Monday, January 31, 2011

Jane Birkin

Jane Mallory Birkin, (1946) is an English-born actress and singer who lives in France. She is best known as the muse of Serge Gainsbourg who wrote several of her albums, and for her work on screen collaborating with such directors as Jacques RivetteAgnès Varda and Jacques Doillon. In recent years she has written her own album, directed a film and become an outspoken proponent of democracy in Burma.

Jane Birkin has always been a good advocate for sea-striped tops!

Friday, January 28, 2011

Les Marins font la mode

Les Marins font la mode is the essential book on (French) sailors uniforms, chockabloc with information and (historic) photographs of nautical wear & gear; marinières, the Breton style sweater, smocks, bachis, etc.

I got my copy through Amazon-France

Monday, January 24, 2011

Hello Sailor

Hello Sailor (Attendre un matelot) is one of the nicest children's books I've read in years!
A moving story of hope and friendship. Matt lives in a lighthouse. He watches the sea every day...for ships and for his friend, Sailor. Matt is so forlorn that Sailor has gone away that he almost forgets his own birthday. But, his friends say Sailor will never come back, but Matt doesn't give up hope. And, after his birthday party is over, his patience is rewarded, when Sailor finally returns.
Great to find a children's book that steps outside the confined boundaries of mainstream sexuality.

Friday, January 21, 2011

Bachi

Anna Karina
Thought the red pompom on a French sailor's hat (or bachi, to be exact) is there just to make fun of?
Not at all! The pompom was added to the sailor's beret as a means of protection in the confined spaces aboard ships and especially aboard the submarines. 
As it goes, people believe it brings good luck to touch a sailor's pompom, but that's another story again...

Monday, January 17, 2011

Friday, January 14, 2011

Peter's Stripes



Yes, back at the job after the summer holidays and time to get back to a bit more substance on I Sea Stripes. German blog reader Peter Grosse not only supplied me with a good amount of photographs, but also stretched my imagination in where to look for stripes. 


I'll start this first real post of the year with a collage of Peter's pic's.