Berets, Anyone?

[Babbo Philipe]

its a beret, there is no end to the application,

 

[RJR]

We're seeing more warm weather and I've been wearing a couple of Daan's cotton models.

 

[Nico]

Wearing the Czech Classic Mammoth today. This is one seriously comfortable beret.

 

[Daan]

South Pacific Berets' latest newsletter is out (click here if you are not a subscriber) and among news on Boinas Elósegui’s 160th anniversary (the last and only truly Basque beret manufacturer left in the world), the Adidas sports berets, real "tartes" Chasseurs Alpins and more heather models from Argentina and the Czech Republic, find some massive discounts on a variety of berets!

Almost 10 years ago, South Pacific Berets started with a very small selection of berets by Boinas Elósegui and merino boinas Tolosa Tupida's from Argentina. Since then, stock has expanded every so many months, resulting in hundreds of different models and it's still growing.

Unfortunately, lack of storage space means some choices need to be made and more room created. A big price reduction has been made on a wide range of models with discounts as high as 50%!

 

[Humanfactor]

This Chinese Béret project is very interesting Daan. Thanks for this post.

To my enormous surprise, I found out that there is more than one "The Beret Project". Apart from what you are reading right now, there is also The Shanghai Beret Project!

Copied from Historic Shanghai: "It’s a classic Shanghai sight: older Chinese men sporting rakish berets. The iconic headwear of the French never seems to have gone out of style among gentlemen of a certain age in Shanghai, a legacy formed during the period of the French Concession (1849-1945). Some hypothesize that since famous revolutionaries like Fidel Castro and Che Guevara also favored these practical chapeaux, Chinese men may have felt comfortable wearing them post-1949. Patrick Cranley’s been on the streets of Frenchtown and beyond, documenting the laokele (distinguished Shanghai gentlemen) and their berets."

Frank Quan, an English-speaking Shanghai gentleman who has written two books on old Shanghai. Not surprising, for as the son of poet Zau Sinmay (Shao Xunmei 邵洵美, 1906-1968), he knows something about that period.

Mr Zhang has always worn a beret in the winter. "It’s just what us old guys do!"

Mr Zhou, 93, is rocking his raspberry beret from his wheelchair!

Mr. Qu, 67. He’s been wearing a beret since he was five, “because I was born in the French Concession and live here still!” He’s been taking photos of historic buildings for more than 20 years and is a big fan of architects Laszlo Hudec and Alexandre Leonard.

Mr. Shen, 75, started wearing a beret about 15 years ago. “I’m an artist, so I thought it was appropriate to wear a beret.”

Mr. Tang, 68. He started wearing a beret about 10 years ago. “Because senior citizens need to keep their heads warm.”

Mr. Xu, 88. He started wearing berets in his 70s, “because they look good and are very practical.”

Mr. Zhu, 65. He started wearing a beret two years ago, when his wife knitted him this nice grey model. Sharp!

 

[Daan]

This week on SPECIAL a good variety of berets in Bordeaux/Burgundy/Maroon/Wine*; after black and navy the most popular colour in berets, for personal use, but often adopted too by universities, wine guilds, culinary societies and paratroopers.

Looking into this colour (and its multiple names), I came upon some interesting facts.
"Burgundy is a dark red tending towards purple or a dark red tending towards brown. It takes its name from the colour of Burgundy wine (from the Burgundy region of France). The French refer to the colour in reference to another French wine, calling this shade of red "Bordeaux". In Quebec French, this colour is called Bourgogne."

"The colour burgundy is similar to other shades of dark red such as maroon, cordovan, and oxblood, but differs from each of these in subtle ways. For example, cordovan with its origin in equine leather used for shoes has a slightly fairer, lighter brown colour whilst oxblood, typically used in description of clothing, in particular leather, has both a much richer red and a little more blue."

"When referring to the colour, "burgundy" and “Bordeaux” are usually not capitalized."

"The first recorded use of "burgundy" as a color name in English was in 1881. Burgundy in turn takes its name from the ancient Burgundians, a Germanic tribe."

The GIF above is from my dear friend Pieter Roskam; artist, vintner, wine merchant and graphic designer; a man who wore nothing but Bordeaux and left this world far too early... RIP

 

[Babbo Philipe]

lifes not right without burgundy on something

 

[Nico]

lifes not right without burgundy on something

Agreed. I have several burgundy coloured t shirts!

 

[RJR]

Windy and warm today-one of Daan's cotton berets this morning.

 

[Humanfactor]

View attachment 118182
Windy and warm today-one of Daan's cotton berets this morning.

I have the same one which I like a lot for the hot weather.

 

[leftyguy]

Still my favourite, go to, beret. The lined BA Universel, size 11p

 

[Michael A]

The other day this old French model that I guess is the equivalent of a stingy brim in a hat.
DSCN0918 crop by Michael A2012, on Flickr
DSCN0923 crop by Michael A2012, on Flickr
DSCN0922 crop by Michael A2012, on Flickr
Today for my bicycle ride this Boinas Elosegui unit.
DSCN1016 crop by Michael A2012, on Flickr
DSCN1019 crop by Michael A2012, on Flickr
Have a great Friday,
Michael

 

[foamy]

Still my favourite, go to, beret. The lined BA Universel, size 11p

I'm right with you on that. That's my go-to as well.

 

[Humanfactor]

Here is a photo of my daughter-in-law with the BA Bordeaux I gave her as a birthday present. Also, that is their Wheaton Terrier, Lola, who terrorizes me and my wife.

 

[Nico]

Keeping the Bordeaux theme going. The temp dropped dramatically here within a day, perfect beret wearing weather. Out and about on mothers day at a winery.

 

[Daan]

Martin Tata has a unique bond with horses. Born and raised on a ranch in the traditional gaucho-town of San Antonio de Areco, around 110 kilometres outside of capital Buenos Aires, Tata has lived and worked among horses his entire life.

There is no whip in sight, no shouting or loud jabs. Not even a firm hand on the reins. And yet Martin Tatta somehow persuades his beloved Milonga to join him in acrobatic feats, from handstands to other poses that even the most understanding horses rarely display.

Through soft touches, gentle coaxing and a few tender nuzzles, it seems Tatta can sway his steeds to do just about anything. In San Antonio de Areco, a bastion of Argentine gaucho culture outside the capital of Buenos Aires, the 33-year-old Tatta is known as “the horse whisperer.”

Fifteen years ago, the horse trainer’s way of “breaking” horses without aggression caught the attention of a local rancher, who encouraged Tatta to perform for tourists. Since then, he’s traveled the world displaying the special skill he has with horses.

Tatta insists anyone could do this, if they were to be patient and gentle enough. But veteran horseman Alberto Nally, who at 70 is one of the most experienced gauchos in the community, says no other gaucho has such a gentle touch. “It hardly looks like he’s even trying or doing anything — that’s why it’s special,” Nally said. “I’ve seen other trainers using their reins and pulling the horse’s head back and forth, but Martin, no. He is steady and soft when he works with them. He has a gift. He was born with it.”

And on SPECIAL this week, the boinas Tolosa Tupida. Made of 100% Argentinian grown merino wool; soft to the touch, durable, light and extremely comfortable. What better recommendation than that the gauchos of the Argentinian pampas principally wear these berets?
For one week only, a selection of boinas TT in the standard diameter of 30cm and the generous Plato Grande in 32cm at a discount of 20% (as long as stock lasts)!

 

[Babbo Philipe]

Here is a photo of my daughter-in-law with the BA Bordeaux I gave her as a birthday present. Also, that is their Wheaton Terrier, Lola, who terrorizes me and my wife.

View attachment 118752

of coarse she looks great, woman in berets, my goodness, honestly woman have such value and potential and they dont use it--- plastic, over make up, botox, etc, all they really need is some comfortable clothes and a hat, in my opinion, a hat is a peacoks tail feather on woman

 

[Daan]

After speaking to FEZCO-TONAK this morning (and placing a large order for new models), I reflected on Czech made berets and their place in "the World of Berets".

Berets have a very long history in the Czech Republic (and before that, Czechoslovakia). Laulhère and Boinas Elósegui may be the oldest dedicated beret manufacturers, FEZCO-TONAK is by far the oldest hat manufacturer that makes berets.

