Paisley print is a simply recognised pattern that looks like a crooked tear drop or half a yin-yang. A truly popular print on all kinds of fashion and clothing accessories in the 1960s, paisley print is sometimes found today on men’s ties and hankies. It has lately resurfaced on women’s skirts and purses. Though paisley print became favored when it appeared in the shops of London’s Carnaby Street in the mod fashion fever, its origin can be followed back to India. Though the familiar paisley print pattern was initially made by Indian workmen, it was brought to Scotland in the early 19th century, where it received its name. Paisley print was named after the Scottish city of Paisley, where released cotton and wool fabrics were heavily made.
Paisley print saw its first commended acceptance in the 1960s. Garments with paisley print were highly trendy, and in 1967, John Lennon had his Rolls Royce painted with a paisley print pattern. The hot shops of Carnaby Street boasted skirts, tops, and men’s shirts in paisley print. Today, paisley print is extremely commonplace on silk ties for men, and some fashion designers frequently incorporate paisley print into their leather purses. Hankies have long featured a paisley print pattern, most often seen in red or blue. In LA, these paisley print bandannas can suggest gang association, and in the Midwest, they’re still worn by farmers and ranchers alike to wipe away the sweat of a tough day’s work. More lately, paisley print experienced a revival of sorts in a modern version of the paisley print skirt.
A groovy look for 2004, a paisley print skirt or top coupled with a solid colour was preferred as both office wear and casual evening wear. Paisley print had been around for centuries before it surfaced as a recognisable fashion print, and it’s likely that it may continue to be seen in textiles and even ornamental home designs for several years to come.