There is nothing more quintessentially French than Breton stripe clothing. A staple in any capsule wardrobe, the Breton stripe top is practical, chic and stylish.
Originally the prescribed French seaman’s uniform, and later adopted by such style arbiters as Coco Chanel and Audrey Hepburn, Breton stripe clothing is the effortless solution to classic summer style.
Keep reading to learn more about Breton stripe clothing, and why owning a Breton stripe top or two is essential for any classy woman’s wardrobe!
In the midst of a sizzling Australian summer, there are few smarter ways of keeping cool and looking cool than in Sydney brand Jac Cadeaux’s range of classic Breton stripe clothing.
Made exclusively in lightweight, pure linen, Jac Cadeaux’s Breton collection includes striped dresses, long-sleeve tops and T-shirts in this iconic print.
French 100% linen Nautical T-Shirt
With the choice of bateaux neck or V-neck, the Jac Cadeaux range of clothing features an elegant and authentic Breton stripe motif in three colour ways: traditional navy, red or khaki.
With a focus on durability and authenticity, Jac Cadeaux’s Breton clothing collection adheres strictly to the original Breton stripe design, whereby one centimetre wide coloured stripes are separated by two centimetres of white space.
This specific design harks back to the origin of the Breton stripe in Bretagne (or Brittany, as the English know it), on France’s north-western coast.
Red & White Stripe Linen Dress
And while you may think that the Breton stripe is more of a modern day invention, in fact, its history goes back a lot further than that.
In the mid-19th century (a time well before fluorescent Gore-Tex) Breton fishermen relied on heavy woollen jumpers for warmth and water-resistance while working on deck.
The jumpers, made from local Breton yarn, were adopted in 1858 by the French navy, which believed that the blue and white horizontal stripe were more visible in the water.
Folklore has it that the French Navy specified 21 horizontal stripes, to represent each of Napoleon’s victories over the British.
Of course, many designers have had an enduring love affair with the simple, but chic stripe. Coco Chanel was inspired to introduce Breton stripes in her 1917 collection, in response to the growing trend for seaside vacationing that swept through Europe in the roaring 1920s.
And over the following decades, with outings by cultural icons from James Dean to Audrey Hepburn to Salvador Dali to Brigitte Bardot, Breton stripe clothing has become synonymous with effortless French style.
For the perfect accompaniment, Jac Cadeaux offers a capsule collection of Parisian-style tote bags and small accessories. This collection incorporates playfully sequined totes, and larger canvas totes with full leather base, trim and horseshoe charm.
The bags are double-stitched for added elegance and durability and are available in French-inspired hues of blue, taupe and neutrals.
About Jac Cadeaux:
Founded by Sydneysider and Francophile Claudia Stahl, Jac Cadeaux was created to deliver a range of of beautiful French-style products and apparel reminiscent of France at affordable prices but with the utmost attention to quality and durability.
Claudia, who lived in Paris for fours years and has an enduring love of French fashion and language, also runs boutique French language classes in Darling Point for discerning clients, ‘‘La Petite French Classe’.
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