Vive l'Armée! A history of the Kepi
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- čas přidán 31. 12. 2021
- Emblematic of the French military and law enforcement, the kepi has been a greatly influential uniform hat throughout its existence, spreading to many countries throughout the world.
Version française: • Papiers s'il vous plaî...
The Kepis I wear come from Doursoux ( www.doursoux.com/en/1009-kepis ) and lekepi.fr/
Title sequence designed by Alexandre Mahler
am.design@live.com
This video was done for entertainment and educational purposes. No copyright infringement of any sort was intended.
My brain has decided that it is currently far more important for me to binge watch videos about hats than to put my office away and get some proper sleep
Yes.
"In August 1927 the Iranian government employees were required to replace their Iranian-style hats and turbans with a new hat, designed based on the French military kepi, called Pahlavi. Later, in December 25, 1928, a new law required all Iranian men to wear Pahlavi Hat."
interesting !
It was a bit of a Pahlavi.
The stiff képi I think was a significant part of what made law enforcement respectable. It looks orderly, and though military in origin it's not war-like. It's just very institutionnal, being a beacon of public service for the law-abiding citizen, and a promise of trouble for the criminal. Now in France the police wear tactical and bullet proff vests and a baseball cap, a very militarized uniform, often carrying SMGs, and they don't at all look like they're here to serve and protect, but more like mercenaries or patrolling occpying army on the verge of war, and you should expect to become a casualty. Abandonning the stiff képi for law enforcement (in regular duty) was a huge mistake symbolically speaking.
Can you blame them with the recent terrorist attacks by Islamic groups in the country
Fascinating.
@@119winters5 incredible how people will literally make up reasons to be fucked in the ass
France has been invaded from the south.
Somehow convincing. But deciders do not think into depth. It is an "elite" far off ours....
I think the French kepi is one of the best uniform hat, probably the best.
I was sad to learn the French Police no longer wear it. I like how the Bloke who does this channel wears the correct shirt/tunic to match each hat,it makes the show more interesting. In Australia we have a hat company called "Akubra" which I believe means head covering in Aboriginal. Akubra was founded in 1874 in Hobart and is now based in Kempsey NSW. The hats are made from Rabbit fur. Akubra made Slouch hats for our Army in WW1 and WW2 Korea and Vietnam. It would be great to see a show made about our Slouch hat with a WW1 or WW2 tunic.
@@Westyrulz but the French Foreign Legion wears an White Cap Version of The Kepi for Parades and stuff
That's good.But when I use to imagine Paris I use to think of the Police wearing this hat and driving a small car with a strange sounding siren. @@ThatInsaneTaborite.
J'ai toujours trouvé les képis durs extrêmement moches, mais chacun ses goûts. Les kepis mous des bleus d'aujourd'hui c'est encore pire, déjà qu'ils ne payent pas de mine de base. Les képis mous militaires de la fin XIXe début XXème ça oui, c'était plutôt stylé. Il faut croire qu'entre autres choses on a perdu le bon goût depuis le temps.
Wee !
As a former Civil War reenactor, I thoroughly appreciate this history of the kepi!
I like the Grey Kepi.
US and CS armies were inspired by French uniform army. But you americans you had the forage cap. 😉
@ggousier they had kepis too, but the forage cap was more common amongst Union troops, especially in the Eastern theater. In the west, they liked slouch hats.
@@anthonysalem1832 You right. Sorry, what i meant was :" You had forage cap TOO"" 🤣
@@anthonysalem1832They needed somewhere to fit all the loot from Georgia
I am from Pondicherry and was happy to see our policemen wearing the kepi.
In my city in California where I lived and worked for a number of years, every July 14, there would be Bastille Day festivities and street celebrations. As a police officer, I found myself often assigned to work such events. As a salute to Bastille Day, instead of my regulation police "service cap," I'd wear a deep blue French gendarme kepi with my uniform. (One year, I briefly wore a red Phrygian cap (or "red cap of Liberty") with tricouleur cockade, but alas, when I was called a Smurf by several people (apparently clueless as to the significance of the bonnet rouge), I quickly reverted to the proper police uniform service cap.)
