Berets, Anyone?

[Fedster]

I just got some boinas Arandu crochet for the summer (it's -18 C and 50cm snow depth outside, but let's be optimistic!) -- holy cow, so much nicer than normal cotton boinas. A tad smaller than I'd like (I would like 1 or 2 extra cm of diametre for sun protection), but the weight and feel of the material is just really good.

 

[PDXHAT]

Picture by my daughter from a beach walk together late last year... I believe my trusty black Boinas Elosegui, but I'm not positive.

View attachment 306720

Alan, is this the model with the leather band that is sized? It's great!

 

[alanfgag]

Alan, is this the model with the leather band that is sized? It's great!

Thank you... I wear the super lujo without a leather band. I have a smaller head size and these fit me well.

 

[Daan]

Les Bérets Pacifique is a line of foulard quality berets custom made in limited edition for South Pacific Berets by Boneteria Auloronesa (Manufacture de Bérets).
These handmade berets are fitted with a genuine Fijian cotton lining, based on traditional tapa cloth motifs, selected from the Sigatoka market on Viti Levu (Fiji’s main island). The colour of the Fijian berets is russet; a dark brown with a reddish-orange tinge. As a tertiary color, russet is an equal mix of orange and purple pigments. The dyeing of these berets took place in Mazamet, a commune in the Tarn department in southern France's Languedoc and the centre of the artisan French wool industry.
The Bérets Pacifique come in a variety of diameters, from the 26.5cm/9p model, to the enormous Super Fijian in 36cm. The berets are fitted with the Boneteria Aotearoa label and the manufacturers' Manufacture de Bérets label. All are fitted with the trademark Auloronesa liguette in black, to adjust size and add to comfort.

These berets are all handmade in small batches from hand selected materials.
To get the exact colour russet right, the raw berets had to be sent to a professional wool dyer in Mazamet, which added to the production cost of these berets. The Super Fijian model in 36cm is a unique beret that required specific adjustments to the machinery used – it is the largest beret Boneteria Auloronesa ever produced.

The combined number of these berets is 30 pieces - none of these berets will ever be made again, making these true limited editions.

 

[Bouwerij_Jongen]

A week ago over the course of four days we had snow, freezing rain, more snow, and
more freezing rain.
Sunday night was a freezing rain, that cut our power, then an ice buildup
started breakng tree branches and toppled a tree on to a neighbor's house, but
the branches cushioned the fall so there was no roof damage.
But how do you cut up a tree dangling on someone's roof?
So, after three days of thawing the streets are clear
and I can venture into my backyard.
Wearing the BA Goat in a Tree in alpine,
good in all kinds of weather.

 

[Hapi]

Hi All,

I am looking for suggestions. Currently, I have a 10 inch Elosegui (Super Lujo, I think). I really like it a lot and would like another beret for warmer weather. What I would like to find is a 9.5 to 10 inch diameter beret with no headband in a much lighter weight wool for later spring into summer and early fall to supplement the one I have. Thank you in advance for any suggestions!

Hapi

 

[Fedster]

What I would like to find is a 9.5 to 10 inch diameter beret with no headband in a much lighter weight wool for later spring into summer and early fall to supplement the one I have.
Hapi

I have no idea about lighter weight wool (ask Daan!), but if you are willing to go with cotton, Arandu makes great cotton berets. I especially recommend their crochet cotton (which I find way better than other cotton berets). The crochet berets measure around 28cm (at least mine do)! I find that a tad small, but Arandu told me it's the only size for the crochet, and they are supple enough to provide a better cover than a similarly sized wool or non crochet cotton beret.

 

[Babbo Philipe]

A week ago over the course of four days we had snow, freezing rain, more snow, and
more freezing rain.
Sunday night was a freezing rain, that cut our power, then an ice buildup
started breakng tree branches and toppled a tree on to a neighbor's house, but
the branches cushioned the fall so there was no roof damage.
But how do you cut up a tree dangling on someone's roof?
So, after three days of thawing the streets are clear
and I can venture into my backyard.
Wearing the BA Goat in a Tree in alpine,
good in all kinds of weather.

View attachment 310933

nice scenery in the yard, i wished it snowed where i live, it must be calming , like the hat pin

 

[Fedster]

How I speed up the softening of a boina elosegui 1858? I wear it all the time but I still feel it is overly stiff -- my MB berets are much softer from the very start, and 'fall' much more naturally. I would have thought that wearing the 1858 would eventually soften it, but apparently not...

 

[Daan]

Your Año 1858 will never feel like an Auloronesa/MdB beret, as it's stiffness is part of its identity.
In essence, it is a difference between French made and Spanish made berets; French berets are typically lighter in weight and have less density compared to a Spanish beret of similar quality.
The berets made by Manufacture de Bérets (Auloronesas) are the exception to the rule; a beret that combines high density, softness to the touch and good shapeability.
The Spanish Super Lujo and even more so the Año 1858 models are meant to be stiff and keep a more formal, dignified look; French berets tend to look more casual.

 

[Daan]

Hi All,

I am looking for suggestions. Currently, I have a 10 inch Elosegui (Super Lujo, I think). I really like it a lot and would like another beret for warmer weather. What I would like to find is a 9.5 to 10 inch diameter beret with no headband in a much lighter weight wool for later spring into summer and early fall to supplement the one I have. Thank you in advance for any suggestions!

