The Changing Shape of British Berets 

In military movies you can instantly see if an actor has invested time and effort by the way they wear their berets.

The US military and the modern art pieces they call berets are a excellent example of what not to do.

Even now recruits in the British Army recreate the evolution of the beret, from a helicopter landing pad in the early weeks, to a more refined item in later months of recruit training. Once they get to Battalion they can perfect the 'cap badge over the left ear' look or the 'I'm secretly in Pathfinder Platoon' flat cap. ..Until the RSM is in sight then its quickly back to cap badges over the left eye and 'no sir, this is how I always wear it honest'.

In the early 80s we were issued huge berets with the satin ribbon. We used to private purchase smaller crowned berets with leather bands from Silvermans. The plastic bit was always ripped out and the beret plunged alternatively into boiling and then cold water to shrink it even more. Royal signals had a very sharp moulding at the front from the top of the badge and a tuck behind it. It was worn with the front band almost at eyebrow level. Still got mine and it is still the same shape!

Yank here. Former U.S. Marine. IMHO, "berrys" (as I heard 2 Scots artillerymen I served with in Operation Granby with pronounce the headgear) are a beautiful but useless cover, it fails to provide shade over the eyes/face, and no warmth in cold/wet weather. It immediately identifies Brits as British soldiers, which, of course, strikes bloody fear in the hearts of our enemies. Cheers, great and informative viddy!

I have been out of the army 26 years, served 22 years 1974-1996, still get it out of my draw from time to time, and it fits like a glove, once shaped properly it would never lose its shape, and for me cap badge always over the left eye

I've been having a good laugh at these "2020 revolutionaries" by plonking on their berets without shaping. Another laugh when you see actors playing military parts with brand new mushrooms on their bonces.

I was a 2434 from 74 until 98. The saga of beret shrinking was fun. I always wore my beret like a cyclops; badge in the middle; we called it ‘two way stretch’. I loved my beret and managed to keep the same one throughout my career. Luckily too, on Op Grapple my UN beret was excellent for shaping.

The current Para regt flat caps amuse me. It is as if they are having a competition to make it as Andy Capp as possible.

Thanks for that, very interesting. I’m not sure if this has already been mentioned but I’ve not read all the comments. I joined 3RTR in 1980 and the trend was wear our berets with the badge in the middle and pulled down on either side of the badge as you mentioned. However I was led to believe, and it made sense that this was to allow us to wear the Staff Users Headsets, then on issue, over our ears rather than being obstructed by the RH shaping. We put much care into making out berets look a good (subjective 😊) as we could. Much alternating between hot and cold water and then allowing it to dry and sometimes uncomfortably shrink to our heads. We weren’t issued with Forage or as we called them ‘twat hats’ so our berets were our pride and joy. The Chieftain Tanks were issued with the Crew Helmet (Bone Dome) but these were implements of torture and not popular. Towards the end of the 1980’s things changed. Challenger 1 had ANR (Active Noise Reduction) and the wearing of Crew Helmets fitted with ANR headsets was mandatory. When in the field but dismounted we wore our Combat Helmets. No real need to even take a beret on exercise. Even Op Banner (Northern Ireland) required the wearing of a Combat Helmet. Soon we were all wearing our berets exactly like the RTR chaps at the end of your presentation. Very nice too! One last thing, the two soldiers shown with one holding the SLR must have been actors or had only been in the Army for 5 minutes. He’s not holding the weapon at all correctly and has his eye so close to the rear sight that he we probably lose it, it wasn’t a rifle for your sister that’s for sure. Finally, yes I have gone on: you can always spot the actors on TV shows about the army by their berets. They always look like the offices had theirs 😄 If you read these things I hope at least a little of this will help you on your educational journey.

I was once told by my father, who had to do National Service, that the quickest way to piss of the RSM ( and he could do nothing about it) was to do nothing to your uniform to make it look better. Modifying your uniform made you look smarter, but would get you charged if the RSM was looking for an excuse. Apparently it was a favourite trick amongst conscripts that didn't want to be there.

