Breton Striped Shirts Are the Backbone of Every French Girl’s Wardrobe

Today, the best Breton striped tops are trending partly due to spring's fisherman aesthetic (for those unfamiliar, fashion is currently drawing style inspiration from the anglers who supply sea bass and carp to your local grocery stores). But before the graphic tee made waves as a top spring 2025 trend, it had quite a hard-working history.

In 1858, the distinctive Breton stripe became the uniform of the French Navy. The blue-and-white tee, with 21 total stripes (a tribute to each of Napoleon's victories), made it easy to detect the whereabouts of unlucky French sailors who'd fallen overboard on the high seas. Skip ahead to the 1910s, and the practical piece was catapulted to fashion fame when Coco Chanel integrated Breton tops into her Riviera chic wardrobe. Two decades later, French cinema girls like Brigitte Bardot and Jean Seberg added the top to their capsule wardrobes. Since then, Breton stripe shirts have been synonymous with effortless French fashion.

Now, the mariner shirt is once again an It-girl buy. But instead of emphasizing its je nais se quois elegance, the 2025 fashion trend returns to its sea-faring origins. Proenza Schouler used the horizontal stripes to accent button-front sailor pants and waterproof Chelsea boots in its Spring 2025 show. Meanwhile, prepster labels like Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger styled Breton stripe tops with boat shoes and blazers as if their models were coming from a yacht club regatta.

The same went for 2025 Fashion Month's streets; in New York City, London, Milan, and Paris, runway attendees donned striped shirts paired with rugged denim, jaunty sailor caps, and Aläia's favored fishnet flats—because, yes, these guests might fill the front row at Gucci and Prada, but they're ready to roll up their sleeves and raise the sails when duty calls (or at least play the role of a mariner with designer shoes on their sea legs).

As stylist Mary Fellowes puts it, the fashion industry has long been bewitched by a stripe. "Dozens of French sailors in horizontal lines has enchanted designers [for years]—similar to denim, which started as railroad workers' clothes, or utiliarian khaki," she says, referencing designer Jean Paul Gaultier, who made marinières the signature in his collections and personal wardrobe.

Fellowes cites the piece’s unique blend of utility and leisure, referencing both hard-earned days sailing the seven seas and lazy afternoons sipping spritzes in Saint-Tropez, which is why the shirt has remained a staple. It's also a distinguished pattern—as it was for overboard sailors long ago—while you're walking down a crowded city street or showing off your TikTok 'fit check on a tiny screen.

Nautical by nature, a Breton-style top will look dreamy on a sailboat or amidst the French Riviera scene, but realistically, it's also smart with a midi skirt and slingback heels as a spring work outfit or boxy blue jeans and sneakers for an off-duty Saturday. And if you long for a breath of fresh salt air but your calendar can't allocate two weeks of PTO for a seaside escape, a Breton stripe shirt will do in the interim.

Shop More of Spring's Best Breton Tops