Where does Houndstooth come from?

Houndstooth comes from Scottish Lowlands, the United Kingdom, first documented in the 1800s.

Plate No. 013pattern

The classic dogtooth.

First documented: 1800s
Origin: Scottish Lowlands, Scotland, United Kingdom
Fiber: wool
Weave: 2/2 twill
Family: twills

Plate No. 013 · pattern

Houndstooth

Houndstooth is a duotone pattern of broken checks with pointed extensions, produced not by printing but by weaving a two-and-two twill with a four-and-four color order in both warp and weft. It was worn in the Scottish Lowlands as a woolen shepherd's check before it was taken up by fashion. The points, or teeth, are a direct result of the twill floats crossing the bands of alternating color.

Illustration: a Lowland Scottish shepherd in the 1800s walking away up a stony track in a black and white checked wool shawl, dog at heel, drystone walls and weather coming in — A Lowland Scottish shepherd in the 1800s walking away up a stony track in a black and white checked wool shawl, dog at heel, drystone walls and weather coming in.

Named for

Named for the resemblance of its points to a dog's tooth. Earlier names include dogtooth and shepherd's check.

Also known as

dogtooth, pied-de-poule

In the record

1934Edward, Prince of Wales, was photographed in houndstooth in Vogue, helping move the check from rural workwear to elite fashion.

Common questions

What is Houndstooth made of?: Houndstooth is a duotone pattern of broken checks with pointed extensions, produced not by printing but by weaving a two-and-two twill with a four-and-four color order in both warp and weft. It is traditionally made of wool.
Where does Houndstooth come from?: Houndstooth comes from Scottish Lowlands, the United Kingdom, first documented in the 1800s.
What is Houndstooth named after?: Named for the resemblance of its points to a dog's tooth. Earlier names include dogtooth and shepherd's check.