Best of: Great takes on the classic nautical-striped shirt
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The classic nautical-striped shirt -- featuring navy-on-cream stripes and a boxy fit — was originally worn by fishermen off the coast of Brittany in the late 19th century. But these days it epitomizes casual chic, and is a staple among style-setters including Alexa Chung, Sienna Miller and Sofia Coppola.
You can snag an original-fit nautical-striped tee online at L.L. Bean or Petit Bateau. But with nearly every sporty fashion company turning out innovative takes on the iconic top this season, why not go for something a little jazzier?
Leave it to prep-savvy J.Crew to turn out a sequined nautical striped shirt ($72) that somehow isn’t corny or dated-looking. The secret? An amazing fit (super-slouchy), ultra-thin fabric and subtle shine.
Urban Outfitters brand Cooperative, meanwhile, reinterpreted the shirt’s extremities — replacing the classic 3/4-length sleeves with puffy princess sleeves and slimming down the bodice for trendy PYTs ($32). Vince‘s take on the classic — simply reversing the stripes so the navy stripes are more dominant ($98) — is less adventurous, but probably more wearable for those of us out of college.
And speaking of sleeves — Shipley & Halmos shortened the sleeves of their otherwise conventional nautical tee for men ($85), creating the ultimate heat-friendly version.
Photos, from left: Nautical-striped tops from J. Crew, Vince, Cooperative and Shipley & Halmos. Credits, from left: J. Crew, Neiman Marcus, Urban Outfitters and Barneys New York