Posted on October 15 2026
Check is the umbrella term for any pattern of crossing lines that forms squares. Plaid is a check built from stripes of several widths and colours. Windowpane is a check of thin single lines forming large, open squares. Houndstooth is a broken check of small, jagged four-pointed shapes. To mix two patterns, vary their scale and share one colour.
What is the difference between check and plaid?
Every plaid is a check, but not every check is a plaid: a plaid has overlapping bands of different widths and colours, while a simple check can be just two colours in an even grid.
Gingham, graph check and small two-colour checks are the simple end of the family. Plaid, the North American word for patterns descended from tartan, is the busy end, with lines of different weights crossing over each other.
In practice, the difference is how loud the pattern is. The Soul Of London Grey Plaid Hybrid Blazer ($595) is a true plaid with a built-in black zip-up hood, so it is a statement jacket. The Blue Industry Slim Fit Checkered Blazer in Dark Navy ($795) is a dark-navy check in a slim, stretch construction, and dark checks read almost solid from a distance. For a first patterned jacket, a dark, low-contrast check is the easiest way in.
What is a windowpane pattern?
Windowpane is a pattern of thin lines crossing to form large squares on a plain background, like the panes of a window.
Because the squares are large and the ground is mostly solid, windowpane looks bold from across the room but is surprisingly easy to wear. The plain spaces give a smaller pattern somewhere to sit, which is why windowpane jackets pair so well with patterned shirts.
The Paul Betenly Camel Windowpane Blazer ($695) is camel wool with a cream windowpane, notch lapels, a two-button front and four-button cuffs. It wants navy or charcoal trousers and brown shoes.
What is houndstooth?
Houndstooth is a two-colour broken check made of small, jagged four-pointed shapes, and at small scale it reads as texture rather than pattern.
That is what makes it the easiest of the four to wear. A small houndstooth shirt looks solid from a few feet away and only shows its pattern up close. The Bugatchi Devon OoohCotton Houndstooth Shirt in Taupe ($245) is a houndstooth print on 92% cotton and 8% spandex with 8-way stretch, a spread collar, mother-of-pearl buttons and adjustable notched cuffs, and it is machine washable. The Bugatchi Devon 8-Way Stretch Houndstooth Shirt in Blue ($245) has a point collar and a French placket for a cleaner front. If you want to know what the OoohCotton fabric actually does, read What OoohCotton Actually Does.
How do you mix two patterns in one outfit?
Mix two patterns by making one large and one small, and by giving them one colour in common.
- Vary the scale. A large windowpane with a small houndstooth shirt works. Two patterns of the same size side by side seem to vibrate.
- Share a colour. The camel windowpane and the taupe houndstooth shirt share a warm tone, so they look chosen together.
- Keep everything else solid. Trousers, tie and shoes should be plain. Two patterns is plenty for most outfits.
- Let the jacket decide. The Soul Of London plaid already carries a pattern and a hood, so give it a plain T-shirt and stop there.
The one pairing to approach with care is the dark navy check jacket with the blue houndstooth shirt. They share blue, which is good, but stand back from the mirror: if the two patterns look the same size, switch to a white shirt.
Why does fit matter more on a patterned jacket?
Patterns show every fit problem, because straight lines bend wherever the fabric pulls or sags.
When you try a patterned jacket on, button it and look at the lines across your chest and back. They should run straight. A tight button bends a plaid into an X, and sloping lines across the shoulders reveal a jacket that is too big. Also look where the pocket flap meets the body; on a well-cut jacket the pattern lines up. The Blue Industry check is slim fit, so try your usual size and the next one up if you are broad through the chest.
Common questions
Is houndstooth a type of check?
Yes. Houndstooth is a broken check, where the squares have jagged, pointed edges instead of straight sides.
Can you wear a check shirt with a plaid blazer?
Yes, if the shirt's pattern is much smaller than the jacket's and the two share a colour. Keep the tie solid.
Which pattern is the most formal?
Small, low-contrast patterns are the dressiest: fine houndstooth and dark checks. Bold plaids and large windowpanes are more relaxed, which is part of why they suit fall weekends and dinners.
Where to find it
The Camel Windowpane, the Bugatchi houndstooth shirts, the Blue Industry check blazer and the Soul Of London plaid are all online, with free shipping over $75 across Canada and the US (duties may apply on imported brands for US orders). Pattern mixing is easier to judge in person, so if you are in the GTA, come see us at 166 Bullock Drive in Markham and we will lay the pieces out together on the counter. For more on dressing for work with pattern, see Smart Casual for the Office.
