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Berets, Anyone?

leftyguy

New in Town
Messages
45
Location
Southampton, UK
Just back from a week in Swiss Alps & some perfect Beret-wearing weather. I'm wearing my BA Universal & my cousin has on my Boina 150 Años Edición Limitada
berets.jpg
 

GrayEyes

Familiar Face
Messages
79
Location
a northern factory town
QUESTION
Do you wear the same beret the same way each time, or do you wear a given beret differently each time?

Think of it this way: If you have an Elosegui or Espinosa, do you wear it with the crest pointing in the same direction every time you put it on, or do you throw it on your head any which way? With your BA, is the ribbon always in back, or do you not pay attention to something like that?
 

Daan

Vendor
Messages
940
Location
Wellington, Aotearoa
QUESTION
Do you wear the same beret the same way each time, or do you wear a given beret differently each time?

Think of it this way: If you have an Elosegui or Espinosa, do you wear it with the crest pointing in the same direction every time you put it on, or do you throw it on your head any which way? With your BA, is the ribbon always in back, or do you not pay attention to something like that?
Yes, always wear your beret the same way! A beret adjusts and shapes itself to the individual wearer's head shape and size. If you don't wear it front to front consistently, it won't be able to "personalize" (and be not as comfortable as it can be). Although there is no front or rear on a circular hat to begin with, the label functions as a guide to what is front and rear.
 

GrayEyes

Familiar Face
Messages
79
Location
a northern factory town
Yes, always wear your beret the same way! A beret adjusts and shapes itself to the individual wearer's head shape and size. If you don't wear it front to front consistently, it won't be able to "personalize" (and be not as comfortable as it can be).

That makes perfect sense, but what about making sure the "wear and tear" on the wool is even? I do worry that the back of the beret -- where it bumps against my coat collar, scarf, or especially the headrest in a car or lounge chair -- will wear out or get rub marks.

By the way, with my question, I should have clarified that I was referring only to berets without a leather sweatband.
 

Daan

Vendor
Messages
940
Location
Wellington, Aotearoa
That makes perfect sense, but what about making sure the "wear and tear" on the wool is even? I do worry that the back of the beret -- where it bumps against my coat collar, scarf, or especially the headrest in a car or lounge chair -- will wear out or get rub marks.

By the way, with my question, I should have clarified that I was referring only to berets without a leather sweatband.
Nah, don't worry. A good quality beret can easily stand up against that kind of wear & tear. If you do get rub marks on your beret, a simple trick is to use a lint roller (I sell these, but you'd likely be cheaper off buying at your local supermarket) or just as good, a bit of sticky tape. This removes the dust, hairs, etc that accumulates on your beret, but it also makes the small "hairs" stand up and takes away rubbing marks or fingerprint-indents.
 

Humanfactor

Familiar Face
Messages
82
Location
Cambridge, Massachusetts USA
Hi GreyEyes and Daan,
I purposely like to wear my béret in a different position each day. I definitely understand Daan's wise advice, but I like to not "train" the béret in shaping to my head, I always like the feeling it's "new" with no learned shape. If that makes sense. :)
 

Daan

Vendor
Messages
940
Location
Wellington, Aotearoa
Hi GreyEyes and Daan,
I purposely like to wear my béret in a different position each day. I definitely understand Daan's wise advice, but I like to not "train" the béret in shaping to my head, I always like the feeling it's "new" with no learned shape. If that makes sense. :)
I always wear my berets in differrant directions as to not have a sweated out front, besides i want a round beret not a miltary beret,

In my opinion, the best rule re wearing berets is that there are no rules. Do what you like; pull to the left or right, cover the neck, pull a beak, headband in or out... no rules.
What I described in my previous post is how to best adjust a beret to your own personal liking, by giving it the shape that works best for you - and only if you so like, of course.
imp_photo_33285_1395513669.jpg.opt545x305o0%2C0s545x305.jpg
Detail%20headband.JPG.opt305x305o0%2C0s305x305.JPG

The bow at the rear side of berets with a headband is actually there for precisely that purpose, a marker telling you where the rear end goes. Otherwise, this bow is completely useless - it is a reminiscence of the liguette (the internal drawstring) that was a standard piece in every beret until the Industrial Revolution (and it became impossible to maintain liguettes in industrially made berets.
But again, it can just as well move to the front, left or right depending on the day or your mood.

What I don't quite get is the comment "i want a round beret not a miltary beret"; Basque and military berets are identical in their manufacturing and shape (the cabillou or txortena is removed at the end of the manufacturing process only) and both are absolutely circular.



 

Kreissaege

One of the Regulars
With these really small, skull-hugging berets, in a lightweight wool, there wont be that much shape-finding.
But the bigger ones, maybealso made from a more substantial wool and - most important - with lots of "overhang" really do benefit from a fixed position. They acquire a shape and fit second to none.
 

Babbo Philipe

A-List Customer
Messages
339
Location
San Pedro
as far as round vs military beret, i meant "look", if you look at a Grean berets , Ranger or any other military beret they have "trained" their berets to have a tight and prominent ear bend over the ear ( they wet and shape exactly to the head) because they have insignias on one side and it is a tradition,




----non military have freedom with the berets and a more non regimented military look as such
 

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foamy

A-List Customer
Messages
364
Location
Eastern Shore of Maryland
Concerning "wearing it the same way all the time," no. As Daan explained, I always wear it front to back, but what the weather is doing will dictate which one I wear and how I wear it. Raining? Large plateau pulled forward to keep my glasses dry. Blowing like stink? To keep from having it turn into a Frisbee, I'll wear it pulled back. But usually, cocked just a bit to the left, pulled forward with a crimp in the front—unless I'm going formal with the Año 1858, then I just let it be a tilted platter. I never go military style.
 

RJR

Messages
10,620
Location
Iowa
Concerning "wearing it the same way all the time," no. As Daan explained, I always wear it front to back, but what the weather is doing will dictate which one I wear and how I wear it. Raining? Large plateau pulled forward to keep my glasses dry. Blowing like stink? To keep from having it turn into a Frisbee, I'll wear it pulled back. But usually, cocked just a bit to the left, pulled forward with a crimp in the front—unless I'm going formal with the Año 1858, then I just let it be a tilted platter. I never go military style.
I do much the same.
 

NoHorse

One of the Regulars
Messages
105
Location
Penultima Thule
I’m a lonnnnnnngggg oval, and having my berets orientated the same way on my head each time I wear them is key to shaping them. It starts with my «rolled towels inside the edge then wet & air dry on my head» method. And yes, then I sometimes pull them forwards, or off to my right, or pulled back, or perfectly balanced all around.

Of all my berets, it’s my recently acquired 1858 that has benefitted the most from this modus operandi. But then, it has a wonderful combination of body and softness.
 
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Babbo Philipe

A-List Customer
Messages
339
Location
San Pedro
I’m a lonnnnnnngggg oval, and having my berets orientated the same way on my head each time I wear them is key to shaping them. It starts with my «rolled towels inside the edge then wet & air dry on my head» method. And yes, then I sometimes pull them forwards, or off to the left, or pulled back, or perfectly balanced all around.

Of all my berets, it’s my recently acquired 1858 that has benefitted the most from this modus operandi. But then, it has a wonderful combination of body and softness.
elosegui has high shrinking rates when wet, i have ruined a few by water shaping
 

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