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 S 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 Europe, in France or Portugal depending on the model.

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. You can therefore order indifferently from the women's collection or the men's collection - 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 your usual size is between two - typically M/L for men, S/M for women - bear in mind that the 1858 cut is firmly structured. Take the size below for a close fit, the size above to wear loose, over a t-shirt.

Women's breton top	Men's equivalent	Indicative chest
XS	-	82–86 cm / 32–34 in
S	XS	86–90 cm / 34–35 in
M	S	90–96 cm / 35–38 in
L	M	96–102 cm / 38–40 in
XL	L	102–108 cm / 40–42 in
-	XL	108–114 cm / 42–45 in

To measure your chest, place a tape measure flat at the fullest part, without tightening, arms relaxed by your sides. The figures above are indicative; each product page gives the exact flat measurements of the garment.

"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.

The short-sleeved version 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, with long fibres, gives a dense, smooth knit that doesn't pill and holds up to washing. A €15 striped shirt in carded cotton pills after five washes - this isn't a detail, it's a different material.

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 other models are knitted in Europe (France or Portugal), in workshops 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.

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.

What size breton shirt should I take?

Your usual French ready-to-wear size. If you are between two sizes, take the smaller for a close fit, the larger to wear over a t-shirt. Refer to the breton shirt sizing table above and the flat measurements shown on each product page.

1858 or Originale: which one should I choose?

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

How do I recognise a quality breton top?

Combed cotton (not carded), 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 are historical and worn nine months out of twelve, rolled up to the elbow in spring. Short sleeves 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.