Striped Tee's. Heritage=cool.

Henry Matisse's 'Self portrait in a striped T-shirt' 1906.

Alexa Chung wearing her trademark striped T-Shirt.

Above; Clockwise from top left; Coco Chanel in the 1930's, Audrey Hepburn, Audrey Tautou
plays Coco Chanel in the 1999 film- 'Coco before Chanel'. Image courtesy of StyleHive.com.

Picasso wearing a striped T-Shirt, pictured with his wife Jacqueline Roque in 1961.

Ever wondered why artists/musicians and creative types are famous for wearing striped T-shirts? One theory sugegsts that it's all down to the icon and inventor of modern art- Pablo Picasso (photograph above) who sported his throught the 1960's .

Famously painted by Henri Matisse in the 1906 'Self portrait in a striped T-shirt' this classic fashionable item was born. Originally worn by French fishermen in the 19th century, the classic sailors' Breton T-Shirt has been worn by Brigitte Bardot, James Dean, Iggy Pop, Kurt Cobain as well as more recently; Jean-Paul Gautier and Alexa Chung (who funnily enough has been closely linked to Chanel).

Now a classic staple in every wardrobe which may have a lot to do with its stylish wearers Coco Chanel and later Picasso- it is said that the creative association between this nautical T-Shirt and it's wearer was fused.

The question is, how creative do you feel in yours?