Still Mad About Plaid?

After the plaid resurgence of the early to mid 2000's, I thought we had put the trend to rest. Those years of Williamsburg hipsters bringing back grunge and plaid-ing it up, have made the print seem somewhat apropos. Apparently I am mistaken. Plaid has been named one of the number one fall trends this year -- but isn't it every year?

The difference now is that we are seeing more than just the lumberjack look of years past. We are now seeing sleeker styles and more elegant looks in the print. Also coming to light is the mixing of plaids. Now this can be a dangerous endeavor to say the least. There is SO much potential to go wrong here. In my opinion even the runway looks pictured above take it too far. I mean plaid shirt, skirt, AND boots? That's just plain plaid overload if you ask me!

What inspired this post is a picture I saw of plaid mixing done well. One of my favorite street fashion blogs, The Sartorialist featured a gorgeous image of a gorgeous woman taking plaid to a new high.


From the asymmetry of her blazer layered over her longer shirt, the look is a perfect example of sloppy chic. If you are going to mix and match you plaid, limit it to just two elements of your outfit. Any more is just too much. Also take a tip from this lovely lady and have some other corresponding elements to your outfit. For example, tan elbow patches that tie into your tan shoes and camel colored purse. That way the mixing of plaids is offset by a nice balance of color.

I still feel quite strongly that the 2000's saw a plaid OVERLOAD and I would be quite happy to only wear plaid for the sake of warmth in the winter months from now on. But if you are still into it, may I suggest just a bit of peek-a-boo plaid? Say a shoe like these Paul Smith booties...

Or just remain with the classics - keep your plaid plain with a classic scarf. May I even suggest sticking to a more muted plaid color pallet. This allows the print to bring dimension to a garment without overpowering the effect. Like it or leave it, seems like plaid is here to stay - so mix and match or keep it simple my friends.