Many men will refer to textile patterns as checkered and plaid without knowing their proper names. There are several different types of checks and plaids that will frequent a man’s wardrobe, so it is best to know what you’re wearing.
1. Houndstooth
Houndstooth is probably the easiest checkered pattern to differentiate. It’s obvious how it gained its name since the jagged check looks like a dogs tooth. This is a bold pattern choice that can to very loud and overpowering.
2. Tartan
When most people think about plaid they are refering to a tartan plaid. This Scottish pattern uses different coloured and sized stripes to create bold and unique plaids.
3. Windowpane
A Windowpane check is a popular suit pattern. As the name entails, the wide checks look like a windowpane.
4. Glen Urquhart (Glen Check)
Often called the Prince of Wales Check, the Glen Urquhart is a twill check characterized by it’s irregular checks. It’s created using two light and two dark colours, alternating with four light and four dark to create the different sized checks.
5. Madras
This is the plaid of summer. Madras plaid is a multi-coloured plaid where stripes of different widths intersect in an uneven check. While the pattern originated in India, it has become a very preppy, New England summer plaid.
6. Gingham
It seems like every guy ever owns the J.Crew blue gingham shirt. This is an even two coloured check pattern, normally white and coloured checks.
7. Tattersall
Tattersall is a doubled windowpane check, cross weaving in a second colour. This is a popular pattern for men’s collared shirts.
8. Shepherd’s Check
The Shepherd’s check looks similar to gingham, except for the visible twill weave leaves the check striped.
