Berets, Anyone?

[Daan]

Unfortunately, in my part of Germany, I am about the youngest to wear a beret. And I am already old at 58.
The young ones wear those high-domed Baseball Cap, what else.
In between, there is no headgear, save the more unobtrusive Peaked Cap, worn for practical reasons.
Very few men about my age and older I encounter with a beret. And these are live-long wearers, from the look of it.
Interestingly, one part of the male population sticks out: older men who emigrated from Russia. They wear almost always wear Flat Caps.

Here I am, combining my "Bleu de Travail" with a bit of earthen colours in the shape of a beret from BE and a nylon watchband.
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At the end of the financial year, having to do the obligatory stock take, I also looked at some other numbers and information that my accounting system provides and the most interesting outcome for me, is the number of new beret customers. Of course, apart from name and place of residence I know very little about most of these customers, but as many sent emails with questions prior to their purchase, I do see a trend of younger people becoming boineros, or at least giving the beret a try.

That really is about men, as many young women have already found their way to berets; I am amazed how many girls and women this fall (here in the southern hemisphere) I see wearing a beret. Fashion chain-stores that are big here, like Glassons and Dottis, have actually campaigns to promote berets. Cheap Asian made affairs, but still... I see these as seeds that may grow into 'the real thing'.

The same message I get from the manufacturers in France and Spain; their production is up and the focus is on young people in their 20's and 30's. Maybe not all going for the classic Basque beret, but again, they're seeds... And, as many visitors here know, one often wants more than that first beret.

Like Foamy, I see it myself on the street; I hear it from my brother (aka the Beret Spy) in the Netherlands; newspapers and glossy's have regularly features on berets; berets (Basque Berets!!) suddenly appear on the world's catwalks; the manufacturers have longer waiting times for my orders than they used to have only 5 years ago...

Call me an optimist, but I see a bright(er) future for the beret!

 

[ErikFid]

At the end of the financial year, having to do the obligatory stock take, I also looked at some other numbers and information that my accounting system provides and the most interesting outcome for me, is the number of new beret customers. Of course, apart from name and place of residence I know very little about most of these customers, but as many sent emails with questions prior to their purchase, I do see a trend of younger people becoming boineros, or at least giving the beret a try.
View attachment 114125 View attachment 114126
That really is about men, as many young women have already found their way to berets; I am amazed how many girls and women this fall (here in the southern hemisphere) I see wearing a beret. Fashion chain-stores that are big here, like Glassons and Dottis, have actually campaigns to promote berets. Cheap Asian made affairs, but still... I see these as seeds that may grow into 'the real thing'.
View attachment 114129
The same message I get from the manufacturers in France and Spain; their production is up and the focus is on young people in their 20's and 30's. Maybe not all going for the classic Basque beret, but again, they're seeds... And, as many visitors here know, one often wants more than that first beret.
View attachment 114127 View attachment 114128
Like Foamy, I see it myself on the street; I hear it from my brother (aka the Beret Spy) in the Netherlands; newspapers and glossy's have regularly features on berets; berets (Basque Berets!!) suddenly appear on the world's catwalks; the manufacturers have longer waiting times for my orders than they used to have only 5 years ago...
View attachment 114130 View attachment 114132 View attachment 114133
Call me an optimist, but I see a bright(er) future for the beret!

Long live the beret!!

 

[Humanfactor]

Kreissaege, I like your dive watch! Is it a Seiko or a Citizen (automatic)? Looks a bit on the vintage side. Btw, that béret has an awesome colour.

 

[Bouwerij_Jongen]

Great article Daan.

I also see more berets in street wear related Instagram.

But on the street,
the beret is a rare sight in my travels in the U.S. and France (Paris and Loire Valley).

I will be in Bordeaux and Basque Land in May;
so, I hope to see berets just be what you wear on your head.

 

[Bouwerij_Jongen]

This a carte postale of Quiberon in Brittany France from the early 1900's and fishermen in the lower right corner appear to be wearing fairly large berets.

 

[Daan]

View attachment 114357

This a carte postale of Quiberon in Brittany France from the early 1900's and fishermen in the lower right corner appear to be wearing fairly large berets.

