The French Sailor Shirt

Peter Beaton of Nantucket ($60)

Everywhere I look I see a version of the French Sailor Shirt, so called because - ah- apparently these shirts were worn at sea aboard fishing boards under a fisherman smock, a reefer jacket which was made  from  heavy oilskin as protection against the elements.  The "original" Meridien shirt was made from heavy cotton or wool as an under layer, and sported about the docks on the  French Riviera with little black berets and black wool bell bottom pants. The shirt has come in and out of "fashion" for several decades. Coco Chanel is shown here (below) wearing what was referred to as the mariniere shirt in the 1950's.. Isn't she cute and sporty?

It was also worn in the movie ABOUT  Coco (Coco Before Chanel) by Audrey Tautou. Well, the French Company Saint James is still making these babies.  They sell a version in the authentic wool, but uh, itchy. The preferred version is in a heavy, densely woven cotton that washes and wears and washes and wears for a million years. The shirt always has a "bateau" or boat neck: it is sort of signature.

Yep, Pablo Picasso

Today you see these on the streets worn by dapper young men in their 20's with jeans, maybe a navy sport coat on top, perhaps a pea coat (another friend from the sea) or a duffel coat. The girls often wear them with cut off jeans (jorts! mom, Jorts!!!) even heels or wedges, and sometimes hair tied back with a bandanna.

J Crew has a St James shirt.  Each of my "children" has one.  It is unisex and costs ..again ugh.. $175. They also have "lesser", non-authentic sailor shirts .  One even has .. sparkles. Yeah.  Sparkles.

I recommend the Saint James. It is thick and heavy, and comes in either dark navy (as left) or with colors reversed, navy on white.  Buy one, wear it forever.  Just make sure it's big enough to last for 30 years or so.. trust me on this.

Enza Costa version, in cashmere, available
 here in Raleigh at Gene Chandler.. 

"Old" version of the Saint James,
minus the anchor, $115