Autumn fashion focus: Checked shirts

If there’s one shirt every man should have in his wardrobe, it’s a checked shirt. Classic yet fashionable; checked shirt fabrics never go out of fashion. Best of all, they can be dressed up and down too – making them one of the most versatile types of patterned shirts around. Ideal for autumn, we’re sharing all our top tips for wearing checked fabrics ahead of the season; ensuring you have your slick and stylish look sorted for a few months time.

How to wear checks

Whether you love it or hate it, the checked pattern has become a staple in the world of fashion. With designers frequently incorporating checks into their designs and the fabric’s 500 plus years of history, it doesn’t look like checked fabrics will be going away anytime soon. But how do you get the checked shirt look just right?

Check shirts in the workplace

There a few key considerations when picking a checked shirt for work or more formal occasions, these include:

• The size and style of the checks

Smaller checks look better than larger, bolder checked patterns when it comes to formalwear. The uniform pattern gives the impression of a tidied up, clean look, while the latter style can look a little too bold and busy.

• The colour

It’s not as easy to pull off bold and bright colour schemes in the office. Instead, stick to muted colours paired with neutral coloured or navy chinos. Dark greens and blues work well and can be teamed with smart attire.

• Completing your look

As with any shirt fabric, you need to consider the rest of your look too. Chinos, smart jeans, brogues and a formal coat are ideal pairings for your formal checked shirt. You could even team your checked fabric with a tie – but make sure you choose a skinny, plain coloured design – you don’t want too much going on in the pattern department!

Our recommendations:

We have got so many checked shirts suited to the workplace, including Fife 70 Sky Checked Fabric, Grange JJ Indigo Check Fabric, Grasmere GAG Blue Check Fabric, Keswick NV Red Check Fabric, and Zephyr ZK Pink Check Fabric.

Picking the right checked shirt for you

Whether you’re shopping for a checked shirt fabric for work or play, there are a few things to keep in mind:

• The season

When choosing your checked shirting fabric, think about the season in which you intend to wear it. Thicker fabrics are available for added warmth and for spring or summer, why not opt for a short sleeved checked shirt?

• Your skin tone

Checked shirts are available in so many colours – which makes them the ideal choice for all skin types. If you’ve got a fairer skin tone, stick to colours like grey, burgundy, bottle green and navy. Medium skin tones suit warm neutral colours and bold shades like vibrant green and purple. Dark skin tones suit all colours – but look especially good teamed with vibrant palettes.

• Perfect pairings

Consider your normal attire when picking your next checked shirt. This will help you decide what colour and style of shirt to choose. Do you wear sweaters over your shirts? Or are you a fan of the biker jacket? For something laid-back and cool, why not wear your checked shirt open, with a white tee underneath?

If you’re keen to start adding some warmer shirting fabrics to your wardrobe, check out the Herringbone fabric range. With shirts available in pink, blue, black and more, you’re sure to find the perfect shade to suit you.

Which of our checked shirt fabrics are on your autumn wardrobe wish list? Tell us in the comments below or tweet us @AcornFabrics