They certainly are! Berets have always been popular in Breizh (Brittany) and still, many of the old Bretons wear the beret with pride. The photo Bouwerij_Jongen posted is from Quiberon, on the "finger" that sticks out from the central south coast of Breizh, whereas the large diameter berets were traditionally more part of the far western side of the peninsula, the fishing towns of Douarnenez and Concarneau for example.

Above some beautiful old photo's of these fishermen; below boat builders and fishermen caulking the ships and performing other repairs - the large diameter berets prominently in sight. These photo's are from 1912, by Lhermitte Charles Augustin (1881-1945), from Douarnenez.

 

[Bouwerij_Jongen]

Great set of photos Daan.

Any guess on what size boina these fellows are wearing?

What do you think comes closest to these today, Elosegui Txapeldum or Boneteria Autoronesa?

 

[Daan]

Great set of photos Daan.

Any guess on what size boina these fellows are wearing?

What do you think comes closest to these today, Elosegui Txapeldum or Boneteria Autoronesa?

Hard to tell exactly, but my best guess would be 33.6cm - the standard size of a béret Chasseur Alpin. These berets were produced in large numbers at the time, just prior WWI.

Strange but true, head sizes were significantly smaller 100 years ago. When I look at old invoices of vintage beret manufacturers, the predominant sizes are 54 and 55; these days the most common sizes are 58-60. Looking at old photos, the diameter of the beret can be deceptive, as the wearer often would have a much smaller head than what we are used to now.

And for good measure, some more vintage photographs of boineros from Breizh (Brittany).

 

[GrayEyes]

head sizes were significantly smaller 100 years ago. When I look at old invoices of vintage beret manufacturers, the predominant sizes are 54 and 55; these days the most common sizes are 58-60.

Good to know. My 54/55 head isn't small. It's vintage!

 

[Nico]

First cool day in a while. Took the B.A beret for a drive.

 

[NoHorse]

Spring and warming air... I’ve parked the 1858 I’ve worn daily for some time now, and reactivated one of my Auloronesas.

Whoa!

It feels like I’m wearing a paper napkin on my head!

I am AMAZED by how much more ‘shapeability’ the 1858 has. I’ve pulled out a regular Super Lujo as a compromise, yet I know I will soon begin to feel its warmth. Daan’s recurring specials provoke my inner accountant, causing turmoil. I mean, I already have an absurd number of berets... I discover a degree of sympathy for certain women and their shoes, their many but neccessary shoes...

And yes - I, too, see more berets here in town. I note, smugly, that people don’t know «how» to wear them. Vent holes facing the front? Dear oh dear. And they dare to smile conspiratorially at me. I assume an «elder statesman» attitude: aloof with a hint of forbearance...

 

[NoHorse]

Nico: you and me, man... same beret, same shoes!

 

[Nico]

Nico: you and me, man... same beret, same shoes!

Brothers.

 

[Daan]

Brothers.

Now we need to see a picture of No Horse, to verify the brotherhood...

 

[Nico]

Now we need to see a picture of No Horse, to verify the brotherhood...

Maybe twins.

 

[Kreissaege]

Kreissaege, I like your dive watch! Is it a Seiko or a Citizen (automatic)? Looks a bit on the vintage side. Btw, that béret has an awesome colour.

Its a Citizen, ref. NY0049-09.
I prefer it over the ones of Seiko because of this look, its slightly less bulky appearance and the day/date being in black.
The beret is one of Daan's "specials", a Boinas Elisegui in "khaki".

 

[Humanfactor]

Its a Citizen, ref. NY0049-09.
I prefer it over the ones of Seiko because of this look, its slightly less bulky appearance and the day/date being in black.
The beret is one of Daan's "specials", a Boinas Elisegui in "khaki".

I really like that model Citizen, I especially like the crown at the 8 O'Clock position. I had a similar one a few years ago which I wish I didn't sell. The dial was completely luminescent which was a bit unique.

 

[jonesy86]

I suppose I gotta get some white gloves next.

 

[Humanfactor]

And for my birthday I received 2 new bérets for my collection. A BA in Bordeaux and a Castilla cotton béret for our (hopefully coming soon) summer .

 

[Nico]

The BA in Bordeaux is my personal favorite.