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The Patterns Guide

Patterns add a layer of sophistication to clothing and accessories. These classic options bring depth to any outfit.

1. Bird’s-Eye - Bird’s-eye is a woven pattern often seen in fabrics used for suits, jackets and neckwear. Distinctive in appearance, the pattern is composed of innumerable small dots of colour arranged geometrically.

2. Chalk Stripe - A classic textile design, the chalk stripe consists of fine white lines against a dark background. Primarily it's found in the world of men's suiting.

3. Glen Check - A woollen fabric with a woven twill design of small and large checks, the glen check (or glen plaid) is usually made of black/grey and white or more muted colours. Its design features two dark and two light stripes alternating with four dark and four light stripes which together create a crossing pattern of irregular checks. The name is taken from the valley of Glenurquhart in Scotland.

4. Herringbone - Herringbone is a woven pattern of evenly spaced diagonal threads, some slanting down to the left, others slanting down to the right. It does look a little like a fish’s skeleton. Usually seen in greys or browns, herringbone is a popular pattern for sports jackets and overcoats.

5. Houndstooth - A woven pattern of jaggedly distorted checks, houndstooth is said to resemble a dog’s teeth. The pattern is often used for sports jackets or overcoats. Depending on the size of the pattern, houndstooth can create a subtle look or a bold one that won't go unnoticed.

6. Pin Stripe - A pattern of very thin stripes of any colour running parallel, pinstripes have been seen on men’s suits since the early 19th century. They were once used by banks in London, England, to identify their employees. Often compared to the similar “chalk stripe,” the pinstripe is very thin, often 1/30th of an inch in width. It is created with one single warp yarn.

7. Plaid - Plaid comes from the Gaelic word plaide and was originally the name for a sort of tartan blanket that the Scottish slept in at night and carried with them during the day, gathered and fastened over one shoulder. Today, it is used in North America as a synonym for tartan – or for a pattern that looks like a tartan, with horizontal and vertical stripes of various widths and colours. Some plaids are bold, others more discreet, even verging on a plain check.