I like the hommage!
In the UK British Rail staff wore them as part of their uniform in the 1970s.
The post-1960s BR design isn't as stiff as a French Kepi and has additional details, but certainly similar style.
Kepis were also popular amongst many Pre-Grouping railway companies in the late-19th Century, as well as on electric tramways in their earlier years before being generally dropped in favour of 'staff' style caps with stiffened crowns.
The Greek army had the kepi as its basic cap from 1850-1935, although from 1912 it began to have helmets. The hat still remains in the Greek Military Academy Uniform.
Interesting. I knew the army had it back in the day, I didn't know the academy had kept it. Cool!
🇪🇺🇬🇷👋🧢
@@hathistorianjcActually, the Kepi is still the official headwear of the Hellenic Army's No 1 officers uniform (winter and summer uniform) and is the standard winter headwear of the cadets of 3 military academies (Hellenic Army Academy "Evelpidon", Military School of Combat Support Officers, Non-Commissioned officer Army Academy), standard for the army's major military bands (mostly the ones based in Athens and Thessaloniki) and standard headwear of the honour guards of the General Staff of National Defence.
I'm an Army Cadet in the Uruguayan Military Academy and we use a form of the 1935 Kepi with plumes in our parade uniform, we also have a modernized and camouflaged soft version of the kepi that's part of our operational uniform that we used everyday.
woah. Fascinating. I am completely ignorant about Uruguay, generally, but also, of what I do know, I’d have never guessed yall have a military academy! Very interesting!
Yup! Our Institution was founded on the 25th of August, 1885, and has been around ever since! It is not widely known, since we have a very small Army of 15.000 personnel and our Corps of Cadets sits at around 300.
czcams.com/video/-hJQl3BZNvU/video.htmlsi=Miz5n1YeKHyr5Kg7&t=72@@nozrep
Current US military battle dress (once called fatigues) use a version of that hat.
It's nice and easy to stick in your cargo pants pocket when entering buildings to remove cover, and easy to pop out to place cover back on when going outside again. So it works.
The Philippine Army also uses a version of the US style patrol cap (similar to a soft kepi) in PhilArPat camouflage pattern cloth. The previous cap with the same shape but more rigid sides (not collapsible) and in the previous AFP-DPM camouflage pattern is sometimes called the General Yano cap after an Army general of that name.
And back when PC's were first issued US Army wide in the 50's, they'd starch them up, almost replicating the stiff kepi. This was worn into the 60's, when baseball caps became standard. I have one still starched.
Great story!
Classic Kepis were a standout feature of Brisbane streetcar crew's uniform for most of the last centuary.
When I was in the US Air Force, between 1963 and 1965, drill instructors and the Air Police wore an olive green kepi called a Ridgeway cap. The US Army wore them during the Korean War. The name comes from General Matthew Ridgeway who was often pictured in that style of cap. It also became infamous as it was the cap that Fidel Castro was always pictured in. That may be why the air force phased them out in 1965.
The ABU or "fatigues" cover is essentially a crumple like version of this... with a short bill and cylinder shape.
Hands down the Ridgeway was one of my favorite caps. I starch blocked my BDU and ABU patrol cap to emulate that look. Being both a former MTI and Honor Guard member, we all “blocked” our caps.
Now I remember seeing Colonel Potter in the tv-series 'M*A*S*H' wearing a Ridgeway cap.
Yes indeed.
Watching the french and english versions is quiet amusing (and interesting) because of the differences for both publics.
Love the Kepi. So very French.
The brownshirts of the NSDAP also wore kepis
In Germany, a similar model was used, although based on the Austro-Hungarian Kepí called Tschako.
I wore a Kepi for some years, as an everyday item of clothing. I made it myself, and it started out as a copy of a Confederate grey forage cap with a yellow band. Unfortunately, public opinion began to turn hateful towards me, confusing my hat with my personality, and often I was accused of "liking slavery".
It became worse and worse, until death-threats began to occur.
I remedied this by buying, and making use of, a packet of navy-blue dye, thus at a stroke, becoming one who has embraced the "right side" of history.
