From the highland clans of Scotland to the mountain ranges of America, the buffalo plaid is steeped in history and mystery... 

When we think of the famous red and black squares, it evokes images of loggers and, most famously, Paul Bunyan. However, history would tell us otherwise. The pattern is in fact of Scottish origin, originally associated with the famous Rob Roy MacGregor with the pattern dating back as early as the 16th Century, although it was never officially worn by Macgregor. 

According to legend, in the 1800s the pattern made its way to the US in the hands of Jock McCluskey, a supposed descendent of Rob Roy, who very quickly befriended Native American tribes exchanging the blankets (or 'pladjers' as they were known) for locally produced goods. The red and black colouring was supposed to have spiritual associations whereas the red was a dye taken from spirits' blood and ghostly souls of McCluskey’s prey. The Natives struggled to pronounce the word 'pladjer' so, instead, the now-famous blanket pattern became known as ‘plaid’. 

As popularity grew, the pattern was used across the US and was made famous by the Woolrich Woolen Company in 1850 when the company began making buffalo plaid shirts. The story goes that the name came from the mill designer who, at the time, owned a herd of buffalo. 

It’s hard to say how much of the story is just legend and folklore but, for &SONS, this timeless design had to make its way into our collection. Like every other piece, we wanted to pay tribute to the famous flannel but add the &SONS aesthetic to create a future classic. 

Style Tip: Phil, our founder, leans towards a classic style for his daily essentials. A pair of great-fitting, well-made denims, work boots and a mid-weight flannel shirt.  

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