Traditional wear in Paris
La marinière
Best worn at Canal Saint-Martin
The navy-and-white striped jersey, in heavy cotton with a wide boat neck. Worn plainly with denim or under a jacket, it is the one genuinely French garment a visitor can wear without it reading as costume.
Best colours
Price range
€40–120
Comfort level
High
Best place
Canal Saint-Martin
Footwear
Flat, plain, leather — the outfit falls apart with a chunky trainer
Buy / rent nearby
The Breton knitwear houses have shops across the centre and the Marais
Best colors
The story behind it
It began as French Navy uniform: an 1858 decree specified the knitted shirt for seamen in Brittany, and the stripes are usually said to have made a man overboard easier to see in the water. Chanel took it off the docks and into fashion in the 1910s after seeing it in Deauville. It is still made in France by the old Breton knitwear houses, and buying one of those rather than a printed souvenir version is the difference between a garment and a fancy-dress top.
Styling guide
How to style this look
Accessories
Footwear
Flat, plain, leather — the outfit falls apart with a chunky trainer — comfortable, on-theme and easy for cobbled lanes and steps.
Bag suggestion
A potli (drawstring) bag or a small embroidered clutch keeps the look authentic with your phone within reach.
Hair & makeup (optional)
Soft kajal, a bold lip and loose waves or a braided bun with a maang tikka complete the traditional look.
Best colour combinations
Where to shoot it
Best photo spots for this outfit
Spots in Paris where La marinière really works.
Great matchCanal Saint-Martin
- Best time
- Best time: Dusk on a summer evening, when the quays fill and the footbridge lamps come on over the water — a lock filling in low light is the shot
- Best angle
- Best angle: From the top of one of the arched iron footbridges, straight down the canal so the bridges repeat away from you
Jardin du Luxembourg
- Best time
- Best time: Early morning, just after the gates open, when the low sun is across the basin and the chairs are still in the rows the gardeners left them in
- Best angle
- Best angle: From the terrace above the basin looking down at the palace, so the water, the parterre and the façade stack in one frame
Marché des Enfants Rouges
- Best time
- Best time: Late morning on a weekday, when the produce stalls are full and the lunch queues have not yet taken over the aisles
- Best angle
- Best angle: Down the covered aisle under the glass roof, with the stall awnings framing the run of it
Shop the look
Where to buy or rent nearby
Typical price · €40–120
Wear it well
Practical tips for tourists
The full costume — stripes plus a beret plus a string of onions is a joke about the French, not French
Printed stripes rather than knitted ones, which is what the tourist-shop versions are
Carry flat, plain, leather — the outfit falls apart with a chunky trainer or comfortable flats — you'll be on your feet a lot.
Comfortable enough for longer sightseeing and walking days.
Golden hour light flatters rich traditional colours — plan the shoot early or late.
The full guide
Styling La marinière in Paris
La marinière is a traditional wear favourite in Paris, and looks its best in navy on ecru, black on white and red on white. It pairs naturally with a shoot at Canal Saint-Martin, worn with flat, plain, leather — the outfit falls apart with a chunky trainer.
Comfort is high, so plan your route accordingly. You can buy or rent it around the breton knitwear houses have shops across the centre and the marais from about €40–120. Check the photo spots above for the best time and angle to capture the look.
La marinière
The navy-and-white striped jersey, in heavy cotton with a wide boat neck. Worn plainly with denim or under a jacket, it is the one genuinely French garment a visitor can wear without it reading as costume.
What follows is the practical brief for buying it and wearing it well.
🧵 What it is
It began as French Navy uniform: an 1858 decree specified the knitted shirt for seamen in Brittany, and the stripes are usually said to have made a man overboard easier to see in the water. Chanel took it off the docks and into fashion in the 1910s after seeing it in Deauville. It is still made in France by the old Breton knitwear houses, and buying one of those rather than a printed souvenir version is the difference between a garment and a fancy-dress top.
This is heritage wear, and that changes the shopping brief - quality of make matters more than the label, the season, or the discount.
A well-made example is recognisable in the hand before the eye: weight, neatness of finish, and materials that feel like they belong together.
🎨 The colours and finishes
The palette to shop within:
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Navy on ecru
-
Black on white
-
Red on white
Colours in this family photograph well against Paris's stone, street and sky - which matters more than it sounds, since most of the trip's record will be pictures.
Nothing much — the stripe is the statement and A plain jacket over it, which is how it is actually worn here
👟 Wearing it around Paris
Footwear: Flat, plain, leather — the outfit falls apart with a chunky trainer.
The comfort mark here is HIGH - comfortable from the first hour to the last.
Trial-wear it once, adjust once, and the long day takes care of itself.
Check it for the movements of a real day - steps, seats, and a bag on the shoulder - and it will behave on the trip.
🚫 What to avoid
-
The full costume — stripes plus a beret plus a string of onions is a joke about the French, not French
-
Printed stripes rather than knitted ones, which is what the tourist-shop versions are
The failure modes are few, and all of them are avoidable with a little planning.
🛍️ Where to buy it
In Paris: The Breton knitwear houses have shops across the centre and the Marais.
Expect to pay in the region of €40–120.
Prices are generally as marked; the choice is more about fit and finish than about negotiation.
🧳 Bringing it home
Textiles travel best folded softly and kept dry; unwrap it at the hotel and let it hang a day before wearing, and it will look as it did in the shop.
Bought at the start of a trip, it earns its keep during it; bought at the end, it packs in twenty minutes. Either works - the only wrong day to buy it is the day with no time to choose.
✅ The one-minute checklist
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Palette: Navy on ecru, Black on white and Red on white
-
Footwear: Flat, plain, leather — the outfit falls apart with a chunky trainer
-
Accessories: Nothing much — the stripe is the statement and A plain jacket over it, which is how it is actually worn here
-
Budget: €40–120
-
Where: The Breton knitwear houses have shops across the centre and the Marais
-
Avoid: The full costume — stripes plus a beret plus a string of onions is a joke about the French, not French
-
Avoid: Printed stripes rather than knitted ones, which is what the tourist-shop versions are
Questions
La marinière — FAQ
Can I wear La marinière at Canal Saint-Martin?
Yes — La marinière suits Canal Saint-Martin beautifully. Comfort is high, so you can explore at an easy pace. Pair it with flat, plain, leather — the outfit falls apart with a chunky trainer for the walk up.
Where can I buy or rent traditional wear in Paris?
Try The Breton knitwear houses have shops across the centre and the Marais in Paris. Expect roughly €40–120. Many shops rent festive outfits by the day, which is ideal for a single shoot.
Which colours look best for Paris photos?
Navy on ecru, black on white and red on white photograph especially well against busy streets in Paris — they stand out without clashing with the setting.
Is La marinière comfortable for sightseeing?
Comfort level is high. It works for a relaxed day of sightseeing as long as your footwear is comfortable. Flat, plain, leather — the outfit falls apart with a chunky trainer keeps it easy on the feet.