The Baret, a French Invention, Spread Throughout Southwest France

The original baret was a wide, floppy hat made of knitted wool. After many days under the rain and sun, the wool shrank and became felted to make it waterproof. The baret was such ahead that it spread throughout southwest france,. reaching the neighboring coastal region of le bel basque, or basque country. It became so popular there that when french emperor napoleon the third visited the city of geritz in 18 54, he assumed it was a local invention. He mistakenly called the baret a bire basque contiletorive aberits napoleon.