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Berets, Anyone?

Daan

Vendor
Messages
940
Location
Wellington, Aotearoa
People often ask me the question "what is your favourite beret?"
And always, I used to respond with something along the lines of "Well.., I don't really have a favourite" and then elaborate on how I would sometimes prefer to wear a basco Roma, at other times a Laulhère Alpin and at times a Tolosa Tupida Grande or my newfound love the Japanese made Shigematsu.
And, that's all true but not really an answer to the question. Pondering on what is/might be happening with Boinas Elósegui, I realize that there really are two absolute favourite berets for me: the Auloronesa Universel and the Boina Super Lujo(Grande).
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And although Auloronesa (or Manufacture de bérets) is not having it easy to survive, it is Elósegui that I worry about.
The dense, heavy and impermeable Super Lujo really is a class on its own. Living in "Windy Wellington" makes one appreciate these berets even more, as there is absolutely no other beret that remains as firm on the head as a Super Lujo does in a good gust of wind (we laugh at Chicago's nickname as "Windy City"!).
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I managed to get a small number of berets in via a wholesaler, but am still waiting for confirmation on early last year's order. Some beautiful new custom colours are meant to be in the pipeline (pardo and topo), but who knows...
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I am sorry to say that prices of most of the Elósegui berets will go up, on the 15th of this month. If contemplating a new
boina, best to order one now!
 

Bouwerij_Jongen

One of the Regulars
Messages
154
Location
Cascadia
Elosegui is the Basque beret maker.
With my own limited on the ground experience of
the Basque Country, it embodies all the qualities needed
to survive,
thick dense wool impermeable to wet and wind.
All of my Elosequi berets will stay on in any wind short of a hurricane.
I like best the Siper Lujo Grandes.
 

Humanfactor

Familiar Face
Messages
82
Location
Cambridge, Massachusetts USA
View attachment 201735

View attachment 201737


Today stepped on the seventh continent at Brown Bluff. Wearing the go-to beret my Boneteria Auloronesa. Kept the head nice and warm throughout the tour. Our guide said that there is an estimated 250,000 penguins in the area.
Next on today’s agenda is the helicopter ride.
Fantastic photos.... and the seventh continent also looks good. :) . (I was focused on the berets)
 

Daan

Vendor
Messages
940
Location
Wellington, Aotearoa
Years ago, I stocked a selection of striped sailors shirts - so related to the beret in history, and ever since, customers have asked for their return. Well, they're back now!
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Not the Russian "telnyashkas" which were simply not of good quality; not the French Lux Amor or Saint James either, which are nice but also overpriced fashionista items.
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From all the marinières I have worn (and they are many!), none were as comfortable and long lasting as the Haihun Shan (海魂衫) or “soul of the sea” shirt of the Chinese Navy.
Originally a generic undershirt for seamen, the shirt evolved into a fashion and youth culture phenomenon. The “haihun shan” came to represent the power of the first Chinese rock movement and became a Chinese counter-culture fashion phenomenon.
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It was the French government that on 27 March 1858 introduced the blue-and-white marinière to the French Navy's official uniform for seamen.
Sailors used to say that the stripes made it easier to see men who had fallen into the sea.
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From the 1950s the marinière was worn by Pablo Picasso, John Wayne, Kirk Douglas, Brigitte Bardot, James Dean, Anthony Quinn, Rafael Alberti and many more. Much later, Sting and Madonna were part of a new generation adopting the shirt.
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Very happy to have these great shirts back in stock. Although half of what one can buy anywhere is 'made in China', finding these shirts is a bit like a needle in a haystack...


 
Last edited:

Fedster

Familiar Face
Messages
87
Location
Finland
Are there berets that can cover your hears and back of the head/neck? I do not mean an oversized beret that can be pulled down but something that would broadly keep looking like a normal beret with the added protection. I like the fact a beret can be used to shade my eyes from the sun, but Finland is way too cold for a beret in winter...
 

Okay

New in Town
Messages
14
Location
Ottawa
(1) You could wear a VERY large beret with the headband well below your chin, concealing the virtual reality glasses you use to view your surroundings. This arrangement would also be good for robbing banks, or other activities where you might like to hide your face. :)

Oh right... I see you want something other than that. :(

(2) Ummm, you could put on some hat that offers the protection you want, and wear a beret on top of that. :)

(3) You can wear a winter version of the Chasseur Alpin beret and a nice wool scarf covering your ears and neck. :)

I have found (3) works for me, on -20ish celcius days, for a walk in the woods, or taking the dog out.

There may be other options I havent thought of. Perhaps someone else can offer assistance.

Michael
 

Fedster

Familiar Face
Messages
87
Location
Finland
I was wondering whether making the edge of beret much wider so that it can cover my ears, or it can be rolled back up when not needed is possible. It would transform a beret in a kausia of sort, but more practical than a Chitrali cap.
 

