Plaid! If you are even remotely into fashion or at least prefer to occasionally mix up the materials that make up your wardrobe, there is no denying that plaid is rad!
Plaid prints are downright darling!
A plaid is a pattern consisting of crossed horizontal and vertical bands in two or more colors in woven cloth! The pattern print can make for some colorful, fun, head turning clothing garments.
Plaid prints can be found in all types of women’s clothing, as well as many accessories. From plaid dresses, to plaid skirts, to plaid pants, to plaid shorts, to plaid jackets, to plaid purses, to plaid shoes, there is as much a variety of choice in plaid patterns as there are in the colors and fabrics that make up the plaid!
Plaid is a pattern that is so popular and known around the world that everyone conjures up an image when they hear the word plaid. You know what plaid is right away!
Common examples of plaid patterns include:
- Tartan – This is the pattern most commonly associated with plaid.
- Gingham and Border Tartan – Features bands of equal widths in a simple pattern similar to a checkered pattern.
- Tattersall (Cloth) – Features very wide bands alternating with very narrow bands of contrasting colors.
- Madras (Cloth) – A lightweight cotton fabric, typically with patterned texture and plaid design, also known as “Madrasi checks”.
Plaid material is associated with school girl uniforms (think of the adorable plaid, pleated skirts) and also, with men, in the form of the Scottish kilt! The kilt is a knee-length garment with pleats at the rear, originating in the traditional dress of men and boys in the Scottish Highlands of the 16th century.
Although the kilt is most often worn on formal occasions and at Highland games and sports events, it has also been adapted as an item of fashionable informal male clothing, returning to its roots as an everyday garment.
The world is mad for plaid!
Tips for Wearing Plaid:
- Mix a Variety of Plaid Materials. Perhaps a plaid flannel shirt would mix well with a more subdued, lighter tone of sheer cotton plaid shorts.
- Consider the Colors: For an eye catching plaid, find a plaid clothing item that mixes black with neon colors, or black with pastel colors. This contrast in colors is attractive!
- Wear Just One Plaid Garment: Wearing just one plaid item (shirt, dress, top, slacks, etc.) with solids is a great look. If your pants, your shoes, accessories, etc. are one same solid color, and you spice the outfit up with a vivid plaid blouse, top or blazer, your eye will be drawn to the plaid!
There is no doubt that people love their plaid prints!
If you don’t currently own any plaid clothing apparel, I would suggest investing in at least one item of plaid. Depending on the color selection, and the style and cut of the garment, plaid patterns are in fashion all year round.
Plaid dresses look extremely trendy when worn with opaque tights or stockings!
Plaid is a pattern that isn’t going away in fashion anytime soon! I predict never!
Sparkle up both your outfit and your mood with a tad of plaid!
After all, plaid isn’t only for school girls!
Nancy Mangano is an American fashion journalist and author of the Natalie North murder mystery book series, A Passion for Prying and Murder Can Be Messy. Visit Nancy on her author website http://www.nancymangano.com, Twitter @https://twitter.com/nancymangano, her fashion magazine Strutting in Style! at https://nancymariemangano.com, and her Facebook fan page Nancy Mangano https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nancy-Mangano/362187023895846
