MEN’S FASHION
How to Wear a Checked Shirt For Men
Thursday 8 April 2021
By Brad Mclennan, Designer
The Check Shirt Edit- How To Choose A Check Shirt.
When it comes to layering this winter, it isn’t just about prints and plains.
We’ve amped up our cold-weather style and have blown out checks this season. From ginghams to window panes, we’ve got every option for every occasion.
This year is all about everyday comfort, which is why we’ve designed a series of new cotton blends. You can get checks in slim-fit, stretch fabric, and everything in-between.
We’ll walk you through picking the right check, and give you a little crash history course while we’re at it. Here’s everything you need to know about men’s check shirts.
01
Gingham Check Shirt
The gingham check has been around since the mid-18th Century, and to be honest, not much has changed. Blue and white gingham is still the most popular colour combo, and it still looks sharp as hell.
Today, we’ve got gingham checks in a wide variety of colours and fabrics. You can dress it up for business meetings, or dress it down for after-work drinks. Colour is based on your own personal flair. Pink and lilac ginghams are seeing a lot of play these days, or you can go tonal with classic navy and white.
We’ve dragged the humble gingham into the 21st Century with a brand-new stretch fabric that moves with you and stays comfortable throughout the day.
This is our go-to check for everyday business wear. It’s a versatile shirt that screams classic styling.
02
The Window Pane Check Shirt
The window pane check is named after (you guessed it) window panes. One look at the design and you can see why.
You usually see window panes with thin lines and blocky, large-format checks. It’s a bolder, more confident look than gingham, and it tends to work better as a transitional, smart-casual shirt.
Window pane shirts never go out of style. They’re a modern twist on the classic check.
With their bold, contrasting colours, window panes make great business shirts, especially in more conservative palettes like blue and white. Just make sure you add a pop of colour to your blazer or suit jacket. Gotta have fun somewhere, right?
Window panes also tend to suit taller guys. The blocky style can be a little unflattering on shorter frames. Just something to remember in the fitting room.
03
The Buffalo Check
For the first time, POLITIX is branching out into casual check patterns. Starting with the trusty buffalo check.
This shirt actually has a pretty interesting history. While people have been rocking buffalo checks since the mid-1800s, they didn’t become famous until they were featured in an American lumberjack ad. That’s why you always see these guys in black and red.
We’ve taken the classic buffalo check and run with it. Our new-season style is a rich, smoke-blue and black check that’ll work well in any casual wardrobe.We tailor these guys on a flannel base fabric, which has a soft handle and relaxed fit. Super-soft fusing and exposed button downs finish off the casual look.
Match the buffalo with our selvedge denim and lace-up boot for an off-duty, weekend vibe. It’s a staple check that should be on high rotation in your wardrobe.
04
The Plaid Check Shirt
Plaid can get a bit confusing. Is it tartan, or checkered, or plaid? And what’s the difference anyway? Are they all the same thing?
Let’s make it simple. A check is a series of modified stripes to create a square pattern. Tartan is a pattern of criss-crossed bands in multiple colours. And a plaid check? Well, that’s just the North American term for tartan. Make sense?
The plaid check has been rebooted this season, and we’ve created a super-simple hybrid that can easily shift gears between tailored and casual.
Taking classic plaid patterns and mixing them with simple colours makes this an easy choice for everyday wear. Our plaid shirts are made from a super-fine cotton on a lightweight base, so there’s plenty of room to move and stretch.
With checks, it’s always a good idea to go tonal with your jacket choices. Try and bring out the colour of the check through the rest of your outfit.
05
Flannel Check Shirt
As the months get cooler and the days get shorter, you can’t go past a flannel shirt. But don’t let the stereotype fool you. Flannel doesn’t have to mean thick, hot and unflattering.
We’ve reimagined flannel and created a lightweight cotton that has a sweet, brushed finish on the surface— something you don’t usually get with flannel. These aren’t flannels for lumberjacks and tradies on the worksite. Think of these as date night flannels. All the comfort, with way more class.
With tonal, marle colours and a super-soft hand feel, this relaxed Flannel LS Shirt oozes weekend casual.
Layer it with a zip-up knit, or maybe a tech utility jacket for a street-smart look that will turn some heads.
Brad Mclennan, Designer
Bradley Mclennan has been with POLITIX for 5 years as a designer, and has over 11 years' experience across womenswear, everyday brands and streetwear. He has always been fascinated with how a creative outlook affects people's lives. A great song. An inspired building. Brad love's to push the boundaries. He's the guy injecting colour and pushing the team to be bold. Bringing the whole thing together with an insane attention to detail.
