How to Choose a Breton Top: Men's & Women's Fit & Sizing Guide

Journal · Buying guide · 7 min

A breton top is a ten-year piece - provided you choose the right one. Cut, size, sleeve length, cotton quality: here is how to decide between a men's breton top and a women's breton top, between La Marinière 1858 and Originale, and how to read your size right the first time.

Where to start

A breton shirt should be chosen in this order: the cut first, the size next, the sleeve length according to the season, and the colour last. The classic mistake is to pick the colour first - usually online, on a flattering photo - only to discover on delivery that the cut doesn't fall as expected. This guide takes things the other way round, so you can skip the return.

First decision: men's or women's breton top? At Gauvain Paris, the answer is unusual - it's the same garment. A single pattern, knitted in Europe, serves both men and women with a one-size shift. La Marinière 1858 Men's in size M and La Marinière 1858 Women's in size L come off the very same machine. That changes how you read the sizes - more on this below.

The cut: 1858 or Originale

Our breton tops come in two cuts, designed for two different uses. La Marinière 1858 follows the historical cut: dense knit, pronounced dropped shoulders, slightly shortened sleeves, wide boat neck, straight length that sits below the waist. This is the made in France breton shirt drawn from the 1858 French Navy regulation - the one you keep for ten years, that patinas without losing shape. It is knitted in France, in Troyes, the historic capital of knitwear, and carries the France Terre Textile label.

The Originale cut is more contemporary: a slightly softer knit, less dropped shoulders, a more fitted length, a boat neck that is present but more discreet. It is the breton top for the city rather than the quay - designed to slide under a blazer, tuck into trousers, and be worn seven days a week. It is knitted in Portugal, in a workshop long used to striped jersey.

A simple test: if you want a statement piece to wear on its own or under a trench, go for the 1858. If you want a blue and white striped shirt that blends into a varied wardrobe and layers easily, go for the Originale.

Sizing: the one-size shift between men's and women's

The point that surprises our customers most: our women's and men's breton shirt sizing is read on a shift. Because the pattern is the same, a women's breton top in S equals a men's breton top in XS, a women's M equals a men's S, and so on. Our labels in fact carry a letter and a number, and the number is the same on both sides. You can therefore order indifferently from the women's Breton tops or the men's Breton shirts - only the letter on the label changes. The garment itself is identical.

In practice, this means two things. First, if you are buying a striped shirt as a gift, you can order the same reference for her and for him, simply shifting one size. Second, if you are between two sizes, bear in mind that the cut is structured: take the size below for a close fit, the size above to wear loose, over a t-shirt.

Number	Women's	Men's	Garment	Your chest
0	XS	-	80 cm	74-78 cm / 29-31 in
1	S	XS	84 cm	78-82 cm / 31-32 in
2	M	S	90 cm	83-88 cm / 33-35 in
3	L	M	96 cm	89-94 cm / 35-37 in
4	XL	L	104 cm	95-102 cm / 37-40 in
5	XXL	XL	112 cm	103-110 cm / 41-43 in
6	XXXL	XXL	120 cm	111-118 cm / 44-46 in

The garment figure is the breton top laid flat, measured from one armhole seam to the other and multiplied by two. Allow about 2 cm of ease between your chest and that figure. To measure your chest, place a tape measure flat at the fullest part, without tightening, arms relaxed by your sides. The full measurements are set out in the men's size guide and the women's size guide, which are the reference.

"One single pattern: only the letter on the label changes."

Sleeve length

The historical breton top is long-sleeved, with sleeves slightly shortened at the wrist - one of the marks of authenticity, inherited from sailors who needed their hands free for nets and rigging. It is the most versatile version: wear it from October to May, under a trench or a blazer, and roll the sleeves up to the elbow as soon as spring arrives. It is knitted at 220 gsm.

The short-sleeved version, at 160 gsm, is more summery and more graphic too: the stripes show more, the shoulder is clean-cut. It is the breton top for May to September, with linen shorts or a midi skirt. If you are only buying one, go for long sleeves - you will wear it nine months out of twelve. If you already own one, complete the wardrobe with short sleeves.

Quality: what to look for

Four details separate a real breton shirt from a printed stripe. First, the cotton. Combed cotton, stripped of its short fibres, gives a smooth, even knit: that is the Marinière Originale. Carded cotton keeps a little loft and a more matte hand, closer to the original sailor's knit: that is the Marinière 1858. Both are quality cottons, at 220 gsm in long sleeves. What sets a cheap striped shirt apart is the weight and the fibre length, not the way the yarn is prepared. Our article on carded versus combed cotton explains how the two feel.

Second, the stripe: it must be knitted into the fabric, never printed. The colour then runs through the cloth and keeps its brightness over time. The visual test: turn the garment inside out. If the inside is striped too, it's knitted. If it's plain or blurry, it's printed.

Third, the collar: a true boat neck sits on the collarbones, wide, finished with a clean contrasting band. If it gapes, if it sags after two washes, the trim doesn't have the tension it needs. Finally, the seams: flat overlocked hems at the wrists and waist, rather than a simple rolled finish.

On provenance: La Marinière 1858 is the made in France breton shirt, knitted in Troyes and carrying the France Terre Textile label - a charter that requires more than 75% of production steps to take place on French soil. The Marinière Originale is knitted in Portugal, in a workshop we visit.

Colour: where to start

The original colour is the blue and white striped shirt - the one from the 1858 regulation. It is the most versatile breton top, working from raw denim to tailored trousers, from white trainers to ballet flats. If you only own one, make it that one.

Ecru and navy softens the contrast: a more cream, more gentle version, sitting easily next to beige, cognac and caramel tones. Ideal for those who find white too cold. The red and white stripe is the "Picasso" breton - Pablo Picasso wore it in his studio - more graphic, perfect for summer or as a pop of colour in an otherwise sober wardrobe.

Making your breton top last

A well-kept quality breton top easily passes ten years of wear. The rule comes down to four points: machine wash at 30 °C with similar colours, no softener (it clogs the knit), never a tumble dryer (which shrinks the cotton and squashes the stripes), and flat drying so it regains its shape. Gentle ironing inside out if necessary. Our complete care guide covers the rest.

Frequently asked questions

Are men's and women's breton tops really the same garment?

At Gauvain Paris, yes. The pattern is the same and knitted on the same machine; only the size on the label changes. A women's breton top in S corresponds exactly to a men's breton top in XS, and so on with a one-size shift. The number on the label is common to both.

What size breton shirt should I take?

Take your usual size. If in doubt, measure your chest and read it off the table above. If you are between two sizes, take the smaller for a close fit, the larger to wear over a t-shirt.

1858 or Originale: which one should I choose?

The 1858 follows the historical cut - dense carded cotton, firmly dropped shoulders, wide boat neck, made in France in Troyes. It is the heritage breton top, to wear on its own. The Originale, in combed cotton knitted in Portugal, is more contemporary and softer, designed to layer and slide under a blazer. The sizing is identical between the two.

How do I recognise a quality breton top?

A dense knit of at least 200 gsm, stripes knitted into the fabric and not printed, a boat neck that holds without sagging, flat overlocked hems. The inside of the garment must also be striped: that is the visual test of authentic knitwear.

Long sleeves or short sleeves?

Long sleeves, at 220 gsm, are historical and worn nine months out of twelve, rolled up to the elbow in spring. Short sleeves, at 160 gsm, are more summery and more graphic. For your first breton top, choose long sleeves.

Which colour should I start with?

The blue and white striped shirt, original colour of the 1858 regulation: the most versatile, working with all bottoms. Ecru and navy is a softer alternative, red and white a graphic piece for summer.