Solid stripes: the best Breton jumpers and how to style them | Fashion

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Top of our most wanted list is Swedish brand Totême’s take on the classic Breton (£400), which has slightly oversized proportions with a vent at the sides and a roll neck. Totême’s minimal uniform approach to dressing is the epitome of chic: it’s that Scandi thing that we Brits often try to recreate with varying degrees of success. The good news is that pretty much the entire high street has paid homage to this particular sweater: Gap’s version sold out immediately; Topshop’s (£42) flips the colour balance; Zara’s (left) is a hands down bargain and Cos’s take on the style comes with a zip-neck detail (£79).

Knitted, £32.99, zara.com

The even better news is a Breton jumper never dates. Originally a knitted fishing shirt, the lightness of the top and the distinct stripes meant if you fell overboard you would be easy to spot in the water. Fortunately, it’s now more of a dry land hit, given iconic style status by both Coco Chanel and Jean Paul Gaultier, who included the Breton stripe in his first haute couture show. Universally recognised as a marker of chic weekend wear, it goes well with jeans, loafers and a trench coat, or over a slip dress (or skirt) with chunky boots for an instantly cool look. Keep accessories to a minimum: simple gold jewellery and a classic cross-body bag are enough.