Although I don’t love the cold, I do love a lot of the things that come with it:  snow, fireplaces, apple cider, Christmas and… you guessed it, plaid.  For me, plaid is inherently a cold weather pattern, intended to be worn in deep, dark colours, layered with sweaters, and accented with distressed leather, denim and/or faux fur.  I would, if the resultant look wasn’t quite so “lost in the city lumberjack”, wear my indigo and red plaid flannel shirt, boyfriend jeans, and lace up leather boots all winter.  Fortunately for me, designers this season seem to share my love of plaid and have brought us a variety of ways to dress up our comfies and incorporate tartan into even the most formal of outfits.  From shoes to coats, I bring you plaid: the runway and the real way.

The Runway

Michael Kors

Dries Van Noten

Alexander McQueen

The Real Way

From your shoes to your purse, plaid need not be limited to button ups.  Add just one piece,  layer up with contrasting colours, or be bold and embrace the tartan from head to toe.  Anything goes!

Top row: Denim & Supply dress by Ralph Lauren, Janey Flat by J Crew, purse from Lulus
Middle row: Club Monaco suit, Anthropologie jacket
Bottom row: J Crew tartan pants, American Apparel chiffon skirt, Barbour Valerie gloves

Gentlemen, don’t worry, you can play too.  Go beyond basic flannel and amp your plaid up a notch with a blazer, a bowtie, or if you’re brave, a pair of tartan trousers.

Top row: Club Monaco Suit, Cole Haan Air Colton wingtips, Zara blazer
Middle: Tie Bar bow tie
Bottom row: J Crew tie, J Crew shirt, Zara pants

And there you have it: plaid, all winter long.