Women's Nautical Style: How to Reinterpret Maritime Codes?

The women's nautical style has instantly recognisable codes. Stripes, blue tones and nautical references have stood the test of time, but a seaside-inspired wardrobe is not limited to the traditional Breton top.

With Signal du Large, Mat de Misaine explores another facet of this universe. This time, inspiration comes from docks, pontoons and maritime signal flags. Their geometric shapes and colours shape a more graphic theme, bringing together maritime horizons and a contemporary look.

How can you embrace nautical style without creating an overly literal outfit? How can you use stripes, prints and colours? Signal du Large offers several ways to reinterpret nautical references.

Signal du Large, from Docks to Maritime Signal Flags

Maritime signal flags provide the creative starting point for Signal du Large.

Used in the nautical world as a visual language, they are characterised by their geometric shapes and colour combinations. The theme draws on this graphic universe to create its own visual vocabulary.

The official palette combines Sésame, Menthe, Noisette, Liège and Bouée.

Natural tones therefore meet bolder colours, while patterns, stripes and graphic details extend this inspiration throughout the collection.

It is important to distinguish here between the theme's inspiration and the actual characteristics of the garments. Maritime signal flags provide a creative reference - this does not mean that every product reproduces their patterns or colours.

The women's Signal du Large collection brings together the pieces selected for this universe.

What Are the Key Elements of Women's Nautical Style?

The Breton top is certainly one of the pieces most immediately associated with maritime style. But nautical inspiration can take many other forms.

It can notably be expressed through:

• stripes
• certain colour combinations
• graphic details
• prints inspired by the maritime world
• pieces drawn from the vocabulary of seaside dressing

At Mat de Misaine, this maritime heritage is a broader thread running through the women's wardrobe. The current women's collection notably includes Breton tops, shirts, jumpers, trousers, dresses and jackets within a universe inspired by the Atlantic.

Signal du Large focuses more specifically on exploring its graphic dimension.

How to Modernise a Women's Nautical Look

Embracing contemporary nautical style does not require combining every maritime reference in a single outfit.

One approach is instead to focus on one strong element.

Stripes can become the main graphic feature of a silhouette. A print can play the same role. A bolder colour can also be enough to change the balance of an outfit.

The rest of the silhouette can then be built around more understated pieces.

This approach retains a connection to maritime style without attempting to recreate a complete nautical outfit.

It is also what makes this style so easy to reinterpret - the seaside becomes a source of inspiration rather than a uniform.

Stripes and Prints: How to Incorporate Them into an Outfit

Patterns naturally draw the eye. Their place within the silhouette should therefore be considered in relation to the other pieces.

Make the Pattern the Focal Point

One approach is to choose a single graphic piece.

A printed shirt can, for example, be paired with more understated trousers or jeans. The same principle applies to a striped garment.

The aim is not to establish a strict rule, but to create a clear visual hierarchy.

Use Colour as an Echo

When a pattern combines several colours, one of them can be repeated elsewhere in the silhouette.

This creates a connection between the different pieces without necessarily adding more patterns.

The women's shirts and blouses collection notably offers different interpretations of stripes, checks and prints. The selection currently available online includes these different graphic styles.

How to Combine the Colours of Signal du Large

The palette offers another way to approach the theme.

Sésame, Noisette and Liège establish a range of natural tones, while Menthe and Bouée introduce different accents.

There is no need to bring all these colours together in a single outfit.

A silhouette can begin with a natural shade before introducing a stronger colour through a second garment or an accessory. Conversely, a colourful piece can become the focal point and be accompanied by more understated tones.

Here again, the palette should be considered as the theme's colour universe - not as a mandatory combination.

To explore colour combinations further, discover how to wear autumn colours with the Sentier des Dunes universe.

How to Build an Outfit Around a Graphic Piece

A graphic piece can provide the starting point for an outfit rather than simply serving as an accent.

The process can be kept relatively simple:

• choose the striped or printed piece you want to highlight
• identify one of the colours within it
• select trousers or jeans that maintain the desired balance
• add knitwear or an outer layer depending on the season
• optionally use an accessory to echo one of the colours

This approach gives the pattern more room and avoids introducing too many competing visual elements.

The Mat de Misaine women's catalogue currently makes it possible to create these combinations across different categories - shirts, jumpers and cardigans, trousers, denim and jackets.

Is Nautical Style Limited to Blue and White?

The blue and white combination has an obvious historical place in the maritime imagination, particularly through the Breton top.

But it is not the only way to evoke the seaside.

Signal du Large offers a different interpretation. Its official palette is not based on a simple navy and ecru pairing: Sésame, Menthe, Noisette, Liège and Bouée shape its universe.

Maritime identity is therefore expressed more through nautical inspiration, graphic elements and combinations than through a prescribed colour pairing.

The coastline also inspires more botanical colour palettes. Discover how to create a women's seaside outfit for autumn with the Fleurs des Sables universe.

This distinction offers an interesting way to create a contemporary nautical look - retaining certain familiar references while allowing colours and silhouettes to evolve.

What Materials Work for Women's Nautical Style?

There is no single material that defines nautical style.

Compositions vary from one style to another, and it would be inaccurate to attribute the same fibre or properties to the entire Signal du Large collection.

The choice should therefore be made product by product, based on the composition provided on each individual product page.

This distinction also helps separate style from the actual characteristics of a garment: stripes, colours or nautical inspiration do not provide information about its composition.

Signal du Large, a Graphic Interpretation of Maritime Style

Signal du Large ultimately shows how nautical style can evolve without losing its identity.

Docks and pontoons replace walks through the dunes. Maritime signal flags introduce a more graphic visual vocabulary. Traditional colours make way for a broader palette of Sésame, Menthe, Noisette, Liège and Bouée.

Stripes, prints and colours become different ways of evoking the open sea.

A contemporary interpretation of Mat de Misaine's Atlantic-inspired universe, where maritime heritage provides a starting point rather than a fixed framework.

Discover the women's Signal du Large collection.

FAQ - How to Embrace Women's Nautical Style

How Can You Embrace Women's Nautical Style Without Only Wearing a Breton Top?

Nautical style can also be expressed through colours, stripes, certain prints or graphic references to the maritime world. A single piece can be enough to introduce this spirit into a silhouette.

How Can You Modernise a Nautical-Style Outfit?

One option is to retain a single strong nautical element - stripes, a pattern or a colour - and combine it with more understated pieces. This creates a reference to maritime style without multiplying nautical details.

Can You Wear Colours Other Than Blue in a Nautical Look?

Yes. Maritime inspiration does not depend exclusively on blue. Signal du Large offers an example with a palette combining Sésame, Menthe, Noisette, Liège and Bouée.

How Can You Wear a Garment with a Graphic Pattern?

A graphic piece can become the focal point of an outfit. It can be paired with plain garments, or one of its colours can be repeated elsewhere in the silhouette to create a visual connection.

What Is the Inspiration Behind Signal du Large?

Signal du Large draws inspiration from docks, pontoons and the visual language of maritime signal flags. The theme combines this nautical universe with a more graphic and contemporary approach.