Celebrate La Fête nationale — commemorating the start of the French Revolution on July 14, 1789 — in true French style!
Seeing as I am French (well technically 50% French, the other 50% being of direct Finnish ancestry; I call it Frinnish), its only appropriate that I celebrate La Fête nationale, also known as Bastille Day, in proper french style. And nothing is sartorially more representative of the French than the iconic Breton stripe sweater.
First created for the French navy in 1858 (introduced in the 1858 Act of France) as the uniform for all navy seamen, the navy-and-white striped knitted shirt has forever since been a men’s style classic. Originally known as marinière and designed to feature 21 stripes, with each representing one of Napolean's militaristic victories at the time, the distinctive block design was purposefully crafted in order to make sailors easier to spot out on the sea. Since 1889, the genuine article — the authentic French version — has been manufactured by Bretagne, Tricots Saint James, but has since been adopted and adapted in many ways (size and amount of stripes, variance of colours, and in the coverage of the stripes) by fashion companies around the world. And yet throughout its history it has always managed to retain its basic french styling template and association. Nevertheless, this special garment has since transcended its original purpose in becoming a modern everyday essential that every gentleman around the world should be the proud owner of. It will never go out of style and, while looking most appropriate during the warmer seasons, can be a versatile piece worn year round.
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Wear It Well: Keep it casual and nonchalant like the French. Pair the sweater with some white trousers (I’ve chosen denim to pay homage to the tough sailing heritage of the Breton stripe), a brown woven belt (for a textured punch), and some summer appropriate (and Breton striped) espadrilles (always sockless) Top it all off with some prolonged coffee sipping while taking your time reading a newspaper, eating your pastry, and people watching.
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So there it is, a look to celebrate my French heritage, the beautiful country of France, its people, and too its omnipresent cultural influence —its baguettes, fine cuisine and wines, french fashion, and its exquisite and cultured french women everywhere. And whether you are french or not, this outfit will be one that you can revisit time and again (as I do), year-after-year, and never look dated or dull. After all, they do call these classics for a reason.
Considering a different look, try one of these:
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And seeing as no cultural experience would be complete without sampling some of its music, I felt compelled to share two of my favourite French artists (for different tastes) to fully immerse yourself in French culture. The first being the multi-talented sensation that is Stromae from Belgium and the second being the former French First-Lady, Mrs. Carla Bruni-Sarkozy.
THOUGHT/OPINIONS:
Are you celebrating Bastille Day? Are you the proud owner of a Breton stripe garment (sweater/t-shirt/etc.)?
Are you celebrating Bastille Day? Are you the proud owner of a Breton stripe garment (sweater/t-shirt/etc.)?
Vive La France!
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