Breton Striped Shirts
Our breton shirts and striped tunic tops sit in line with the rest of our collection, built around the perfect striped shirts and French tunic styling. Every breton top is carefully designed to celebrate seasonal shades, so your breton stripe shirts always stay in style. Find a French sailor shirt that follows the strict rules of the 19th-century navy, or step outside the lines with Picasso-inspired stripes.
Women's Breton tops, from the deck to the wardrobe
Born in 1858 as the regulation knit of French Navy sailors, the Breton shirt moved into the women's wardrobe in the 1910s and never left it. It has the rare quality of making a simple outfit look considered, with no visible effort. Our women's Breton tops keep the original codes, boat neck, dense knit, stripes knitted into the fabric, in cuts made for today. For the full story, read the history of the Breton shirt.
Two women's Breton shirts, two places of making
La Marinière 1858 is our flagship women's model, made in France in Troyes, the historic capital of French knitwear, and certified France Terre Textile. Dense carded cotton, a crisp hand, deep stripes. Discover how a Breton shirt is made and our collection made in France.
The Original Breton Shirt for women is knitted in Portugal, in a certified partner workshop. Same boat neck, softer combed cotton: this is the everyday striped top, the one you wear all year. The full comparison is in our article on carded and combed cotton.
Long sleeve Breton top or short sleeve striped tee
The long sleeve Breton top is the historic format, with the boat neck and cuffs you roll back. The short sleeve version takes over from spring to late summer, in the same knit and the same cotton. Both are in the collection above. For warm weather looks, see summer Breton shirt outfits.
Navy, ecru or red: choosing your stripes
Navy and white is the classic sailor pairing, the one that works with everything. Ecru and navy softens the contrast and lifts the complexion. Red and white is rarer and bolder, best kept for simple outfits. Because the stripes are yarn dyed then knitted, they do not fade in the wash. To match each colourway, read styling your Breton stripe by colour.
Which size to choose in a women's Breton top
A women's Breton top is worn close to the body without being fitted: the knit is dense, it should fall straight from the shoulder and leave the boat neck free. The pattern is shared with the men's cut, only the size shifts by one step. If you hesitate between two sizes or between our two lines, our guide to choosing a Breton top compares fits, fabric weights and size equivalences.
How to wear a women's Breton top
Tucked into high waisted jeans to mark the waist, under a blazer for a sharper look, or with a long skirt and flats for something softer. The rule that holds across outfits: a fine stripe, a clean lower half, and nothing else striped on you. We have gathered ten Breton shirt outfits for women and men you can copy as they are.
Caring for your women's Breton top
A 30°C wash on a delicate cycle, a gentle spin, drying flat, never a tumble dryer: those few habits protect the knit and the depth of the stripes for years. The full method is in our Breton shirt care guide. See also men's Breton shirts and kids Breton shirts.
