How the Beret Moved from Basque Shepherds to Parisian Intellectuals to Military Berets Worldwide

The beret's origins lie in the Basque Country, the mountainous region straddling the border of France and Spain, where shepherds have worn flat, round, brimless caps made from felted wool for centuries. The Basque beret, or txapela, was perfectly suited to the mountain climate: warm, waterproof when properly felted, and compact enough to stow in a pocket during warmer hours.

In the nineteenth century, the beret migrated from the Pyrenees to urban France, where it was adopted by artists, writers, and Left Bank intellectuals as a marker of bohemian identity. Figures from Monet to Hemingway wore berets in Paris, and the hat became associated with creative nonconformity and a certain studied casualness that the French perfected.

The military adopted the beret for practical reasons: it was inexpensive to produce, easy to store, could be worn under a helmet, and tucked neatly into an epaulette when not in use. British tank crews in World War I were among the first to wear berets in combat. By World War II, paratroopers, commandos, and special forces across multiple armies had adopted colour-coded berets as unit identifiers (https://www.laulhere-france.com).

Laulhere, founded in 1840 in Oloron-Sainte-Marie in the French Pyrenees, is the last remaining traditional beret manufacturer in France. The company produces berets for both civilian and military clients using methods that have changed little in over a century: felted Merino wool is shaped on wooden forms, brushed, and trimmed by hand.

The beret's military associations eventually fed back into fashion. Che Guevara's iconic beret, immortalised in Alberto Korda's 1960 photograph, made the hat a global symbol of revolutionary politics. The Black Panthers adopted the beret in the 1960s. In each case, the beret's simplicity and malleability allowed it to absorb new political and cultural meanings.

Wearing a beret requires confidence and correct positioning. It should sit flat on the crown, tilted slightly to one side, with the excess fabric pulled to the right or left. The beret should never be worn pulled back on the head like a skullcap, which creates an unflattering shape. In black or navy wool, it complements overcoats, scarves, and layered winter outfits.

The beret's journey from Basque shepherds to Parisian cafes to military parade grounds to revolutionary iconography is one of the most diverse trajectories of any headwear. For the man seeking a hat that combines warmth, history, and a distinctly European character, a quality Merino wool beret from a traditional French maker is a small investment with outsized cultural resonance.