The history of the company starts in 1812 when Wolf Fürth was awarded a licence for the cloth, wool and dye trade. With the great demand for fezzes from the then Ottoman empire, it was this Jewish businessman Wolf Fürth who began the manufacturing of fezzes in the traditional hatters town of Strakonice in 1828.
Business boomed when the Turkish sultan decreed that military uniforms should have fezzes, from 1830, instead of the traditional turban and the company exported it's fezzes to places as far as Egypt and India.

Loss of production came in 1925 when Turkish leader Mustafa Kamal Atatürk forbade the wearing of fezzes in his country. But businessmen from Strakonice solved this problem by launching the production of berets, which became very popular, in and outside Czechoslovakia.

During WW II, the occupying Germans confiscated the buildings to use them for their aircraft maintenance, but production resumed in 1945 when the company was nationalized. FEZCO put out an enormous number of berets over the years, from the typical small diameter Radiovka to the large diameter berets that were worn by the Czech Legion during the Great War (pictures above).

After the Velvet Revolution in 1989, the plant was transformed into the traditional headgear division (TONAK) and a division (FEZCO) that worked on textiles and upholstery for cars (
Škoda and Volkswagen).

Now the traditional fez merely forms a part of the company’s logo. Personally, I love my Czech berets, being my typical go-to berets and I never understand why these berets, that are so much cheaper than their French and Spanish equivalents, are not more popular.

Apart from the top of the range Auloronesa and Elósegui berets, I dare say that you'd struggle to find a more comfortable beret than a Czech Classic, 11.5" or Carpathian Mammoth.

 

[ErikFid]

After speaking to FEZCO-TONAK this morning (and placing a large order for new models), I reflected on Czech made berets and their place in "the World of Berets".
View attachment 119012 View attachment 119013
Berets have a very long history in the Czech Republic (and before that, Czechoslovakia). Laulhère and Boinas Elósegui may be the oldest dedicated beret manufacturers, FEZCO-TONAK is by far the oldest hat manufacturer that makes berets.
View attachment 119019
The history of the company starts in 1812 when Wolf Fürth was awarded a licence for the cloth, wool and dye trade. With the great demand for fezzes from the then Ottoman empire, it was this Jewish businessman Wolf Fürth who began the manufacturing of fezzes in the traditional hatters town of Strakonice in 1828.
Business boomed when the Turkish sultan decreed that military uniforms should have fezzes, from 1830, instead of the traditional turban and the company exported it's fezzes to places as far as Egypt and India.
View attachment 119021
Loss of production came in 1925 when Turkish leader Mustafa Kamal Atatürk forbade the wearing of fezzes in his country. But businessmen from Strakonice solved this problem by launching the production of berets, which became very popular, in and outside Czechoslovakia.

View attachment 119023
During WW II, the occupying Germans confiscated the buildings to use them for their aircraft maintenance, but production resumed in 1945 when the company was nationalized. FEZCO put out an enormous number of berets over the years, from the typical small diameter Radiovka to the large diameter berets that were worn by the Czech Legion during the Great War (pictures above).
View attachment 119020
After the Velvet Revolution in 1989, the plant was transformed into the traditional headgear division (TONAK) and a division (FEZCO) that worked on textiles and upholstery for cars (
Škoda and Volkswagen).
View attachment 119022
Now the traditional fez merely forms a part of the company’s logo. Personally, I love my Czech berets, being my typical go-to berets and I never understand why these berets, that are so much cheaper than their French and Spanish equivalents, are not more popular.
View attachment 119016 View attachment 119017 View attachment 119018
Apart from the top of the range Auloronesa and Elósegui berets, I dare say that you'd struggle to find a more comfortable beret than a Czech Classic, 11.5" or Carpathian Mammoth.

Agreed! I now have 4 auloronesa's, 2 super lujo's and the limited edition 1858. Al are great berets, but on a warm, humid day, my Czech classic and 2 11.5" models beat them all! Surprised what you write being not so popular, these are outstanding berets! And cheap too (not the main reason to buy these, but it sure helps). Long live the czechs, I say!

 

[Humanfactor]

More Bordeaux! Here on a work assignment in NYC. Having a vegetarian dinner in the Tribeca area of lower Manhatten.