Today for Waiting for Grace we are speculating about Grace Thomas and her wardrobe. Grace is visiting Paris in her first book, but will she also be wearing Parisian or French inspired clothing? There is always the beret, which is almost a given especially considering her book cover. But how about La Mariniere known more commonly as a French sailer shirt?
This classic striped shirt has its history with the French Navy when in 1858 it ordered all mariners wear a uniform top with these distinctively spaced stripes to better be able to spot a sailor who had fallen overboard! By the turn of the century the stripes had moved beyond the sailors and they could be found at the French beachside in items such as the canvas tents and chairs. The stripes stepped into fashion history in 1913 when Coco Chanel used the stripes in fashion for women. Later La Marinere would become associated with French actors and artists.
The stripes are still popular today. Below is a Me & You outfit (for a girl and her 18" doll) by Our Generation found on sale last week. The shirt is a definite nod to the French sailor motif with its blue and white stripes, the stylized sailor collar, and its small decorative tie which is reminiscent of a sailor's scarf.
Below is Mini Kendra wearing the same Me & You outfit. From this view, especially in light of the giant blue bow at the waistband of the skirt, one can not help but think of images of GOTY 2015 Grace and her skirt which sports a very similar giant bow.
Considering the French inspired elements of the Me & You outfit, the giant bow on the skirt, as well as OG Kendra's blue eyed and freckled face, one wonders exactly who is leading and who is following in the competition between AG and OG. Kendra has been around since mid-2013 (if anyone has an earlier sighting, please let me know!) but it seems like there are too many crossovers between OG Kendra and AG Grace to ignore.
Were sailor shirts were already on the fashion horizon for a comeback and OG got the first jump on a travel and Parisian theme? Did AG just join in late? Or did early AG product research and design for GOTY 2015 get scooped? Or is all of this a giant coincidence?
I would love to see a classic La Mariniere appear in Grace's wardrobe on January 1st. As it is a classic wardrobe piece, its inclusion would go a long way to supporting another Mix & Match collection like we saw with GOTY 2014 Isabelle.
What do you think? Would a beret and a mariniere be too much Parisian flair for one collection? Or do you want more of a good thing?
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