I was at Brat School in the early 70's and the 'fashion' then was to try and have the smallest beret you could get usually by shrinking it (in hot water then cold and so on) and then wet moulding it to the desired shape. The one with the plastic in soon had that ripped out to make it fit tighter and be easier to mould. I had a fair sized piece of plastic behind my cap badge which allowed me to get the badge to stand up on its own and I had the crown pulled over mostly to the left but with a small part over to the right. Oh if someone asks you if you've had the wheeee taken out of your beret, always answer yes. Otherwise it got launched across the room with a shout of "Wheeee"!

It's an interesting evolution. Looking back at the shape of berets during world war 2 and the 1950's they would be considered 'gopping' by today's standards. It's interesting how fashions and regimental traditions change.

Being a Royal Engineer from 2005 onwards, wearing your issued beret as small as possible was always the aim. As soon as we arrived at our units, we would buy officer’s berets which were silk lined and had a smaller crown. After completing P Coy & then the AACC, I immediately peaked my beret. At my unit, regardless of what course you completed we still wore a blue beret. Peaking it was a way of visually showing you had completed one of the respective courses without having the maroon or green beret on. Peaking your beret without having completed such a course was a huge faux pas and a reprimand from higher ranks as well as peers would soon ensue. Interesting video mate 👍🏻

I remember in 1967 joining the military and starting 14 weeks training. My first weekend home I tried to shrink my beret and made a right balls of it. Too long in the saucepan and the leather band shrunk too far so I had to go to the stores when I got back to get a new beret (and a bollocking). Lovely days I remember and glad I joined, best time in my life.

I remember my beret being the one thing in tool more pride in then any other part of my kit. It being army issue was of course one size fits all and was a little big so I had to keep reworking it over and over. Always remember to shave it!

Interesting video. I was a National Serviceman in the SADF early 1980's. Called up initially to 3 SAI (3 South African Infantry) near Potchefstoom in SA. I remember during our basic training, getting our shapeless 'new' green berets into shape, was an urgent matter of personal pride. The clear plastic liners were ripped out and the new beret was subjected to repeated immersion in hot & cold water, dragging and molding the beret to fit, as tight as possible. Same wearing of regimental badge & colours over left eye & beret dragged as flat as possible over right side of head. 2 finger distance between brow and beret rim. A piece of flat plastic was fitted behind the badge, to give it rigidity & style. There was a black ribbon threaded in the beret's leather rim, (faux leather) which was used to custom fit the new beret, to the wearers head size, puller as tight as possible into a small knot, with the ends cut off, for a flush fit. Some pulled out this ribbon altogether & discarded it, but those berets tended to develop a droppy look. Well into our basics, we were informed by the instructors, anyone who had ripped out the plastic beret lining, could be charged with damaging government property. As we had all done that, I don't remember that threat ever been carried out. All that faff, for a bloody beret 🙄👍

Fashion! My late 90s beret was roughly the size of a beermat, worn with the badge close to the left ear and a sharp peak over the right. The peak could slide over the eyes if you wanted to look extra cool. The method for carrying the beret poking from the map pocket was also prescribed.

That old one is almost exactly like the Balmorals we wore in the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa, but pulled them down to the front, with the cap badge over our left ear.

There are some shocking berets there. Mine were always close fitting and I always tried to form the crease over the front of the badges. I say 'badges' because I ultimately wore three in my time. They were always shrunk into shape and NEVER had ribbons hanging down the rear. Also, in my experience, the badge was moved over the ear so as not to show any potential enemy the glint of the badge in the sun whilst on ops/ex. We also used to have a spare badge, painted black, to use in tactical situations for the same purposes and they looked cool too, which NEVER hurts. These are, you understand, my experiences and other's mileages may differ.

6:12. Berets worn centrally for those who wore headsets were called ‘ducks arse’ in my Regiment (3RTR) because the spare material pointed straight back.

Lovely bit of history, most informative! Always a pleasure to learn more on all of these uniform aspects. Nicely done! I was given a Tank Corps Beret for Christmas back in 1967, compared to my early '50s variant, it barely makes a shower cap! Cheers!

In the 1970's there was a shop in Aldershot called Victors who produced smaller crowned berets, the para style of small berets worn pulled right and forward became fashionable amongst all other regiments too at this time, my Dad still has his Victors beret in Royal Artillery blue

I didn't have too much this time this morning and now I am late. In this current age I have blame someone other than myself. That leaves this channel for the excellent video or RU-vid for recommending it!

