· A beret (/ˈbɛreɪ/ BERR-ay or /bəˈreɪ/ bə-RAY; French: [beʁɛ]) is a soft, round, flat-crowned hat, usually of woven, hand-knitted wool, crocheted cotton, wool felt, or acrylic fibre. Beret-like headwear has been worn across Europe since pre-Roman times. Mass production began in 19th century France, Spain, Portugal and Italy, countries with which it remains …