Berets, Anyone?

[Daan]

I wouldn't dare call you a coward, or anyone else for his/her choice of headgear, for that matter. Besides, there is enough verbal animosity going across the ditch between Kiwis and Aussies as it is already...

But re the picture: I wouldn't say "like", but it is interesting alright. Far from being a Trotskyist myself, I still find it painful to see this Trotsky bashing that went on for many decades in the former Soviet Union (and satellite states), knowing what it amounted to (with the knowledge we have available today). I wouldn't be surprised if Trotsky was a beret wearer himself, actually, but so far haven't come across any visual evidence of that.

But yes, all these Soviet style workers caps do have a certain charm - worth another thread on the Lounge, I'd say. But still, not quite a beret...

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Yes Lenn's cap is rather nice would love to have one like that for sure. I don't think the peak beret remind's me on it but nice none the less.

 

[Godfrey]

?.. there is enough verbal animosity going across the ditch between Kiwis and Aussies as it is already...

And yet we are all brothers and sisters of the beret! :0)

 

[Daan]

It's years ago since I first saw the bike helmet designed by Ondrej Stanek, a young Czech artist who decided to use the “radiovka” for inspiration in a new art installation. He had developed a series of cycling helmets in the classic “radiovka” shape.

The "radiovka" of course, being the typical Czech version of the beret, a small diameter, skull cap like beret worn mainly in the Moravian and Bohemian country side (and by myself, at home on cold winter evenings). Ever since, I have tried hard to find such a helmet; writing to the designer, pestering my Czech beret supplier to find me one, searching the web, but to no avail.

Bike helmets. I am sure they have their good use, when cycling the Tour de France or the Giro, but when living in a country with compulsory helmet laws, like New Zealand, evidence shows again and again how little this adds to safety, while at the same time being very effective in getting people off their bikes (and into cars).
And for beret wearers, it means you have to part with a kind of headgear that is basically made for cycling! Aerodynamic, stays on in the wind and at speed, is warm and breathes at the same time.

Not willing to pay any more fines for not wearing a helmet, and unable to find a "radiovka helmet" for myself, I found the perfect solution: berets that cover the complete helmet! These, South Pacific labeled berets have such a large head-opening that they fit over practically any bike helmet without having to modify (cut & glue) it . Highly "fashionable"; available in Navy, Brown, Maroon and Green.

 

[Edward]

Not bad looking. I've seen the other brand discussed above that do hat-shaped covers for their line of helmets, but in order to fit the hats are all comically large and look ridiculous in reality. The one in your photo seems to avoid that disproportionate look.

Perssonally, my ideal cycling helmet would be a Pckelhaube which has a historically accurate exterior but the modern foam inner. They're the perfect shape for cycling. I suppose for those who care about aerodynamics they could also produce a model without the spike.

 

[Edward]

Not bad looking. I've seen the other brand discussed above that do hat-shaped covers for their line of helmets, but in order to fit the hats are all comically large and look ridiculous in reality. The one in your photo seems to avoid that disproportionate look.

Perssonally, my ideal cycling helmet would be a Pckelhaube which has a historically accurate exterior but the modern foam inner. They're the perfect shape for cycling. I suppose for those who care about aerodynamics they could also produce a model without the spike.

 

[Godfrey]

Great idea Daan. Reminds me of the WW2 German Schutzmütze. Basically a light helmet with beret over the top for tank crews. A few links for those interested...

http://www.panzerworld.net/uniforms-heerheadgear

http://www.militaryheadgear.com/items/1056

Personally I'd love to see a pith helmet bicycle helmet. Given the law in both Australia and New Zealand unfortunatly you can't just pop one on and get in the deadly treadlie (bicycle for those north of the tropic of Capricorn).

 

[Daan]

Hemingway

I have published multiple posts on Hemingway and his berets on The Beret Project (like here, here and here), but just found some new material in the highly recommended book 'Hemingway, A Life in Pictures'.

Ernest 3rd from L, at the front of the Spanish Civil War. Joris Ivens on the far R.

Pamplona, 1959

Ernest and the Brooklyn torero Sidney Franklin, on board the Paris, 1937

Ernest and Sidney Franklin at the castle of Manzanares el Real, 1929

 

[Gilboa]

I have been following this thread for some time as I have always been fascinated with the Beret. I do enjoy seeing the beret on a lady's head; as seen in a rather cheeky manner in 'Allo Allo', for example.


I do hope you will not mind me showing my own take on the beret:

 

[Daan]

I do hope you will not mind me showing my own take on the beret:

Nice hats, nice hats, but not berets, really. There are multiple definitions on what exactly makes a "real beret", but something like "a beret is a hat made of one piece of knitted wool 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 'wick') kept in place" brings it pretty much down to the essence. There are variants, the military beret the most obvious one, but even on a military beret one can feel the spot where the txortena once was - a military beret is in fact an amputated Basque beret.

By definition this means that all hats and caps made of multiple pieces of material and that are not knitted, don't qualify for the label 'beret'. The cotton berets, like the Tolosa Tupida en algodon, are berets, made in exactly the same manner as a wool beret, apart from the felting, obviously (cotton does not produce felt).

The picture below shows, in a nut shell, the making of a "real" beret.

 

[Gilboa]

Dear Dann,

Thank you for bringing this up! I do know about the once-piece shape and construction, but was not aware that the term 'beret' is reserved for this construction only. I have often wondered in the past about this when going through old fashion magazines for ladies, where both one piece and two piece hats of the above shape where classed as beret.

I shall do some research on the matter myself.

