BraeVal New Fall Collection and the History of Houndstooth!

BraeVal located in the center of Litchfield Connecticut is one of the most unique stores in New England offering a superlative collection of distinctive clothing for men and women who love the great outdoors as well as a night out on the town.

Over the past 25-plus years BraeVal's collection of apparel has been thoughtfully curated by owner and designer Gregor McCluskey whose uncle, Big Jock McCluskey brought Scotland's Rob Roy MacGregor tartan to America in the 1800s. Part of BraeVal's new Fall 2023 collection includes shirts for men and women made out of houndstooth, named because this pattern resembles the uneven outline of a hound dog's tooth, hence its namesake.

Houndstooth originated sometime around 360 AD in the Scottish Lowlands near the Anglo-Saxon border, which is why it's also called Border Tartan. That said, Houndstooth is one of the most iconic patterns in fashion besides tartans and plaid. Although many tartans are associated with a clan, Houndstooth is thought to have been created by a non-clansman. This pattern was first worn by shepherds as camouflage because it made them look as though they were far away in the distance. Eventually, Houndstooth became a popular pattern of the upper-class society of the United Kingdom and is said to be a favorite of King Charles III. By the 1950s, it became a favorite of Christian Dior's designs, and many other designers followed suit. Houndstooth gained international fame in the 1960s, because of the optical illusion art movement. From 2010 onward this pattern has become a staple for ready-made and designer clothes, proving its iconic appeal.

That said, Houndstooth is one of the most timeless patterns in fashion besides tartans and plaid. This fall's new BraeVal shirts, vests, and JacShirt releases feature this striking pattern. "We are really excited about this collection because it is a perennial fall and winter favorite," says company Founder, Gregor McCluskey, . "Our new collection features several different styles of shirts and vests for men and women," McCluskey added. BraeVal has even included the Scottish traditional black-and-white and maroon and grey patterns in the new collection.

Houndstooth is one of the most unique patterns in the plaid family that can be differentiated from other types of plaid by the shape of its woven pattern, which follows uniform, straight-lined checks in an almost geometric block. It is characterized by a two-toned plaid made up of four bands, two of which are light colored and two are dark colored, in both the warp and weft weave. The result is a stunning contrast of the classic check and block shape that is Houndstooth.

Today Houndstooth is a very versatile pattern in terms of color and contrast, size, shapes, and scale. It has been adopted by many designers from McQueen to Vuitton, Chanel to BraeVal. This pattern has continued to evolve in many colors - bright or neutral and dark contrasting colorways and at BraeVal we get that and we embrace it with a BraeVal style. So get ready to experience Houndstooth like never before and to wear what you want to be. For BraeVal and Houndstooth information http://braeval.net