Sailor sweater or Breton top: what is the difference?

The same stripes, the same crew neck, the same seaside story — and yet two garments that share neither the same material, nor the same season, nor the same price. Here is how to tell them apart in thirty seconds, and which one to choose depending on what you are looking for.

What is the difference between a sailor sweater and a Breton top?

The difference comes down to one word: the material. The sailor sweater is a wool knit, in a dense, thick stitch. The Breton top (the French marinière) is a cotton top, in fine, light jersey or interlock. Everything else — the blue and white stripes, the crew neck, the maritime heritage — they have in common.

In practice, they are not worn at the same times: the sailor sweater is a winter garment, designed to be worn outdoors, in the wind; the Breton top is a mid-season and summer garment, worn on its own or under another layer. The sweater weighs several hundred grams and keeps you warm by itself; the Breton top is around 200 g/m² of fabric and dresses you without warming you.

"Breton-striped sweater": what exactly are we talking about?

When people look for a "marinière sweater", they are almost always looking for a striped sailor sweater — that is, a wool knit with blue and white stripes, not a cotton Breton top. The word "marinière" then refers to the pattern, not the garment.

It is the most common confusion, and it is quickly settled: if you want warmth, look among the wool sailor sweaters and choose a striped model. In our workshop, that means the men's striped Petit Erquy and its women's counterpart, the Striped Fish and Striped Anchor elbow-patch sweaters, or the Briac for children. If you want something light, then a Breton top is indeed what you need: see the women's Breton tops, the unisex Breton tops and the children's Breton tops.

Which one really keeps you warm?

The sailor sweater, beyond any comparison. Wool retains heat even when damp, and a tightly knitted stitch stops the wind — exactly what was asked of a knit on a ship's deck. Cotton, on the other hand, turns cold as soon as it gets wet.

The Breton top does not have that role: it is made to breathe and to be worn for long hours in the day, not to face a trip out to sea in November. That is why the two complement each other rather than replace each other.

Sailor sweater or Breton top: which to choose, and when?

Winter garment to wear outdoors: the sweater. Mid-season piece to wear on its own or underneath: the Breton top. And many people wear both together, the Breton top under the sweater, crew neck over crew neck.

One sizing point to know if you plan to layer them: the sailor sweater is cut close to the body, originally because it was worn like a second skin under the oilskin. Take your usual size to wear it on its own, one size up to wear it over a shirt or a Breton top. Flat measurements are detailed in the size guide of each product page, and our sailor sweater buying guide goes through the criteria to check before buying.

Where do the blue and white stripes come from?

From the regulation striped knit of the French Navy, laid down in a text of 1858. Before that, the wool knits of Breton sailors' families were most often plain, dark blue. The striped Breton top therefore descends from the uniform; the sailor sweater, from the working garment.

The regulation does not say why stripes. The explanation most often put forward is visibility: a man overboard is easier to spot in stripes than in plain colour. It is also said that their number counts Napoleon's naval victories — a fine story, never established. For the full account, see our article the history of the sailor sweater and the Breton top.

How do you care for them?

Two opposite regimes. A cotton Breton top is washed like a T-shirt: often, in the machine at 30 °C, delicate cycle. A wool sweater is washed rarely — twice a year is enough for many of our customers — and is aired between wears, flat, in the open air.

It is one of wool's lesser-known advantages: it regenerates on its own and does not hold odours. The washing method then depends on the wool, and it is stated on each product page; the details are gathered in our wool sweater care advice. A well-cared-for sweater neither pills nor felts: ours are covered by a lifetime anti-pilling guarantee and remain repairable for life in the workshop that knitted them.

At Baie des Caps, which ones do you make yourselves?

The sweaters, all of them. The Breton tops, no. Our sailor sweaters are knitted and made in our workshop in Beaussais-sur-Mer, Brittany, by six artisans. Our Breton tops, on the other hand, are chosen from partner brands: they do not come off our machines, and we prefer to say so.

This distinction has practical consequences. The lifetime anti-pilling guarantee, repair at the workshop and the production number that lets you find the colour of a sweater years later apply to the sweaters knitted by the workshop, not to the items from other brands that we sell in the shop. Our traditional Arvor Breton tops, for example, are 100% cotton, knitted in 220 g/m² interlock, and machine washable at 30 °C.

Your questions

Sailor sweaters knitted and made in Beaussais-sur-Mer, Brittany — a workshop of six artisans, Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant (Living Heritage Company). See the wool sailor sweaters or the Breton tops.