Oftentimes, style terms that seem like they should have a pretty simple explanation, well… they don’t. (Foxing, for example, has pretty much zero to do with foxes.) There are those lucky instances, though, where the name and the reasoning behind … read more →

Does the small dot in the middle of a sideways square really look like a bird’s eye? It’s up for debate. Regardless, that visual association is the reasoning behind the name for birdseye, a complicated weave that creates a series … read more →

There was a time when the gun club check—a pattern marked by alternating broken bands in two or more colors on a light background—bore no relationship to armed recreation. Wearing it actually meant that you were a gamekeeper or other … read more →

A few hundred years ago, you wore houndstooth to avoid a fight. The pattern—a duotone check characterized by a series of broken squares or abstract, four-pointed shapes—was one of the few not registered as an official clan tartan in Scotland. … read more →

Though they certainly stand up just fine on their own—and did so for hundreds of years—classic Scottish tartans can also be credited with the creation of another popular pattern: Argyle. That diagonal checkerboard arrangement of solid diamonds, often overlaid with … read more →

British sartorial history is an interesting beast. On one side, you’ve everything from fops and dandies to a whole heap of natty gents strolling along Jermyn Street in bespoke suits and shoes. On the other side, you’ve got a bunch … read more →

Generally, messing with a classic style is a dangerous proposition—haven’t we all seen at least a few “updated” button-downs that would have been better off left alone?—but every once in a while, tweaking the standards works. And that’s just what … read more →