Playful in Plaid

[Steve]

Viktor Verhoef

[JackFTwist]

I want to send flowers to this studmuffin's mama.  (Outstanding lighting by the photographer, too.)

[JackFTwist]

German model Fabian Arnold.  Images 1-5 are probably technically gingham, but that's sort of a plaid, too, isn't it?  In #6 the plaid is so dark that you may have to squint to see it.

[Steve]

7 minutes ago, JackFTwist said:

German model Fabian Arnold.  Images 1-5 are probably technically gingham, but that's sort of a plaid, too, isn't it?  In #6 the plaid is so dark that you may have to squint to see it.

BY THE MEN'S HEALTH STYLE TEAM

When we think of plaid, ’90s-era grunge bands or vinyl-toting hipsters come to mind. Gingham evokes images of a slightly preppier, more conservative guy—possibly with Starbucks or a Baby Björn. Both have their style merits, but how can you tell apart these two patterns? The first step is understanding that they didn’t start out as patterns, but rather as materials. 

Long ago, plaid was a length of wool cloth with a now-familiar tartan pattern (asymmetrical horizontal and vertical lines in multiple colors with names like Black Watch and Mackenzie) used in traditional Northern English and Scottish garbs. The latter type was rendered in thousands of styles unique to each clan, or family. The material’s name eventually became synonymous with its intricate pattern and was produced in other materials, leaving its original meaning behind. 

Although it carries less historical significance than plaid, gingham started the same way: a cotton or linen cloth that was most often seen with symmetrical, overlapping stripes of the same color that creates a checkered pattern. It’s the symmetry and single color that set gingham apart from plaid. Today, it’s also more closely associated with its uniform pattern than the material it’s made from. 

Plaid and gingham are still go-to patterns for guys and can be worn to formal and informal occasions alike. A finer Glen Plaid works great as a standout suit pattern, and smaller gingham patterns work especially well as a shirt worn under a solid suit. Large iterations of both patterns work well in everyday shirts, coats, and—if you’re feeling bold—pants. But beware: only wear one of these bold prints at a time or people will once again focus on the patterns and completely forget the rest (read: you).

[JackFTwist]

@Steve:  Thanks!  Great info.

23 hours ago, Steve said:

When we think of plaid, ’90s-era grunge bands or vinyl-toting hipsters come to mind.

Uh, I wouldn't know a grunge band, '90s era or otherwise, if I were in a gang-bang with them.  Plaid makes me think of the hunky lumberjacks, the country boys I grew up with, and soft, warm flannel shirts and sheets for cold weather.

23 hours ago, Steve said:

Gingham evokes images of a slightly preppier, more conservative guy—possibly with Starbucks....

Guilty.  They've nailed my wardrobe...and my favorite coffee...to the proverbial "T."

23 hours ago, Steve said:

... a now-familiar tartan pattern (asymmetrical horizontal and vertical lines in multiple colors with names like Black Watch and Mackenzie) ...

Traditional Scottish tartans aren't really asymmetrical, are they?  The pattern consists of a repeating pattern of strictly vertical and horizontal stripes.  The two sets of stripes aren't asymmetrical, but the stripes of a tartan plaid are of different colors and widths.  The stripes are horizontal and vertical, perpendicular to each other vs. asymmetric.  (I defer to @macnice, AM's resident Scotsman, on this point.  We former colonials often have too narrow a view of the cultures of our forebears.) 

Plaid suits and sport coats in the US are most often in a "Glen plaid" or "Glen check" pattern, which also has Scottish roots.  The pattern consists of alternating blocks of small and large symmetrical checks, as shown below.  

The hot men wearing these patterns are the important thing!  Why clutter the forum up with a separate topic for "Pretty in Gingham"?

Edited August 7, 2019 by JackFTwist

[Steve]

[macnice]

On 8/6/2019 at 3:33 AM, JackFTwist said:

@Steve:  Thanks!  Great info.

Uh, I wouldn't know a grunge band, '90s era or otherwise, if I were in a gang-bang with them.  Plaid makes me think of the hunky lumberjacks, the country boys I grew up with, and soft, warm flannel shirts and sheets for cold weather.

Guilty.  They've nailed my wardrobe...and my favorite coffee...to the proverbial "T."

Traditional Scottish tartans aren't really asymmetrical, are they?  The pattern consists of a repeating pattern of strictly vertical and horizontal stripes.  The two sets of stripes aren't asymmetrical, but the stripes of a tartan plaid are of different colors and widths.  The stripes are horizontal and vertical, perpendicular to each other vs. asymmetric.  (I defer to @macnice, AM's resident Scotsman, on this point.  We former colonials often have too narrow a view of the cultures of our forebears.) 

Plaid suits and sport coats in the US are most often in a "Glen plaid" or "Glen check" pattern, which also has Scottish roots.  The pattern consists of alternating blocks of small and large symmetrical checks, as shown below.  

The hot men wearing these patterns are the important thing!  Why clutter the forum up with a separate topic for "Pretty in Gingham"?

Sorry @Steve and @JackFTwist I confess ignorance. Actually my problem is the meaning of the word "asymmetric" which I reckon often a rather misused word - it just means "Not symmetric" which is terribly vague. 

It is often taken just to mean "less symmetric" or to refer to a violation of some symmetry (the latter for example in quantum mechanics).

To switch on my more nerdy side (🤔) when the word asymmetric is used I want to know what symmetry operation(s) is/are lost in the asymmetric version of the pattern compared with the more symmetric version it is being compared with...

I stand to be corrected by any AM mathematicians!

[Steve]

[Steve]

Nick Bell 

[Steve]

[Steve]

[daniels]

[daniels]

[daniels]

Ken Marcus

[TychoEuripides]

On 2/21/2017 at 12:12 PM, JackFTwist said:

Pornstars Alex Mecum, Sebastian Kross, and Jeremy Walker.

Jeremy is the hunkiest MAN in plaid of all these hot guys!

[TychoEuripides]

Jeremy Walker was, is now, and always will be my favorite all time porn star. His amazing body that shame on you Jeremy you used to shave, his major "equipment", his handsome face that is both boyish and manly  still gets my juices flowing. Plus he is a super nice guy too boot! Can I have him for Christmas??

[Steve]

[JackFTwist]

Falcon Studios' Devin Franco.  (Tucking your jeans into the top of your boots just screams "urban cowboy," a gross fashion violation.)

[Steve]

[Steve]

[Steve]

[Steve]

Phil Fusco

[Steve]

Kacey Carrig

[JackFTwist]

On 1/19/2020 at 9:08 AM, Steve said:

Above: New Falcon twink Greyson Lane.

Below: Hakan Serbes

Edited May 23, 2020 by JackFTwist

[Steve]

Ben