Parisian Chic is Out and Tacky is In!
Thanks to Emily in Paris, berets are making a pop culture comeback. And while her character’s style is constantly chastised for being “ringarde” AKA tacky, that is what we love most about the show! Because who has time to look Paris perfect?
To be clear, tacky isn’t a bad thing. In the past, hipsters have always called it “ironic”, and drag culture refers to it as “camp” – both of which have been lauded for decades. Patricia Field, the genius costume designer behind Emily in Paris, knows this and spins it masterfully for mass consumption via the Netflix hit. In this blog, Hollywood Branded shows you the best places to get yourself some ringarde berets – so you can be just like Netflix’s queen bee, Emily!
Where Should I Buy Such Berets?
For starters – we’d like to advise against shopping on Etsy. While normally it would be the most convenient place to search for these kinds of unique designs, there is currently an Etsy strike by their makers and sellers taking place April 11th-18th. This is because Etsy saw a 23% increase in sales since COVID-19 has plagued society. Independent designers and crafters were able to focus on their art to create more products to sell at higher volumes and faster. And on the flip side, shoppers were spending their stimmies, unemployment checks, and extra cash online to get that little extra rush of dopamine in a very dark and depressing time.
Due to these record profits, starting April 11th Etsy announced it will be increasing its transaction fees from 5% to 6.5% in order to make significant investments in marketing, seller tools, and creating a better customer experience to support this growth. And while that all sounds fine and dandy, the independent sellers on the platform feel it is the epitome of corporate greed and that it is directly taking money out of their own pockets. We will keep it up to you to decide how and where you would like to spend your money, but for the sake of supporting small “ringarde” businesses, we suggest going straight to their websites.
Sunshine by Hester
Hester is an NYC-based Fashion designer with more than 15 years of experience working with designers like Kate Spade, Betsey Johnson, Hot Topic, Spencer Gifts, and Nordstrom. She’s a Project Runway alumni making novelty accessories for the unconventional fashionistas and fashionistos of the world. In addition to berets, you can cop some bandanas, hair clips, and other doo-dads on her site. While the amazing “Cunt” beret worn by Zebra Katz in the image above is no longer available, there’s still a slew of goodies to choose from.
Personal favs include the “Queerdo” and “Feeling Witchy” styles. And if you are looking for more ringarde fashion, you can check out another line of hers, Hesta, for a small selection of curated RTW. We particularly love the Plaid Cher Dress to pair with your beret of choice.
Elleni The Label
Elleni the Label makes kitschy and bright designs intended to elicit smiles wherever you go. Want to be Key Lime Pie for the Day? Done! Covered in bows? She’s got you… covered! Meant for individuals with personality, the campiness shines through and can be worn every day, for any event - not just cosplay. Would love to see Emily in Paris rock something this over the top!
Want to take your headwear game to the next level? Elleni also has heart-shaped hats in keeping with the beret vibe, as well as vintage-inspired gumdrop hats. The shop has currently 103 styles to choose from, so brace yourself for some series eye candy overload.
Eugenia Kim
While Eugenia Kim is a bit more of an established brand – and not found on Etsy – she has been in the hat game since 1996 when she took a millinery class at Parsons School for Design. After receiving a bad haircut a few years later and wishing to cover it up, she created a feather cloche headpiece that caught the attention of Barney’s New York, who placed an order, and thus her business was born!
She now has all different styles of hats, but always a wide selection of berets. Most notably her cat ear berets have gotten a lot of press and over the years has evolved into different colors, fabrics, and embellishments. Realistically we can see Emily in Paris wearing one of these as they strike a balance of chic and whimsical. Eugenia Kim’s designs can be found on her website, or at other major retailers like Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus. However, our favorite is this pink metallic one currently on sale if you do a little digging, which we certainly did for you! ;)
Skeletato
Now we would be remiss not to inform you of the very important, and very ringarde, Furby berets made by Skelatato which can be found on Depop. If you are still riding that Y2K vibe and need something super kawaii to accessorize your sweet demon baby with, well we’ve got something for you! Skeletato comes out of Pennsylvania with tiny Furby berets that are hand-sewn and glued. Imperfections will occur as Skeletato is a very small, very niche operation that I think we all need in our lives.
Could you imagine a Season 3 Emily in Paris x Furby integration, making the nostalgic Tiger Electronics (now Hasbro) toy go viral yet again, but in the digital age? I’d die. Emily could keep one as a pet, wear matching berets, and conquer not just Paris, but the world! Teamwork makes the dream work, y’all. Consider this an official manifesting of Furby and their tiny berets into the series.
Eager To Learn More?
Want to stay in the know on all things related to pop culture fashion? Look no further than our very own blog, where you can find more about new trends in fashion, beauty, and streetwear!
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