I try not to be obsessively particular when it comes to conversations about fashion. Everyone has their own likes, dislikes, trends to follow, and those to leave behind. I get it, do your own thing and own it. One point of conversation that is impossible difficult for me to not reign over is the mislabeling of prints. I'm not entirely sure why it bothers me...but it does. Gingham is not the same as plaid, and there is a difference between buffalo, tartan, and Glen. Houndstooth and herringbone look nothing alike and not all stripes are pinstripes. This is my crash course, offered free of charge, to help you all get it right.
Gingham is a linear crossover pattern that utilizes a single color, equal spacing, and equal width. Gingham is most commonly found during the spring and summer months, and is almost always on a button down shirt of some sort.
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| Not plaid. |
Now for the plaids. Plaid is always a popular print because it comes in an insane amount of colors, sizes, and textiles.
First up is tartan plaid. Tartan plaid is what people traditionally associate with Celtic traditional clothing. It usually is made of wool (culturally and historically) and is in rich colors like navy, green, red, and black.
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Tartan.
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Next is glen plaid. Glen plaid is one of the most refined prints and in many ways can be utilized the same as a neutral. The lines in this print are minute and fine, so much so that TV broadcasters and journalists avoid the print at all costs due to how poorly it reads on video. It is difficult to find Glen plaid in colors that aren't some shade of grey, brown, or black (with a single line of red). Glen plaid is a great suit pattern that comes off as daring and dapper.
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| Glen. |
Buffalo plaid wraps up the plaids. Think hunting and flannels. Buffalo plaid is like a pumped up gingham in the number of lines it uses. The patten is a linear criss cross, but the difference is the lines within the lines (Inception style). Macro lines are composed of diagonal micro lines (the picture makes more than this description). As I mentioned before, this print is traditionally found on flannel button downs and is one of the limited fashion items that has fashion and function (warmth and layering).
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| Buffalo. |
Houndstooth had its moment a few years ago when it was on every imaginable fashion item. It quickly became played out, but it is no less a classic print. Houndstooth is characterized by uneven, alternating points that resemble....a hounds tooth. This print is almost always done with black and white textiles.
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| Houndstooth. |
Then there is herringbone, named for its resemblance to an animal carcass. Herringbone is characterized by its chevron shaped lines that alternate in direction. It is consider a classic print and is a fabulous print for blazers. Herringbone doesn't come in a ton of color varieties, so classic earth tones are almost exclusively used.
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| Herringbone. |
And last but not least, there are the stripes. Vertical and horizontal lines do actually have depth and should be appropriately distinguished (otherwise you will hurt their feelings). What I believe to be the most important stripe to distinguish from the others in the pinstripe. Pinstripes are an icon of gangster fashion and cliche banker suits. Pinstripes are as thin as they come (usually a single thread line) and are a go-to for suits and business wear.
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| Pinstripes. |
And that is your crash course in oft-confused patterns. So, when you are picking out your airy button down to go with your daisy dukes, don't you dare call it plaid.
