This article by Wall Street Journal reporter Felix Kessler (with many mistakes and inaccuracies!) was sent to me by an American customer who found it folded in one of his books. No exact date, but it must be the early 1980's.
The article largely describes the decline of beret (and general hat-)wearing and ends with a really beautiful quote: when the reporter asks the hat clerk at elite restaurant Maxim's about berets, she replies that she never handled a beret from a diner. Then the maitre'd' chips in "Our guests don't drop in from the mountains"!
I see mums are once again copping it for the faults of their children! Mr Peneroux was right; men have opted for horrible "slouchy beanies". Beret sartorial challenges - a new Olympics game? Hauled to heaven by my cabilliou? I certainly hope that's not my destination post mortem. Of course the hat-check girl has never been handed a beret - we just tuck ours into a pocket!
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