The beret: a new fashion symbol

When ordinary American soldiers took off the berets from their heads, the special forces troops smiled: this unique honor had returned to them alone.

Practical Needs Prevail Over Aesthetics
"I hate wearing a wet sock on my head. It makes my skin break out in rashes," a soldier said about the headgear that was once an emblem of the U.S. Army. Prior to this, Army Chief of Staff Martin Dempsey had requested Army Sergeant Major Raymond Chandler to survey soldiers' opinions, and the result showed that soldiers wanted patrol caps to replace berets. The beret first entered the U.S. military in 1943 when a battalion from the 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment borrowed the maroon berets of the British Parachute Regiment. In 1961, during a review, John F. Kennedy specifically instructed all special forces to wear green berets. In his view, since they carried out special missions, they should demonstrate differences from other units.

Thereafter, with the support of the White House, berets rapidly gained popularity not only among U.S. special forces but also in the regular army. As thousands of American soldiers traveled the world, the berets on their heads became increasingly renowned.

However, for the military, practical needs ultimately take precedence over aesthetic appeal. During combat and duty operations, they found that berets lacked brims to shield from the sun and had poor sweat absorption, leading to their abandonment. Thus, in mid-June, the U.S. Army announced that apart from special forces, ordinary soldiers would no longer be required to wear berets with combat uniforms, replacing them with brimmed patrol caps. Beyond practical comfort, this decision offered an additional benefit of cost savings: each beret cost $11.9, while patrol caps cost only $6.5 apiece. When ordinary American soldiers removed the berets from their heads, special forces troops smiled: this unique honor had returned to them alone.

France Is Its True Homeland

In fact, the beret is far from being an American invention, though there's no doubt that American GIs popularized it worldwide. Its history dates back to the 15th century in the Pyrenees region of southwestern France (formerly Gascony), where numerous shepherds with distinctive personalities roamed. They bore an uncanny resemblance to China's Wei-Jin scholars: fond of boasting, living unrestrained lives, and notoriously averse to laundry. The French proverb "Gascon laundry" mocked their habit of wearing clothes inside out once they grew dirty. These carefree herders first wove round, brimless soft caps from brown wool to shield themselves from sun and rain. Rounded on all sides without brims, the hats stayed firmly on their heads even in wind. When tired from work, shepherds would doff their caps to wipe sweat, then use them as seat cushions while chatting freely. They even used the beret's position on the head to convey different messages.

The Gascon-invented beret was first adopted by the Basques along the French-Spanish border. Travelers to Basque lands discovered these quirky hats, calling them "Basque berets," and introduced them to other parts of France, where they gradually became a national fashion. For centuries, berets were beloved by shepherds, farmers, workers, and students-both male and female-and even adopted by the French military. Thus, the beret, alongside baguettes and wine, became an emblem of France and French identity.

A Darling of the Fashion World

The 1960s film Bonnie and Clyde undoubtedly reignited the beret's nostalgic allure. In this movie, which won the 1968 Oscar for Best Costume Design, the female lead-a bank robber-stole the show not just with her plot but with her wardrobe. Her beret paired with a shawl became a sensation that year, while her sleek, tailored two-piece shirt suit set fashion trends. By then, however, post-war generations in French cities had already abandoned the beret; the "stereotypical Frenchman" wearing one had become a rarity-hard to imagine that during the WWII German occupation, many French civilians had donned berets as a symbol of unyielding national spirit.

Since then, the beret has shed its label as a mere "French eccentricity" to become a fashion world darling. In Elizabeth Taylor's iconic remarks on silk scarves, the beret earned a mention: "I have only one shirt, one skirt, one beret, and one pair of shoes, but fourteen silk scarves." Even today, Beijing-Shanghai high-speed rail attendants wearing purple berets trimmed with gold thread reignite fond memories: when air travel was still a status symbol, flight attendants in blue berets were fresh-faced-long before heavy makeup became the norm.

Artistic circles have also embraced the beret, with many discerning literati youth preferring woolen versions, believing they exude greater intellectual charm. At Prada's Spring/Summer 2012 show, the beret took center stage: modeled by dashing male models, the soft headgear became an emblem of cheerfulness, optimism, and warmth, embodying carefree ease. Paired with a camel cardigan, floral trousers, a delicate neck scarf, and a crystal-riveted leather clutch (a look demanding serious confidence), Prada's literary aesthetic, some say, is best carried by art-loving, softly-spoken youth.

Perhaps, aside from burly U.S. Army soldiers, no one truly dislikes the beret.