Beret with Brim: 11 Stylish Types

Are you thinking of a hat that combines the chic, classic style of a beret with the functionality and practicality of a brim? Oh! Yeah, that’s the beret with a brim. It is crucial to grasp the beret’s overall history in order to fully comprehend beret with brim. Now, let’s dive into the history of berets.

The beret has its roots in the Bronze Age, when shepherds in the Pyrenees highlands of southern France wore similar brimless caps. Later on, the beret was connected to Basque culture and the Basque Country region of France. The beret evolved over time, transcending its rural French roots to the point of becoming a statement piece in fashion. Berets became associated with the Parisian style by the middle of the 20th century.

The beret with brim started to become a recognized fashion item in the middle of the 20th century. Jackie Kennedy and Audrey Hepburn were two fashion stars who frequently wore berets with brims, popularizing the classic design.

The broad-brimmed beret was popular among artists, scholars, and political activists in the 1960s and was associated with the counterculture movement. Members of the American Black Panther Party are renowned for wearing it; it also serves as an indicator and symbol of protest. Thus, you can see that the beret with a brim has a very long and diverse history.

Beret with Brim

Now, let’s fully understand what a beret with a brim really is. Beret with brim is a hybrid between the original round, brimless beret that is worn by many people worldwide and the conventional brimmed hat.

The brim of the beret can vary in size and shape, but it’s often larger and more noticeable than a regular beret’s brim. This hat design is frequently referred to as a “bere-brim,” or a “bere-brimmed beret.”

There is more to learn about beret with brim. Let’s go!

The Beret with brim can be embellished with many types of embellishments, such as thread embroidery or a decorative band around the crown and is often made from wool or other natural fibers.

With respect to the culture or country from which it originates, beret with brim can have a variety of styles and can be worn for different purposes. For instance, military personnel frequently wear berets with brims in France. The beret with brim is also linked to intellectuals and artists in the United States.

11 Different Types of Berets with Brim

Let’s look at the different types and styles of berets with brims.

1. The Basque Beret

The “Béret Basque” or “Béret à la Basque,” which is also called the “Basque beret” or “Béret,” is a traditional style that has its roots in the Basque country of France and Spain. The flat, rounded crown and short brim of the Basque beret define it. Throughout history, artists, intellectuals, and fashion stars have all been fans of the beret’s peculiar appearance. It is available in a variety of hues and sizes and is frequently made of wool, felt, or leather. Do you know the famous French artist who was often seen wearing a Basque beret? It’s Pablo Piccaso.

Pablo Picasso, a well-known Spanish painter, was frequently seen with a Basque beret and has been quoted for saying, “I paint my berets black because I’m in mourning for the world.” But Pablo wasn’t the only well-known figure who wore a beret from that region. Ernest Hemingway, Che Guevara, Edith Piaf, and many others also enjoyed wearing it.

The Basque beret has a long history that dates back to the 14th century, when the Basque Country became a major textile industry hub. Basque berets had spread throughout Europe by the 17th century. By the 1800s, manufacturers were producing Basque berets, which came to symbolize the idyllic image of rural existence in the French rural regions.

2. The Irish Beret

In comparison to the Basque beret, the Irish beret, also known as the “béret à la côte d’Irlande,” has a wider brim and a longer tail. In the 1800s, this design gained popularity in Ireland, and it was often made of Donegal tweed. Those who were members of the Irish Republican Army wore Irish berets, which were later adopted as a symbol of Irish nationalism.

3.  The Breton Beret

Now, the Breton beret, which is also called “béret Breton,” has its roots in Brittany, France, and it’s very different from the Basque beret. The Breton beret is taller and flatter, and it’s usually made from very thick, felted wool. The Breton beret was worn in the 1800s by sailors and fishermen in Brittany, and it was often in darker colors like black or blue.

