How To Wear Plaid

By: Jody Morse

Break Studios Contributing Writer

Wondering how to wear plaid? Wearing plaid can be challenging, especially if it’s not a pattern you are accustomed to wearing. Here are some tips on wearing plaid that you should be aware of.

Things you'll need:

  • Plaid clothing
  • Plaid accessories
  1. Avoid wearing too much plaid. Whether you want to know how to wear plaid shoes or a plaid shirt, this is the most important tip to remember. Wearing more than one piece of plaid clothing will make your whole outfit look overdone.
  2. Stray away from wearing other patterns with plaid. You may have heard of people wearing stripes or polka dots with plaid, but this simply doesn’t look right. Even if the other pattern seems to match, it is not the right option.
  3. Choose the right plaid clothing items. If you are trying to learn how to wear plaid, you will not benefit from wearing a silly looking pair of plaid pants. A plaid shirt or a pair of plaid shorts are ideal options, however.
  4. Consider wearing plaid accessories. This can be one of the best ways to incorporate plaid into your outfit without overdoing it. Plaid shoes or a plaid scarf can both look sophisticated and subtle.
  5. Select the right color of plaid. Ultimately, this is going to depend on your personal style, but most people will benefit from plaid that has a beige or white base. Keep in mind that bright colors are very bold and sometimes loud choices.
  6. Be sure to wear the right sizes. It is important to be conscious of sizes if you want to wear plaid. A plaid shirt which is too baggy or long could make you messy, which is probably not the look you are going for.
  7. Avoid wearing a hat with plaid clothing. It’s especially important to stray away from hats. That said, plaid can be loud enough on its own, which means you can leave the baseball hat at home.

These are just some of the things that you should know about when learning how to wear plaid. The best thing you can do is use your best judgment. If something about your outfit consists of plaid and doesn’t look right, it probably doesn’t.

Posted on: May. 12, 2010