Houndstooth
Origins
Houndstooth has been woven in the Scottish Lowlands since at least the 1800s, where it was used in shepherds' clothing — hence its alternate name, "shepherd's check." The pattern is created through a specific arrangement of dark and light threads in a twill weave. Each group of four threads alternates between dark and light, with the groups offset by two threads in each row. This creates the distinctive jagged, tooth-shaped forms at the color transitions.
Pattern Structure
The classic houndstooth uses two colors, most often black and white. The "teeth" appear because the twill weave causes the color blocks to interlock in a staggered, asymmetrical way rather than forming clean squares. At small scales, houndstooth reads as a texture rather than a distinct pattern. At larger scales (sometimes called "hound's-tooth check" or "dogstooth" when extra large), the individual tooth shapes become clearly visible and graphic.
In Fashion
Houndstooth became a high-fashion staple through Christian Dior, who used it extensively in his "New Look" collections of the late 1940s and 1950s. The pattern has maintained strong associations with women's fashion — houndstooth jackets, skirts, and coats are perennial wardrobe pieces.
In menswear, houndstooth is primarily found in sport coats and blazers, particularly in heavier wool and tweed fabrics. A houndstooth sport coat is a classic fall and winter piece that pairs well with solid trousers and a simple shirt.
The University of Alabama's connection to houndstooth (via legendary football coach Paul "Bear" Bryant, who wore a houndstooth hat) gave the pattern a significant pop-culture presence in American sports.
Variations
- Puppytooth (or mini houndstooth) — a very small-scale version that reads almost as a solid at a distance, used in dress shirts and fine suiting.
- Oversize houndstooth — a large-scale version where the teeth are several inches across, used as a bold fashion statement.
- Colored houndstooth — versions in non-traditional color combinations like brown and cream, navy and red, or multi-color versions.