Seeing (French Sailor) Stripes

Sailor Chic

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The Breton shirt, was created officially by French law, the 27th of March 1858 Act, which made the blue-and-white striped knitted shirt part of the regulatory uniform for French sailors. 

It was thought that the stripes would help to locate seamen who fell overboard.

 

The original shirt featured 21 stripes, one for each of Napoleon's victories.  Not only did this shirt become the standard of the French (merchant) navy and fishing fleets, it was soon exported to other navies around the world and became big as a fashion item a century after.

In the late 1950s and '60s, the shirt was associated with French New Wave cinema - girls with gamine looks like Jean Seberg in "Breathless" and Jeanne Moreau in "Jules et Jim."

Coco Chanel first elevated the humble striped top to style status.  In the 1930s she designed and wore a striped mariniere with palazzo pants - a look adopted from French sailors.

 

Since then many designers and style setters have followed suit, Brigitte Bardot was a fan, wearing hers barefoot and pouting on a breezy beach.

 

  

It didn't go for women only, it's a sailor's garment after all.
For men they offer a sense of tradition, honest labor and virility.

A

Anthony Quinn & Anna Karina

'The Magus' 1976

'Picasso and the loaves'

by Robert Doisneau

'The Master with Francoise Gilot

James Dean

Here's a look at stars from past to present who have worn the look.
Click here to view video.  

*All text and images from here

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