Plaid, or ‘check’ pattern, has seen a resurgence recently thanks to nostalgia for 80s-style and 90s-style prints, as well as demand for flexible, effortlessly trendy fashions that can contribute to a calmer and more hassle-free lifestyle.
Plaid is back once again as a key staple of F/W ’18 fashions, the perfect transition weather style. Given its iconic patterning and numerous styling manifestations over the years, plaid returns this season as a versatile fashion choice that can be worn any way imaginable – be it a refined outerwear piece, an edgy skirt choice or statement handbag. Read on for a breakdown of how the fabric has made its way into the latest F/W styles.
Relaxed Styling for F/W ‘18
The Samsung C&T Fashion Group understands that this season, designs that can stand up to the rush of everyday life must be crafted with sustainability, creativity and practicality in mind – along with the materials and patterns to match. Senior Manager of Samsung C&T’s Lifestyle Research & Development Team, Su-min Oh, notes that the C&T Fashion Group is “aiming to treat fashion with an approach that prioritizes a flexible silhouette and a relaxed attitude. We are going to show realistic and practical items, hybrid products with various styles – from formal to casual, indoor to outdoor.”
Source: SSF Shop
For men, F/W ’18 arrives with a trend that turns away from traditional fixed dress codes and towards reinterpreting classic items for easy and comfortable styling. Looser fits and more understated looks brought about by warm color palettes and a blurring of the distinction between clothing types, be they formal or casual, dominates F/W ’18 runways.
For women, simple and subtle designs made with practicality as well as creativity lead fall trends. A focus on natural materials suitable for all lifestyle choices can be seen across the latest collections, as wellness and comfort emerge as top of mind for consumers. With a flexible design and diverse range of fits, materials and geometric forms, plaid fits this style criteria perfectly.
Effortlessly Elegant
Leaning into the elegance of the plaid design, brands like KUHO and BEANPOLE have produced outerwear pieces in their F/W ’18 womenswear collections that offer an everyday twist to this elegant style. Creativity and practicality have been prioritized in these latest pieces, with loose cuts providing a dignified yet timeless silhouette. The use of earthy color palettes makes for soothing and subtle pieces, offering wearers heritage-infused looks that have all the functionality and practicality of an outerwear staple.
Source: SSF Shop
Similarly, for men looking for an elegant take on everyday style, the collections of GALAXY and BEANPOLE Men offer reinterpretations of the preppy plaid look for easy and comfortable styling. Soft color palettes take center stage here as well, making for calming, geometric designs that are both fit for a gentleman and yet can be worn thrown over athleisure for an easy formal-casual look.
Source: SSF Shop
Always On-Trend
As with most timeless fashion trends, plaid has seen many re-workings while on the front line of the fashion scene. Thanks to its iconic design, casual plaid styles still carry with them a sense of modernity inspired by the past, offering wearers a statement look that is always fresh. Consumers seeking a youthful look need not look further than 8SECONDS’ F/W ’18 check pattern-infused collection. Plaid has been worked into all manner of clothing items so that fashionistas can infuse any outfit with a plaid twist.
Matching vibrant plaid jackets with dark trousers and graphic t-shirts with geometric miniskirts, the latest 8SECONDS collection carries with it the utility of the lumberjack plaid and the daring of the punk movement, reinterpreted for a 2018 audience. With plaid even making its way onto accessory designs, the fabric has become a wardrobe staple able to elevate any outfit with a fresh, statement look.
Source: SSF Shop
Known in particular for their striking, on-trend looks, designer brand Juun.J’s signature take on plaid brings an element of defiance to their pieces, characteristic of a brand known for its alternative styles and tailoring. Junn.J’s latest style concept, LAPPED, incorporates down and woven materials into everyday items such as t-shirts instead of traditional outerwear, resulting in innovative and eye-catching pieces. With plaid and other check patterns accompanied by neon bursts of color, this latest line is a collection of stand-out looks at home on any city pavement.
A Multi-Faceted Fabric
Plaid is a fabric with a check pattern consisting of intersecting stripes of different colored yarns forming a blocky, linear pattern – an iconic geometric pattern. Its simple fabric composition means that variations to the pattern are simple and rarely ostentatious, maintaining the print’s comforting yet distinctive quality. Its most iconic variant is tartan, a term specific to the check patterns manufactured by certain specific regions of the Scottish Highlands.
The ‘check’ pattern can be found in all sorts of forms this fall. ‘Big’-check plaid features wider blocks of color and thinner lining yarns for a more calming look. Houndstooth takes the patterning of plaid one step further, made up of intersecting broken check squares in a tessellated pattern. Glen plaid also harnesses irregular checks, alternating large and small checks in a crossing pattern for a distinct effect. Tighter check patterns, when matched with a pale color scheme, can offer a more feminine and delicate look, be it on trousers or a skirt. Conversely, the simple square blocks of the gingham pattern matched with a colorful, diverse color scheme provides a unique look, eye-catching and unique for those style-seekers looking to stand out this fall.
Whether you are looking for a comfortable piece to class up any look or an outfit that is right on trend, the plaid fashions available for F/W ’18 have something for everyone.
