Berets, Anyone?

[Daan]

Heads Up on the Kopka Berets!

It is not often that I can introduce a full range of new quality and innovative berets, but here it is!
(And at very competitive prices too!)

Kopka is a luxury knitwear brand, from the city of Brühl in the German Rhineland. Kopka has been working in the hat industry since the 1950's - mainly as a supplier of hat bodies for hat makers worldwide and making quality (Basque) berets.

Kopka is innovative in both design and materials, having come up with the design for the roll-up beret, the tie dye and berets made of pure Himalayan yak wool.

The Classic(28cm) and Classic XL (32cm) mid-weight berets are unlined, one-size, made of 100% soft spun merino wool. An excellent wool beret for warmer weather and in-between seasons.

The yak wool beret is made of extremely fine (16-18 microns) and therefore soft and light. It does not scratch and is well tolerated by people with allergies.
Yak wool repels moisture and remains odorless, but above all, yak wool is wonderfully insulating and warming. One size, presently in black only.

 

[Daan]

The day that a Southerly gale straight from the Antarctic blasts Wellington, I read about unprecedented heatwaves in North America and Europe...
A good day for a new SPECIAL that serves those suffering the cold in the Southern Hemisphere and keep the head cool in the North: Billy Childish's Goat in a Tree berets!

The Billy Childish range of mid-weight (80/100 gram) berets in 28 and 31cm diameter merino wool (available in black and 3 colours) and the cotton 31cm models in black and 4 colours.

These berets are made in small batches of 100% merino wool or cotton, fitted with a British-style sewn-in cotton lining and the woven Billy Childish 'Goat in a Tree' label.

This week only in a limited number @ $37.50 (as long as stock lasts).

 

[Babbo Philipe]

hey friends got a few MdB berets a couple weeks back , but the 10 pouce Plum was not suited for me or my daughter, any takers PM me know Conus shipping only

 

[Edward]

Billy C cotton beret in action on the sweltering Isle of Wight last week:

 

[Mm25]

My first MdB.
Thanks Philipe!

 

[Babbo Philipe]

My first MdB.
Thanks Philipe!
View attachment 434729

If you like the MbB. I would recommend the unlined from Daan. I am pondering getting that one

 

[Babbo Philipe]

awe yes a day off

 

[Fedster]

Hei, have the Boinas Arandu crochet grown in size? They are advertised as 30cm in diameter, but the ones I got last year are 27cm at most.

 

[Daan]

Hei, have the Boinas Arandu crochet grown in size? They are advertised as 30cm in diameter, but the ones I got last year are 27cm at most.

The Arandú crochet berets haven’t changed in size (to the best of my knowledge…). Checking my stock, all measure between 29.5 and 30cm in diameter.

Made of cotton, the beret will shrink after exposure to rain and subsequent drying, especially when force dried (on top of a heater, a dryer, etc). Best to maintain size is to dry a wet cotton beret in a well aired, dry place away from a direct heat source.

 

[Fedster]

I got this in early 2021 from Arandu, and I have not worn it yet (I have a grey one I prefer). It is technically spanking new, never worn, never washed, and it is well smaller than 30cm in diameter!

Note I am not complaining if the newer ones are bigger, I prefer a 29/30cm beret size, I find it more practical.

 

[Daan]

At trying times like these, seeing so many Russian berets in the news every day as part of their invasion of Ukraine, it is good to realize there are other Russian boineros too. And no, Putin and his fellow thugs are certainly not beret wearers!

Russian photographer Alexander Petrosyan is a great example of the multi-ethnic state that is also Russia. Born in Ukraine, from an Armenian father (from Georgia) and a Ukrainian mother, Petrosyan is far from the homogenic ethnic Russian - whatever that may be.
And his photos are stunning!

His interest in photography manifested itself at the age of 14 after receiving a Smena-8 camera for his birthday and he took up photography seriously in 2000.

Petrosyan worked for magazines such as Newsweek, National Geographic, GEO, as well as in the newspapers Kommersant, Izvestia, Komsomolskaya Pravda and others.

 

[Bouwerij_Jongen]

When the temperature goes over 70 F I switch from wool to cotton.
I may wear wool on the morning walk and cotton in the sunny afternoon.
But when it gets really hot like 90 F then I go to a white cotton beret,
as I did two weeks ago with a white cotton Bonetetia Aotearoa.
White just seems cooler in the heat.

 

[Daan]

The most common definition of a (Basque) beret is "a hat made of one single thread of wool, knitted in a circular shape which is felted and shrunk after the initial manufacturing (knitting and closing) is completed, with the remainder of the closing thread (the 'txortena', or 'cabillou') kept in place.

