How to sport this season’s latest lines.

What’s so appealing about stripes? Could it be the nautical connection? Could it be the fact that, in horizontal variations, they make the shoulders seem broader, the chest slightly bigger? Or could it be that, on a more conceptual level, they are one of the first signs of spring, sartorially speaking? Either way, we’re sure you’ll agree it’s easy to see why this particular graphic pattern has become a cornerstone of the male wardrobe. Scroll down for three new ways to wear them.

OK, this is not, strictly speaking, a Breton top. More authentically French varieties of this classic piece will have long sleeves, and sometimes the maritime addition of buttons along the shoulder blade. But nonetheless, the inspiration is clear: Ms Margaret Howell has built her career on producing ingeniously tweaked versions of classic men’s pieces, and this T-shirt is no different. Cut with a regular fit, it has a slightly wider neck than your average tee, making it a breeze to wear without the scoop-y effect. Speak to its utilitarian charm with a pair of patch-pocket chinos from New York’s Rag & Bone (preferably rolled up, with a pair of canvas shoes – the perfect uniform to be invited to hop onto someone’s moored yacht, if they should be so inclined).

Stripes don’t have to be top-to-bottom. In fact, they also work as a graphic detail, as is charmingly demonstrated by this knit polo shirt from Prada. With its ribbed cuffs and hem, it has a neat fit that reminds us of the 1950s, which is why it might be an idea, when wearing it, to go full Ivy League and throw on a varsity jacket from Golden Bear – the authentic Californian brand that has been supplying such pieces to squeaky clean young men for nearly 100 years.

This Solid Homme bomber takes another kind of stripes – namely, the sort that you might find on a pair of silk pyjamas – and puckishly applies it to outerwear. The result? A jacket that both makes a statement and has a somewhat breezy feel to it that will become more and more apt as spring progresses. How to wear it? Exercise a bit of caution – there’s quite enough stripe here for one afternoon, so try pairing it instead with one of this spring’s punchy, yet minimal slogan-print T-shirts. This one from Saint Laurent seems appropriately head-in-the-clouds-y in this context.