THREE WAYS TO WEAR: THE BRETON TEE

It's fair to say I'm obsessed with Breton tees. Chic, timeless, effortless - you really can't go wrong with a simple stripe. With most of us owning a Breton top of some incarnation, I thought I'd put together a feature on how to update yours for SS14. Don't just reserve your Breton for weekend wear - consider it as neutral piece [like a grey marl sweater or a white t-shirt] and wear it with patterns and prints. The below orange Baum und Pferdgarten number has a Simone Rocha feel and clashes artfully with a navy stripe. Heads up: if you're tight on budget, I've spotted a similar skirt from F&F for a mere £25. For an effortless weekend look you can't beat a Breton + boyfriend jean + cross body bag ensemble - I love Next's patchwork denim. Finally, your trusty tee will make a stylish beach cover-up [although anticipate replacing it post-holiday, suncream leaves yellow stains!]. I'd wear mine with big shades for a touch of parisian chic on the sands. 

Work: Breton tee, Iris and Ink at The Outnet, £45. Orange floral lace pencil skirt, Baum und Pferdgarten, £139.  Lips in Whimsical, Topshop, £8. Laminated silver slingbacks, Massimo Dutti, £69.95. 
Weekend: Breton tee - as before. Boy fit jeans patch-detail jeans, Next, £30. Marc by Marc Jacobs Dani orange cross body bag, Harvey Nichols, £175. Navy satin cross strap sandals, Next, £26. 
Beach: Breton tee - as before. Navy cut-out tank swimsuit, J.Crew, £88. River Island Penelope white sunglasses, ASOS, £13. Nails in Saffron, Topshop, £5. 

LFF FINDS: THE PERFECT BRETON TEE

I have been hunting high and low for the perfect Breton t-shirt recently and I am happy to report I have just found it. It's amazing how something so simple and classic can be so overlooked by the high street - Uniqlo used to sell the perfect long-sleeve striped tees but much to my dismay they appear to have discontinued them. So when online lifestyle store Surfdome recently offered me a piece to review from the site, I picked out the Joules Harbour t-shirt  in the hope it would fill the gap in my t-shirt collection. Having tried and tested the t-shirt I am now planning to buy multiples in different colours - it fulfills all the criteria I am looking for in a Breton - thick cotton, well-cut but not too fitted, boat neck and long sleeved. Check out more styles from Surfdome here.  Whilst stripe tees look great with Converse and jeans for the weekend, an unexpected and interesting way to style them is with sequins. Here's how I plan to wear mine over the festive season:

1. Joules Harbour t-shirt, Surfdome, £29.95.
2. Silver sequin skirt, Topshop, £95.
3. Lips in Screen siren, Topshop, £8.
4. Charlotte Olympia glitter kitty flats, Net-a-porter.com, £495. 
5. Marc by Marc Jacobs Henry watch, Bloomingdales, £120.

6 OF THE BEST: BRETON T-SHIRTS WITH A TWIST

LFF is of the opinion that a girl can never own enough Breton tees. The classic Breton top tends to feature a navy/white colour way combined with a three quarter sleeve, but there are plenty more options out there if you're looking to mix it up for SS13. I recently purchased a slouchy Topshop version (number 3.) and wore it this weekend to dress down my latest charity shop find: a leather Betty Barclay mini skirt that cost a bargain £5 (expect to see ALOT of it on here because I plan to wear it all summer!)

Whether you opt for a slouchy shape, a bright colour way or statement pocket style, there are plenty of ways to update your Breton look for summer. Here's the LFF edit of the six best styles available online now: 

1. Chinti & Parker striped organic cotton top, Net-a-porter.com, £80.

2. Yellow Broderie Breton top, Jaeger, £50.

3. Tall Breton stripe tee, Topshop, £16.

4. White and green stripe Broderie top, Awear, £16.

5. Hartford Tarquin anchor tee, Atterley Road, £39.

6. Petit Bateau Tuba striped top, Atterley Road, £45.