Babbo Philipe

A-List Customer
Messages
339
Location
San Pedro
As I sit here with a hoodie pulled over my Flamingo 10p,
my thought is you can wear a beret anywhere you go.
In a cold country you wear a hooded jacket/parka that fits over your beret.
You should be toasty and when you are in a warmer spot,
you can throw back the hood.
this is the ONLY solution if one feels the need for a beret in cold weather, a beret is a beret,
 

Daan

Vendor
Messages
940
Location
Wellington, Aotearoa
Cultural anthropology is a branch of anthropology focused on the study of cultural variation among humans.
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Cultural anthropology has a rich methodology, including participant observation (often called fieldwork because it requires the anthropologist spending an extended period at the research location), interviews, and surveys.
upload_2020-1-27_12-32-38.png

One of the earliest articulations of the anthropological meaning of the term "culture" came from Sir Edward Tylor who writes on the first page of his 1871 book: "Culture, or civilization, taken in its broad, ethnographic sense, is that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society." The term "civilization" later gave way to definitions given by V. Gordon Childe, with culture forming an umbrella term and civilization becoming a particular kind of culture.
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From the turn of the previous century, the genre of ‘popular anthropology’ started which brought along collections of postcards depicting typical groups of humans – the beret featuring prominently among the Basques and Bearnais!
 

Babbo Philipe

A-List Customer
Messages
339
Location
San Pedro
this is the ONLY solution if one feels the need for a beret in cold weather
Daan, thanks for a great exhibition of berets in carte postales of the Basque Country.
I scan ebay for French carte postale from 100+ years ago,
so I am impressed with your collection.

To prove the point of how a beret fits under a hoodie.
here is a Chyldish Fear Naught in russet
with a Dehen Moto Hoodie in loden.
View attachment 208715
nicely done my friend, and still completely stylish,, actually the colors go great ,, i had a great plum beret but my wife kept saying it was not for me, should have kept it
 

Daan

Vendor
Messages
940
Location
Wellington, Aotearoa
Daan, thanks for a great exhibition of berets in carte postales of the Basque Country.
I scan ebay for French carte postale from 100+ years ago,
so I am impressed with your collection.

To prove the point of how a beret fits under a hoodie.
here is a Chyldish Fear Naught in russet
with a Dehen Moto Hoodie in loden.
View attachment 208715

Nice one, Bouwerij-Jongen. It reminds me of one of my favourite photos by Jean Dieuzaide: "Berger", from 1953.
upload_2020-1-27_15-13-5.png

Great shot of a shepherd wearing the hood of his cape over his beret.
 

Daan

Vendor
Messages
940
Location
Wellington, Aotearoa
Daan, thanks for a great exhibition of berets in carte postales of the Basque Country.
I scan ebay for French carte postale from 100+ years ago,
so I am impressed with your collection.

To prove the point of how a beret fits under a hoodie.
here is a Chyldish Fear Naught in russet
with a Dehen Moto Hoodie in loden.
View attachment 208715
It's funny how postcards have almost disappeared from our present day society, thanks to free WhatsApp, texting and email. However, it's not that long ago that postcards were available on basically every subject, Chasseurs Alpins included.
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During the Great War of 1914-18 there was an endless quantity of postcards showing the heroism of the poilu (slang for a WWI French infantry man, literally "hairy one" - from lack of shaving); the beautiful French maidens waiting for their return,
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or showing off the "high tech" of the time.
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And yes, skiing, of course...
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Bouwerij_Jongen

One of the Regulars
Messages
154
Location
Cascadia
So Daan,
I see a lot of forest green uniforms and berets on the Chasseurs Alpin posing.
I think on postcards of this vintage the colors were added by the printer.
The uniform colors I have seen are dark navy, forest green/loden, and horizon blue.
Any thoughts on the possible original uniform colors?
 

Daan

Vendor
Messages
940
Location
Wellington, Aotearoa
So Daan,
I see a lot of forest green uniforms and berets on the Chasseurs Alpin posing.
I think on postcards of this vintage the colors were added by the printer.
The uniform colors I have seen are dark navy, forest green/loden, and horizon blue.
Any thoughts on the possible original uniform colors?
There are only three colours that make up the uniform of the Chasseurs Alpins. In the first place blue - in a very dark navy shade for the beret, the tunic, cape, pants (or culottes) or in light blue for the shirt.
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Then there is the white uniform for winter warfare. The
tarte remains navy, but is covered with a cover of white cotton.
upload_2020-2-11_14-52-10.png
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Last, there is yellow (or in the lingo of the Chasseurs 'daffodil'). This colour is used for the piping on the navy uniform, some of the badges, as background for the beret badge of the ceremonial tenue, for scarves and flags.
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