The Breton Tee

Feb 14, 2022

Maybe its because I've been thinking a lot about key wardrobe pieces lately; maybe it's because I have some new dungarees and teaming them with a striped tee makes me feel pleasingly like a Pottery Throwdown contestant; or maybe its just because I've been helping my youngest put together a power point on Picasso this week (ultimate breton tee icon) Whatever the reason, I've rediscovered much love for this wardrobe classic. True, it's not always had a smooth ride sartorially: there's no denying that there were wilderness years where it strayed from the path of it's convention breaking champions: Chanel, Brigette Bardot and James Dean, into very much more conventional sloane ranger territory. However in recent times fashion has reclaimed it and revived its status; teamed with spring sequins on the Chanel ss22 catwalk, the breton suddenly feels 'now' again.

But as always the key to keeping things fresh is to wear it in an unexpected way. Take that demure breton out of its comfort zone and team it with florals, logos, slashed denim, sequins, elevated minimalism, pop art motifs, and avant garde shapes. If the classic look is your go then of course carry right on wearing it this way. The point is, there are options. Here's ten of my current favourite breton tees plus how to wear them in a way that will get you noticed. Without a whiff of the Kings Road. (Unless we're talking Andy Warhol circa 1960.)