May's Fashion College: the check

If you want to buy just one piece of clothing and be completely up-to-date for the winter of 2026, then it's the check. If there is a clearly identifiable fashion trend now, it's the check. And the fun part is: there is always a check for you. You can choose a hem of check fabric in your jeans, a scarf, a skirt, or, for a nice grunge look, a check skirt. The check literally adapts to every fashion trend and therefore suits everyone. From classic sophisticated to artistic with a grungy twist.

The check: a timeless classic with an ancient history

You probably didn't know this: the check was almost extinct. It has existed longer than Saint Juttemis; the check was already present in the Roman Empire, and that would have been as early as 3500 BC. In England, the homeland of all checks, the check is called tartan. And that word comes from tiretaine, which denotes a type of wool. There are hundreds of types of checks, but the idea is the same. A check is defined by alternating stripes of colored threads woven at right angles to each other. Both the warp (the upright weaving threads) and the weft (the horizontal threads with which you weave) have different colors.

Scottish check: from forbidden pattern to fashion icon

We mainly know the Scottish check, and it comes in many forms. It is estimated that there are about 7000 types of Scottish checks and that 150 variations are added each year. In Scotland (if you would want to go to Scotland, here are our Edinburgh tips) each Scottish clan had its own check; that’s how you recognized them. But when England and Scotland were united and had to present themselves as one country, the Scottish check was banned. This was because it emphasized the Scottish roots, which had to fade for the greater common good. There was even a law, the Dress Act in 1747, which prohibited wearing the check. In 1782, the law was repealed, but irreparable damage had already been done, and many check patterns disappeared as a result. Strangely enough, it was the British royal family that started wearing the check again, and thus it became a British cultural heritage.

Patented checks: icons of fashion houses

Some checks are patented, such as the classic Burberry check, and Vivienne Westwood also had a typical Westwood check officially registered. This fashion season is full of checks. I selected a few favorites. Enjoy and let your inner Robert-Jan and Els (B&B full of love halloooo) come out.