Berets, Anyone?

[Fedster]

@Daan my condolences

 

[Fedster]

Quick question on leather headbands. My first beret was a an Elosegui with a leather headband. The leather was hard and stiff, and I found it uncomfortable, which was no surprise to me, since I find the leather headband in my Akubra uncomfortable. I then got some Manufacture de Berets, most without headband, and one with. The Manufacture de Berets headband is actually much more comfortable to me than the wool only ones -- does anybody have a similar experience? I think it is a matter of leather type: the one in the Manufacture de Berets is really soft and supple, and it does feel extremely comfortable against my noggin, much more than the wool only berets. I am doing a week on/week off test with two otherwise identical berets from Manufacture de Berets and I really prefer the leather headband one.

 

[JimK]

I think I have four berets with leather headbands, or anyway some leather-like material. One is a Fandango and that has a pretty stiff headband. It fits well enough though. Then a Laulhere Béret Bayadère whose headband is more supple. The headband of the Manufacture de Berets is certainly very comfortable. Then I have a Doria beret which also has a very supple headband. The Doria I got in a 62... mostly I get hats in 61, but my head is rather between sizes so it's always a guessing game. Probably I should have got the Doria in 61! But I can fiddle a bit with how I perch it up there, and make it work!

Mostly my berets without headband I find quite comfortable. I do have a Chasseurs Alpins Cambo in 61 that is a bit snug - that beret does not stretch! I can arrange it to be comfortable... and up where I live we get fierce canyon winds from time to time, so a snug fit is not all bad!

 

[Daan]

Quick question on leather headbands. My first beret was a an Elosegui with a leather headband. The leather was hard and stiff, and I found it uncomfortable, which was no surprise to me, since I find the leather headband in my Akubra uncomfortable. I then got some Manufacture de Berets, most without headband, and one with. The Manufacture de Berets headband is actually much more comfortable to me than the wool only ones -- does anybody have a similar experience? I think it is a matter of leather type: the one in the Manufacture de Berets is really soft and supple, and it does feel extremely comfortable against my noggin, much more than the wool only berets. I am doing a week on/week off test with two otherwise identical berets from Manufacture de Berets and I really prefer the leather headband one.

Boneteria Auloronesa (or ‘Manufacture de Bérets’) has one enormous advantage over any other beret manufacturer that goes much deeper than simply personal preference for one beret brand or the other.

Founder (and formerly technical director of Laulhère) Denis Guédon found a method of knitting the raw berets that ensures minimal shrinkage of the finished beret.

All berets shrink over time; that is the nature of wool fibres. For a one-size (headband-less) beret, that makes not much difference in the fit over the years; when the beret shrinks, you naturally stretch the actual head-opening a bit further.

In a beret with a headband however, the band would wrinkle or crack when too much shrinkage occurs; hence you need a rigid, solid headband to ensure that the head-opening of the beret stays the same size.

Boinas Elósegui fits thick leather bands in their berets. Most boineros find these uncomfortable, but at least it ensures you can wear your berets for years to come in the poorest of weather - the headband ensures that the size, or diameter, of the head-opening stays the same). Laulhère fits a less rigid, slightly less stiff band in their berets and many boineros who have had a Laulhère beret for years (and wearing it regularly in the rain), can testify that the headband becomes uncomfortable as it stiffens, cracks and wrinkles.

Auloronesa (MdB) can fit headbands of the supplest, softest leather as the band is not there to keep the beret’s size; it is only there to ensure a good fit and to add comfort (for those who like the feel of a headbanded beret, of course).

It is the best kept secret of this manufacturer and for me personally, the Auloronesa berets are the only berets with headband that I enjoy wearing.
Interesting detail: the leather is the same as the leather used for the upholstery of the top end Citroën cars.

 

[JimK]

Thanks, Daan, that is really fascinating! My Fandango beret is maybe 15 years old - the headband is in good condition, but it is quite bulky. Now I know why!

