If you say you own a man's Paisley shirt, it gives you an immediate flamboyance. It doesn’t matter whether you have worn the Paisley shirt, or even whether it can be worn. By simply owning it, others now consider you to be flamboyant. Once the shirt has been worn, it will always be remembered – by the wearer and anyone they have met.
And the longer you go without wearing this Paisley shirt you claim to own, the larger the clamour will be for you to wear it. The moral here is ‘Never claim to own a Paisley shirt and expect to get away without wearing it,’ which admittedly is not quite as profound as ‘Do unto others as you would want done to yourself’. (It is similar but different.)
What is it about a men's Paisley shirt?
A Paisley shirt has one thing in abundance – it has personality! And, if you’ve got one, it simply shows you’ve got personality too! It’s not a trick or a con. You wear it – you got it, man! You cannot hide it unless you wear a jumper over it (but then it is likely to stick out at the collar and give the game away).
Not for the faint-hearted – they are most definitely the original statement shirt. But the great thing about Paisley is that you can ease your way into it. Yes – there are degrees of Paisley! (But, we’ll get to that.)
How long has the Paisley shirt been in fashion?
Let’s talk some history! Where does the Paisley Pattern come from? Some people probably think it dates back to the '60s and '70s, when the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and David Bowie were keen wearers. If you think that, you would only be out by a few hundred years – at least!
Paisley’s origin is believed to be ancient Persia (now Iran). Perfect for intricate and expensive design, royalty and nobility spread it to India and the rest of South East Asia. The British East India Company – the effective ruler of India in the early 1800s – was not slow to export India’s top assets, and the pattern quickly found its way west.
And since then, let’s just say ‘It has stuck around’. How long is it likely to last? Can you see it being around in 100 years? 500 years? We at Just Paisley can, and we are thinking most others can as well. Why? Simple – it is beautiful, it evolves constantly and it has no known natural predators.
So, you are probably asking, 'Why don't I see old paintings of geezers proudly wearing their Paisley shirts?'
It's a good question, simply answered. While Paisley has been around for centuries (at least), and the collared shirt since the mid-15th century, it was indeed the 1960s that saw the rise of the Paisley shirt. Why it took so long for Paisley to conquer shirts will remain one of life's major – if inconsequential – mysteries.
And before we go on – you might also be asking:
Why is it called Paisley?
Why Paisley? It could just as easily have been Norwich or Edinburgh, both big producers of textiles. But Paisley, a small town in the west of Scotland, with an already developed textile industry, quickly seized the initiative. The result? The Paisley Pattern was born – or at least rebranded! And the truth is, it has never gone out of fashion since. Neither in the west nor in its place of origin, where it is known as Boteh.
So, that’s it! The history lesson is over! Let’s get back to the answer to the big question of the day (except what is for dinner tonight).
So, why does every man need a Paisley shirt in his wardrobe?
Although the women's Paisley shirt is truly in vogue – and rightly so – the Paisley shirt, at this point, should only be compulsory in the wardrobe of the male. When you look at the question closely, you might ask yourself, shouldn’t it be ‘Why should every man take his Paisley shirt out of his wardrobe?’ And, yes, that actually should be the question! So:
Why should every man take his Paisley shirt out of his wardrobe?
Paisley shirts are statement makers. They say (amongst other things):
I am confident (and let’s face it, you need to be to wear this dazzling Paisley shirt).
I have a style (that is different from your average guy).
I have money (although this is wholly down to how expensive every Paisley shirt looks).
I am prime wedding material (although this particular Paisley shirt is not the one I am planning to wear at our wedding).
I am educated (I know this shirt is called Paisley after Paisley, Scotland).
I am caring (mostly about my appearance).
I am successful (who else could pull off wearing a red Paisley shirt?).
I am sporty (and you also really need to see my Paisley basketball shorts).
And the list goes on!
What happens when you take the Paisley shirt plunge?
The immediate result of wearing your Paisley shirt is that you will be surrounded by new admirers, some of whom will not only be interested in your shirt. Don’t worry, we will cover most of the key scenarios here.
Let us start with some of the possible opening gambits:
‘I love your Paisley Print shirt.’
Now, depending on your level of interest in your new friend, you will respond with either:
‘It’s not actually Paisley… it’s like Paisley, but not Paisley.’ This is used as a stalling tactic and allows you to consider your next move. If you decide to proceed, you subsequently admit that further investigation found it to be Paisley, and congratulate them on their knowledge.
‘What’s a Paisley Pattern shirt?’ This closes off any potential for further progress.
‘Thank you. I’m impressed that you noticed it, and more so that you know it is called Paisley. Would you like to have a relationship with me?’
‘I love your shirt. Does it have a name?’
Now, depending on your level of interest in your new friend, you will respond with either:
‘I call it Peter’. This is used as a stalling tactic and allows you to consider your next move. If you decide to proceed, you say ‘Oh, you meant ‘What pattern is it?’ ‘It is Paisley Peter’ (which is not a thing).
‘I call it Shirt.’ This closes off any potential for further progress.
‘It is called Paisley, but you can call it whatever you like.’
‘Is that a shirt you are wearing?’
Now, depending on your level of interest in your new friend, you will respond with either:
1. ‘Have you heard of beautiful Paisley glasses?’
2. ‘No. This is my skin.’ This closes off any potential for further progress.
3. ‘It is not only a shirt, it is a Paisley shirt, but unlike most shirts, it can actually come off.’
That should cover all likely scenarios. (In the extremely unlikely event that someone does not comment on your Paisley shirt, you should always mention to them that you have deliberately worn an understated Paisley to meet them - and then rush out to buy the killer Paisley.)
Degrees of Paisley
Confidence and Paisley come in different forms. It can be understated! A delicately patterned two-coloured Paisley can be stylish and exude self-confidence – simply quietly noticeable. This can be perfect for that casual intimate evening dinner out.
At the other extreme, a multi-coloured large patterned Paisley is just perfect for the beach bar or the BBQ. Again, it exudes self-confidence – but just screams it instead of whispers it.
The beauty of Paisley is that there is a fit between all the extremes. And that fit depends on you! You determine how much Paisley risk you are willing to take on. The great thing is that whether you get it right or wrong, you will be noticed. And there’s no such thing as bad publicity – right?
The Paisley risk can be determined as much by what else you are wearing. A bright colour can accentuate the boldness of the Paisley. While a more neutral colour will tend to reduce the effect of the Paisley pattern, but never eliminate it!
Combining a small accessory like a plain tie or neck square in the same colour as one of your shirt’s Paisley components can also mark you as a person with a bit of style. Paisley just allows you to show off that style.
When it comes to a plain jacket, any kind of Paisley shirt creates the perfect combination – any fabric, any colour and any pattern. The possibilities are endless.
Rules for wearing Paisley Pattern
There are not many rules associated with Paisley. But, when the teardrop pattern is set against a white background, the more it opens up the possibilities for matching against other garments. A white backgrounded Paisley is less flamboyant. Worn with a pair of denim or plain chinos, it is stylish and can even carry over into looking professional.
What about combining Paisley with Paisley? Hmm… for us, it just does not work. But then, for you – if your sole aim IS to get noticed - go ahead! Believe us, you will be noticed (by everyone)! Probably even by aliens passing by at a few billion light years away. You have been warned!
If you enjoyed this article, please check out our other articles about all things Paisley - and we here at Just Paisley do mean all things Paisley! Most - but not all - will have less history, and hopefully, you’ll just enjoy the scaled-up fun.