Houndstooth is the check with real bite - centuries of heritage in a pattern that still looks sharper than almost anything else a man can wear.
Houndstooth - that broken, jagged check with the little pointed teeth - began in the woven cloth of the Scottish Lowlands and has been a mark of quiet, confident taste ever since. It is one of the few patterns that reads as heritage and modern at once. Get the scale right and keep the styling clean, and a houndstooth shirt is one of the most quietly powerful things in a wardrobe.
Houndstooth, decoded
Houndstooth, dogtooth, puppytooth - the same pattern at different scales. Knowing the difference is how you choose the right one.
How to wear a houndstooth shirt
Houndstooth carries an outfit on its own, so let it. Keep everything else plain - charcoal, navy or stone trousers, never a competing pattern. Match the scale to the setting: a fine puppytooth is smart enough for the office and under a blazer, while a bold dogtooth is an evening statement worn with dark denim and a boot. Lean into the monochrome - houndstooth is at its sharpest in classic black-and-white, so let the pattern, not colour, do the talking.
Houndstooth never shouts. It simply looks like you know exactly what you are doing.
The houndstooth edit
Houndstooth shirts for men: FAQs
What is the difference between houndstooth and dogtooth?
They are the same broken-check pattern at different scales. Dogtooth is the largest and boldest, houndstooth the classic mid-scale, and puppytooth the finest - which reads almost as a texture from a distance.
Are houndstooth shirts in style?
Yes. Houndstooth is a heritage pattern rather than a trend, which is exactly why it endures. On a modern, tailored shirt it looks both classic and current.
What do you wear with a houndstooth shirt?
Keep it plain and monochrome-friendly: charcoal, navy, stone or black trousers, and no competing pattern. Let the check be the single statement.
Explore men's check, houndstooth and dogtooth shirts, S to 6XL.
Shop Check & Houndstooth ShirtsFor more on wearing pattern with confidence, read the complete guide to men's printed shirts or how to style a bold printed shirt without overdoing it.
