Patterned suits are a sartorial quagmire for many, because they have to be teamed and paired carefully to get the look on point. Within patterns, the most popular by far has to be checks, but did you know that all cross patterns aren’t necessarily ‘checks’, and they’re not the easiest to get right. Checks have been around for a very long time, and have come and gone out of trend quite a few times, but it’s back, and I personally love it!
Having said that, being able to pull off a patterened / checkered suit is very tricky, so if you’ve got your eyes on one (or five) to up your pattern game, here are a few points you may want to keep in mind.
We’ve styled 4 of the most popular patterns out there, and have laid out for you a few simple tips on how to pick and wear which types of checks:
1. Windowpane Checks
The windowpane is probably the most versatile of patterns, consisting of large checks which are made out of horizontal and vertical lines, much like the pattern found on the pane of a window. The beauty of these large checks is that they can make a skinny guy look beefy due to the horizontal checks that give a broader look, and are also preferred by larger guys, for the vertical lines, which gives an elongated look, making big guys look, well, not so big! Here, being paired with a pair of blue trousers, a white shirt, yellow tie and a light blue pocket square, makes it an ideal look, as it maintains a perfect balance between the shades and the pattern.
- Ivory-grey windowpane suit by Herringbone & Sui.
- Tie & Cufflinks by The Tie Hub.
- Pocket square by The Tie Hub.
2. Gingham Checks
The mini checks or Gingham pattern suit gives you just the right touch of style that you need to spice up your attire. It’s a classic pattern, which is made up of small checks, making it easier to pair with other styles and colours. It’s the perfect jacket to subtlety introduce your outfit. In this look, paired with blue trousers, a white shirt, ink blue suede shoes and a two tone tie, all keeping in the hues of navy blue, make it a complete look.
- Purple gingham suit by Herringbone & Sui.
- Dual tone tie by Herringbone & Sui.
3. Plaid
The plaid pattern (once considered a car sales man look) has now become a modern day style of power dressing. This grey plaid suit shouts sartorial sophistication, giving you a very unique look. What must be kept in mind while styling this look is that the plaid checks tend to look very monotonous, unless broken with a solid shade of colour. For instance, in the look below, the solid pink shirt and colourful pocket square has been used to break the continuity of the plaid checks, lending perfectly to the overall appeal of the look as a whole!
- Grey plaid suit by The Maroon Suit.
4. Tartan
The tartan is not your every day checks, and so is slightly more complex to pull off. They add a very vibrant and classy touch to your look, but you must remember to restrain the rest of your outfit, keeping it to a more neutral tone. Your remaining attire must be kept in the shades of your suit, for instance in the look below, the shirt and pocket square are in the hues of red, keeping close to the colour of the suit.
- Maroon tartan suit by The Maroon Suit.
Patterns are a lot of fun to play with, and are the best way to change up your outfit. Opting for checks is most definitely the road less travelled, but take a chance, live a little!
Credit:
Stylist – Prashant Mangasuli
Photographer – Look 1 & 2 – Rishabh Maliwar
Look 3 & 4 – Harshal Shah
Hair & makeup – Vimal Gudka
Location – ITC Grand Central & Playboy Club Mumbai
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