But this was not to last. Now I became, instead, according to the ever-discerning public, a generic, anachronistic "warmonger", and so, finally, I gave it up, and handed it to a twelve year old boy who liked civil War movies, and wished him luck.
I always liked that hat.
Good video,. by the way. You've almost got the commentary right, along with the relief afforded by no gratuitous background "music". Well done :)
Uncle Buck coined it perfectly, "This hat brings out a lot of anger." It was not a Kepi, but I understand the sentiment. I wear hats often, and get plenty of comments, sometimes derogative. Keep wearing the hats of your choice folks. Peace and goodwill.
@@martinwarner1178 Hey Ho! OP 'martinwarner--" I agree with your thoughs and comments of/on hat wear. And I DO wear the hat of my choice, the publick be dammed. To wit, a COPY of the wool Wehrmacht/or Luftwaffe, cloth field caps, and EX Soviet Urshanka {sic} winter hat, a Scots 'beret' or the Scots 'c*nt cap" when I wear the kilt. A pit helmet for summer. A REAL Panama hat with my white linen suit in summer, or a fine wool Fedora. Long Live the Hat!
That grey number was not a good idea.
"The Crow" was evidently confused with Him Crow.
I have a black leather one I came across years ago. Didn't wear it often, but when I did, it got some either, approving, or curious comments.
Fun fact, every cap (including "baseball" caps or any headgear with a visor) are called kepis in Paraguay.
Hadn't realised the the Kepi has influenced so many military & para military units around the world today - ! Just proves how style can be so convincing - ! 😊
Thank you, monsieur!
I have just thought, i can not understand french language, but your french is so understandable!
Thank you very much!
In the Greek tradition the M1884 full arc kepi became the standard military headgear after French influence, following the reorganisation of the Greek army in 1911 by the French military mission to the country under général Joseph-Paul Eydoux. The khaki full arc kepi was utilised by the Greeks as the standard headgear alongside the Adrian helmet until 1935 when the British military mission arrived in the country to reorganise the Greek army and the British visor cap became the standard alongside the Italian M33 helmet. Nowadays the kepi is the standard headgear for the students of the Hellenic Army Academy (School of Aspirants)
Thanks for mentioning Chile. It's annoyingly difficult to get this kind of information about my own country. Subscribed!
When I see a kepi, the first thing I think of is the French Foreign Legion!
They look great wearing the "kepi blanc"!
Love the Kepi ❤
Just before my time in the US Army, the fatigue cap was basically a Kepi - late 50s to early 60s. I have seen many GIs wearing them in pictures. The ball cap that followed didn't look as good but was easier to stick in your pocket indoors.
This clip is Excellent. Vive la France
Regards from Poland
One police force in India wears a Red Kepi. It is the state of Pondicherry in South India. Police at Pondicherry on the East coast and the town of Mahe on the west coast have red Kepi as part of their regular uniform. These places were French colonies before India got her Independence. Thank you for mentioning this in the video as well.😊
Just found this channel. I love history and this is just brilliant. Not enough is covered in history about articles of clothing. Greetings from USA!
He is American from the United States, I guess your greeting stays where it is, lol
@@sisco1340 Isn't he British?
In the US Civil War the "slouch hat" was (incorrectly) called a kepi hat on both sides of the conflict worn not only by enlisted men but officers as well. It had the overall Kepi outline but was crushed down towards the front as an angle of around 30 or so degrees.
Mexico City's metro drivers also used it as part of their uniform back in 68', when the then State-of-the-art subway was inaugurated with the MP-68 (Matériel roulant sur Pneumatiques 1968) trains runing, those were inspired by the MP-59 french train used on the Paris metro.
The US military's "revival" of the Kepi traces to the US M1944 field uniform, when it was designed as a replacement for the knit "Radar O'Reilly" type cap. Aside from having fold-down ear flaps it's a pretty faithful modernization of the US Civil War kepi (or the official version, anyway...there was a lot of variation in those) or forage cap. This, of course, was a version of the French Kepi (in some cases a pretty faithful copy right down to the decoration and colors) and so the modern "Patrol Cap" is a direct descendant of the French Kepi no matter how much the Army wants to pretend it's not.
