The Breton Stripe
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The classic Breton stripe is perfect for nearly every occasion. It’s timeless and looks perfect with white jeans, blue jeans, shorts, colorful chino pants or layered under a navy blazer or trench. Even though these iconic stripes originated in France, a Breton shirt or dress make a great 4th of July outfit.
I’m fascinated by fashion history, and I was interested in learning the origin of the Breton Stripe shirt. The word “Breton” means “of or relating to Brittany”. Sailors onboard ships along the Brittany coast wore this style shirt as their uniforms. Leave it to the French to design fashionable uniforms for their military! After a trip to France, Coco Chanel was drawn to the French Naval uniforms which soon became the inspiration for her 1917 nautical collection. What a genius and so ahead of herself! Coco Chanel was known for embracing masculine silhouettes for women well before anyone else. At that time, it was liberating for women to go from heavily corseted fashion to comfortable pants and cotton shirts like the Breton.
Coco Chanel in her Breton shirt.
The Breton stripe shirt has been adapted a million and one ways since then. It gained popularity again in the 1950’s and fashion icons such as Jackie Kennedy, Brigette Bardo, and Audrey Hepburn have been photographed sporting their version of the Breton.
In fact, it never really went “out” of style since. I even have a photo of my ultra-cool hippy father wearing a Breton shirt in 1971 in San Francisco.
Before I go any further on this topic, I want to share my #1 favorite classic Breton shirt - as a personal stylist. It’s not from France but it’s been test driven by a number of my clients and it’s always a winner. This J. Crew boatneck Breton shirt is a thicker cotton so it’s very similar to a classic Breton shirt and simply feels great on. I’ve purchased this exact shirt for several clients and every single time it’s worked (for a range of body types). I love it with jeans, white jeans and under a blazer:
The true Breton is made by only three companies. One of them is Saint James and they have been manufacturing Bretons since 1889. I bought a dress from Saint James that is not only cute and flattering, but it’s very well made. highly recommend Saint James for their quality – if you are looking for classic Breton items that will withstand the test of time, look no further. I ordered my dress online and it fit perfectly, but I also visited their shop on a recent trip to Paris and fell in love with everything in the store!
I love this classic Breton dress from Saint James. As a side note: although horizontal stripes are typically unflattering, there’s something magical about the Breton stripe. Maybe it’s the ratio between the stripes but I never feel they make me look wide and if anything, I think it’s a flattering pattern.
If you’re looking for the perfect top for the 4th of July order this Saint James red, white and blue classic Breton shirt asap! Saint James really is the best place to shop for this classic shirt – they have so many great colors!
Boden has a large collection of Breton shirts in a ton of fun multi-color stripes. I also love some of the pattern play like this one with hearts:
This Faherty stripe shirt comes in the prettiest blue:
J.Mclaughlin has the best fitting tops and this no-wrinkle striped shirt is perfect for travel.
I also love this organic cotton Breton-inspired sweater from Emerson Fry. Paired with white jeans and an espadrille – such a summer classic!
This Equipment sweater is also a great classic in cashmere and I think I’ll be adding this to my wardrobe. Perfect for chilly summer evenings but wearable all year round.
Although we have the French to thank for the origins of the Breton, I think it’s fair to say Coco Chanel deserves the credit for her “trickle up” technique of bringing this utilitarian style not only to women but the world of fashion. Nearly every great designer has incorporated the Breton stripe into their collection since her first fashion show in the early 1900’s. A Breton shirt, sweater or dress is always a good idea if you want to look timeless and chic.