A pattern of broken checks with pointed corners, often seen in contrasting light and dark colours.
Houndstooth is recognised by its pointed, broken checks. The Museum at FIT describes a woven version produced with contrasting yarn colours arranged in groups of four in both warp and weft. The same visual motif can also be printed, so identifying the pattern does not establish how the cloth was made. Examining whether the checks are formed by the yarns or printed onto the surface helps separate appearance from construction. The V&A records black and white houndstooth wool trousers in an Yves Saint Laurent suit and a printed Alexander McQueen silk gown whose houndstooth pattern changes into birds in flight.
In job listings
This pattern name appears more in collections and product copy than in vacancies. In tailoring and sales, it helps to know it can be woven or printed, and that its scale changes how a garment reads. Search local jobs for “tailoring”.
