For a top that started out initially as part of a sailor’s outfit and introduced into the French Navy in 1858 (Brittany) this stripey top has seemed to have had a constant renaissance, never going out of fashion, always spotted somewhere, just when you thought you’d seen the last of it. A wardrobe staple that can be worn with almost anything, from shorts to skirts, to skinny jeans and Capri pants, the Breton top is a stylish, versatile separate.
The
Mariniere or Matelot
Yes, the simple Breton top was given a far more glamorous
name than that which we now know it by, and came with 21 stripes, each one chosen
to represent Napoleon Bonaparte victories.
The 3 main makers of the ubiquitous Breton was Tricots
Saint James and Bretagne. It would adopt the name Breton after its workers
found it easy to work in. And you could easily spot a Breton top because of its
stripes, so a seaman could be seen from a good distance. So this is never a top
that you can hide in.
It originally
came with a slashed neckline or the boat neckline as it was known, which is a
more traditional version of the original Breton shirt. However, there have been
variations over the years and they don’t always follow the strict rules of the
old Mariniere.
A
million different ways to wear it and worn by a million different people, some
famous, some not
Yes, the Breton top comes in many guises and isn't just worn by the regular Joe Bloggs, they’re seen on celebrities everywhere, and
what’s interesting is that sometimes you’ll see the same celebrity wearing it
again and again on numerous different occasions. If that isn't a ringing endorsement
for a fashion piece I don’t know what is.
For the most stylish fashion icons and Breton fans think Brigitte
Bardot, Audrey Hepburn, Jean Seberg and today’s more recent fans of the Breton
top, Kate Moss, Alexa Chung and Sienna Miller.
I can’t think of any other top other than the white
tee and the denim shirt that is so versatile and easy to wear.
