Berets, Anyone?

[Moca]

I guess some find it just a bit easier to wear a beret with a small peak than the traditional Basque beret (as per my mantra: "a cap is for people who don't dare to wear a beret").

ha, call me a coward; i just enjoy these peaked berets! they give a different feel, a bit more masculinity, as indeed, lenin, trotsky and their compatriots knew very well.
what you think of this picture?

[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]

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: