The French word béret, from which the English term derives, is based on the Béarnais Berret, a “sort of flat woollen cap, worn by the local peasants” The beret fits snugly around the head, and can be “shaped” in a variety of ways – in the Americas it is commonly worn pushed to one side. In Central and South America, local custom usually prescribes the manner of wearing the beret; there is no universal rule and older gentlemen usually wear it squared on the head, jutting forward. It can be worn by both men and women.