Great idea for a channel. You are a wonderful presenter. Keep up the good work.
Merci!
I am English, so I was surprised to find out the fellow is a Yankee. I concur with your sentiments. Peace and goodwill.
A fascinating insight into French headgear……. Being ex British army……the Beret has a lot to answer for…… I assume that was also French??😎👌🏽
Enjoyed, thanks!
Just found your channel when I got curious and looked for the history for the tricorne hat. Went down the rabbit hole and looked at all your videos. Great stuff! Keep it up⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 stars!
Brazil were one of the first south american countries to adopt the french kepi, most of other armies used the shako, especially Argentina and Uruguay, some of them also used the french kepi, like some divisions of the Argentine army, the Brazilian army in general (very based in the french foreign legion) and Paraguay, here the kepi is very associated with the late imperial era of the brazilian history and heavily associated with the Paraguayan war, which following reforms made by the Duke of Caxias, introduced french styled uniforms, however with the french defeat agaisn't the german confederation, the pickelhaube started to infiltrate in South America, firstly in Peru and spreaded to Mexico, but in general, kepi is a fine hat.
Love your channel. Love your presentation. Love hats. I tip my hat to you!
Just a small detail, in 1830, France did not invade Algeria since Algeria did not exist as a state, it was just an Ottoman province...😉
Well Britain invaded Normandy and that was apart of Germany, but we don’t call it “the invasion of Germany” we call it “the invasion of northern France”
Just because a country doesn’t really exist doesn’t mean it’s region’s name doesn’t exist
@@antlionworkerfan2007 It is just that the name "Algeria" did not exist at that time... this region was called disputes names, qotr al-jaza'ir (qotr: territory, province), watan al-jaza'ir (watan: homeland, country) and al-jaza'ir at all. The example you are taking is totally stupid because you have (british and others) landed in a country existing for a few centuries whose regions were well named for more time.and finally, you have not invaded Normandy, it is rather the opposite that occurred, remember William the conqueror... take back your history books, obviously you need it...
@@jfbft5007 Thank you for clarifying, it does help not just being told “stfu” but actually being given a well researched answer.
Exceptional presentation. As they say: le képi, ça se mérite.
This channel is just great. Keep it up!
Great video!
Very pleasant and stylish history lesson, thank you.
I am late coming to your channel, but as I love history - I wanted to let you know that I truly appreciate your dedication to the history of something many take for granted - the often humble, hat. I tip my hat to you.
Très bien documenté. Bravo!
That fake out at the beginning worked a bit too well on me. I must have thought, "oops, I clicked the French video" like three times.
Hahaha, I wonder how often that happens with my videos...
Very well done.
Merci beaucoup.
This is so Awesome, And I Love It A Lot ❤🧡💛💚💙💜
Amazing how you have found out about all these hats. I really enjoy hearing about it. Informative and amusing. And you have a huge collection too!
Tres bon, merci! 😊
Very good presentation.
Magnifique!
Very interesting, thank you for collecting all of that info
Most of the italian states in the mid XIX century adopted the kepi, and it was used in service until 1873, when it was relegated to parade use.
In Chile the Kepi is very much asociated with the War of the Pacific, and is popular with reenactors. It was also popular with the Cantineras (female army auxiliaries). Today the army uses Prussian style dress uniforms, but caps for combat fatigues are still called Kepi, and are shaped as such (and different from caps for other services). In the 80s the field Kepi had foldable ear flaps. Now the flaps are gone but the general shape remains. Chile's correctional service is called Gendarmería (Gendarmerie). They used the French style Police Kepi until very revently.
Thanks for the video. Very enjoyable and informative
Interesting, I do like to hear from people who encounter these hats elsewhere, gives me new perspectives.
Merci!
Additionally, along with being associated with the War of the Pacific(Or Nitrate War), it is also associated with the Regimiento 7° de Linea ´´Esmeralda´´ (7th Line Infantry Regiment ´´Esmeralda´´), which became famous for several reasons, such as being composed of young members from the upper class, its military victories such as the Battle of Tacna which resulted in Bolivia withdrawing from the war, or its memorable and distinctive March song ´´Adios al Septimo de Linea´´.
