Berets, Anyone?

[foamy]

Well, I do get looks when I wear a fedora or flat cap (but then, I'm not quite normal, as you can tell), but I notice the "beret look" is less subtle, more "what the... is he wearing?" I wear one of those three types of hat every day.

As far as "shrinking," a psychologist could, I'm sure, have a field day with me.

On a side note: I've seen three men wearing berets in the last two days. That's two more than I've seen all year or last. Berets are pretty rare in these parts—for men, at least.

 

[foamy]

Clear and breezy at 6:30 this morning. Another beret kind of day. My smallest one, a 265mm Elósegui Exposición Super Lujo.

 

[RJR]

Clear and breezy at 6:30 this morning. Another beret kind of day. My smallest one, a 265mm Elósegui Exposición Super Lujo.
View attachment 45158

Looks good.

 

[NoHorse]

The cause of the "hard look" revealed!

People who give you that look are probably trying to figure out if you are Santa in off-season clothes. Out of uniform, so to speak.

Now a 265 Super Lujo is what I have, and I wear it in a straight-laced manner: symmetrically placed on my head, bulging down all around - like a Hershey's kiss that's melted on top of my head. When I see myself in the mirror (with the lights on, mind you ) I feel that I'm edging close to scandalous, to being a public spectacle. So when I think of another 15mm...

Speaking of sizes: I've been wearing a 255 Super Lujo I ordered from Ron Greer. I think I'm discovering that there is an optimum relationship between max head size and minimum beret width. I'm having much more trouble establishing and shaping the bulge from the stretched opening to the widest point of the beret than I did with the 265. The edge of the opening keeps folding itself inwards so that the beret ends up drawn more snugly onto my head than intended. Mind you, it's still a work in progress!

 

[esteban68]

I bought these two kangols recently , both are in great condition can anyone date the markings....I suspect the brown one is fifties but I've never seen the marking type in the black one before...It looks like a thirties or forties type font to me?

 

[NoHorse]

Esteban68,

You could contact the company. They might have trademark patterns or examples from the past.

The brown one looks like it has no rim. Is there evidence of one having been removed?

 

[esteban68]

The brown one I've seen before in many colours though the stamping is slightly different, they never have a leather trim on them.....I may just get in touch with Kangol!

 

[ingineer]

esteban68;
reference:
https://inventively.com/search/trademarks/owner/KANGOL LIMITED
the tepee TM is i believe rather new
the script one reminds me of one i owned late 70's
that is when they were made in GB
Tom Hanks NYC

 

[Daan]

I bought these two kangols recently , both are in great condition can anyone date the markings....I suspect the brown one is fifties but I've never seen the marking type in the black one before...It looks like a thirties or forties type font to me? View attachment 45292 View attachment 45293 View attachment 45294

The stamped Trademark as in the brown sample dates from the 1960's and has been used for a long time by KANGOL (I believe right up to their going offshore [from the UK]).
You'll see the same style in this ad:

They did modernize it in various ways, like the more contemporary label here:

The Kangaroo label used nowadays is fairly recent. To the best of my knowledge, it has not been used on UK-manufactured berets (but I could be wrong). The Kangaroo is nothing more than a play on letters and sound, as the name Kangol is an abbreviation: K from silK or Knitted, ANG from ANGora and OL from woOL – Kangol surely sounded better than Olangk.

As for your black beret.., hard to tell, but definitely not 1930's (KANGOL was founded in 1938 only). My best guess is a military beret from the 1960's or 1970's (the period that KANGOL still supplied the UK military). It certainly is military (no cabilliou, leather rimmed headband) and most likely used for the RAC (as black). Typically, soldiers bought their own berets which they preferred over the Govt issued models (similar these days in France, where there are actually shops at the military bases selling berets that are not formal uniform gear).

KANGOL has an interesting history; below an article I posted before on The Beret Project:
Jakob Spreiregen was born in Warsaw of Jewish parents in 1893. Before WW1 Jakob flees the Tsarist regime (rulingWarsaw at the time) and heads toFrance where he changes his name to Jacques Henry Sergene. From France he makes it across the Channel to Englandand joins the army there. Serving with the Medical Corps during the war he soon had to return to France.
Back in England, after the war, he finds himself a job importing Basque berets, as no one in Britain makes these. In 1938 he takes off with his own brand, Kangol.
The pre-WW2 years are difficult for Kangol, trading at a loss due to the heavy investment for beret making machines. It takes till 1942, with General Bernard Montgomery leading the beret fashion charge, that the beret quickly rises in popularity and rapidly becomes the must-have item of late WW2.

