The Guide: Tattersall

What is Tattersall?
Even if you don’t know the name, you’ve probably seen it in action. Tattersall is a pattern formed by two different colored vertical stripes on a lighter-colored background, which repeats horizontally to create small squares.

The name comes from Tattersalls, the famous (and still-in-business) horse auctioneer in London that began selling horse blankets featuring the pattern in the 1700s. Tattersall became a hit and was soon worn by more than just stylish horses.

How Can You Wear It?
The small scale of tattersall makes it one of the easier patterns to wear as a dress shirt. Because of that scale, tattersall may appear solid to the eye from a certain distance. That makes it more business-appropriate and easier to match with a suit than a larger plaid or check. However, there’s still enough visual interest in its subtle pattern to help liven up simple looks like a sportcoat and chinos.