Obviously, this does not apply to berets made of cotton, hemp or synthetic threads, but as the basic manufacturing process is identical (single thread knitting), the term Basque Beret is justified.

But then, there are a number of hats that we call berets, but in the purist, literal sense, are not.
Leather, or vegan leather berets are only berets in shape, made out of various pieces of leather sewn together. I occasionally wear a Russian made Bluggae, a beautifully crafted beret, similar to the American Cowhide Berets at South Pacific Berets.

Then there is a range of "hybrid berets", berets that are made in the traditional way, but have additional features that take them away from that classic definition.
The Franco-German Baskenmütze with external headband for example, has an added rim of felted merino wool, lifting the beret slightly off the scalp. This makes for a very comfortable, light fit and ideal for summer wear.

Béret-casquettes are true berets, made from one single thread of wool and the brim pulled out from the side under steam. However, there are also peaked berets made of a classic beret, with an added brim sewn on. Edamples of these are the TONAK-FEZCO models and the Le Bérets Français Beret Casquette.

Different again is the Warszawski Beret Szyty, a handmade woolen beret, following the traditional Polish style of two-piece beret manufacturing. The Warszawski beret is made of two pieces of woven wool, sewn together, showing the typical hem on the outside of the beret. This makes for one of the best wool berets for summer.

This style is typical for Polish and former Soviet Union made (military) berets and originates from the British wartime berets and 'service caps'.

 

[Mm25]

Finally, pacharan!

 

[Daan]

Finally, pacharan!
View attachment 441603

 

[Edward]

Been wearing my cotton 'goat in a tree' berets a lot recently, lovely things. Have to admit, though, I did second guess myself and wear something else in Paris last week.... Unlike my experience in Oleron in 2017 (where most of the locals wear berets, and a number of them work at the Laulhere factory), it was only the tourists in Paris to be seen in them.... all fairly hefty wool berets, too, not ideal for the season. Not sure if they figured they were 'fitting in'....

 

[Bouwerij_Jongen]

Here is a field report on the new Native World made in New Zealand berets that Daan featured.
The beret is feather weight, I have socks that weigh more than these berets.
They are made in New Zealand soon to be Aotearoa from
20% possom, 70% merino and 10% silk.
Now where I live when some one says possom its usally talking about a roadway incident.
But this is sustainable, renewable Aotearoa animal fibers.
Super stretchable and lightweight, so good for days not too cold and not too hot, like today.

 

[Daan]

Sadly, I have to concede: a Reality Shield does not protect against COVID-19 (although, I'd like to point out that it took the virus a long time to get me...).

It struck with a vengeance though; rarely have I felt so miserable in my life... Hence, no updates on the website and a very late weekly SPECIAL (which now really means a "Weekend Special").

But, to celebrate my return to the realm of the living, the Flamingo Naturel Series sell at a 27.5% discount;
a range of custom-made, top-quality berets in natural, undyed AAA-grade Australian merino wool.
Ideal wool berets in cold and warm weather.

The manufacturing process involves extended rinsing in the blessed volcanic groundwaters of Mount Aso and brushing for an ultrasoft, pleasant to the touch feel.
Available with a size adjustable headband in a 28cm and 30cm model, as well as a Universel one-size model in 30cm.

 

[Ugly Kid Joe]

Having quite small head, it's a real struggle to find any relatively small beret.

 

[Daan]

Having quite small head, it's a real struggle to find any relatively small beret. View attachment 444123 View attachment 444124

Nice colour beret in the 2nd photo!
But, with all respect, you shouldn't have any trouble finding a range of small berets to your liking.
The first that comes to mind is the Czech, formerly Czechoslovak, Radiovka, a beret that hasn't changed since it's inception some 70 years ago and one of the smallest diameter berets to be found.

Another famous traditional in a slightly larger diameter is the Italian basco Roma; unfortunately the manufacturer halted production since the beginning of 2020, but still available in limited colours.

To offer an alternative to the bascos Roma, South Pacific Berets designed it's own, the Petit Qui-Oui. Listed under the children's section, these berets are actually worn more by adult men than children.., in a large variety of colours.

At the higher end of quality berets, there are the boinas Elósegui Exposición Super Lujo’s (in 26cm) and the Auloronesa in 9p with unbleached French linen lining.

Alas, just a few that immediately spring to mind.
There are many more small diameter options though; from the Billy Childish Fear Naughts' to Japanese Flamingo's and many more...