Even after the downgrade of the 7° de Linea to a Batallion, it's still an iconic regiment of the Chilean Military, as its March is very popular around South America, being played by of course Chile, Argentina, Panama, Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela. These last three due to Chilean Military Instructions made by Chilean Officers, which is why these last ones use Pickelhaubes aswell.
7:36 On a side note: I have noticed an olive-green, peaked, four-pointed cap stacked on the orange hard hat on the top shelf in the background. It looks like a typical Polish "Rogatywka" army cap.
The Ridgeway hat was simply a fatigue hat, and during the fifties was stiffened with cardboard. This was never official, but everyone did it. As a result, the cap couldn't be stuffed into your pocket, kind of bulky, and was replaced by the (ugh!) baseball cap, although the Rangers used the original Ridgeway (unstiffened) cap, finally brought back in the 1980's. The Kepi 's history is pretty interesting, and I admire Foyer's collection. The French police switched to peaked caps and bomber jackets because they wanted to look like American police, and such dress was more practical inside cars, since police became more motorized.The Kepi was popular in the Civil War, although many federal troops wore slouch hats the farther west you went. In the 1850's, the US wore kepi like shakos. Even the cavalry, which seems very impractical, especially on the plains. Foyer is very addictive.
The prices for these kepi Blancs are outrageous!
Really enjoy this series. Have been an accidental collector for many years. Hope you do one on the Irish Walker.
Très interessant merci
Super interesting.
Interesting & enjoyable. 🫡
Smashing video and might I add, my god, do you have a great many kepis.
Merci! and i don't even show all of the ones I own in the video ;p
This is fascinating
In Chile the Army used the Kepi model 1886 until 1910
2:39 - I am not aware of an allemanic origin of the word "Kappe" (german) or "cap" (english). I could imagine though - since allemanic has many regional variations - that the german word "die Kappe" morphed into something like "s'Kaeppi" in the alsace region since they - in typical allemanic fashion - would put a diminuative on everything. For example: ein Haus (a house / a maison) would be called "es Haeusle" in the black forrest, "s'Huesli" in most parts of Switzerland or "s'Hoisla" in the Alsace region (no real english or french translation possible - the housy / la maisonette maybe?). According to this logic, "Die Kappe" (the cap) would be called "as Kepple" in south west germany, "dr Tschaepu" in and around Berne (bernois is a bit special) or "s'Keppe" or "s'Keppi" in the region around Mulhouse. So thats maybe what you were referring to...
btw: the word "Kappe" or "cap" itself derives from the italian "capo" if I am not mistaken.
9:34 As someone who's descended from French carpenters and tradesmen (Being a tradesman myself) its oddly appropriate that my favored black patrol cap is descended from a quintessentially French design
I loooove kepi
Is there any relation that you know of between the Union Army kepis and baseball caps? Always thought they were similarly designed.
Not directly that I can find. They sort of evolved in parallel, though they might have influenced each other, the baseball cap was more descended from a sort of newsboy cap with a tighter crown
@@hathistorianjc could you do a video on the French Army swollowtale field cap?
Subscribed ;)
Hello! Very wonderful, and well detailed explanation and history of such unique hat!
I'm wondering, where could I attain that specific Kepi & Havelock at 6:15?
Merci beaucoup!
I got that particular one off of ebay a few years ago, you might be able to find one there.
@@hathistorianjc Merci!
Slightly disappointed that you have not mentioned the Swiss Army having the Käppi (our spelling) as part of our officers dress uniform as far back as the 1860‘s. Originally worn by all officers from Lieutenant upwards, it is now reserved for members of the general staff (rank of Major upwards). Good job on the history though 👍 love your vids 😊
Charles DeGaulle wore his kepi with such elegance.