 

[Babbo Philipe]

A photo from back in the good old days.
i am the bartender for our local art museum group,
so I was pouring wine back on March 5, one of the last
times I was in a group setting.
Wearing the Flamingo 10p in kahki along with nitrile gloves,
back when all you had to worry about was washing your hands.
View attachment 229639

looking good pal

 

[Daan]

The question I get most often asked is “how to wear a beret” (followed by question #2 “which beret looks most like Ché Guevara’s?”, but that is another story).

My standard (and honest) reply is that there are no rules. Whatever way you wear a beret, if you feel comfortable with it, then it is right. However, not everyone thinks the same and especially in the second half of last century, many boineros followed certain guidelines.

I found a beautiful document detailing these “rules” and guidelines, on the website of the Fédération Nationale du Folkore Français. I publish the screenshots here, but go to the site via this click.

More than guidelines only, it lists some interesting anecdotes as well. F.i. when Prussia annexed Alsace and the Mosel region, wearing a beret was banned (as ‘too French’).
When the Germans occupied the whole of France during WWII, the same happened (regionally). They had a beautiful name for the beret too: Gehirn Verdunkelungs Mütze (a "cap to obscure the brain"). Of course, the collaborating Milice did wear berets, as part of their uniform.

I quote: “The way the beret is worn shows the personality, the character, the mood of the moment, and sometimes the profession or the political ideas of the one who wears it. Badly worn, it can kill your reputation, making you miss a deal, pretending to be what you are not ...”.

“The Chinese made berets: inexpensive, fear the rain, deformable and therefore may kill your reputation if one is not careful…”.

Also listed is a short bibliography, which makes me think of my book ‘Basque Berets’. With only a few hard copies left for sale, happy to send a free Pdf copy with any beret purchase. Just advise with your order.

 

[Bouwerij_Jongen]

Patagonian gauchos wearing boinas

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[Bouwerij_Jongen]

Every year in May in between the days of rain showers and clouds,
we get a couple of warm days into the 80 degrees F.
So out come the cotton berets,
such as a cotton Castilla in indigo/navy
along with a vintage Noragi coat in ikat (tie dyed) cotton Kasuri fabric.

 

[Bouwerij_Jongen]

Feeling nostalgic for a trip two years ago.
We stayed in Bayonne and toured the Basque Country.
We toured the Basque Museum where I took this photo of a painting.

A few days later our one day tour of Bilbao was on Pentecost so we
arrived in the middle of a traditional dress parade where red berets were many,


But red berets or any berets were few to be seen elsewhere.

 

[Daan]

After 7 weeks of strict lockdown, New Zealand is now at 'Alert Level 2', meaning a lot more freedom of movement.
The occasional pipe, good coffee and reading my e-reader out in the late-summer sun got me through these weeks of "confinement".

The first thing I had to do, at this new level was going to our bach at the coast - on my own. (Almost) utter loneliness, hardly a soul on the massive beach; walking, planning and reflecting, the wood-fire on at night and changing between my Auloronesa Alpin and Super Lujo 29.

Life feels good again (when not reading the news, not thinking of our borders that may stay shut for 2 years and my business that plummeted hard).
I wish you all well in these crazy times, boineros - stay well under your Reality Shield!

 

[Bouwerij_Jongen]

With a couple days in the 80's degree F
I had a chance to wear my cotton Castilla in Bordeaux.
Also wearing a tshirt that seems to fit the moment.
A reproduction of the Japanese woodblock print,
"The Great Wave of Kanogawa" by Hokusai.
I feel like one of the boatmen, waiting for the next crashing wave.

 

[Bouwerij_Jongen]

Putting in rotation my cotton berets,
the cotton Chydish Fear Naught in navy.
Also, my new cotton mask for trips to stores.
When I look at the Chyldish label I always think, "Man, that is weird."

 

[Daan]

Putting in rotation my cotton berets,
the cotton Chydish Fear Naught in navy.
Also, my new cotton mask for trips to stores.
When I look at the Chyldish label I always think, "Man, that is weird."
View attachment 239770
View attachment 239771

Weird..? Weird in the sense of sheer beauty, I guess?
Well, not planned to reveal this here and now, but since we’re at it, talking about weird labels: there is a new series of berets in the making, in cooperation with Billy Childish.

