Few patterns have travelled as far as the check. It began on the moors and in the mills, a language of estates and clans, and somewhere along the way it slipped into tailoring, then into the everyday wardrobe. Today a check shirt can read as quietly formal, cheerfully casual, or — done our way — as a genuine statement. The trick is knowing which check does which.
At Claudio Lugli we have spent more than twenty years designing bold printed shirts in London, and we see checks as the next frontier for our craft: heritage patterns, made bold. This is our field guide to the men's check shirt — what each type is, where it belongs, and how to wear one without ever looking like you have wandered in from a country walk.
The check family, shown
"Check" is an umbrella term. Underneath it sits a whole family of patterns, each with its own character and its own natural home on the smart-to-casual scale — shown here as they really fall.
From true Heritage Tattersalls to a graphic houndstooth — each a limited edition on Egyptian satin cotton, finished with our signature contrast details.
Statement checks vs country checks
Muted and traditional — tattersalls and Glen checks in heathery tones, designed to disappear into a Barbour-and-boots landscape.
Louder and more graphic — crisp contrast, confident scale, patterns that want to be seen. This is where we live.
We come from a print house — bold has always been our native tongue. Considered colour, deliberate scale, and our signature contrast collars, cuffs and multicoloured buttons: check shirting between country restraint and full maximalism.
Wearing a check to the office without looking casual
Check shirts by occasion
Tattersall, gingham or windowpane, open at the collar with chinos or dark denim — put together but never stiff.
The tailored end: Prince of Wales, fine windowpane or a restrained tattersall under a jacket. A statement check works too — just let it be the centrepiece.
Tartan, plaid and larger, higher-contrast checks worn relaxed — over a plain tee, sleeves rolled, no rules.
Scale, build & fit
Smaller, finer checks suit slimmer builds and shorter frames; larger, bolder checks carry more comfortably on taller or broader men. A medium windowpane or tattersall is the safe, versatile middle. The right scale is the difference between a check that looks tailored and one that wears you.
Every Claudio Lugli shirt is cut to a tailored regular fit — clean through the body without being tight — in nine sizes from S to 6XL, in premium Egyptian satin cotton, each design a limited edition made once and never repeated. If you are between sizes, or broad through the shoulders, size up. Our size guide takes the guesswork out of it.
Every design a limited edition, printed on Egyptian satin cotton and never repeated.
Shop check shirts →Check shirt FAQ
Yes — checks are a permanent fixture rather than a passing trend. Right now, bolder scales and confident contrast are having a real moment, which is exactly where our statement checks live.
Tattersall is a pattern of fine, evenly spaced lines in two alternating colours over a pale background, forming an open grid. It has country heritage but reads as sharp and versatile in a shirt.
Absolutely. Choose a finer, lower-contrast pattern such as graph check, tattersall or a small windowpane, keep the colours controlled, and layer with a blazer or knit.
"Check" is the umbrella term for any pattern of crossing lines that form squares — gingham is one specific type, meaning two colours in even, equal-sized squares. All gingham is check, but not all check is gingham.
Our shirts are cut to a tailored regular fit, which sits closer than a boxy classic shirt. If you are between sizes or broad-shouldered, we recommend sizing up. Check the size guide before you order.
