- Stripe
- Stripes mix optically as the distance grows: a fine navy and white stripe reads as a pale blue from across a room. The apparent colour therefore depends on the stripe width.On camera: Fine, regular stripes can produce moiré when their spacing interacts with the camera sensor.
- Check or plaid
- Crossing bands create extra colours where they overlap, so a check often contains more colours than were dyed. Those overlap colours are good places to pick up a matching solid.On camera: Small, high-contrast checks are prone to moiré.
- Herringbone or fine weave
- A weave pattern with very little colour contrast. At normal distance it reads almost as a solid with depth, which is why it sits beside other patterns so easily.On camera: Fine herringbone is a common moiré source on video calls and in low-resolution images.
- Geometric
- Hard edges keep each colour separate, so it does not blend with distance the way a fine stripe does. The piece keeps its full contrast at any range.
- Floral
- Irregular shapes with several colours. The background colour usually sets the overall temperature and the blooms supply the accents.
- Abstract
- No repeat for the eye to settle on, so it holds attention more than a regular pattern of the same contrast.
- Animal
- Usually two or three close, warm tones. Despite its reputation it often behaves as a textured neutral in tan and brown colourways.
- Textured look
- Slub, marl, bouclé or a fine melange. Variation sits in the surface rather than in a design, so it adds interest without adding a colour.
- Multicolour print
- Three or more distinct colours at similar strength. It supplies an outfit's whole palette, so everything around it should be drawn from that palette.