If you’re wearing a nautical-something right now, you have one woman to thank. It’s not Coco Chanel or Brigitte Bardot because it’s Queen Victoria. So, let’s take a trip 175 years back and talk about the history of nautical stripes.
In the very same year when the Mexican-American war started and when the saxophone was invented, a young Albert Edward was dressed by his mother, Queen Victoria, in a sailor suit. Willingly, we’re not so sure. But did this classic look — one that had navy stripes running across a white sweater — make sense even to adults? Hell yeah, it did.
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But the history of nautical stripes doesn’t just rest on the shoulders (and upper torso) of a child. It was then adopted by the French Navy who wore a version with a specific number of 21 stripes — an homage to how many military victories Napoleon won. It even helped sailors spot their fellow colleagues who fell into the ocean. However, instead of going “Can I get a pack of sweaters with nautical stripes in navy blue?”, it was referred to as the Breton stripe — a nod to the marine workers of Breton.
Pictured above: Funnily enough, Brigitte Bardot’s bluepin for nautical stripes is worn by everybody from Pharrell to your Gen-Z cousin. Nautical stripes, feminine jewellery and good old blue jeans.
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Interestingly, the history of nautical stripes was a manly-dude-doing-manly-things thing (aka James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause) and more of a fashion statement for women. Coco Chanel championed this print after a trip to the French Riviera and made it a house signature to be worn from the 1930s onwards by Golden Era actresses like Ingrid Berman and Marilyn Monroe.
Pictured above: James Dean (urh, not the other one) proves the tough talking swaggering appeal of the humble sweater.
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The history of nautical stripes however doesn’t lie in its cultural gravity. It lies in how it’s a definitive Summer trend. French actor Jean Seberg wore it on the streets in Breathless, Jean Paul Gaultier frequently made his runway studs wear one and Michael Kors pioneered the jet-set-drink-champagne-by-the-buckets-in-the-air look with varieties every season in cashmere.
Pictured above: Hot child in the city. Literally. Jean Paul Gaultier loved ending his Spring Summer shows with a hunk in a navy striped top
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This season, the history of the nautical stripes doesn’t reach new lengths because of its 1960s preppiness or 1970s hippiness, it’s about how it was worn as what it exactly is. The kind of top that looks good on everybody and anybody. We’re sold.
Worn under a clashing graphic sweater, the nautical stripes at Dior Men becomes even more Beatnik cool.
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At Dolce&Gabbana, they’re blown up in size and shrunken into wisps.
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Nine stripes to make a statement at Gucci.
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At Z Zegna, they run vertically to punctuate a suit.
Once you’re done reading this story about the history of nautical stripes, click here to catch up with our February 2021 issue!
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