Great video, and explains why I am having problems shaping my beret. My issued one, now over 25 years old, was looking a big worse for wear, so purchased a new one from the PRI shop the other month, so I might look a bit smarter on Remembrance parade. I have had a hell of a job trying to shape the new one, and after watching the video, I now know why. The crown has reduced from around 10 inches to about 8, and hence explains why I can’t get it to pull down over the right hand side. Might have to revert back to my old worn out one !

The reason for the cap badge being worn in the centre of the forehead with headsets was a matter of necessity, as the earphones and headset would push the back of the cap badge into the wearers head.

I was in the Queens Regt in the 1970s and we shaped the beret by soaking it and wearing it wet. Not pleasant but effective. The alternative headgear was the infamous 'hat ridiculous' a kind of camouflage baseball cap. I've never seen them since and i'm not bloody surprised. One other point. My dad was in the 8th army then attached to the American 5th and I remember him and his drinking pals always pronounced it 'berry'.

Very interesting subject and well presented, thank you for sharing 👍🇬🇧

When i was a boy soldier in the mid 60's , Kangol berets were the most sought after "gold standard" as the crown could be easily shrunk and moulded.. Always worn with a backing for the cap badge which was worn off center , left eye, Tankie style. pulled down both sides.

Fascinating subject matter, expertly presented, thank you!

In my regiment, we used a thin piece of plywood or plastic behind the cap badge to hold it straight up and tight the material. As you may have noticed, in my photo, the RTR colours form the background. Brown, Red, and Green. Wearing battle dress uniform.

It’s took years for pongos to understand that Royal always wore his green lid in the correct way, liner out cap badge plastic in the bin and soak and stretch over your bonce and repeat, my lid stood in shape on its own off my head 😂

Thanks for this, i wondered why a photo of my Grandad in Norway showed him wearing a helicopter landing pad, it's not a beret but a GS Cap. My beret from my service still fits and the minimum of fuss putting it on. The way of wearing the beret is as individual as the person wearing it, but ever more they seem to be seeing how far they can get the cap badge to the left ear and turning it into a flat cap, looks fecking awful. As an interesting aside, look at C Sgt Vezza's beret in the BBC Sandhurst documentary, his is approaching tiny.

Issued berets were still big in the 80s, I just put my new one in the washing machine on a 90 cycle and wore at home for a bit.

I’m sure everyone who has served has there own little variations on how to shape it, but I was taught, remove the plastic and tie it to size on your head. Use the hottest water u can stand, but don’t submerge the leather band, then it’s hot water, cold water, hot water cold water etc then shape it to your head until you are happy with it, cap badge over left eye ish...... and it’s shaping not moulding, never heard it called moulding .

Good job. Nicely researched, well edited, and very interesting

In the RCT and in the LI we tended to bin the issue berets and buy repacements from Silvermans that were leather banded and much easier to shrink and shape. We also often sewed the right hand flap of the beret down at two or three points to hold the flap tight against the beret.

Great content fella

Excellent video! No one in RU-vidland and beyond have produced such a detailed beret video. I have a WWII beret in my collection, and my original issued beret from the RCA when I served. I believe Canada followed most of the British patterns,.My beret was molded in the shower. I would shower with it on and pull down on the right side over and over to get it to hang as low as possible. Some would remove the liner to help mold it. It would really hang low over the right ear, but that method was discouraged, but not really enforced.

Berets, so much has changed in the last 30 years 😂 nowadays everyone seems to think they are wearing a TOS, The cap badges seem to be migrating from the left eye to the left ear. Now, the first beret I was issued had the cloth band (1990) we were encouraged to get hold of a leather banded one as they fit better.wed get them from places like duboras in Aldershot or HM supplies. The style was alot smaller than the issue one and looked better. Some of the old sweats wore the cap badge in the centre on the forehead, was told they were armoured engineers so it made sense if a headset was worn. Some but not many wore it like Andy capp, flat cap style with a cap badge fastened to the front. Some me included cut a piece of plastic and wore it behind the badge on the inside.this helped to give your beret a bit better shape.

