A Guide to Striped Shirts
Shirts can come in all sorts of patterns, however there are some common types of patterned fabric that are most commonly used for shirt making. One of these is stripes. Stripes can come in a variety of designs, each with their own terminology. Here we have put together a short guide to striped shirts, enabling you to understand all the terms when it comes to buying striped shirts.
Images courtesy Acorn fabrics Limited
Striped Shirt Fabric
Stripes as a pattern might sound obvious, however there are various types of stripes one can have when it comes to shirt patterns. Below are the names of shirt stripes you need to know when buying a striped shirt. See Collection >>
Awning Stripe - Starting with the largest style of stripe on shirt fabric, the Awning stripe is usually wider than a quarter of an inch, and takes it's name from awning striped fabrics. This style of striped shirt is usually used for casual shirts.
Bengal Stripes - Bengal stripes are vertical stripes, usually a colour against a white background. The coloured stripes are around quarter of an inch wide.
Candy Stripes - Candy stripes are vertical stripes again, however they are thinner that Bengal Stripes, usually around an eighth of an inch wide. The term 'candy stripe' comes from the striped pattern that appears on traditional candy canes.
Pencil Stripes - Pencil stripes are as above, however narrower still. It is the size of stripe that comes between a pinstriped shirt, and a candy stripe. The width of the pencil stripe is usually a different width to the white background it appears on, and they are sometimes referred to as Dress Stripes.
Pin Stripes - Pin stripe is a common type of striped shirt fabric, often used in work environments such as business and finance. The pinstripe is narrower still than the pencil stripe.
Hairline Stripes - As you may have guessed, Hairline stripes are the thinnest stripes, around the width of an actual human hair. A shirt with hairline stripes will actually appear as a solid colour with texture, because they are so fine and close together.
Shadow Stripes - Shadow stripes can refer to any width of vertical stripe that has been mentioned above. When a stripe has been outlined, bordered, or a shadow effect created, then it is referred to as a Shadow stripe. This kind of striped shirt fabric design can be in a number of colours, or in keeping with the main stripe to form a real shadow effect.