4. The Belgian Beret

The Belgian beret is also known as the “chapeau forain.” This beret is often made from wool, has a black color, and has a very pronounced square shape. The Belgian beret is usually worn with the brim facing the left. The brim is wide and it’s turned up all the way around.

The Belgian beret is commonly worn by celebrities, artists, renowned individuals, and intellectuals, and it’s also worn by the Belgian military.

5. The Greek Fisherman’s Cap

The Greek fisherman’s cap” is also called “kalpaki”. It is a unique and exotic fashion style that’s linked with fishermen from Greece. This type of beret has a wide, flat brim and it also has a conical crown. It is commonly produced from cotton or linen.

The kalpaki was initially made to shield the fishermen from intense weather conditions like the harsh sun and rain, but it has unusually turned into a fashion piece. The kalpaki could also be the “Greek beret,” and it is often worn by Bohemians and some other celebrities.

6. Béret de pau.

This is a flat-round beret with a very slender leather band around its brim.The “béret de Pau” is a traditional French beret that has its origins in the south of France, specifically in Pau town. This type of beret has been in existence since the 1800s, and it could also be called by some natives “béret à poil,” which translates to “beret with hair.”

The hair represents the soft fibers that are very long and can be seen on the surface of the beret. These hairs are formed during a special felting process. The béret de pau is commonly produced from merino wool, and it’s highly sought after because of its high quality and durability.

7.  Scottish bonnet

The Scottish bonnet is a type of beret with brim. It is very large with a wide flat brim and it’s also floppy in nature with a rubbed design. The Scottish bonnet is also called “bonnet làidir.”. It has its origin in Scotland and has been in existence since the 1400s as a high-quality fashionable and stylish headwear.

It is made in a traditional way from wool or felt, and it could also sometimes be called the “tam o’ shanter.”. The bonnet is characterized by a pom-pom or “toorie,” on the top. The Scottish bonnet is commonly worn by pipers and drummers, as well as members of Scottish clans and pipe bands.

8. The Alpine Beret

The Alpine beret is commonly worn by shepherds, farmers, and other natives who work in the mountains. The Alpine Beret could also be called “béret alpin,” or “béret à pompon,” or the “alpine hat.”

This style of beret has its origins in the French Alps, and it’s still widely used in that region today. The Alpine beret has a cylindrical shape and is traditionally made from wool. It has a flat, turned-up brim and a large pom-pom or “tassel,” attached to the top of the beret.

9. The Tyrolean hat

The Tyrolean hat, also known as the “Almhut,” is one of the most distinctive headwear styles that has its origin in the Austrian Alps. The Tyrolean hat was commonly used by farmers and those who ply the mountain routes often or work on mountains. Some natives also call it the mountain hat. It eventually became a fashion piece in the 1800s.

The Tyrolean hat is traditionally made from felt and has a wide, turned-up brim with a cylindrical crown at the top. It’s still popular today, and it’s often associated with the traditional dress of the region.

10. The French Foreign Legion beret

The French legion beret is also known as the “béret de la Légion étrangère,” as it’s called in French. The beret of the French Foreign Legion is a red beret with a silk band that’s black in color and a badge on the front.

The black band is a significant symbol of French military berets, and the red color is also linked with the blood of the soldiers who have fought for the Legion. The beret is a symbol of pride and distinction, as the Legionnaires are only allowed to wear the beret after completing a very tasking training process.

11. The Boina

The Boina usually has a flat crown and a wide, floppy brim. The brim is usually turned up on one side. The boina is a traditional hat that’s been around for centuries. It is worn frequently by shepherds and cowboys in Spain and South America.

It is produced from felt or wool and could also be adorned with colorful ribbons, feathers, or tassels. It has become a high-quality fashion piece popular with artists, poets, and musicians. The boina has become a symbol of regional identity and cultural pride in the Basque Country, where it originated, and in other regions of Spain.

Well, we’ve had a long list of berets with brims, so as you can see, there’s a whole world of berets with brims out there. The brim has become a classic fashion piece in our modern world today.