The global pandemic and suffering postal services have been playing havoc to a timely delivery, but I hope that these berets are available by the end of next month.
To be continued…

 

[Bouwerij_Jongen]

Maybe mysterious is a better word than weird.
But goats in a tree seem to be fairly common in Morocco.

 

[Tchoupi]

Boneteria Auloronesa (or ‘Manufacture de Bérets’) has one enormous advantage over any other beret manufacturer that goes much deeper than simply personal preference for one beret brand or the other.
View attachment 231925
Founder (and formerly technical director of Laulhère) Denis Guédon found a method of knitting the raw berets that ensures minimal shrinkage of the finished beret.
View attachment 231926
All berets shrink over time; that is the nature of wool fibres. For a one-size (headband-less) beret, that makes not much difference in the fit over the years; when the beret shrinks, you naturally stretch the actual head-opening a bit further.
View attachment 231927 View attachment 231928
In a beret with a headband however, the band would wrinkle or crack when too much shrinkage occurs; hence you need a rigid, solid headband to ensure that the head-opening of the beret stays the same size.

Boinas Elósegui fits thick leather bands in their berets. Most boineros find these uncomfortable, but at least it ensures you can wear your berets for years to come in the poorest of weather - the headband ensures that the size, or diameter, of the head-opening stays the same). Laulhère fits a less rigid, slightly less stiff band in their berets and many boineros who have had a Laulhère beret for years (and wearing it regularly in the rain), can testify that the headband becomes uncomfortable as it stiffens, cracks and wrinkles.
View attachment 231929
Auloronesa (MdB) can fit headbands of the supplest, softest leather as the band is not there to keep the beret’s size; it is only there to ensure a good fit and to add comfort (for those who like the feel of a headbanded beret, of course).
View attachment 231930
It is the best kept secret of this manufacturer and for me personally, the Auloronesa berets are the only berets with headband that I enjoy wearing.
Interesting detail: the leather is the same as the leather used for the upholstery of the top end Citroën cars.

I bought a Blanc Olibert, which I discovered is actually a Boinas Elosegui with the PEBEO label sown on. The beret is of excellent quality but the head band is very stiff and has grown increasingly uncomfortable over the years to the point where I have now given up wearing it. When I next get a chance, I an going to Orthez to and ask Madame Goupy to put one of her headbands on it and on my Basco Roma, an otherwise excellent beret with a horrible leatherette head band.

 

[Tchoupi]

A happy day, as I recieved a new béret in the post, and costing only 10€. A small Boinas Elosegui from " Le Bon Coin" a Website used a lot here in France for people selling personal items. It is quite compatible with the Basco Roma, but a little thicker and without a leatherette headband.

 

[Nico]

Nice afternoon walk today. Still a bit chilly but my trusty Czech Classic Mammoth kept the head nice and warm.

 

[Bouwerij_Jongen]

When speaking of the finest berets,
you need to include Manufacture de Beret.
Everyday for my morning walk I put on my Boneteria Aotearoa 11p in black made
by Manufacture de Beret.
Now, the company is one woman artisan, Sara, located in Orthez, France.
According to Wikipedia, Orthez was once the capital of Bearn.
So, the beret roots are deep in French culture.
On Instagram Sara of @manufacturedeberet has started
posting about the 12 steps in making a beret.
Daan, what can you tell us about the steps in making a beret by Manufacture de Beret.

 

[Daan]

i m leaving my wife and marrying Sara,, just thought you guys should be the first to know

Sorry, but what a dumb comment. If you knew only a little about Sara, you'd realise how inappropriate and offensive the comment is (and not just to your wife). Let's stick to berets...

Bouwerij_Jongen - the 12 steps on Instagram give a pretty good picture of how berets are made. This is very much the artisan (and slow) way, but apart from details (such as the application of the liguette), the process doesn't differ much from manufacturing on a industrial scale.
The non-spoken video below by Laulhere shows the whole process of the making of a Laulhere beret

while the following video by Boinas Elosegui is more explanatory (when able to understand Spanish) and gives a good idea of how berets, or boinas, are made in Tolosa.