If it was good enough for Bardot, it'll do me just fine. Also, the Breton stripe isn't your typical simple shirt, it has a histiore all it's own. In 1858 the shirt became an official part of the French sailors' uniform through an act of law. The blue and white stripes were seen as an overboard man's best bet for visibility and rescue. As Ms. Chanel (that's Coco to you) brought her clothing revolution to the masses in the '20s, her most resounding message was that of comfort and suitability rather than etiquette and pinching formality. The work-wear clothing of sailors became perfect resort wear for her fans--trendy St. Tropez beach goers that sported their stripes as freedom fashion in the '30s and '40s. The '50s and '60s saw the shirt adopted by the avant-garde, like many symbols of the working class. Next up was Warhol, who made a habit of donning stripes because he thought they were pretty. From Sartre to Picasso to Warhol to Gaultier to you, the thread of the Breton is knotted all through pop and practical history. It never loses it's hip. There should be one on your back, or at least in your closet. Get the real deal from French purveyor Brittany Boutique, or pick up one of a million striped facsimiles and make it a staple of your clothing stable.
