It’s finally summer, the sun is warming our skins and we can finally wear chic estival looks! Sailor stripes are an absolute essential for our riviera holidays. Emblematic of a French look it’s a classic pattern that brings that simple je ne sais quoi of elegance…

To dive into a horizon of black and white stripes with grace, I have composed a poem to express the feeling it brings me.

Stripes for Sailors

A naval history worth mentioning

“Sailor stripes”, “Breton Stripes” and “Marinière” (marin is the French word for sailor) are all synonyms to describe the iconic stripy top originating from Brittany, France. In 1810, we see the first appearance of the marinière on Bretons fishermen on lithographies. It was originally worn as a type of underwear on men in a jersey fabric going down to the beginning of the thighs and tucked in the trousers.

On the 27th of March 1858, under Napoleon III, a decree of the official French marine report officialises the “tricot rayé” (striped knitwear) as the obligatory sailor’s uniform. This was revolutionary at the time because until then only captains and seniors officers had to wear a uniform. This brought sailors to a higher lever of respect and responsibilities.

Every detail was thought out intricately in the design process of the striped top as the official national uniform to allow the sailor to navigate and manoeuvre skilfully. There are no seams (except on the sleeves) and no buttons to avoid it getting caught in the nets, it has long sleeves, a boat neckline and a tight knit for warmth, finally it is cut long enough to be neatly tucked in. The exact number and size of stripes are indicated in the decree as such:

• 21 white lines measuring 20mm each

• 20 indigo blue lines measuring 10mm each

• 15 white lines on the sleeves

• 14 indigo blue lines on the sleeves

These measurements may seem a bit extreme however they were designed in a very intelligent and functional manner depending on the knitting and shape of the jumpers for the stripes not to be cut off anywhere.

The number of stripes are also rumoured to signify each of Napoleon Bonaparte’s victories against the British Navy during the Napoleonic Wars.

Other than making the French sailors instantly recognisable internationally, the main reason for having a striped pattern was a signalling system to easily spot and save a sailor fallen overboard. Indeed, stripes attract the eye at sea much more than a plain white knitted jumper would.

The Chanel Influence

From uncomfortable beachwear to fashionable daywear

During the “Belle Époque” French and European Golden Age from 1871 to 1914, stripes and nautical style were all the rage in trendy French coastal resorts for towels, beach tents and even on the long conservative swimsuits. However, these were only worn by men at the beach in a thick unflattering knit fabric, unpractical for swimming and anything else while women wore cotton dresses with a few scattered stripes as aesthetic detailings.

In 1913, Coco Chanel opened her first shop in Deauville and revolutionised fashion by drawing inspiration from men’s workwear to create very minimal comfortable and elegant clothes for women, contrasting completely with the overcharged and corseted “Belle Epoque” silhouette.

With an intuitive flair for the future and a creative input, Chanel managed to divert traditional sailor’s striped tops to fashionable daywear tops for women and completely changed the course of fashion history!

Eventually, she also designed a more classy, feminine and fluid version in silk.

We must remember, Chanel’s avant-garde fashion inevitably took time to influence society and women’s way of dressing. Women were able to start freeing themselves after the First World War because of their work as “munitionettes” in gun ammunitions factories while the men were fighting on field. This was the first time women were doing men’s factory works and wearing tops and trousers and it allowed a new freedom to women. As time went by, they were slowly able to emancipate from clothes which limited them and go towards more practical and functional clothes which allowed them to do sport and leisure activities at ease.

60s Stripes of Freedom and Rebellion

As we know, Chanel used stripes as a pattern of freedom for women in fashion and society, in the same way during the lat 50s/early 60s stripes became a form of freedom through self expression particularly for the Beat Generation. Also called “Beatniks", they were an American social and literary movement who advocated personal release and enlightenment from the “purposelessness of modern society” by engaging in literature, taking part in discussions and debates, dancing jazz, and taking varied substances. They expressed their alienation from conventional society by adopting a style of dress, manners, and “hip” vocabulary borrowed from jazz musicians. The Breton Striped tops were profusely used by Beatniks as one of their main clothing items to make them instantly recognisable.

Not only were stripes used as a sign of anti-conformism by subcultures like Beatniks but also by avant-garde designers of the time as a form of newness and symbol of a fresh and fun rebellion of the young generations through their fashion choices.

