While fashion archaeology traces checks back thousands of years, it is to Scotland that we must turn to explore their recent history.
From the 19th century onwards, the famous “tartan” fabrics made it possible to distinguish between different families, in a society then organised around the clan model.
In this context, the colour and size of the checks made them easier to identify and served as a true symbol of belonging.
Colourful fabrics of intersecting lines, tartans competed in inventiveness to create true works of art in warp and weft. Distinctive patterns that probably inspired the Englishman John Rich when, newly arrived in the United States, he opened his first wool mill in 1830: Woolrich Woolen Mills.
The son of a British wool carder, it is hardly surprising to find a clear tartan influence in John Rich’s masterpiece: the black and red “Buffalo check” shirt.
Heavy, warm and indestructible, it imtely won over cowboys, lumberjacks and farmers. During the conquest of the West, it also accompanied pioneers, becoming within a few years the symbol of a hardworking, conquering America.
Indeed, it is no coincidence that the allegorical figure of the United States, embodied by the mythical Paul Bunyan, is dressed in such a checked shirt.
While remaining true to its workwear roots, from the 1920s onwards it shifted towards the urban wardrobe. Helped along by music and cinema, it gained followers in the city and soon adapted to urban lifestyles.
From Marilyn Monroe’s flannel plaid shirt to Kurt Cobain’s at London Astoria in 1990, via James Dean’s gingham shirt in “East of Eden” and the Beach Boys quartet, the second half of the 20th century gave pride of place to the checked shirt. And it is not over yet.
The checked shirt at Hast
Since 2012, the shirt has been at the heart of the Hast wardrobe. Our entire wardrobe is built around it, in keeping with the principles of accuracy and honesty that have guided its creation for more than 10 years.
Alongside the indispensable white shirt, the equally famous blue shirt and the essential striped shirt, the checked shirt quickly became an essential for us.
True to our ambition to create exceptional garments suited to everyday life, we have designed simple, timeless shirts, crafted from natural materials in collaboration with Europe’s finest workshops.
In line with the four categories commonly recognised in textiles, you will find on our rails:
- windowpane shirts. Geometrically, this is the simplest check. To the eye, it is also the most obvious. In weaving terms, horizontal and vertical lines intersect at right angles to form this perfect grid. Austere to some, fundamental to others. Bold and particularly graphic, it makes a strong statement.
- gingham shirts. More expressive, the gingham pattern is built around a two-colour plain weave whose interlacing threads form a fairly distinct grid. Associated with the French spa town where it was long produced, it is appreciated for its texture and its ability to add substance to an overly plain outfit.
- tartan shirts. The ancestor of the two preceding patterns, tartan is by far the most creative of checks. Inherited from Celtic culture, it multiplies vertical and horizontal stripes to offer a wide variety of ever more appealing patterns. At the time, each clan had its own, and it was time for Hast to do the same.
- houndstooth shirts. Though not a check in the strict sense, this pattern evokes a grid through its chequerboard arrangement. Like its smaller and larger variants (“puppytooth” and “houndstooth” respectively), it offers a pleasingly deconstructed checkerboard that combines rigour and originality.
To broaden the possibilities still further, we have worked each of these checks in different scales and colourways, as well as across different fabrics.
For example, you will find windowpane on a formal two-ply twill shirt as well as on a casual cotton flannel shirt. Likewise, gingham works equally well on a textured casual shirt as on an elegant fitted poplin shirt. The same applies to tartan and houndstooth, which you will find in a relaxed style as well as on a more formal Oxford shirt.
And why not feature an overshirt?
The subtle art of pairing checks
However attractive it may be, checks are a strong pattern. Visually busy, they do not lend themselves well to excess, which is why we recommend keeping the rest of your outfit understated.
If you opt for a checked shirt, it is best to pair it with plain pieces, preferably in shades close to those of the shirt in question.
Above all, take care to avoid layering patterns. Like stripes, checks do not easily coexist. To avoid overloading your outfit, we therefore advise against pairing a houndstooth shirt with a Prince of Wales jacket, or windowpane trousers with a tartan overshirt.
You know the saying: checks + checks = a headache.
A word on the rest of our wardrobe
If the shirt is the star around which our wardrobe revolves, we should not forget the rest of our constellations. Among them, many of our creations have adopted the checked pattern to assert their character, allowing you to make it your own in different ways.
This is the case for some boxer shorts, upcycled from fabric offcuts from our shirts.
The same is true of our scarves, made in the United Kingdom in the legendary Moon workshops, some of which combine the softness of merino wool with the beauty of checks.
The same goes for our ties, some of which feature a handsome Prince of Wales check. An exceptionally elegant variation on tartan, this pattern is a small marvel for bringing a note of discreet sophistication to formal outfits.
A final word
A wonderful alternative to plain fabrics, checks are a true style statement. Intimidating at first glance, they conceal tremendous potential that is yours to unlock.
Sometimes formal in its small, discreet format; sometimes casual in its bold, imposing form; it allows for smart or casual combinations, extravagant or understated.
While browsing our new website or the aisles of our shops, you will discover our tribute to the prince of patterns… and perhaps consider doing the same.