Still got my original issue Kangol beret complete with original Jimmy......Over a period of time a lot of lads used to break the base off the jimmy through wear and tear and have to get a replacement....I used invisible cotton to sew and anchor the base in place so it didn't allow for bending and eventual snapping...Still there 40 years later

When I served in the Royal Navy in the early 1980s, I was based where we had Royal Marines on the main gate, security patrols and so on. Their berets were well shaped and immaculate at all times. Some Royal Navy personnel deliberately wore their berets without any molding or shaping in homage to the Royal Marines...

Thank you for a very interesting video... I'd like to add that sometimes the shape of the head determined the beret shape..... I served with some very strange shaped heads in my time.

Great video mate 👍

South African Defence Force in the late 80s, Armoured Corps. The SADF beret sizes looked like the 1960s Para beret you wore, and the 1970s beret in your vid. We didn't have any plastic lining inside by my time, as the head sweats tremendously in the hot African summers. I hadn't heard of the hot/cold water treatment until now. I used my deodorant as a flamethrower to burn off the excess felt, then bit the leading edge from above the left eye across over the right eye to get a crease. Burned felt tastes really crap by the way. We washed the beret, put a flat, flexible piece of plastic cut out of a big bottle inside the beret to support the badge and the 'Balkie' which sat under the badge. Balkies were rectangular enamelled badges of two or three colours, denoting your service as in our case, black berets were worn by Armoured, Intelligence, and the Technical Service Corps. Our balkie was blue, white and orange. School of Armour changed it's badge in my year to seperate us from the armoured car battalions of 1 and 2 Special Services Battalions. Our new badge was similar to the British tank badge of an old WW1 tank surrounded by a laurel wreath. The first batch were made of lead. Yes, LEAD! This pulled the front of your beret down like a flat cap, so you had to constantly rearrange your beret. From throwing my beret around like a frisbee, the fine detail of the badge wore off. We swore that if we ever ran out of ammo, the badge could be thrown as a last resort. Our tankers and armoured car crews never wore their berets in the vehicles, always helmets, with our berets tucked under our left epaulet, or threaded though our large belt loops.

My Beret insert was cut out and the beret was then boil in sauce pan, and then dried and shape in the airing cupboard on ball with cap badge in place and then on the side of the cap badge was then sewn in place and even the badge was sewn in place to give a point and ridge. The other side was iron to give a sharp edge witch was drawn down to ear.

I am currently in the rafac and I hated moulding my first Beret it wasn't too bad but there was a standard that you had to go by when having to mould it.

I went through this process as a very young naval reservist many years ago. Rip out the lining, cut off the ribbons at the back, dip in water, stick on head, remove and place in airing cupboard. Happy days!

Just found your channel, very informative, thanks☺☺

interesting as usual Having worn berets in differing arms of the UK forces and overseas, the degree of 'individualisation' of service uniform allowed or not varied greatly. the fashion for having the creases sown in to your lightweights was one such issue - for some units a no no, others did not mind. The first thing we did with our berets (1970's) was to cut out the liner and plastic square all the way to the cotton band, shrink it and shape it, - sharp fold to the ear and deep indent behind the cap badge (of which a black version of the badge was swapped out on exercise or tours. The only difficulty I had with shaping a beret was in a none UK unit where the 'draw string' ribbons were at the time left to dangle down the nape of your neck, I could not line the badge over the eye and get the ribbons in place - until it clicked different eye as worn on the other side of the head !

Damn! The green beret I bought isn't appropriate for Royal Marines WWII reenactment, I had some doubts, now I know for sure ! Great job

The berets we were issued with in the late 1950s were considered far too “baggy”. These were shrunk in cold water. The trick was to shrink the bag without shrinking the head band. I was lucky in that my hat size was a seven. Lucky because it fitted one of the two sizes of mess tins (I forget which one). The beret was put on the upside down mess tin - a thight fit - before being drenched with water and then left out to dry in the Kenyan sun. Interestingly, the square shape of the band of your parachute beret looks as though it might just have received this treatment.

