Short answer: yes, the beret is genuinely unisex. The shape was never designed around one gender. Shepherds, soldiers, painters and stylish women have all worn the same round, flat-crowned hat for well over a century, and the only thing that changes between them is how it is styled.
I am Camille, and I shape berets by hand for men and women in equal number at the atelier. What makes a beret work for anyone is simple: the fit stays the same, and only the colour, tilt and outfit around it shift.
- The beret shape and fit are the same for men and women.
- Styling, not the hat itself, is what makes a look read masculine or feminine.
- Neutral colours like black, navy and beige suit everyone and every outfit.
- Tilt and positioning change the mood more than the beret does.
- Generations of men and women, from artists to soldiers, have worn the same shape.
The short answer
Short on time? Here is how the same beret adapts across styling choices.
| Styling angle | For men | For women |
|---|---|---|
| Tilt | Straight or slightly angled | More angled, off to one side |
| Colour | Black, navy, khaki, brown | Full range, including brighter tones |
| Pairing | Suit, coat, denim jacket | Blazer, dress, knitwear |
Why the same shape works for everyone
A beret has no built-in gender cues. It is a circle of felted wool gathered into a flat crown and a snug band, with nothing shaped specifically for a man's head or a woman's head. That neutrality is exactly why it has crossed genders so easily for so long.
The construction is also forgiving. One size fits a wide range of head shapes, so the same beret can genuinely be shared or gifted across a family without a sizing conversation. For anyone unsure where to start, who can wear a beret covers fit and face shape in more depth.
Who a classic black beret suits
Anyone starting their first beret and unsure which colour to commit to, and dressers who want one hat that moves easily between a masculine and a feminine outfit.
★★★★★ 4.8 · 62 reviews
Black French Beret
Sleek matte wool in the most versatile colour we sell. Works equally well styled masculine or feminine.
Shop now · $39If you are buying a beret to share between two people in a household, choose a neutral colour and a mid-range size. Tilt and positioning do the styling work, so the same hat reads differently on each person who wears it.
Styling a beret as a man
A mens beret hat tends to sit straighter on the head, tilted just slightly rather than sharply to one side. Neutral colours like black, navy, khaki and brown carry the most weight here, and the beret pairs naturally with a wool coat, a suit, or even a denim jacket for something more relaxed.
- Smart: navy beret, tailored coat, clean lines.
- Casual: black beret, denim jacket, boots.
- Classic: khaki beret, plain knit, chinos.
★★★★★ 4.9 · 75 reviews
Navy Blue Beret
A softer neutral than black, easy to pair with a coat or a casual jacket. A favourite among our male customers.
Shop now · $45Styling a beret as a woman
The same shape opens up to a wider colour range and a more angled tilt when styled for a feminine look. Set further to one side and worn with hair loose or half up, a beret adds softness rather than structure to an outfit.
Wool is the easiest fabric to start with regardless of colour, since it holds a soft shape without needing much adjustment through the day. A neutral wool beret also works as a bridge piece between a masculine and a feminine wardrobe, which is why we lead with it whenever someone asks for a first beret to share.
Who a neutral wool colour suits
First-time beret buyers, anyone shopping for a gift that needs to suit more than one person, and dressers who prefer a softer neutral to stark black or navy.
★★★★★ 4.8 · 60 reviews
Beige Wool Beret
Soft cream wool that suits nearly any styling. A quiet neutral that works on a man or a woman.
Shop now · $45A hat with a long unisex history
French shepherds in the Béarn wore the beret long before it reached fashion, and it moved into the army, into artist studios, and eventually onto the street without ever settling on one gender. Painters, musicians and writers of every background have worn it as a working hat rather than a costume, which is part of why it still feels natural on anyone today.
That history is also why the beret resists being filed under one label. It was practical first, and practical clothing rarely cares who is wearing it. If you want the fuller case for men specifically, we go into more detail in can a man wear a beret.
Caring for a shared beret
Brush wool and felt regularly, air it out after wear, and store it on a flat surface or lightly stuffed so the crown keeps its shape between wears.
Do not machine wash or tumble dry a wool or felt beret. Heat and agitation shrink and distort the shape, which matters even more if it is being shared between two people with different head sizes.
How to choose the right one
- Start with black, navy or beige if the beret needs to suit more than one person.
- Choose wool for the softest, most forgiving shape.
- Let tilt and outfit do the styling work rather than looking for a gendered cut.
Frequently asked questions
No. Men have worn berets for well over a century, from shepherds and soldiers to painters and everyday wardrobes today.
Yes, in most cases. The shape and sizing are the same, so the same hat can move between two people in a household.
Black, navy and beige carry the least gendered association and pair with almost any outfit.
Yes. A straighter, less angled tilt tends to read more masculine, while a sharper angle to one side reads more feminine.
Some collections lean toward traditionally masculine colours like khaki and brown, but the underlying shape and fit stay the same.
So, are berets unisex? Genuinely, yes. The shape has never belonged to one gender, and the styling around it is what makes the difference. Start with a neutral colour, adjust the tilt to suit you, and the same beret will carry almost any wardrobe.
Worn well, never overthought.
Camille
