Stripe Out
The Polo Gazette, Issue N˚ 10We love stripes. They’re sporty, bold, and graphic. They can be formal—a straight-collared shirt with a pinstripe suit. Or they can be casual—a cotton T-shirt with horizontal bands. But most importantly stripes can be paired together for a look that’s unexpected and creatively stylish
1
Opposites Attract
The takeaway from this look is contrast: a collared shirt paired with a T-shirt; horizontal stripes paired with vertical ones; and an inversion of an otherwise matching color scheme. Follow these guidelines, and you can create many different looks
The Nautical Shirt
The French call it the marinière, the word for sailor, and for good reason. New recruits in the French Navy began wearing them in the 1850s; the long-sleeve shirt, with its horizontal blue stripes and band of white at the shoulders, was designed to help distinguish sailors from the waves if they fell overboard. Along with the beret, a Citroën DS, and, perhaps, a Gitanes between the fingers, there is almost nothing more symbolic of French style at its most—je ne sais pas—existential level
2
Keep the Direction Straight
You can also layer striped shirts. If the lines run in the same direction, a narrow stripe paired with a wide stripe looks particularly cool
3
Frame a Classic With a Classic
This is a lesson in the graphic power of the nautical striped pullover, what the French call a marinière, which first appeared in the 1850s, and is a favorite Polo summer staple. It has charm and authenticity and looks great with something else with that maritime history—the blue blazer
The Polo Gazette
Issue N˚ 10