What Is a Beret?

A beret is a type of cap that is round in shape and fits to the head with a headband. This cap is often made with soft cloth or wool felt and it is generally brimless. The headband is designed to be tight and the top of the cap is relatively flat, although the contour of the head tends to round the shape somewhat. This cap creates a tam-effect. A Scottish tam is a tall and rounded, brightly colored, woolen cap. The beret is generally worn off-center on the head. The popular style of the local culture may determine which side is favored in an area. Organizations which use the beret as part of mandatory clothing dictate the exact position of how their particular beret style is worn.

History

According to "The Independent," the beret evolved from the ancient Phrygian cap (worn as early as the 6th century with connotations of liberty and difference), and in the 18th century it was adopted as a revolutionary symbol and later came to represent the French Revolution. The beret, over time, became a familiar, symbolically French adornment worn initially by men and only in the 20th century did it cross over to be worn by women. This cap became a favorite of rural farm workers in the southwestern part of France and during World War II, and the beret was closely associated with members of the French Resistance.

Significance

The beret continued to excite the interest and adaptation of elite military organizations worldwide, and it is closely associated with at least 21 national military groups. These organizations generally have multiple applications and colors to distinguish among groups.

Adaptation

The beret has also continued to elicit the attention and use by revolutionary groups and organizations, being worn by individuals as diverse as Fidel Castro to members of the American Black Panther Party. The beret, in such use, is intended to make a statement aligning the wearer with revolutionary justice by association with other beret wearers, going back hundreds of years.

Symbolism

Classically French, the beret has, at times, been considered to be the national French hat. Although it has moved in and out of fashion, based on the movement of all hat wearing, it has also been adopted by a wide variety of groups, such as scout groups; the Guardian Angels; sousaphone players in marching bands; the Mexican Red Cross; and schoolgirls.

Fashion

In 2009, the beret was back in fashion and, as noted in "The Independent," retailers said that sales figures doubled as French nationalism had grown in the previous year. A black beret is traditionally worn in France, and often the headband is tucked under to render it invisible. The French say that the way your beret slants indicates the direction of your politics.