with a self portrait in Philadelphia:

Most of his work happens at railway stations, airports, the occasional theater, cinema or market.

The technique, of course, is to go about without attracting attention; one pretends to be on the phone, blindly focusing on the target with the finger on the shutter button. It takes practice and does not always go that well, or unnoticed for that matter...

I remember taking the picture below embarrassingly well, a loud click confirming my action and making me realize I forgot to turn the shutter sound of my camera-phone off...

So far for spy work. Please be mindful that if you want to order a beret and have it in by Christmas, now is the time to do it!

 

[Daan]

If you were ever in doubt, don't despair: berets are a perfectly acceptable part of fashion (again) these days. Quoting some articles I came across last week: "Today, the negative way people see the beret has changed, it can be worn by anyone, ranging from; Students, choristers, voluntary organisations, military, individuals and so on" and "Berets are a contentious fashion item if ever there was one". What a relief.

And for those who didn't suffer from this particular fashion-identity crisis, there is good news, just (just!) in time for Christmas deliveries!

A small sampler of the new Boinas Tolosa Plato Grande - Guarda Pampa. Most models are only available in 1's and 2's only, so be quick. These will be restocked, but that may well be 6 months away.

These are seriously heavy weight cotton Plato Grandes, at 160 grams each. Genuine gaucho work-wear; hard wearing and comfortable at the same time, offering great protection from the weather.

The Guarda Pampa (People of the Earth) was originally created by the aboriginal people of Argentinian and Chilean Patagonia. This symmetric design symbolizes the reflection of the Andes Mountains in the lakes of the region. The Guarda Pampa, adopted and made iconic by the Argentine gauchos, has become a design that is woven into the fabric of Argentine and Chilean culture – from the flat pampas regions to the urban cities to the Andes Mountains.

Hard to find, even in Argentina and Chile.

 

[ErikFid]

I have much enjoyed wearing the new tolosa 31 models, which are so much more a real basque beret than the tolosa typida i ordered previously. Heavy duty for sure, but also more elegant and easy to shape. They made be made of coton, but just as good for the present weather! Hope my 35 I just bought arrives before christmas

 

[Trenchfriend]

@Daan
Thanks!

 

[Nico]

With all the rain and grey sky we are experiencing lately I thought I would brighten things up.
Today wearing my rust red Boneteria Auloronesa.

 

[Daan]

With all the rain and grey sky we are experiencing lately I thought I would brighten things up.
Today wearing my rust red Boneteria Auloronesa.
View attachment 96047

What's happening to the usual climate patterns? Hard to believe you still wear your merino wool beret where you are, while here in Wellington we're experiencing Aussie like summer temperatures and nothing but a cotton beret will do!

Like here, above, at the Bus Stop cafe on the Kapiti Coast.
And while having my coffee at the Wellington waterfront, I spotted this boinera sitting at the table next to me:

A Beret Spy has to be prepared and ready, always!

 

[Nico]

What's happening to the usual climate patterns? Hard to believe you still wear your merino wool beret where you are, while here in Wellington we're experiencing Aussie like summer temperatures and nothing but a cotton beret will do!
View attachment 96462 View attachment 96463
Like here, above, at the Bus Stop cafe on the Kapiti Coast.
And while having my coffee at the Wellington waterfront, I spotted this boinera sitting at the table next to me:
View attachment 96464
A Beret Spy has to be prepared and ready, always!

Unseasonably cool weather here for our first week of summer. Yesterday 14c today 17c.
Wearing my Laulhere green heritage today.

 

[Daan]

Happy and proud to announce the arrival of two new models that have been a long time in the planning! Czech Classics custom made in two stunningly beautiful colours: heather rust and heather mustard.

I dare say the best value-for-money berets I sell; super comfortable, great craftsmanship, the typical tartan viscose lining and at $39.50 only, exclusively at South Pacific Berets!

 

[Daan]

A true Christmas Special this week, in a variety of berets in double colours.

From the Le Béret Français Printemps beret made of recycled materials, via the LBF Bérets Bi-Colour to the few remaining Exposición Edición Limitada Paso-doble models made by Boinas Elósegui.

All models on SPECIAL at a discount of up to 20+% for one week only (or as long as stock lasts).

 

[Daan]

Beret Vocabulary
A couple of days back I was taught a new word: 'roulotte' - which means the rim of a headband-less beret. The roulotte can be folded inwards, resembling a typical Basque beret, or outwards, giving the beret a more military beret style.

This roulotte is most prominent on cotton berets, like the boinas Tolosa (Tupida). Photo left is the "natural state" of the roulotte; the photo on the right shows myself wearing a Tolosa Plato Grande with the roulotte folded inwards.

(Thanks Alejandro, of Bonigor)​

 

[leftyguy]

A colleague at work trying on my BA denim "special" & carrying it off brilliantly!

 

[Nico]

Out and about today enjoying the warm weather.
Wearing my brown Les Heritage.

 

[Dalamon]

Hello,

I've been unsuccessfully looking for a beret that has these sorts of characteristics:
- I want the leather lining to be visible from the outside, 100%. Even if it's a thicker band, I don't mind. I don't want it to be 100% textile from the outside.
- I really gravitate towards the more military styled of berets as opposed to the super floppy "artiste" ones.

http://8division.com/product/beret-wool-serge-uneven-dye-navy-30/4161/
http://b.looklive.com/s/Chris-Brown...3ZDZhZi1mY2Q4LTQ2MjMtOGYyYS0wZGE3OTU1YzVhNjM=
https://cdnb.lystit.com/520/650/n/p...alexander-mcqueen-black-Black-Wool-Beret.jpeg

I think I'd prefer it in black, but I'm a bit relaxed in terms of colour.

--

Any leads on this? Or at least brands of beret-makers that I should look into?

 

[RJR]

Hello,

I've been unsuccessfully looking for a beret that has these sorts of characteristics:
- I want the leather lining to be visible from the outside, 100%. Even if it's a thicker band, I don't mind. I don't want it to be 100% textile from the outside.
- I really gravitate towards the more military styled of berets as opposed to the super floppy "artiste" ones.

http://8division.com/product/beret-wool-serge-uneven-dye-navy-30/4161/
http://b.looklive.com/s/Chris-Brown...3ZDZhZi1mY2Q4LTQ2MjMtOGYyYS0wZGE3OTU1YzVhNjM=
https://cdnb.lystit.com/520/650/n/p...alexander-mcqueen-black-Black-Wool-Beret.jpeg

I think I'd prefer it in black, but I'm a bit relaxed in terms of colour.

--

Any leads on this? Or at least brands of beret-makers that I should look into?

I'll bet than Daan from South Pacific Berets will weigh in here.Go browse the South Pacific site &/or look back through this thread.Most military and several others meet your requirements.

 

[Daan]

Hello,

I've been unsuccessfully looking for a beret that has these sorts of characteristics:
- I want the leather lining to be visible from the outside, 100%. Even if it's a thicker band, I don't mind. I don't want it to be 100% textile from the outside.
- I really gravitate towards the more military styled of berets as opposed to the super floppy "artiste" ones.

http://8division.com/product/beret-wool-serge-uneven-dye-navy-30/4161/
http://b.looklive.com/s/Chris-Brown...3ZDZhZi1mY2Q4LTQ2MjMtOGYyYS0wZGE3OTU1YzVhNjM=
https://cdnb.lystit.com/520/650/n/p...alexander-mcqueen-black-Black-Wool-Beret.jpeg

I think I'd prefer it in black, but I'm a bit relaxed in terms of colour.

--

Any leads on this? Or at least brands of beret-makers that I should look into?

What you are looking for is indeed called a military style beret. A sized Basque beret will have the headband on the inside of the head-opening, the headband is added to the woolen rim of the head-opening, like an extension. A military style beret has a leather or synthetic headband covering the woolen rim of the head-opening, the band thereby both on the inside (against the head) as well as on the outside (visibly).

Apart from the actual military berets, like these made by UCA International (pictures below), there are more models that use this style of headband.

One of my personal favourites is the Czech made tartan lined Service Star in 11.5"; an incredibly comfortable beret to wear, fitted with a leather military style headband and triple air vents. These are available in black and in the custom made colours navy, winter-green and Mammoth.

Another brand that made this kind of headband their trademark is the German company ESCO, that modifies French (Laulhère) made berets with an extra woolen felt rim and external headband (the pictures at the top and below).

 

[Daan]

Thinking of "headbands visible on the outside" reminded me of this spot by EITB (Basque TV).

The essence of the message, to say it mildly, is that one wears one's beret correctly - headband in!

 

[Dalamon]

Thinking of "headbands visible on the outside" reminded me of this spot by EITB (Basque TV).

The essence of the message, to say it mildly, is that one wears one's beret correctly - headband in!

my *God* this was hilarious

 

[Dalamon]

What you are looking for is indeed called a military style beret. A sized Basque beret will have the headband on the inside of the head-opening, the headband is added to the woolen rim of the head-opening, like an extension. A military style beret has a leather or synthetic headband covering the woolen rim of the head-opening, the band thereby both on the inside (against the head) as well as on the outside (visibly).

Apart from the actual military berets, like these made by UCA International (pictures below), there are more models that use this style of headband.

One of my personal favourites is the Czech made tartan lined Service Star in 11.5"; an incredibly comfortable beret to wear, fitted with a leather military style headband and triple air vents. These are available in black and in the custom made colours navy, winter-green and Mammoth.

View attachment 98393
Another brand that made this kind of headband their trademark is the German company ESCO, that modifies French (Laulhère) made berets with an extra woolen felt rim and external headband (the pictures at the top and below).
View attachment 98394 View attachment 98395

Sincerely appreciate this.

My favourite of those is definitely the wider-band ESCO beret. Any other berets you've come across similar to that one?

I guess now I just need to decide between black and navy. I have an awesome black broad-brimmed Borsalino fedora so I'm thinking maybe I should expand the colour of my hat rotation-- but at the same time a black beret might just go with more things. Hmm.