 

[Gilboa]

Double post .... internet hickup

 

[Daan]

I just received the new stock from France and among them the classic bérets NIEBLA, with the Vrai Basque label, one of the oldest beret labels continuously in production. Unpacking the stock, it occurred to me how many French beret labels are in themselves representations of the beret. The NIEBLA is a perfect example:a trench-coated pipe-smoking Frenchman, protected from the rain by his Basque beret.

Another good example is the Bakarra Excellence, one of Blancq-Olibets top quality berets: a man in suit with a beret:

Interestingly, it's only the French beret manufacturers who do this. The Spanish, Italian and South American manufacturers stick to heraldry, symbols of Basque origin, while the Czechs and Germans simply don't bother with fancy labels.

Some more French samples (of many):

 

[Daan]

Chechia

The chechia is the national hat of Tunisia and a close cousin of the beret. In Tunisia, eastern Libya and the region of Benghazi (where it is called "chenna") the chechia is a vermilion (red) skull cap shaped hat, while in the rest of Libya it is black.

Until the 19th century, the chechia was usually worn as a basis for the turban; the cloth was wound around the cap on the head. Last century it started to become a hat on its own accord, becoming the typical trademark of Tunisian men.

The manufacturing process of the chechia (that hasn't altered much over the centuries) shows more than a few similarities with the making of berets. The whole process consists of six stages: first there is the knitting, followed by the treading (to increase density and solidify/fortify the fibres). This is followed by carding; originally this was done with thistles, but these days it's steel brushes. Then the chechia in the making is dyed; principally in vermillion, but also in black (for Libya), grey and green (for export to Morocco and Nigeria). After dyeing, the molding of the chechia gets finalized and brushed.

The Persian poet Rumi said: "A man without a chehcia is dissolved".

Since Tunisian independence in 1956 and thanks to cheap imports and young people distancing themselves from the old ways, the chechia is in decline, worn only by the old men and on special (religious) occasions. Interestingly, the chechia is not only a head covering for Muslims, but typically worn by Tunisian Jews as well (see pictures below, in and around the synagogue).

Few sons take over the family business and the old (and complicated) art of making chechias is slowly becoming extinct. The chechia, which is soft and flexible, is not to be confused with the fez (also called "fez Stambouli" or "fez megidi") which is rigid, conical and more a top hat.

The chechia was also adopted by various regiments of French African troops, including the Zouaves.

 

[TomS]

The chechia is the national hat of Tunisia and a close cousin of the beret. In Tunisia, eastern Libya and the region of Benghazi (where it is called "chenna") the chechia is a vermilion (red) skull cap shaped hat, while in the rest of Libya it is black.

Until the 19th century, the chechia was usually worn as a basis for the turban; the cloth was wound around the cap on the head. Last century it started to become a hat on its own accord, becoming the typical trademark of Tunisian men.

The manufacturing process of the chechia (that hasn't altered much over the centuries) shows more than a few similarities with the making of berets. The whole process consists of six stages: first there is the knitting, followed by the treading (to increase density and solidify/fortify the fibres). This is followed by carding; originally this was done with thistles, but these days it's steel brushes. Then the chechia in the making is dyed; principally in vermillion, but also in black (for Libya), grey and green (for export to Morocco and Nigeria). After dyeing, the molding of the chechia gets finalized and brushed.

The Persian poet Rumi said: "A man without a chehcia is dissolved".

Since Tunisian independence in 1956 and thanks to cheap imports and young people distancing themselves from the old ways, the chechia is in decline, worn only by the old men and on special (religious) occasions. Interestingly, the chechia is not only a head covering for Muslims, but typically worn by Tunisian Jews as well (see pictures below, in and around the synagogue).

Few sons take over the family business and the old (and complicated) art of making chechias is slowly becoming extinct. The chechia, which is soft and flexible, is not to be confused with the fez (also called "fez Stambouli" or "fez megidi") which is rigid, conical and more a top hat.

The chechia was also adopted by various regiments of French African troops, including the Zouaves.

Religious significance by chance?

 

[Daan]

Interesting video on the production of chechias - truly hand (and foot-) made.
Available at South Pacific Berets in the traditional vermilion (red), black and grey.

[video=youtube;cbYzF2-pjlE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=cbYzF2-pjlE[/video]

 

[Grizzly Adams]

I just received the new stock from France and among them the classic bérets NIEBLA, with the Vrai Basque label, one of the oldest beret labels continuously in production. Unpacking the stock, it occurred to me how many French beret labels are in themselves representations of the beret.

Never mind.....

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Nice find Daan, that really is a hand made process.

 

[Edward]

Interesting! They look like the lovechild of a beret and a fez.

 

[Daan]

Apart from the relatively few that visit this forum and wear berets against the odds, most Americans seem to have a dislike of berets. When researching on the net, I often come across opinions and statements that associate the beret with (French) cowardliness, politically anything left from GW Bush, European-ness (not meant as a compliment) or in short, everything that the idealized American hero is not. This guy who calls himself appropriately Mad Ogre is a perfect example, but a 5 minute Google search will show you many more.
Of course, there are some great exceptions to the rule. Some of my personal favourites are

Bill Mulloy

Marilyn Monroe

native American artist Allan Houser

the poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti

and activist John Ross (to name a few).

Anyway, I was surprised to find some -almost a century old photographs- of a whole lot of berets at the White House in Washington DC.
Some time in 1918, a large group of Chasseurs Alpins visited the US (whether this was during or just at the end of WWI I don't know, or why they congregated right there, at the White House).

Such great berets, in every respect. Would love to see some more of these Tartes in Washington!