Despite its name, there’s nothing fishy about herringbone. As a matter of fact, we’d like to wager that it’s just about one of the damn coolest patterns in menswear and men’s style, with rich aesthetics, history, and practical use. In short, we believe that every gentleman should most certainly be incorporating herringbone patterns into their wardrobes.
But what exactly is herringbone? How is it defined – is it strictly a pattern, a fabric, or something in-between, by some chance? When is the most appropriate time and context to wear it? Why is it even called that, even?
Simmer down, now – we’ll cover all of those inquiries and more in this comprehensive guide. Read on to learn more!
A Brief History of Herringbone
Let’s get the naming mechanism out of the way first, since it’s likely top-of-mind due to its rather unusual label.
It’s dubbed so seeing as it loosely resembles the skeletal bone structure of a fish, owing this to its trademark v-shaped pattern.
Herringbone as a pattern dates back thousands of years, often attributed to being used as an architectural detail in the ancient Roman Empire. Used often as a unique brick-laying technique for roads and other structures, the pattern not only created a more stable build, but offered pleasing visual touch where things might otherwise be more dull.
In terms of its use in clothing, which of course, is the primary subject of this guide, sources do vary, but ancient garments bearing herringbone’s unmistakable v-shaped weave have been discovered in the Italian-Austrian Alps, dating to 800 to 500 BC, as well as appearing in other regions of the world.
Regarding its place in more modern, western dress, herringbone has been incredibly popular in tweed and other woolen garments originating from Ireland, Scotland, and England, where, as it happens, we owe much of our modern menswear traditions to, as well.
Today, you can find herringbone patterns on jackets, trousers, full suits, waistcoats, outerwear, shirts, scarves, ties, and just about any article of clothing or accessory you can imagine – produced in all corners of the world.
Still, there remains something oh-so-sophisticated about its implementation, which somehow straddles the line between subtle and bold in all the right ways, and one of the best ways to add visual interest to any outfit when incorporated correctly.
Its use in tweed garments from the United Kingdom and Ireland tends to give it an unshakable association with that region, but the pervasiveness of such garments in classic American ivy style allows it to take on a new context – one with a touch more edge.
Worn by British royalty, academics, and swanky celebrities alike, herringbone has been allowed to take on new life and new meanings with everyone who chooses to wear it.
The Best Ways to Rock Herringbone in Your Outfits
- Pants: Herringbone works incredibly well for bottom layers, particularly one pants made from wool or heftier fabrics. Patterned pants can certainly be dangerous territory, once one starts to venture away from some variation of the vertical stripe, but herringbone just works – and adds a great extra bit of detail compared to most other pants, which tend to lean rather plain in that department.
- Dress Shirts: Believe it or not, herringbone weaves can be represented quite well in the traditional dress shirt. Often, you can find premium dress shirt options with a white-on-white herringbone pattern that adds a fantastically subtle element of detail that one needs to get a bit closer to properly admire.
- Sweaters: Don’t discount herringbone knitwear! This particular weave works quite well on crew-neck pullovers, v-necked vests, and everything in between. The pattern adds a fair bit of texture to a knit, and combined with a fine wool fabric, can make a smart casual outfit just that much smarter.
- Sport Coats: Herringbone sport coats are especially wonderful because they clearly read as a true sport coat due to their trademark pattern. These are most often in fairly casual, rugged fabrics like tweed, and tend to feature a larger-scale herringbone to really sell that more casual vibe. The bolder the pattern, after all, the more casual a piece of tailoring tends to appear. In ivy and academic aesthetics, these feel right at home. Just take note of how Dustin Hoffman perfectly rocks one in The Graduate (1959).
- Suits: That’s not to suggest that herringbone can’t work in more formal or business-like settings. A smaller scale herringbone pattern on a classic wool suit in either gray or blue tones is a great way to stand out amongst a sea of more plain-patterned worsted wool ensembles.
? Overcoats: Perhaps our favorite way to rock herringbone is in the form of a big, sweeping wool overcoat that can be styled up or down with ease. Like the best winter overcoats, you’re going to want something big, long, and dramatic, and thankfully, herringbone patterns know how to pack just the right amount of drama.
Remember when we brought up British royalty? Well, King Charles has been known to wear an absolutely stunning double-breasted herringbone overcoat for decades, proving that the style is indeed more than timeless.
For maximum versatility, we recommend a large-scale herringbone tweed coat in a gray or gray-adjacent color tone. It’ll truly go with everything.
The Magic of Herringbone
Herringbone is more than just a pattern. It’s true magic lies in its incredible adaptability. For the most part, it certainly does lean a bit more casual, as noted earlier and exemplified by its popularity in tweeds and the like. But in some cases, it can truly elevate a more formal ensemble.
Fine-waled, smaller-scale herringbone outerwear can work as a brilliant finishing layer over a business-formal outfit, looking especially sharp over a dark pinstripe suit.
Alternatively, you can elevate outfits ranging from casual to formal with herringbone accessories. Throw on a herringbone scarf. Rock a tote bag bearing the familiar pattern. Get some tweed herringbone gloves to keep you warm this winter, even!
The coolest part is, it works on so many different pieces, and can really grab the attention of others without being overly-loud or fussy. It does lean casual, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t sophisticated.
We like to think of it as “casually sophisticated.” Which, for our money, is the best definition of what it means to be cool. And herringbone? Well, it’s a damn cool pattern, that’s for sure.