How To Style Check & Tartan Without Looking Costume

Check, tartan, and all the big heritage patterns are huge parts of fashion history, each with its own style and traditions. 

More commonly associated with punks of the 70s than mods of the 60s, tartan was nevertheless a key element of mod style, frequently finding itself in the lining of jackets and on A-line skirts. Checks are the more understated of the two; we usually see them in smart suits and interior fabrics.

Mods loved tartan for the bold colours, its non-conformist style and the straight lines that came to epitomise so many of their clothing choices. Like the mod movement itself, tartan is loud. But how do you wear something that loud, casually? Checks can be a little more understated, striking more so in pattern than colour, but they can still come off as corny if not styled right.

Knowing where tartan and checks fit and how to style around them, as well as their history, can help you take your checks out on the town without looking like Ronald McDonald or a punk in Camden Lock.

The Mods And Heritage Patterns

We know the mods liked looking different. And unless you’re a tourist in Edinburgh, wearing checks and tartan is a sure-fire way to stand out. Mods didn’t fancy their parents' conservative style, so they branched out into more daring patterns. Checks and tartans allowed mods to look bold while retaining an air of sophistication.

Unlike the punks that followed, mods wore tartan sparingly, a little accent in their clothes, a subtle, subversive nod to rebellion. Inside the Harrington Jacket is perhaps the most famous example of this, with its colourful red-and-black tartan lining. 

From the Jacobite rebellion to the Sex Pistols, rebellion and subversion have long been associated with tartan. And despite tartan’s complicated legacy, its inclusion in mod style points to the mod’s pride in British culture and heritage.

Checks like Dogtooth and Prince of Wales (POW) are part of the British sartorial canon. A little more subdued colour-wise, this pattern is better suited to the outside of garments; again, the Harrington jacket demonstrates this with its iconic dogtooth and Prince of Wales variants. However, dogtootha and POW were also popular patterns for the sharp, smart suits that mods so loved.

The History Of Tartan Plaid And Check Patterns

Prince of Wales

Prince of Wales tartan is a classic, monochrome check style made famous by, as you may have guessed, The Prince of Wales, specifically Edward VII. Originally known as Glen Urquhart, and the tartan of an old Scottish family, Edward adopted the style after a trip to Scotland, and it was renamed for him

Dogtooth

Sometimes known as houndstooth, depending on the size of the pattern, dogtooth is a two-tone textile, characterised by broken checks or abstract four-pointed shapes. This pattern also originated in Scotland, specifically the lowlands, and it became popular over time as a style for interior fabrics and clothes. Yet another Prince of Wales, Edward VIII, is credited with popularising the pattern, elevating it from a peasant textile to a hallmark of smart-but-casual fashion.

Tartan

Tartan is a criss-cross pattern of different colours and stripe widths, running both horizontally and vertically, to create square patterns called ‘setts.’ Tartan has become a symbol of Scotland and has undergone three major periods of popularity. First, as highland dress in the 17th Century, where it was famously a uniform of Jacobite rebels, and most recently in the 60s and 70s, where it was again worn as a symbol of defiance.

Mixing Patterns And Styling Plaids

Chopping and changing patterns was a hallmark of mod style, and that goes well beyond checks and tartan. Paisley, pin-stripe and polka dots were also hugely popular and were used interchangeably with checks and tartans. Mod dress may have looked like a mish-mash of styles, but for the well-dressed, every choice was deliberate.

Here are some basic rules to follow while mixing patterns:

Size variation: The size of similar patterns can either be exactly the same or drastically different, never in between. Different-sized patterns create a visual hierarchy and add depth to your outfit. But if they’re too similar, you’ll end up looking chaotic and unfocused.

Colour choice: Be deliberate with your colour choice and stick to a palette. Group hues together and don’t throw everything at the wall. If you’re starting to experiment with patterns, remember you can’t go wrong pairing them with a solid colour.

Style changes: Paisley is floral, whereas pinstripe is linear and 2-dimensional. You can create some really interesting contrasts by mixing different pattern styles. 

Ready to Experiment With the Classics?

Mods are pioneers. They didn’t follow the rule book; they invented it. That means you can wear whatever patterns you want, however you want. Just do it with confidence. 

Take a look at our check and tartan trousers to get started.