Why gingham became this summer’s feelgood fabric
Forget florals, the cheery wholesome check has captured the nation’s mood, says Ella Alexander
For as long as anyone can remember, florals have been the dominant summer print. Sure, we had 2020’s tie-dye moment, a DIY look born of lockdown boredom, and who could forget Zara’s scene-stealing polka dot dress of 2019, but really the print winner of the sunshine season has always been pretty, inoffensive florals. Most recently, there has been a focus on frumpy florals, a shamelessly elitist look that mostly only suited exceptionally tall and genetically gifted models and made the rest look like a curtain advert from the 1980s.
We were long overdue a summer print that suits everyone and makes us feel as light and hopeful as a floral. Enter gingham, technically a fabric rather than a print, which hits the rare, feelgood sweet spot of nostalgia and freshness. I abandoned my trusty floral midi in April, after being seduced by a green gingham dress with puff sleeves by Nobody’s Child. It felt feminine and optimistic, but also modern when teamed with a pair of Ganni hiking boots.
I have worn it to soggy picnics and barbecues, birthday dinners and pub drinks – and also to family reunions where I was told I looked like a tea towel. It became my post-lockdown sartorial go-to, making me feel cheerful and summer-ready in the face of tumultuous English weather and a seemingly endless wait to be double-jabbed.
It is also very easy to wear. “The beauty of gingham is that, depending on the colour and styling, it can be perfect for a variety of different occasions,” says Nobody’s Child head designer Anna Pipkorn, adding that the brand’s gingham must-haves were born out of the idea of simple pleasures, whether picnics or baking and gardening.
I’m not the only one to see the appeal in gingham this summer. The first promotional shot of the feverishly discussed Sex and the City reboot, And Just Like That, sees 56-year-old Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie Bradshaw in a black-and-white gingham skirt by Norma Karmali, signalling that this is a print that is no longer reserved for the under-fives.
Kitri’s Margot gingham dress, first introduced as part of summer 2020 collection, has become the undisputed dress of the season – a scoop-neck, flattering midi style that can be worn on or off the shoulders. Such is its popularity that the Margot has been restocked twice already.
“We always look to capture a mood,” says Kitri founder Haeni Kim. “The green gingham Margot dress
‘Our best hope was to spend summer in the garden, so we created a picnic in a dress’
was originally from our summer 2020 collection, and at the time of designing it, we were all in lockdown. Our best hope was to be able to spend the summer in our back gardens or the nearest park, so we created a picnic in a dress.”
Over at Selfridges, Ganni’s seersucker black gingham styles have become bestsellers, while new British label Albaray has become an Instagram favourite based on its four gingham pieces alone. The first delivery of its oversized check dress sold out in a week, as did the green gingham shorts and short-sleeve top. “We’ve been overwhelmed with the response we have had to our debut collection, and it’s been such a pleasure to see so many different women wear the clothes,” says Albaray’s chief creative officer Karen Peacock. “The gingham just seemed to hit a sweet spot and appealed to women of differing ages and body shapes. The puff-sleeve midi dress is cut with a low back but still covers the bra and it also has pockets, features that have been well-received.” Although gingham does have a bombshell edge (see Brigitte Bardot at her wedding to Jacques Charrier), its latest incarnation has more wholesome roots, going beyond our wardrobes to our homes. Cottagecore – an interiors trend characterised by its homely, cosy aesthetic – has boomed over the past 18 months. As the world outside became increasingly unpredictable and chaotic, we hunkered down inside, creating living spaces that felt comforting and warm – gingham is a prime example. Scandinavian homeware brand Att Pynta reports that its Wes gingham cushions sold out within days of being restocked. “During the last tough year and this uneasy feeling throughout the nation, customers are gravitating towards comfort and styles that feel familiar,” the brand’s co-founder, Kai Price, observes. “They’re adding cosy textures, layering patterns and colours to create a lived-in, homely look that perhaps reminds them of their childhood home.”
Author, fashion writer and gingham fan Katherine Ormerod agrees that cottagecore has influenced how we dress. “It has reclaimed many ‘housewifey’ looks as well as tasks – baking sourdough anyone? As we’ve all been spending so much time at home, maybe we’ve all become a bit Stepford – men included,” she says.
Gingham might be reassuringly familiar, but its summer 2021 look takes a slightly differently form. Colours are brighter, think acid green and orange, and shapes are more relaxed. If you want to take two steps back from the cottagecore aesthetic, it’s just a case of styling. Ormerod advises teaming gingham with utility footwear, while stylist Florrie Thomas recommends “chunky grandad sandals, which give it an edge and dials down the kitsch factor”. She says bright tones will prevent gingham from becoming too twee and suggests “choosing a maxi style which gives more classic hues a fresh twist”.
Uplifting, flattering and versatile, gingham is the old friend to welcome back to your wardrobe this summer.
‘The lived-in, homely look perhaps reminds customers of their childhood home’