ドレフュス事件にてユダヤ人将校のドレフュス大尉が冤罪にもかかわらずスパイ容疑で軍籍を剥脱され、
帯剣を折られ軍服の側線を引きはがされました。
その様子を再現した映画のシーンを視聴した事があります。
このシーンではケピ帽の階級を示す金線も引きちぎられましたが、堅牢に縫製されているはずの軍帽の装飾が
素手で簡単に外せることに驚きました。
German Kappe means the same than english cap, both as headgear and pipeline piece. Nowadays the word Kappe , in some dialects Kapp, is mostly replaced by Mütze, but among older people you can still hear Käppi/ Käpple for a small cap.
The kepi has always facinated me.I think it comes from the westernfilms with the cavalry coming for rescue 😂. But the sloped kepi of that time is sutch a elegant headgear.I guess that all headgears that we wear we now name 'cap' , like the "paperboy cap" , the baseball cap are derived from this french "kepi" . ..Is it correct?
Thank you , most informative.
I have been wearing a shemagh scarf in combination with a baseball cap, which in turn reminded me of the kepi blanc.
How was the extra sun covering cloth stored when not in use?
Was there a chin strap?
I'm always thinking about the things I own to use as tools and learning from the past how other people would do likewise.
I just stumbled on your account and you compared the former austrian army dress uniform hat to a shako. I would state though that it looks more from the kapi, also in austrian german we call it kappl (like cap or small cap)
Keep in mind that even the imperial japan have adopted kepi's and french style uniforms since the meiji restoration period
I wore the American Army J.R.O.T.C. from 2004 till 2007 along with my B.D.U.s.
Parle Français in the middle of MO is a scream! Keep it up!
Missouri was once settled by the French, I'm just bringing it back!
English isn't my native language, but this video made me wonder if "cap" wasn't a variation of "keppi".
(And just a curiosity, here in Brazil we have the word "quepe" for a type of military hat, that I'm pretty sure that "keppi" was the origin of it).
Thanks a lot for the video!
By Golly ! As soon as I saw you with your French policeman kepi, shirt and tie I thought you were going to say those immortal Peter Sellers words, “´Ave you git a leesance for your minkey?”
Would you do an episode on the forage cap?
Off the subject here, the flag hanging on the left on the room resembles that of Paraguay, but it is not. Anyone knows wich it is?
I love military hats and police hats
Very good hat history all your video. Ever though about doing one on balmoral (or Scottish hats) ?
I briefly touch upon them in one of my videos, in passing, I'll see if in the future I do a specific one on them
@@hathistorianjc hi i am seller of kepis do contact for further details
"and made it harder for it be be knocked off" Which makes me wonder: In Napoleonic times, tall hats were the order of the day, to look more imposing. When, and more to the point why, was the transition from "looking imposing" to "we need more practical head gear"?
Please do the peak hat!
An History Of The Kepy The Story Of The Army. Willy
The Hellenic Army officers’ academy still wears the kepi as part of the ceremonial uniform.
I have a stiff kepi...
It is sadly a few sized too small
kepi from the proto phoneme meaning head, *kap- with many modern cognates (capital, capitulate, and...cap).
loved the opening joke
The proper kepi is blue with a brass bugle on the front with the ‘ club trump ‘ from a deck of cards in green felt pined to its crown by a small brass harp or the brass numbers ‘ 69 ‘ ( opinion)
helo, I'm selling kepis of all types and customized as well
Not only the Canadian train conductors where a style of Kepi. I'm a train conductor in the Netherlands and where a red kepi with blue band with 2 yellow stripes., but I fear that I'm one of the last few to wear one as the kepi isn't mandatory on national trains. It is stil mandatory on international trains but may be replaced by a baseballcap style cap.
You still find them with Belgium and some German train conductors
Ami megustan los q portaban la legion extrangera son utiles para el calor a qui en mexico tambien el ejercito mexicano los utiliso en su uniforme 😃😃🤠🤠👍👍👍
Did you ever put some research in the German student hats? There's a vast variety in them starting from the Teller, to the Stürmer all the way to the Biedermeier and the Tönnchen. Would love some professional research about it.
Have you done a video on the Israeli service headgear, which seem to be a cloth with many uses?
The cloth that protects the neck is a 'havelock'.