Know the Types of Your Shirt Patterns

There are many types of patterns for shirt fabric: plaids, check, stripe etc. Many variations of the major patterns exist as designers are constantly trying to come up with new and different styles. Shirt patterns are often enhanced or can be a combination of different patterns. Here is guideline for some of the classic patterns.

Gingham Check

Gingham Check is a pattern that is comprised of two colors that cross each other. This creates a pattern of small squares. Traditional Gingham is a small check pattern (usually) with alternating colors of white and red or blue. It's a medium-weight balanced plain-woven fabric made from dyed cotton or cotton-blend yarn. The name originates from an adjective in the Malay language, ging-gang, meaning striped. Gingham shirts have been worn by mods since the 1960s and continue to be identified with fans of indie and mod music with brands like Liam Gallagher's Pretty Green, Fred Perry, Rough Trade and Merc producing gingham shirts.

Gingham is a great way to add some fun to your wardrobe. Often uses bright colors like red, blue, and pink, making it ideal for a summer shirt. Black Gingham is also popular and is a great way to add some style to your business wardrobe.

Buffalo Check

Also called buffalo-check plaid. It is a large and bold pattern that usually has only 2 colors. Typical Buffalo Plaid is a pattern of red and black large checks, but will also come in other colors. Buffalo Plaid is also usually flannel. It's a bit larger in pattern size than the gingham would be.

The lumberjack shirt, as many call it, has an outdoorsy feel and is a perfect choice for a chic autumn/winter shirt.

Shop for Buffalo Check Flannel Shirts>>

Pinstripe

Pin stripes are a pattern of very thin stripes running in parallel found in cloth. The pin-striped suit has become associated with conservative business attire, although many designers now produce fashionable pin-stripe patterns for fashion-conscious consumers. Fine lines for vehicles are also called pin stripes. Although found mostly in men's suits, any type of fabric can be pin-striped. The Chicago Cubs' baseball uniforms have had pin stripes since 1907 and they are recognized as the first Major League Baseball team to incorporate pin striping into a baseball uniform. Many other Major League Baseball teams including the Minnesota Twins, Montreal Expos, New York Yankees, and Philadelphia Phillies later adopted pin stripes on their own uniforms. This was later carried over into the NBA, with teams like the Charlotte Hornets and Orlando Magic incorporating pin stripes into their uniforms. Stripe Shirts

Plaids

There many different types of plaids. Tartans, madras, glen, and novelty to name a few. Plaid/tartan is a woven fabric where the dyed threads are different colors and used to make stripes. The intersections of the length and cross grains (warp and weft) have the colors blend together to make a different color effect.

Glen plaids are balanced, have approx. 2-3 colors and have a very set pattern of vertical and horizontal stripes with a twill weave making them look very intricate. Because they are balanced they are also considered Tartans. The construction (threads per inch) can be different from warp and weft but the design still looks balanced.

Novelty plaid is pretty much any type of unbalanced plaid that has a set weave throughout.

Madras

Madras is a colorful, lightweight pattern. This summer fabric style is distinguished by a pattern of colorful checks and stripes. The dyes often bleed into each other so it has a softer look. The stripes of a madras check or plaid consist of different colored stripes that cross each other to form uneven checks. Madras has become a popular pattern for shorts and casual shirts. The name is originated in a city in East India named Madras.