Breton who you ask? Way before Coco Chanel gave the 21 stripes (each stripe symbolic of Napoleon’s victories) her sartorial nod of approval, Zebras, Prisoners, and seamen were already rockin’ them… Originally the uniform of the French Navy in 1858, the eye-catching (literally, since the Breton stripe was crucial in helping distinguish the sailors from the waves when they fell overboard!) design gained serious fashion clout following Coco Chanel’s incorporation of the alternating blue and white stripes in her 1971 nautical line. Well, you simply don’t argue with the likes of Coco Chanel…
Coco’s design inspiration was for ladies to pair the striped top with flared trousers, a far cry from the then-popular ‘the-tighter-the-better’ corseted dress look. Comfort over a corset any day I say–after all breathing is very important to me–the human brain can only go without oxygen for a few minutes before some sort of brain damage occurs. I acquired this striped, slightly-cropped top with flared sleeves from Zara some time back in December last year. After finally shaken the dust of forlorness from it, I decided to wear it with nude, high-waisted, wide-legged pants for my birthday dinner.
Like my interpretation of the Breton stripe? You can embrace this very Parisian closet essential too. While most women eschew donning horizontal stripes for fear of looking more horizontal, I say, keep in mind your body-type. Minimize any chance of looking wider by getting a top with a wider, darker (blue, black, or even gray) stripe. Also keep the rest of your look minimal, the stripes will be getting you more than enough attention. There’s a reason why zebra crossings are named as such.
Girls and boys, it’s time to earn your stripes. Let me know in the comments below how you’d keep the Breton stripe looking très chic!
P.S.: I was also very pleasantly surprised with my very own Pandora bracelet, which I’ve never understood the charm of, until now (pun totally intended!)… Because I can’t wait to populate my bracelet with more shiny, pretty charms.
Top- Zara / Bottoms- ASOS / Ring- Balenciaga / Bracelets- Cartier & Pandora / Bag- Chanel 2.55 / Shoes- Jeffrey Campbell
