Berets, Anyone?

[RJR]

If you recall I had knee surgery last year. Unfortunately the knee is still giving me grief, going back to see the surgeon next week.
To cheer myself up wearing my quetsche Auloronesa.
View attachment 65595

Good luck with the knee,I know the problems.

 

[Daan]

Good luck with the knee,I know the problems.

Darn, could have something to do with wearing berets, you reckon..? Same happened to me.

Endless walking, at least an hour every day, did a lot better for me than the surgery!

 

[Nico]

Gents, thank you for the kind words.

 

[Babbo Philipe]

If you recall I had knee surgery last year. Unfortunately the knee is still giving me grief, going back to see the surgeon next week.
To cheer myself up wearing my quetsche Auloronesa.
View attachment 65595

great color, indeed

 

[Babbo Philipe]

heres to you fellas, just got off work, and decided to have a black butt porter beer,
quetsche Auloronesa.

 

[GrayEyes]

A little bit of beret trivia:

During the Nazi occupation of Alsace during World War II, it was prohibited to wear berets, which were considered to be pro-French articles of clothing (decree of 15 May 1941, cited in Lothar Kettenacker, Nationalsozialistische Volkstumspolitik im Elsaß). The same was true in Luxembourg (decree of 18 February 1941, cited in the Nuremberg Trial Proceedings, vol. 6, Edgar Faure's presentation from 2 February 1946).

 

[Daan]

A little bit of beret trivia:

During the Nazi occupation of Alsace during World War II, it was prohibited to wear berets, which were considered to be pro-French articles of clothing (decree of 15 May 1941, cited in Lothar Kettenacker, Nationalsozialistische Volkstumspolitik im Elsaß). The same was true in Luxembourg (decree of 18 February 1941, cited in the Nuremberg Trial Proceedings, vol. 6, Edgar Faure's presentation from 2 February 1946).

Yes, and how ridiculous that was, of course. Banning what really is a round piece of felted wool to suppress feelings against the oppressor...
Ironically, the pro-Nazi Vichy paramilitary Milice Française adopted the Basque beret as a symbol of their Frenchness:

And so did the fighters of the Resistance:

 

[GrayEyes]

Tell me, is there really any difference between the Female and Male versions?

The Boina Dame con Foro has arrived.

It is thicker than the Laulhère pictured in post #1552, but it is less thick a Boina Fina by Elósegui. The wool on the Fina is very smooth. The wool on the Dame is a little more coarse in texture. However, it does not show the pattern of weaving, the way the Laulhère beret does. The felting process was better than that. If you are familiar with the old Boina Básica by Elósegui, I would say that quality is similar. In other words, nice, but not very nice and probably not impermeable.

 

[Babbo Philipe]

Auloronsesa for life, i would not even be wearing berets , if i did not discover these babies, i was an 8 piece newsboy for many many years, still am but can find any good ones i think i need a trip to the east coast,

 

[Bouwerij_Jongen]

I agree 100% with Philipe about Auloronesa and also their collaboration with Daan.
I have several of the Boneteria Aotearoa tarte alpins and they are the Cadillac of berets.
I just got a Elosegui Txapeldun 349mm in Bordeaux.
It seems a little heavier than the tarte alpins.
The color is truly that of Bordeaux wine.
It is a stretch to fit on a big head;
but it's not going to fly off in a heavy wind.

 

[Daan]

I agree 100% with Philipe about Auloronesa and also their collaboration with Daan.
I have several of the Boneteria Aotearoa tarte alpins and they are the Cadillac of berets.
I just got a Elosegui Txapeldun 349mm in Bordeaux.
It seems a little heavier than the tarte alpins.
The color is truly that of Bordeaux wine.
It is a stretch to fit on a big head;
but it's not going to fly off in a heavy wind.

View attachment 66266

Nice words and much appreciated!
As for the collaboration with Boneteria Auloronesa, after many requests for small diameter berets, I expect to have 9p Foulards Aotearoa with linen lining in by the middle of February; identical to the larger 10, 11 and 12p Alpin berets, only in a small plateau.

Better still, all these berets have now been reduced in price!

 

[Babbo Philipe]

alpines are a little to big for my taste , but that color is amazing

 

[GrayEyes]

If any of you gents has a Boneteria Auloronesa in blue (marine), I would be grateful if you would post a picture or two. I'm having a hard discerning how dark or light the B.A. blue is based on the handful of images I have seen already, and the Manufacture de Berets website shows only very poorly lit photos. Merci!

 

[Babbo Philipe]

If any of you gents has a Boneteria Auloronesa in blue (marine), I would be grateful if you would post a picture or two. I'm having a hard discerning how dark or light the B.A. blue is based on the handful of images I have seen already, and the Manufacture de Berets website shows only very poorly lit photos. Merci!

i was pondering getting a blue one too, and a hunter green

 

[Daan]

If any of you gents has a Boneteria Auloronesa in blue (marine), I would be grateful if you would post a picture or two. I'm having a hard discerning how dark or light the B.A. blue is based on the handful of images I have seen already, and the Manufacture de Berets website shows only very poorly lit photos. Merci!

Below a photo of the Aotearoa in navy, which is identical to the Auloronesa in colour.

And below a picture of myself, wearing the Auloronesa Alpin in navy:

 

[Bouwerij_Jongen]

If any of you gents has a Boneteria Auloronesa in blue (marine), I would be grateful if you would post a picture or two. I'm having a hard discerning how dark or light the B.A. blue is based on the handful of images I have seen already, and the Manufacture de Berets website shows only very poorly lit photos. Merci!

Here is a comparison of black and navy for the tarte alpins in daylight. In low light the navy is very dark.

Navy is one of my favorite colors.

 

[GrayEyes]

Thanks for the images everyone. They are much appreciated. It looks as if the Auloronesa/Aotearoa blue is rather dark and dusky, not a bright blue.

 

[Daan]

One of the most beautiful things that can happen to a bonetaire, is receiving a phone call from the new owner of an old uniform factory, asking if I'm interested in buying a few boxes full of (new) old berets.

Military berets of the NZ Army and SAS, UN blue berets, Scottish tam 'o shanters, balmorals and Irish caubeens, small diameter Basque berets with and without lining, a stack of berets made for the US Army (with badge), etc, etc.

Better still, negotiated a good price and prices vary from $10.00 to $20.00 only!

 

[Yarbles]

Whoaw ! Daan that skippers beret is a true beret grandmaster !

Thanks to all for the very positive feedback! A humbling experience (and much appreciated).
But let's get on with business (in the sense of "news about berets" of course, not the commercial aspect...).

I just received a new addition to my collection: a custom made, hand felted, skipper's beret in pure -untreated- Shetland wool.
It all started by finding this picture of traditional Shetland boat skipper Ian:

How could I not be impressed? I tracked down the maker, Laryna Wupperman, who works with the Galgael charity in Glasgow, Scotland and has her own blog on 'creative fiber craft'.
Laryna was happy to make a second skipper beret for me, a huge undertaking (I have to admit, I didn't realize just how much time is involved making one of these giants).

I received mine a few days ago and it is fantastic! It came with a power-point presentation detailing the whole process (and as soon as I figure out how to post it on this forum, I will do so).
Needless to say, at 390mm diameter this beret dwarfs txapelduns and plato grandes; one could outfit an army of Basco Roma's with the material that went into this beret (including the tiny fragments of grass, still present in the wool)!
If anyone is interested in a majestic beret like this one, please drop me a line and I'll forward all messages to Laryna.

 

[Babbo Philipe]

a little too big for me, but i like the fuzziness , reminds me of an old scottish
Balmoral