The Best Breton Top

Chanel, Yves St Laurent and Karl Lagerfeld made the Breton top famous, but how can you buy the best one today – and why is it still a wardrobe staple for French men and women?

Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face launched a classic. With cigarette pants and loafers, it’s still so Paris. With dazzling white trainers and flowing long hair, you reach Princess of Wales status – at the polo.

Or…you can try the Alexa Chung version. Everyone styles a Breton differently. Jean Paul Gaultier made it iconic for stylish gay men.

Saint Laurent makes a black/white variation that’s £810 and ELLE-rated. But do you have to go that far?

The French Navy and the Breton

To give the Breton its original name, the marinière or tricot rayé  is a cotton long-sleeved shirt with horizontal blue and white stripes worn by seamen in the French Navy.

It became known as a Breton shirt or top, because many of the sailors were from Brittany.

Back in 1858, regulations stated it should have 20 or 21 navy blue stripes.

It’s been worn by Pablo Picasso, Sting and Brigitte Bardot.

The Saint James Breton

Look for the Saint James brand online. Made in Normandy since 1889, this shirts and jumpers are made by artisans, in the eyes of the French.

They are expensive (AUD $150 to $250) for Australians – but just one may be all you need and will last for years.

The Princess of Wales Knows…

Catherine (Kate) the Princess of Wales has worn hers in turquoise and white stripes, with dark denim jeans and immaculate white trainers.

She’s also chosen classic French flag stripes (red, white and blue) or, if you prefer, patriotic Union Jack colours.

She’s favoured the Me + Em brand (buy British) with faded skinny jeans. She even turned up in Vogue wearing a red and navy blue Breton, with a top pocket.

The Princess has also dressed up her Breton with a navy jacket and matching jeans – and scarf – with espadrilles.

In fact, as The Daily Telegraph in England notes, she’s a repeat Breton fan.

Breton Variations

Everyone makes a Breton, from J.Crew to Uniqlo, but not all Bretons are created equal.

Beware the cheap versions which turn floppy after a few washes.

The Americans call them ‘stripes’ and J. Crew makes a boatneck version which reveals the collarbone, with three-quarter length sleeves.

Heart elbow patches? Why not? Saint James produces a romantic Breton which you can tuck into high-waist pants.

Madonna preferred hers cropped, to show off her gym stomach.

Kate Moss styled hers with dark denim jeans, a Chanel cardigan, long rock’n’roll Rolling Stones scarf and aviator sunglasses. Alexa Chung wore similar espadrilles to the Princess of Wales, but wore her Breton with navy dungaree shorts, turquoise nail polish and rings.

Saint James and the French Navy

If it’s authenticity you want, without the high price tags of Yves St. Laurent in recent seasons, look to Saint James in Normandy, who still make their wool, striped tops for the French navy.

Every month, almost 239,000 miles of wool is knitted in the Saint James  factory by workers who train for two years.

When in France – look for them in vintage shops in Paris.

The American flagship store, online is here. Pick your location to buy: US, Europe, France, Mexico, United Kingdom.