In the second Polish Corps, the eagle on the GS Cap was carried on the front but in Polish Commando Company Eagle was carried on the left side on the beret

In the 1950's as soon as our kit was issued we had to tighten the ribbon that ran round inside the leather band of our green (Light Infantry) berets to fit, knot them off and cut off the surplus. From this you had to construct and sew on, over the knot, a bow. This was to achieve a neat look that you couldn't get by merely tying a bow.

Most useful! Thanks!

I still have mine from the 70's! It turned out later (after a few months) I was engaged to the girl at Compton's who actually MADE it. I showed it to her and it had her stamp on it! Soaked in a bucket of cold water, shaped and work until dry. I can pick it up and put it on, fits perfectly still shaped as t was all those years ago, when I was on active service.

Is there a place to find new-made 50’s style berets? I have a modern midnight blue one but there isn’t enough material on top, so I can’t get a proper shape to it. My head is also too big for most original examples, so I was wondering if there was somewhere I could find a suitable replacement.

Aha. I'm not the only one obsessing about beret styles!

Remember that different Regiments wear the Beret in particular ways too so it still varies from Regiment to Regiment. Interesting video

Every beret i was issued had a ribbon running through the rim and sticking out the back,that came straight out,by the way i was a Rfn 3RGJ in the 60s and 70s.

Most crowns on berets were the same but when they looked smaller they were shrunk my beret went right over my ear until it was shrunk and shaped we shrunk our own.. Berets that were not shrunk were called helli landing pads , in my regiment it was called shaped not molded I served from 1976 to 2002 never heard of molding unless it was minging and smelt molded. When you said the beret had changed from the 60s to the 70s the date on my beret was 1963 a rifle green one as issued to the Light infantry, RGJ , and the Ulster Defence Regiment exactly the same as the size as issued today .

Great video, thanks

Berets in the British army as said do tend to change from different Regiments. funny thing was 20 years ago all officers over the Rank of 2 Lt had to have a Helicopter landing pad or Frank Spencer Style as I remember lol

Awesome stuff dude. I've been looking for an account on the evolution of British soft hats for a while, but could never find anything.

As well as a shrunk and shaped beret often sans the liner, we also used to tailor our DPM jackets with darts in the back and of course lightweights with sewn in creases to make us look as pukka as **** but utterly tick tock.

I saw this video and had to phone my grandads brother who did national service in the royal signals Cyprus 1958 I had to ask how he wore his beret he said “I didn’t take to the beret I wore it cap badge over the left eye and down to the right eye I hated the bloody thing it smelled and was greasy after months”

As a Canadian , I can honestly say I like the British berets better than Canadian ones. They look like they fit better.

I’m an instructor with the ACF (not regs) and I have seen the cadets try to do there own things with the beret the badges have a tendency to move over the ear. We also tend to cut out the lining to make it easier to mould and avoid the plate smuggling look

Tankies wore cap badge centre, with both sides pulled down, due to wearing radio headsets when mounted on their vehicle and the pressure shaped them in that manner. Clearly, if the cap badge was worn to the right, it just gets in the way. This is also the reason some Tankie and Cav units shape their Forage Cap’s when in the same way, particularly the Officers. Every day is a school day 👍🏻

I joined the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers in 1969. We wore our berets in much the standard form, but the NCOs tended to mold theirs somewhat, by dipping in boiling water, then in cold water, then in boiling water again, before a final dunk in cold water; after which, they placed it on their head and moulded it to shape, so it was a better fit and didn't have such a large overhang over the Right ear. The other thing which was common amoungst the NCOs, was to modify the shape of the RRF Hackle. This required the hackle to be steamed and then the feathers brushed outwards and downwards, after which, they were placed upside down into a Wine Glass to set. When removed and mounted, they then looked like an inverted Goblet. With reference to Radio Operators/Signallers, they used to mold their berets using the above technique, but with the badge and hackle nearer to the center of the Forehead; slightly to the Left of the nose. The crown of the beret was then moulded with equal parts above each ear, so their headsets sat comfortably on their ears over their beret, without interfering with the badge and hackle.

