Color pattern
Gingham
An even check formed by overlapping equal-width light and colored bands.
Also searched as: Vichy check
Open the interactive guide ↗How it is made
Traditional gingham is plain-woven from colored yarns with matching band widths in warp and weft. Crossings make pale, dark and mixed-color squares.
How to recognize it
The check repeats regularly in both directions, with intermediate tones at unlike-color intersections.
Common uses
- Shirts
- Dresses
- Table linens
What to distinguish
Gingham names both a familiar check and a cloth tradition; a printed gingham look need not be yarn-dyed. It lacks houndstooth’s pointed outline.
Sources & further reading
Research checked 2026-09-27. Descriptions are original summaries; references support terminology and construction, not every product sold under a name.