I appreciate the sentiment behind summer prints and fabrics. I love sustainable natural fabrics’ classic and charming feel, especially gingham. Gingham is a fun and eye-pleasing print that I rock every summer.

Fabrics are categorized based on their content, which may be natural, manufactured, or artificial. Natural fabrics like cotton and linen come from plants, while synthetic fabrics such as polyester and nylon are made chemically. Gingham is generally a cotton fabric.

When thinking of summer staples, cotton and quintessential linen come to mind. They are renowned for their strength, durability, and light texture. New York Fashion Designer Claire McCardell pioneered American fashion and considered gingham a valuable fabric for its versatility.

As my contribution to the quarterly assignment for the Magnificent 8, an influencer group that shows styles from different generations, I chose to explore the history and significance of gingham.

The History of Gingham

The history of gingham is quite interesting. It is said to have originated in either Malaysia or France in the 17th century. Still others say the checkered print name came from the first manufacturer of gingham, Guingamp.

Brigitte Bardot was one of the many fashion icons in 1955. I wonder if the unexpected wedding attire of the French actress catapulted gingham into the fashion limelight in 1959.

I’m not the only one adoring gingham as an eye-pleasing print. It’s fascinating to see some iconic gingham moments, such as:

Actress Judy Garland in the 1939 “The Wizard of Oz” in her blue checkered dress by Adrian costume designer.

In the 1940 “The Philadelphia Story,” Katherine Hepburn, wearing a gingham printed dress,

Princess Diana outside her Highgrove home in 1986.

I would be remiss if I didn’t return to my birth year, 1955, and share what the world looked like when I was born. How about the average house cost, which is only $9000? And the average income is $4,137. Interestingly, I still enjoy watching Alfred Hitchcock Presents and Gunsmoke reruns for mindless entertainment.

Remember to visit all the ladies representing different generations to see their style statements for their birth year.
Please know that every participant posts at times convenient for their schedule/time zone:

Grace @graceful_rags: Collegiate
Mica @awayfromblue:  Twenty-something
Roxanne @glassofglam:  Thirty-something
Shelbee @shelbeeontheedge:  Forty-something
Rena @fine.whatev:  Fifty-something
Moi:  Sixty-something
Lesley @jtouchofstyle:  Seventy-something
Charlotte @jtouchofstyle:  Eighty-something

As always, thank you for visiting the Age of Grace.