![21 Patterns, Ranked](https://staging.putthison.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/tumblr_oavk6dETiG1qa2j8co1_1280.jpg)
Objectively correct rankings for 2016. See also colors, ranked.
1. University stripe—the only correct pattern for the most correct shirt, the oxford cloth button down.
![image](http://68.media.tumblr.com/ed38326e078614c759e9761fc80ace9a/tumblr_inline_ob17buQwXv1qf0t7e_540.jpg)
2. Guncheck.
![image](http://68.media.tumblr.com/e889fdf0c910370c5089bb2d946c2305/tumblr_inline_ob0y00YSjb1qf0t7e_540.jpg)
3. Tattersall.
![image](http://68.media.tumblr.com/a213ea4f557ee664724c626067f10477/tumblr_inline_ob16qvzOFU1qf0t7e_540.jpg)
4. Black watch tartan.
5. Bengal stripe.
6. Pinstripe.
7. Paisley—A marker of luxury for a thousand years. Good when they’re saturated and huge (see lead image) or small and neat.
8. Dots—As Winston Churchill once said to a woman who accused him of being drunk, “My dear, you are ugly, but tomorrow I will be sober and isn’t my neatly dotted tie pretty sweet?” Then he put out his cigar on a small child.
9. Gingham—Might have been in the top 5 a few years ago. Suffering a little from ubiquity.
10.
Prince of Wales/Glen plaid.
![image](http://68.media.tumblr.com/9d213283c36dce3e142667ec77e58fa4/tumblr_inline_ob17iz4oif1qf0t7e_540.jpg)
11. Aloha floral—some will say “Hey you haven’t categorized patterns in a parallel way. Some of these are weaves. Aloha patterns are not created equal. And why did black watch get its own entry?” To which I say, see the top of this post. OBJECTIVELY. CORRECT.
![image](http://68.media.tumblr.com/8e7db3a1181bb3ac015411bbd92ac8d5/tumblr_inline_ob16smb2Ma1qf0t7e_540.jpg)
12. Herringbone.
13. Houndstooth.
14. Argyle—the 90s ska band of patterns (checkerboard notwithstanding). But ripe for a new wave.
15. Awning stripe—I like stripes.
Birdseye.
16.
Chalk stripe.
17. Camouflage—US woodland preferred.
![image](http://68.media.tumblr.com/1ad73580a98b55e7fcffe81baa991866/tumblr_inline_ob17v5XbMK1qf0t7e_540.jpg)
18. Buffalo plaid.
19. Liberty/floral.
20. Windowpane.
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82. Louis Vuitton monogram.