The history behind your favourite prints

Like a lot of patterns, stripes have a long, complicated history. Dating back to the Middle Ages, stripes signified the sinister, associated with criminals, prostitutes and clowns. Later, they would be used to identify prisoners in concentration camps during the second World War. But on a lighter note, stripes also were a symbol of sailors and the seaside. First spotted during the Victorian era, the striped shirt was a staple in the uniform of Venetian gondoliers and continues to be to this day. (Instagram/alyssafusillo)

Polka dots first began appearing on clothing in the middle of the 19th century. Around the same time, the polka dance was creating a stir though out Central Europe. Polka comes from the Czech word půlka, which means “half” so it’s likely that the name has nothing to with the actual pattern but is more a throwback to the time. According to The Hairpin, the polka dot’s rise to the mainstream came in 1926, when Miss America appeared in a polka dot swimsuit. (Instagram/chicandcheapinlondon)

Not to be confused with plaid, this overlapping stripe pattern used to go hand in hand with artisan jam and table clothes, but thanks to Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, it’s also a fashion staple. As many have laid claim to gingham, it’s nearly impossible to pin point the exact origin. According to V is for Vintage, the name references gamucha in India, a towel used to dry the body, while in Indonesia, the contrasting stripes symbolize the battle between good and evil. In Africa the Masaai people claim to have been using gingham as part of their native dress for thousands of years, while in Japan the fabric is wrapped around statues to mark the death of a child. (Instagram/thechiclibrary)

When you picture the scenic rolling hills of Scotland today it’s difficult to imagine a time when clans were at war. Sometimes called plaid, which Bustle describes as “a Celtic kilt or blanket [that serves] as an outer layer to battle the Highland elements,” tartan uses different colours and patterns to symbolize geography and kinship. Tartan is still very much a part of traditional Scottish dress and often makes appearances at special events like weddings and funerals – though the wear of this pattern was actually banned in the late 1700s. under the Disarming Act. (Instagram/elodieinparis)

According to Paisleypower.com, the swirling pattern originates from Persia some time between 200 and 650 AD. In India, the curved teardrop or kidney-shaped design is considered a symbol of fertility. Brought to Europe by Joseph Marie Jacquard, a French weaver, it became a textile of the upper classes and was often worn by Napoleon’s first wife, Josephine. (Instagram/driesvannoten)

Also known as dogstooth, this endless pattern of broken checks is the perfect example of a tessellation, a tiling of one or more geometric shapes. First seen in Scotland in the 1800s, houndstooth was worn by shepherds – and some pretty stylish ones at that – before being claimed by the upper class. It later became “an emblem of Palestinian identity” when worn as a keffiyeh, or headscarf reports Refinery29. (Instagram/foxsfelts)