On the hunt for summer plaid

Plaid is iconic, ageless and beautiful. It can run the gambit from formal to incredibly playful, with most plaid items falling squarely in between. Plaid has an element of androgyny to it as it can be worn very well by both men and woman. From lumberjacks to the grunge rockers of the early 90s, plaid has played both a practical and trend-setting role in fashion.

I’ve always thought plaid was a wonderful pattern. While it may not instantly convey femininity the way that say a floral or polka dot print does, plaid fabric can be whipped into anything from an undergarments to dresses, and somehow its grid of lines seems to work well in accentuating the curves of a woman’s body.

While plaid can certainly make for some terrific winterwear pieces (think classic plaid jackets from the 1950s, for example), its association with balmy weather through everything from shorts to skirts, camp hats to tops is what has me thinking about this bold pattern lately.

Over the past few weeks I’ve had the joy of searching for pieces to add to my summer wardrobe. I set out with a razor thin budget, but I didn’t let that deter me. Along the way there were a number of items I was searching for (some I found, others are still on the lam), one of which was definitely a vintage inspired (as opposed to 80s or 90s style, which have been all the rage for the past few seasons) plaid shirt.

It seemed for quite a while though that luck wasn’t on my side. Every button front short or long sleeved plaid shirt I tried on seemed to drown me in its pattern. I’m petite (5”2) and do not have a very long torso, and didn’t want to end up looking like I was wearing a plaid mini dress.

With my summerwear budget nearly tapped out, I headed to Forever 21. While that may hardly seem newsworthy to many (especially my lovely American readers), it was the first time I’d ever been there before (which is sort of hard to believe given that there’s a location at the mall closest to my house - still better late than never!).

I was surprised by how big the shop was (though I noticed that they didn’t stock some pieces I’d been eyeing on the US Forever 21 website) and while certainly catering to the trends of the moment, how pretty some of their pieces were. I loaded up a mountainous armful of assorted items – including almost every plaid top in the store – and headed to the dressing room.

I’d struck out four times on the plaid front, when much to my surprise a light blue number hit the jackpot! I put it on and instantly felt like I’d popped out of a vintage summer camp post card or calendar page.

I probably stood there for three minutes examining my reflection, adjusting my side parted, freshly curled that morning hair, and loving how the shirt looked with the pretty-much-trouser-cut jeans and black oxford style shoes I was wearing. While none of the other plaid shirts that day panned out, I did also swing an awesome coral-meets-dusty rose hued cropped cardigan that fits like a glove, so I really felt like I’d had a successful shopping trip. The fact that the plaid shirt only cost $17 certainly helped sweeten the day too!


{I’m almost certain this is the same plaid shirt I bought. I found this image of the store’s US website and would be 100% sure if I could zoom in on the fabric, as my shirt has thin lines of red interwoven with the blue. The same and style is definitely identical; on the US site it’s is called the Marla Plaid Shirt and retails for $14.80US (up here in Canada I paid a few cents under $17 for mine). Either way, it’s a good deal for a lovely lightweight, all-cotton summer shirt.}

I’m delighted to have found a plaid shirt and am sure it will get a ton of rotation in my wardrobe this summer! I’m still keeping my eyes peeled though in case I come across any other plaid gems, and using these wonderful photos I’ve spied lately on Flickr as huge sources of vintage plaid hunting inspiration for whenever I find myself near a clothing store.


{Timeless Plaid Beauty}


1. 40's Plaid Dress, 2. Innocent World British bear jumper skirt (details; red) 2, 3. Plaid picnic tins, 4. Blue and brown plaid vintage circle skirt, 5. new boots!, 6. Vintage 70's Multi-Colored Box Plaid Button Down, 7. Red plaid cuff, 8. Plaid School Girl Skirt, 9. DSC06423aaa, 10. plaid is rad and makes me glad, 11. Large plaid fabric flower brooch, 12. Red Plaid Vintage Aladdin Thermos, 13. 2 of my favorite vintage shoes{Click on a link to see a larger version of a particular image and/or for photographer information}

I think that plaid is a pattern that ultimately, with a little sleuthing around for the right piece, anyone can pull off and look fantastic in. It’s a lovely print that for all its historical roots, doesn’t seem to take itself too seriously, preferring to be a chipper, lively pattern instead.

Are you mad for plaid? Have you discovered any marvelous summer pieces in this classic pattern? I’d love to hear about your finds if you have – one plaid shirt is awesome, but finding a second might be even sweeter! :)