Stripes of a New Wave

For all the reasons mentioned above striped tops were a a recurring fashion item in French New Wave movies. A seemingly simple clothing choice for the film’s main characters actually allowed the directors to visually symbolise the seeking of freedom and change a large percentage of 60s youth craved. By showcasing their leading roles with a “marinière” the adventure seeking public viewed them as “one of them”.

Sailor stripes were also used for their very recognisable French look (associated with their origins to seaside activities) and nonchalant elegance.

Brigitte Bardot

Stripes of spontaneity on the Mediterranean Sea

Brigitte Bardot indisputably represents the French nonchalant, fun, simple, way of being in the French Riviera. With her solar charm, wild blonde hair, tanned skin and relaxed attitude, who better than her can wear the marinière with such ease!

Brigitte Bardot in “Contempt”, 1963

We can note Bardot’s iconic outfit with a wide headband, striped top and navy skirt (on the bottom right in the collage) in the French New Wave movie “Le Mépris” (translated to “Contempt” in English) by Jean Luc Goddard in 1963. That look influenced the world of fashion for a long time and still does today!

Jeanne Moreau in “Jules and Jim”, 1962

“Jules et Jim” is a classic French New Wave movie about the 60s youth and their incapacity to choose between love and friendships. This situationship happens between two guy best friends who are in love with the same woman ‘Catherine’, she in return can’t decide who she loves more.

The story is conceptual, showcasing beautiful scenes of the threesome at the beach having fun and enjoying their youth while also pondering on existential questions.

Jeanne Moreau represents a very French woman of the 60s and does so wearing classic stripes twice in the movie: in a a long ‘marinière’ t-shirt at the beach and a thin striped jumper on a fun bike ride. Both depicting a youthful joyful carefreeness about life.

Jean Seberg in “Breathless”, 1960

Stripes are definitely part of Godard’s stylistic choice for the movie “Breathless” showcased in numerous clothing items and scenes throughout the film. From matching Belmondo’s dressing gown to Seberg’s striped top in their apartment to using that same striped top in a very visual contrasted scenes of her smoking, and finally with a beautiful feminine dress fully printed with stripes to tragically cloture the movie with Jean’s breathless run in the streets of Paris.

In “Breathless” stripes do not only serve an aesthetic statement but also accentuate and participate fully in the narration and dramatic tension the movie holds.

Aubrey Hepburn

Stripes of fun and elegance

Elegance is a word often associated with striped tops as well as Audrey Hepburn, it is therefore no surprise she used to love wearing them!

Throughout the 50s, she was regularly seen wearing stripes in a very classic manner for her coastal excursions paired with white shorts, or in the city paired with black trousers or skirts and ballerines.

In the 60s and 70s, matching with the more extravagant, fun, and inventive fashion of the time. She wore an eclectic range of stripe sizes, colours and textures on a variation of items such as maxi dresses, raincoats, matching sets and more!

Audrey’s carefree red stripes in “Two For The Road”, 1967

In “Two For The Road”, Audrey showcased two striped outfits at different moments in the movie. The film depicts a realistic and honest love story going through time between Audrey Hepburn and her co-star Albert Finney. The outfit and style choices are used brilliantly to show the evolution of the characters, of their lifestyle, from poverty to the jet set, and of their marriage. The clothes express particular feelings expressed at different moments in their relationship.

Audrey’s red striped top matched with her red swimsuit perfectly suits one of the beach scenes with its gamine look, showing her youth and sweetness matching the comic, fun and romantic scene.

Later on in the movie, she is seen wearing different sized and coloured stripes on a knitted two piece cropped top and mini shorts. The matching set is paired with maxi oval white sunglasses and short hair putting forward the 60s futuristic style and its tendency to use fashion playfully. We see an evolution in her persona as the time goes by which is completed and accentuated by a change of styles from traditional stripes to mix and match modern stripes.

As we have seen above with a few examples of vintage movies, stripes have had a prominent impact in movies and were particularly adored by the 60s directors chosen to showcase a very emblematic French identity through unique and unusual characters.

Stripes have been part of clothing history since medieval times and have evolved with it as a fashionable choice since the 20s. We have seen how stripes can vary in meanings, shapes and forms from the classic sailor stripes to a diverse range of creative interpretations. In a future newsletter, we’ll dive into the different ways and manners fashion designers of the last century have appropriated stripes in their fashion collection with a focus on the 90s.

I hope you enjoyed reading about the history of stripes as well as it’s impact in 60s cinema and it may have inspired you to wear them this summer!

All the best,

Jamila Xx