All breton mariner's shirts were working items.

Some, thinner such as levant and minquiers and made out of a very fine cotton were worn on summer days and sundays, others in heavy cotton used to be worn at sea aboard fishing boats when the mer d'Iroise or the Atlantic ocean and the wind were calm enough not to have to wear a fisherman smock, a reefer jacket or worse the heavy oilskins the fishy smell of which was awfull.

National navy service men shirt was and is still worn every day by sailors manoevering on deck of war ships together with the BACHI with its red pompon , they wear it only on special occasions.