Paisley Blouses

Paisley Blouses

Why Is It Called Paisley?

The pattern is much older than its name. Its curved teardrop shape, known as the boteh or buta, comes from Persia and was woven into luxurious shawls in Kashmir for centuries. In the late 1700s and early 1800s, these Kashmir shawls became highly fashionable in Europe.

Weavers across Europe began copying them, and the town of Paisley in Scotland became the most famous center of production. Its mills made so many shawls with the teardrop motif that the pattern itself took the town's name. So paisley is Scottish in name but Persian and Indian in origin.

A paisley shirt or blouse is simply one printed or woven with this motif, usually repeated in rows or scattered across the fabric, often with flowers and vines winding around the teardrops. Woven paisley shows the motif on both sides of the cloth, while printed paisley shows it on the face only.

The motif is easy to spot: a rounded end tapering into a curved point, like a drop of water or a bent leaf, usually filled with tiny patterns of its own.

In India the same shape is often called the ambi, or mango, motif, and in Persian art it has been linked with a cypress tree or a flame; its exact meaning is still debated.

Paisley in the 1960s and 1970s

Paisley had already enjoyed a high point in the Victorian era, when Paisley shawls were a treasured accessory for fashionable women across Britain.

It had a famous revival in the 1960s. The swirling, colorful shapes fitted the psychedelic mood of the decade, and paisley appeared on shirts, dresses, ties and scarves in bright, saturated colors. It became a symbol of the free-spirited counterculture of the time.

In the 1970s, paisley softened into earthier colors, such as rust, mustard, olive and brown, and appeared on flowing blouses with big collars and long sleeves. So is paisley more 60s or 70s? Both: the sixties made it vivid, and the seventies made it warm and bohemian.

The paisley bandana, a much older accessory, stayed popular throughout. Today's paisley blouses borrow from both decades, and our vintage blouses and boho blouses show related styles.

How to Wear a Paisley Blouse Today

Paisley is busy, so let it be the only pattern in the outfit. A solid in one of the print's quieter shades, such as olive, rust or navy, works well for trousers, a skirt or a cardigan. Denim is always an easy partner.

Scale changes the mood. A small, dense paisley looks neat and suits the office, particularly in muted colors under a blazer. A large, colorful paisley feels relaxed and artistic, perfect for weekends and travel. A curved hem makes a paisley blouse easy to wear loose over slim trousers.

Accessories can be warm and natural: tan leather, wooden or gold jewelry and a woven bag suit paisley's handmade feel. More patterned styles sit among our printed blouses.

For the office, a paisley blouse with a small collar or a neat V neck looks polished under a navy blazer, while a tie neck in silky paisley has a quietly vintage charm.

Paisley Colors

Paisley comes in almost every palette. Blue and cyan paisleys look fresh and suit spring and summer with white trousers. Pink paisley feels romantic and soft, while brown, olive and rust paisleys carry a warm, fall-ready mood.

Orange and red paisleys bring energy and warmth, lovely with navy or denim. Black and white paisley looks graphic and polished, the easiest version for evenings. Deep blue-green versions have a jewel-like richness, and teal blouses show more of that shade.

Whatever the color, a paisley with a light ground feels summery, while a dark ground looks richer in cooler months.

Paisley on a sheer or silky fabric feels dressier and suits dinners, while cotton paisley has a relaxed, everyday feel.