The Paisley print, originating in India and brought to Scotland, became popular in the 1960s on men’s clothing and has recently resurfaced on women’s skirts and bags. It is commonly found on men’s ties and handkerchiefs today.
The Paisley print is an easily recognizable motif resembling a crooked teardrop or half of a yin-yang. A very popular print on all types of clothing and fashion accessories in the 1960s, the paisley print is commonly found on men’s ties and handkerchiefs today. It has also recently resurfaced on women’s skirts and bags. Although the design became popular when it appeared in London’s CarnaStreet shops during the mod fashion frenzy, its origin can be traced back to India.
Although the recognizable paisley print pattern was originally made by Indian craftsmen, it was brought to Scotland in the early 19th century, where it received its name. The print takes its name from the Scottish town of Paisley where printed cotton and woolen fabrics were heavily manufactured. The Paisley print saw its first acclaimed popularity in the 1919s. Clothes with this design were extremely fashionable and in 1960 John Lennon had his Rolls Royce painted with the design. The trendy shops on CarnaStreet boasted men’s paisley-print skirts, tops and shirts.
Today, this design is very common on men’s silk ties and some designers regularly incorporate it into their leather bags. Handkerchiefs have long featured a paisley pattern, most frequently seen in red or blue. In Los Angeles, bandanas with this print can indicate gang membership, and in the Midwest they are still worn by farmers and ranchers to wipe away the sweat of a hard day’s work.
More recently, the paisley print has experienced something of a revival in a more modern version, a skirt. A trendy look for the early 2000s, a paisley print skirt or solid color matching top was popular as both office wear and casual evening wear. The Paisley print has been around for hundreds of years before emerging as a recognizable fashion print, and it’s likely to continue to be seen in textiles and even home decor designs for many years to come.
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