Berets, Anyone?

[foamy]

Wearing my Bosco Francia with my fashionable Hi Viz workwear for the first day of winter.

Hi Nico, Canberra? The perfect hat for work at the Deep Space Communications Complex. I see the 34 meter is talking today/tonight with the Mars Odyssey spacecraft. Hmm. Perhaps with a little wire in the rim of your Bosco? Another trait to add to list of things berets do. Maybe a Plato Grande? Nice scenery down there. Cheers!

 

[Kreissaege]

Dear beret wearers, a question for you from a would be beret wearer.
I often wear a fedora with a leather headband which was a wee bit large when bought so I simply packed a strip or two of felt behind it for a perfect fit. I also wear a flat cap for work which has no leather headband.
So, what's the pros and cons of leather headbands in berets? It seems that if it's to big you can't pack out out due to the design. If it was a tad small can the beret be stretched to fit?
Any thoughts chaps?

Having ditched hats with leather headband alltogether, I am quite a fan of the headband-less beret. Its easily adjusted to ones own size and feels great to the skin, whether its hot or cold.
I always disliked the sweaty, clammy leather against the skin, but then I am a heavy sweater.

 

[Daan]

Regular visitors and beret aficionados know of course about the many 100's of different beret labels, often little pieces of art in their own right.
Heraldry and local (Basque and Pyrenean) scenes were most common, but the range was much wider than that. Everything from warships, airplanes, sailing boats and animal pulled vehicles have been depicted, many portraits of typical Basque/Béarnais farmers, fishermen, shepherds, you name it.

Surprisingly, well in 2016 that is, is the number of smokers portrayed on the inside of berets.

I found a good enough number to fill this post!

Of all these, only the Chirola, the classic workers beret, is still available.

 

[Trenchfriend]

@Daan

Very very nice, my friend!!

 

[RJR]

@Daan

Very very nice, my friend!!

+1

 

[Daan]

When not wearing an Auloronesa, you'll usually see me wearing a Czech beret - among the most comfortable every-day-wear berets I can think of.

The Czech Classics and Tartan 11.5" are a line of berets that are specifically and exclusively made for South Pacific Berets by long time manufacturer FEZCO/TONAK in Nový Jičín, in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains. The aim was to develop berets that are classic in looks, very comfortable to wear, fitted with the traditional Czech tartan lining and at a competitive price. The result is a line of 29cm plateau berets in five colours that meet these parameters perfectly. Available in a good range of colours (the shades of navy-blue and winter-green are again specifically developed for South Pacific Berets).

On SPECIAL, only this week, or as long as the stock lasts, with a 20% discount at $28.80 and $39.40!

 

[RJR]

When not wearing an Auloronesa, you'll usually see me wearing a Czech beret - among the most comfortable every-day-wear berets I can think of.

The Czech Classics and Tartan 11.5" are a line of berets that are specifically and exclusively made for South Pacific Berets by long time manufacturer FEZCO/TONAK in Nový Jičín, in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains. The aim was to develop berets that are classic in looks, very comfortable to wear, fitted with the traditional Czech tartan lining and at a competitive price. The result is a line of 29cm plateau berets in five colours that meet these parameters perfectly. Available in a good range of colours (the shades of navy-blue and winter-green are again specifically developed for South Pacific Berets).
View attachment 50980 View attachment 50982

View attachment 50981
On SPECIAL, only this week, or as long as the stock lasts, with a 20% discount at $28.80 and $39.40!

I have two of these,they are favorites.

 

[NoHorse]

Speaking of headbands, and the lack thereof...

Has anyone removed the leather band from an Auloronesa beret? What the is the remaining woollen edge like - is it doubled over or not? You can see where my thinking is going...

Also, in the picture of the grinning pipe smoker above: what kind of beret is he wearing?

Edit: corrected "remaining leather edge" to "remaining woollen edge". Reminder to self: do not post when very tired.

 

[RJR]

Speaking of headbands, and the lack thereof...

Has anyone removed the leather band from an Auloronesa beret? What the is the remaining woollen edge like - is it doubled over or not? You can see where my thinking is going...

Also, in the picture of the grinning pipe smoker above: what kind of beret is he wearing?

Edit: corrected "remaining leather edge" to "remaining woollen edge". Reminder to self: do not post when very tired.

I'd guess the pipe smoker's beret is a military model;smaller diameter and leather sweatband.

 

[Daan]

I'd guess the pipe smoker's beret is a military model;smaller diameter and leather sweatband.

No, not a military model. The pipe smoker wears the Bretanza; a beret that is identical to the Tartan lined 11.5" except for its smaller diameter.

