A Wardrobe Essential: Houndstooth

There are a few items that should be in every woman’s wardrobe: the classic v-neck, a cashmere sweater, a pair of perfectly-fitting jeans, a little black dress.

On the flip side, there are trends: sequins, dolman sleeves, bell bottoms, fringe.  No matter how long they last or how often they come back into fashion, you can only wear them for a finite amount of time before they put you at risk for dating yourself, like those middle-aged women on Jerry Springer trying to rock crop tops and cut-offs.

There are some trends, though, that surpass that dated look and, even though they’re not classified as “must haves” for every wardrobe, they might as well be.  Boot-cut jeans, a pair of wedges or peep-toe pumps…don’t most of us own these and wear them pretty regularly?

If you see where I’m going, consider this: I would like to add Houndstooth to the list of Must Haves That You Never Think About.

I don’t understand why the houndstooth pattern doesn’t appear in every woman’s wardrobe.  It’s one of those classic-but-not-quite-popular patterns that can be paired with almost any style without looking boring or frumpy.  It adds texture, it’s versitle, and it keeps creeping back into fashion every few years, ever since it was first introduced only God knows when in the Scottish Lowlands.  (No, really: no one knows when it was first made.  Hand-woven houndstooth check wool may just be the original eco-fashion.)

Here’s the worst part of my whole “Houndstooth is amazing” tirade: I don’t own any houndstooth. It doesn’t make a bit of sense to me, because I’ve loved it for years.  Maybe it’s because the pattern is so scarce these days, or because the price for items made using the pattern is oftentimes high, but for whatever reason I haven’t gotten my hands on – yeah, I’ll say it – this wardrobe essential.

But I’m considering making it my next mission.

Nimli’s AngelRox The Pencil: $178

All of the items in this post are sustainable – either from local stores, made of natural materials and/or handmade - and, low and behold, they all feature a houndstooth pattern.  Click the images to be taken to the listing page for each item, and while you’re at it, read up on the history of houndstooth, so when people compliment your new wardrobe edition you can tell them all about it.

Mapel’s BB Dakota Vintage Houndstooth Coat: $98 $58.80 

As I mentioned, Houndstooth checks originated in woven wool cloth in the Scottish Lowlands.  The traditional houndstooth colors are black and white, but sometimes brown and white are used and, occasionally, other colors are substituted.  In the modern day, it’s most popular in tweed and wool fabrics, which is why it’s often used for heavier-weight garments like blazers, close-cut skirts and overcoats.

Clementiny Clothing’s Cutie Houndstooth Ruffle Jacket: $62

Though it has been popular off and on throughout the years, Houndstooth made its biggest resurgence in the fashion world in the 1960s: Ann Klein used it in her menswear-inspired line, Geoffrey Beene combined it with lace(!), and Chevrolet even upholstered its Camaros in houndstooth.

Maric Fine Goods’ The Jacqueline Clutch: $39

In the 1980s, a few designers (including Chanel) dabbled in houndstooth again, but it wasn’t until the new millenium that the pattern made a real comeback.  Louis Vuitton, Moschino and Armani all used houndstooth in their 2005 ready-to-wear collections, and the pattern trickled down into less couture lines throughout the next year.

Mapel’s Tulle Houndstooth Peacoat: $68

Like most trends, houndstooth seems to come into its hey day every twenty or so years.  However, this isn’t like bell-bottoms or neon shorts: while houndstooth isn’t currently popular, it also isn’t something you’d only see on a fashion-clueless throwback.  Some of the most fashion-forward girls I know keep a tweed houndstooth jacket as a winter staple, or a houndstooth pencil skirt as part of their go-to interview outfit.  Who’s with me?

Should houndstooth be a wardrobe staple, or should it fade away until its likely return in 2020?

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For more information on the history of Houndstooth, see this article at EHow.com.

Tags: Awakened Options: Vintage, clutch, houndstooth, jackets, pea coats, pencil skirt, trench coat

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