With the rise of poverty following WW2, Jakob creates the no frills utility beret, which is an instant success with the people.
During and after the war, Kangol berets were the height of fashion. In the 1960s, designers Mary Quant and Pierre Cardin worked with the company, whose products graced the heads of the rich and famous, including the Beatles, golf player Arnold Palmer and later Princess Diana. The company also supplied uniformed organizations such as the Scout Association.

In the 1980s Kangol berets entered a new phase of fashion history with their adoption by members of the hip-hop community, such as Grandmaster Flash, Run-DMC and LL Cool J. The release of more consciously stylish products in the 1990s such as the furgora (angora-wool mix) Spitfire, was helped by its presence upon the head of actor Samuel L. Jackson in 1997.
Kangol has been owned by Sports World since 2006, when they acquired the brand from private equity fund August Equity Trust. Licenses to manufacture and sell Kangol apparel have been sold to many different companies including D2 and Topshop; making for very poor quality consistency. The global rights to Kangol hats have been held by American hatmakers Bollman Headwear since 2002.

The factory complex in Cleator, UK
It was announced in February 2009 that Bollman were reviewing their worldwide operations, putting 33 jobs and the future of the Kangol head office in Cleator in doubt. On 6 April 2009, it was announced that the original factory would be converted to a warehouse and only 7 employees now remain employed at the company's original site. However, hats will continue to be made at their sites in Eastern Europe and the United States.

 

[esteban68]

I too thought military or some other service for the black beret possibly even scouts or air cadets but there are no piercings anywhere for a badge and no ventilation eyelets....hmm.

 

[NoHorse]

My father wore a beret whenever outdoors in chilly weather. I recall him having two - both with the military style leather edge, yet without ventilation holes- and he used them for decades. He passed away ages ago, and I neither have those berets nor can I remember what they looked like inside (probably never looked!). He was fond of certain English items, like a brand of shoe with what was called "commando soles", so it's very possible that the berets came from the UK.

 

[foamy]

Hm. Alpins this week? Okay. I'll bite.

 

[Daan]

This week on SPECIAL the most undervalued beret we stock: the Czech made Tartan lined Service Star. Berets that are of superior quality and comfort, fitted with an external leather band, 3 air vents on the side and the traditional viscose checked lining.

These berets can be worn military style (with the headband folded outwards and visible) or Basque style (with the headband folded inwards and invisible). A personal favourite for warm and in-between seasons; light, super comfortable and easy to wear.

Now for one week only with a massive 20% discount (of an already nicely priced beret) @ $39.40!

 

[RJR]

This week on SPECIAL the most undervalued beret we stock: the Czech made Tartan lined Service Star. Berets that are of superior quality and comfort, fitted with an external leather band, 3 air vents on the side and the traditional viscose checked lining.

These berets can be worn military style (with the headband folded outwards and visible) or Basque style (with the headband folded inwards and invisible). A personal favourite for warm and in-between seasons; light, super comfortable and easy to wear.

Now for one week only with a massive 20% discount (of an already nicely priced beret) @ $39.40!

The Service Star berets are very comfortable and easy to wear.

 

[Yarbles]

A while back I saw this kickstarter for kangol........

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bollmanhats/kangol-504-bring-jobs-to-america-with-bollman-hat

 

[leftyguy]

I love my Auloronesa Universal!

 

[Trenchfriend]

Yep, real classic.

 

[foamy]

I love my Auloronesa Universal!

My favorite. Wearing it today, in fact.

You look great in yours!

 

[Daan]

My favorite. Wearing it today, in fact.

Wearing mine every day!

Béret du jour: Boneteria Auloronesa Universel in 11p Brown

 

[RJR]

Wearing mine every day!

Béret du jour: Boneteria Auloronesa Universel in 11p Brown

Looks good.