Hapi

Ah, there are so many options, as your Elósegui Super Lujo is among the most dense, heavy weight berets. When you say 10 inch, I wonder if you mean US inches or the French beret size in pouces. To be clear, I prefer the metric system of cm (28cm = 10 pouce = 11.02 US inches).
A similar, or better, quality would be an Auloronesa Universel, which comes in both 10p and 9.5p (26.5cm = 10.43 US inches). These berets are made of the finest merino wool with such great insulation qualities, that these can be easily worn year 'round.
Better priced berets that are lighter and easy to wear in mild weather are the two models by Billy Childish; the lighter Fear' Naught models and the slightly denser Goat in a Tree models.
Best value for money, would be the Le Beret Francais berets; good and basic French made berets in 10p that are among the cheapest to be found.
Alas, there are so many, many more options. If any questions, please ask!

 

[Hapi]

Daan,

Thank you. I'll take a look. I apologize for not being more specific in the "10 inches". That was the American measuring system. I really like the ones that fit just the head with no hangover.

Hapi

 

[Tchoupi]

Ah, there are so many options, as your Elósegui Super Lujo is among the most dense, heavy weight berets. When you say 10 inch, I wonder if you mean US inches or the French beret size in pouces. To be clear, I prefer the metric system of cm (28cm = 10 pouce = 11.02 US inches).
A similar, or better, quality would be an Auloronesa Universel, which comes in both 10p and 9.5p (26.5cm = 10.43 US inches). These berets are made of the finest merino wool with such great insulation qualities, that these can be easily worn year 'round.
Better priced berets that are lighter and easy to wear in mild weather are the two models by Billy Childish; the lighter Fear' Naught models and the slightly denser Goat in a Tree models.
Best value for money, would be the Le Beret Francais berets; good and basic French made berets in 10p that are among the cheapest to be found.
Alas, there are so many, many more options. If any questions, please ask!

Have you looked at the Basco Roma berets, made in Italy? I like mine very much. I find it quite a good summer option, it is very well densly felted and at the same time quite thin. I often wear it outside in the warmer weather and find it works well.

 

[Daan]

This ad is from the French Government Tourist Office in the US and appeared in The New Yorker in the early 1960s.
It is a pretty romantic picture; the Basques having worn berets for 20,000 years, let alone cave paintings commemorating this. Closer to the truth is that (in 1960!) "no self respecting Basque would be seen dead without his béret".

From the same era there are many ads to be found advertising berets; another indication of how universally berets were worn in the years between 1930 and 1970:

1937 Fezco ad

Georges Milton berets, date unknown

PeBeO ad (Blancq-Olibet), 1948

in The Capital Times, Madison WI, 12 Oct 1951

in The San Francisco Examiner, 10 March 1963

 

[Fedster]

Elosegui Exposicion Fina long term review?

I ask because I just got one, and it is a delight. It is much softer than the Ano 1858, which agrees with me, but, while I know my Ano 1858 will last decades, I was wondering how long me and my exposicion fina might have together, especially outdoors in inclement weather -- it is quite a lot lighter weight felt.

 

[Daan]

Elosegui Exposicion Fina long term review?

I ask because I just got one, and it is a delight. It is much softer than the Ano 1858, which agrees with me, but, while I know my Ano 1858 will last decades, I was wondering how long me and my exposicion fina might have together, especially outdoors in inclement weather -- it is quite a lot lighter weight felt.

Yes, the boina Exposición Fina is much lighter than an Año 1858 or Super Lujo and more important, it has a much lighter density too. The lighter density makes it a beret that is immediately comfortable to wear (no need for stretching and breaking in) and very soft to the touch.
The downside is its poorer impermeability (fine in a light shower but will not keep you dry in a heavy downpour); the softer rim makes it hard to stay on your head in a gale-force southerly (or some northern hemisphere equivalent) and of course doesn't offer the same level of insulation as a high density beret.

That does not make it a worse or better beret than, let’s say, the Año 1858, it’s different. You would not compare a Toyota Prius with a Range Rover – right?

I really enjoy my own Fina’s and my father wore nothing but his brown Fina for years.

 

[Daan]

"Going to the dogs..." According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary: "to become ruined: to change to a much worse condition".

Many boineros who have their beret chewed by their four-legged best friend know the truth of this definition. Your beret may be imperméable, some dogs' teeth can quickly turn it to shreds.

So instead of loosing a favourite beret, get yourself a dog-beret for free with any regular beret order!

 

[Daan]

Ever since covid began, imports from Argentina have been extremely difficult and to make things worse, by February 2020, the stock of boinas Tolosa Tupida’s was already very low…

The good news is, I just got confirmation that a shipment will leave Buenos Aires soon! New stock of well known models, but also a new range of merino Tolosa Tupida’s in a large 34cm diameter.

But, as typical, good news is accompanied by bad news; prices will have to go up. However, until the arrival of the new stock, no price change will be made, so get yourself a bargain now!

I dare say, these are the best priced quality berets one can find!

 

[Bouwerij_Jongen]

I hope we start a new page with this post.
As the local weather shifts between cooll and cold to warm,
I pulled out my stack of cotton berets and on top were
Tolosa Tupida berets of various colors and sizes.
Great for warm and sunny weather.
Durable and at least for me washable.

 

[Daan]

Not your average boineros, but somehow, I actually quite enjoyed watching this music video - it makes for a refreshing difference with all the traditional Basque and Béarnais folk music.

The song is named appropriately 'Béret Basque' and, interesting detail, all berets shown carry the stylized L logo of Laulhère on the side.

I failed to find much information on "rappeur" Billy Joe, apart from that he also goes by the title of The Gascon Redneck.

Ecology, tradition and sustainability feature high in his lyrics and vivid observers of the video will recognize a lot of Basque and Pyrenean symbolism.