Plaid, Argyle and the Preppy Revival

Plaid, Argyle and the Preppy Revival

Plaid and argyle are back in a more grown-up form. They show up as skirts, knit vests and tailored jackets, with the prep school reference worn lightly. This edit makes the case for a pattern that always seems to return in October.

The prep school reference, grown up

Nothing says fall like a check. This year it has returned in a cooler form, less schoolgirl and more campus professor, and in colors that look as good with black as with navy.

More tops

The plaid mini skirt is the obvious entry point and still the best. Tops do the quiet work in an edit like this, changing an outfit more than they seem to.

Still more tops

Argyle has moved from the golf course to the knit vest, which is a much better home. These are the pieces to pair with whatever is already in the closet.

Skirts

Tailored jackets in check are the grown-up version, and they work with jeans. Skirts are the easiest way to change the mood of a plain top.

More skirts

Red and green tartan is for December, but every other colorway is open all season. These range from short and sharp to long and fluid.

Trousers and shorts

The plaid mini skirt is the obvious entry point and still the best. The bottom half decides the proportion, so these are worth choosing carefully.

Jewelry

Argyle has moved from the golf course to the knit vest, which is a much better home. Jewelry is the small detail that makes an outfit feel considered.

Accessories

Tailored jackets in check are the grown-up version, and they work with jeans. Accessories are the quickest, lightest way to join the trend.

Dresses

Red and green tartan is for December, but every other colorway is open all season. Dresses are the fastest way into the trend, since one piece is the whole outfit.

Mini dresses

The plaid mini skirt is the obvious entry point and still the best. Here the dresses come in every length and cut, so the look is easy to match to an occasion.

Jackets

Argyle has moved from the golf course to the knit vest, which is a much better home. A good layer is what turns a simple outfit into a complete one.

Bags

Tailored jackets in check are the grown-up version, and they work with jeans. A bag is the accent, and it is where the outfit gets a bit of personality.

Shoes

Red and green tartan is for December, but every other colorway is open all season. Shoes decide whether the outfit reads dressy or casual.

Denim

The plaid mini skirt is the obvious entry point and still the best. Denim anchors the rest of the outfit, and the cut matters more than the wash.

Coats and trenches

Argyle has moved from the golf course to the knit vest, which is a much better home. These are the pieces that sit on top of everything else.

Sets

Tailored jackets in check are the grown-up version, and they work with jeans. Sets save time, since the work of matching has been done already.

Knitwear

Red and green tartan is for December, but every other colorway is open all season. Knits bring the cold-weather texture that the season needs.

Blazers

The plaid mini skirt is the obvious entry point and still the best. The outer layer is the first thing people see.

More from the edit

Argyle has moved from the golf course to the knit vest, which is a much better home. A few more pieces from the edit that did not fit the other groups.

Also in the edit

Tailored jackets in check are the grown-up version, and they work with jeans. The rest of the edit, mixed together.

Wearing a pattern that has a past

Pair a check with something plain and let the pattern be the only loud thing. It looks deliberate that way.