The French girl fashion item that will always be in style
There’s no denying we have a thing for French girl-inspired style – and now we’re not talking about Emily in Paris. From their minimalistic make-up to their effortlessly cool haircuts, there’s no denying that the French-girl style has that je ne sais quoi that can’t be put into words.
And one of the pieces that every French girl has in her closet? The marinière, the Breton stripe shirt, the navy stripe shirt – call it what you want, it’s undoubtedly a staple and icon of French fashion. Even though it has been around since 1838, it is still just as relevant and fashionable in 2023.
Here are some of our favorite marinière looks and how you can copy the effortlessly chic French girl style.
There’s a reason that the striped shirt is a timeless piece. It literally goes with everything. It’s the perfect layering piece and can be worn underneath a leather jacket or a cool maxi skirt – immediately adding a little extra something to every outfit.
-40%
Frankie Shop
Hester jacket Brown
$237.00
$395.00
Mytheresa
Alo
| Socialite Shacket Jacket in Bone Beige, Size: Medium White
$198.00
Alo Yoga
-30%
Frankie Shop
Hope jacket Beige
$322.00
$460.00
Mytheresa
Soaked In Luxury
Womens Maeve leather jacket Black
$299.00
Simons
-37%
Woolrich
Cotton Shirt Jacket Beige
$289.00
$460.00
Balardi
Icone
Womens Faux-suede stand collar jacket Brown
$175.00
Simons
-27%
Semper
Jackets & Coats Brown
$348.00
$475.00
Balardi
Anne Laurie Mais is a French fashion influencer who is based between Paris and the south of France – she also has her own lable, Musier Paris. So it’s easy to say she knows a thing or two about French girl fashion. Exhibit A: this beautiful outfit complete with neckerchief, mini cargo skirt, and of course Miu Miu ballet flats.
-20%
Aquazzura
Bow Tie suede ballet flats Black
$880.00
$1,100.00
Mytheresa
-20%
Ferragamo
Varina patent leather ballet flats Black
$760.00
$950.00
Mytheresa
-30%
Tory Burch
Embellished leather ballet flats Red
$265.00
$378.00
Mytheresa
Valentino Garavani
Rockstud leather ballet flats Brown
$1,160.00
Mytheresa
Tory Burch
Reva patent leather ballet flats Black
$695.00
Mytheresa
-30%
Tod's
Velvet Mary Jane flats Red
$609.00
$870.00
Mytheresa
-30%
Ganni
Eyelets Jewel faux leather ballet flats Black
$350.00
$500.00
Mytheresa
-40%
Le Monde Beryl
Le Monde Béryl Mary Jane flats Black
$402.00
$670.00
Mytheresa
French influencer Emmanuelle Koffi shows us how it’s done with this Breton inspired cardigan from Celine, paired with dark wash jeans and a sunny, straw tote bag. It’s the perfect transitional piece for those summer nights when it’s still a bit chilly.
-30%
Toteme
Raffia-effect panama hat White
$209.00
$298.00
Mytheresa
Simons
Womens Openwork braided straw XL tote bag Brown
$79.00
Simons
-60%
Ruslan Baginskiy
Hay rattan-trimmed straw basket bag Beige
$254.00
$635.00
Mytheresa
Ibeliv
Lahady Laniere Tote Bag Beige
$214.00
Eraldo
Simons
Womens Shell straw-like evening bag Blue
$79.00
Simons
-30%
Chica
Naxos Straw Handbag Pink
$251.00
$361.00
Balardi
If you’re ever looking for French girl fashion – just head over to the Parisians in Paris Instagram account. You can get your daily dose of fashion inspo straight from the streets of Paris. The feed is filled with baguettes, berets, and of course Breton stripe shirts just like this one.
The Upside
Monaco Lisel striped velour sweatshirt Blue
$240.00
Mytheresa
-20%
Velvet
Edora striped cotton jersey sweatshirt Blue
$240.00
$300.00
Mytheresa
-50%
Jean Paul Gaultier
Cutout sweater Red
$473.00
$945.00
Mytheresa
If you think that the marinière is an exclusively holiday or weekend garment, you are very wrong. Here, Marlies Pia Pfeifhofer styled her striped sweater with a pair of beige slacks, Adidas Sambas, and a black Prada hobo bag – it can become the key piece to make even the most basic outfit look cool. Why not try it with Bermuda shorts, a midi skirt , mules or flats ?
AlexaChung
Striped crochet-knit cotton cardigan - White - L
$345.00
The Outnet
Majestic Filatures
T-shirts Blue
$254.00
Yoox.com
Ralph Lauren
T-shirts White
$90.00
Yoox.com
Frame Denim
Striped ribbed-knit cardigan - White - XS
$444.00
The Outnet
Vince
Striped jersey top - Green - XL
$145.00
The Outnet
Sporty & Rich
Womens Vendome Breton Striped Cotton Top - Stripe - XL - Moda Operandi
$110.00
Moda Operandi
The marinière also comes in so many variations – not just the classic white and blue model. It has been revisited in many different ways over the years. Starting with the colors, which feature super hot variants: ranging from red stripes on a white background to white ones on a blue background, up to multicolor and black & white striped T-shirt models.
The fit has also been renewed , with short-sleeved, cropped and off-shoulder tops, as well as the classic long-sleeved marinière. Excuse us now while we make French girl fashion our new personality. Au revoir, ma chérie!
J.W.Anderson
Striped cotton jersey T-shirt White
$340.00
Mytheresa
-30%
Lisa Yang
Cila striped cashmere T-shirt Beige
$284.00
$405.00
Mytheresa
Ichi
Womens Small embroidery striped red T-shirt
$39.00
Simons
Leset
Margo striped cotton jersey T-shirt Blue
$160.00
Mytheresa
-20%
Frame Denim
Striped cotton jersey T-shirt Red
$180.00
$225.00
Mytheresa
Nili Lotan
Mariela striped cotton jersey T-shirt Black
$320.00
Mytheresa
HUGO BOSS
Boss X Aston Martin C Taut T Shirt Blue
$204.00
Balardi