These berets are fitted with a leather military style headband, that can be worn either outwards (as per the pictures above) or inwards. Below the 11.5" model, left with the headband showing, right with the headband folded inwards.
Personally, I find these the most undervalued berets there are. Like the Czech Classics (same size and quality, but without headband and air vents, but with the cabiliou in place). These berets are so comfortable, but the combination of exceptional quality at a very low cost must make potential customers suspicious. Despite that, against sound economic thinking, I expand the range of these Classics with models in 32cm diameter (believing that one time people will realize what Czech boineros have known for decades: great berets in comfort and quality can be affordable!).

By late July/early August, I hope to have these plato grande models in, in a nice variety of colours. Showing below a prototype in red (only one available here + various prototypes in other colours).

 

[Mr S]

I own a few from my days when I was in the army. I loved them. Back then though, the only ones who could wear a beret were elite (Airborne or Ranger) or Special Forces units. It lost so much magic when the army started issuing the berets to legs. I only wear one now for events that are vet specific. If you are going to wear one just do not wear it like the pizza guy. Hahahahaha.

 

[parispal]

Born in 1951, New-Hampshire-based singer-songwriter Bill Morrissey died in 2011. I presented him three times live in Paris, and he was as great a songwriter as a funny cat who knew everything about folk, but also jazz, blues and rock music - zan literature. Bill would usually wear a Tamworth NH cap from The Other Store, but he loved the beret I offered him in 2005. Then he could be a French painter.

here is a song he wrote in my studio apartment in Paris, which was recorded a couple of days before in died in July 2011.

 

[Nico]

Walking in the winter offers you a refreshing change of pace after a couple of hectic weeks at work.
So on this occasion breaking in my Midnight blue Laulhère Beret Heritage

 

[NoHorse]

There's something about berets and a wide, square face... Nico, you look good with every beret you've shown us.

 

[RJR]

View attachment 51419
Walking in the winter offers you a refreshing change of pace after a couple of hectic weeks at work.
So on this occasion breaking in my Midnight blue Laulhère Beret Heritage

 

[Michael A]

My favorite thrift threw another beret my way this morning.
P1180678 by Michael A2012, on Flickr
This one seems to be a bit over 12" in diameter.
P1180676 by Michael A2012, on Flickr
And while it was casting a nice shade it might have been a bit warm on this muggy 90+ degree day. I am already eagerly awaiting the advent of cooler weather this fall and summer has barely started. Ha ha.

Michael

 

[foamy]

There's something about berets and a wide, square face... Nico, you look good with every beret you've shown us.

Nico does look good in everything he wears. No doubt—berets suit him very well.

I don't know about berets suiting me, but, I do know I like to wear them. The only thing I like better is a straw in warm weather.

Speaking of warm weather, I was wearing this cotton Castilla last week. Nice lid. Quite comfortable. Another cotton may be in my future in a different color—evidently, it's hard to go wrong. The terse expression is due to the fact that I couldn't stand being caught taking a selfie and this was taken in haste on a city street, before someone saw me do it.

I haven't been on the board in a spell and this will likely continue for a while. I do have a look when I can, but more than that—I can't say. My best to everyone.

 

[foamy]

My favorite thrift threw another beret my way this morning.
P1180678 by Michael A2012, on Flickr
This one seems to be a bit over 12" in diameter.
P1180676 by Michael A2012, on Flickr
And while it was casting a nice shade it might have been a bit warm on this muggy 90+ degree day. I am already eagerly awaiting the advent of cooler weather this fall and summer has barely started. Ha ha.

Michael

Nice find Michael. I dig the diameter and color.

 

[NoHorse]

Ah Foamy, you exude a certain panache, so in your case, it is you who makes evey beret you wear look good!

And you take quite a selfie, I must say. Selfies usually look like, well, selfies, while yours are statements.

Please don't abandon this forum!

 

[RJR]

Nico does look good in everything he wears. No doubt—berets suit him very well.

I don't know about berets suiting me, but, I do know I like to wear them. The only thing I like better is a straw in warm weather.

Speaking of warm weather, I was wearing this cotton Castilla last week. Nice lid. Quite comfortable. Another cotton may be in my future in a different color—evidently, it's hard to go wrong. The terse expression is due to the fact that I couldn't stand being caught taking a selfie and this was taken in haste on a city street, before someone saw me do it.
View attachment 51485
I haven't been on the board in a spell and this will likely continue for a while. I do have a look when I can, but more than that—I can't say. My best to everyone.

Looks good.