Thank you...very interesting

I was in the Jnr Para Coy as a boy soldier joining in 72. Before qualifying for our maroon beret we had to wear other headgear. After tests and qualifying for our Para beret the beret was not that easy to shape correctly so it was recommended we went to a shop called Victors whose berets where of far better quality and a leather band. I seem to remember it was 10/- ( shillings)

Worn for years with the oak leaf on Horseguards on Remembrance Day .

Fantastic video, quick question. Why was there a change between cap and beret?

I had the pleasure of knowing a gentleman who was in the tank regiment in ww2. He said when in Africa they changed from wearing the black berets to forage caps to stop the Germans knowing there was tank personnel in the dessert

The maroon machine definitely looks the best

Very interesting

The 'peaking' of the berets is done when the wearer has served sufficent time and experience in his unit and gained respect, it's only really done where the maroon or green berets are worn. If a newish bloke turned up with a peak, it wouldn't go down well for him. It's almost like an unwritten rule.

Tankies...french onion seller is my particular favourite....small crown crompton leather band in my day...no one wore the issue...

The 17.15 marks has Martin "Bil" Bentley who won the MM at the Battle of Goose Green as a Medic with C Coy 2 Para

There's a few photos of chaps during the war 'flat capping' their GS caps as well, so not just a 1960s thing, but always very interesting to see!

Most young soldiers and JACOB seem to think that the cap badge should be on the side of the head rather than in line with the eye. Unfortunately SNCO have no back bone and don't boot arse.

The issue berets in depot were called “Porkies” in the 80s, it was like a doss-bag on your head. When you passed P-company we went to Victors and bought our berets there.

I always wondered why the size had changed

Great video. Wish you would show period pics in your videos more often, like you did here. Cheers

Victors all day long and maroon (if earned) being the best colour

A question have you ever done a video about the cauben

It wasn't just the army. In the 1970s, I was in the ATC and it was very specifically taught "badge over left eye" and well pulled down over right ear. When I joined the OTC in college, I did the same and this was fine. The (mis)shaping I have seen since was never impressive and paras were the worst! I would never have told them though!

Q. does any one know where I can get a 1960s olivegreen british army smock repro ? cheers, Jeff

I joined the Army in 1967. The wearing of a beret with the badge in the centre and both sides pulled down to form an even slope, was normally called a 'Tankie' as it was usually the Tank regiments wearing them. It was done for the use of the radio systems in tanks and other vehicles. As I was in the Artillery, if you wore a 'Tankie', you were at least put on extra fatigues if not charged, even if you were a radio operator. I later joined a territorial infantry regiment where they were not so fussy and had smaller berets that could be moulded more easily.

Can anybody say when the fashion for shaving berets started (or finished)? Back in the '90's, in some units not shaving your beret meant unwelcome attention from red-faced shouty types, but in others units, not having it shaved was ignored.

I joined the army as a boy solider in 1968 aged 15 and served with the Junior Leaders Infantry Battalion stationed at Park Hall Camp in Oswestry, Shropshire. The berets issued were enormous and quite ridiculous looking! We hated them. We shrank them in hot water, rang them dry, then fashioned them on our heads and slept in them! Very uncomfortable! We wore them the following day, still damp, but when they dried out they looked great!

Have a look at the royal marine commemorative video on here col Oliver Lees beret shaping in the final scene is AWESOME!

The RHODESIAN'S KNEW how to shape a beret PROPERLY.

Brilliant videos very informative what about the beret the Royal irish use caubeen it has been in service along time now

I remember the hot and cold system which would actually shrink the cloth Keeping the leather band out and then shape on your head wet that way it never hanged over your ear and looked a lot smarter

Many old sergeant-majors will be mouthing "idle berets" two extra guard duties.

I had one of the smallest and smartest berets in 1 King's Own Border 87-90. 56 size with the lining cut out. Private purchase, shrunk to f**k Comptom Webb. The Kangol issue was like Billy Smarts.

The commandos berets have some very different ways of been shaped

That photo of the molded section being pulled forward is actually a very historical practice. Many men who wore Tams or Bonnets which were sort of Celtic berets would mold them in similar fashions so it could be pulled over the eyes for shade or to hide the eyes, whilst allowing the cap to be rotated around and/or tilted to the back of the head to show more face when desired.