By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
November 22, 2000
Whether it’s delicate houndstooth or bold tartan, plaid is back and it’s making a high-fashion statement.
Forget the image of Steve Martin in a mismatched plaid, polyester suit on “Saturday Night Live.” Today’s plaid is showing up in shoes and handbags, as well as skirts and tops.
The preppiness of plaid gets an updated image this winter with an array of rich, smoky colors. Red and green dominate–with a heavy emphasis on red–but don’t let the holiday palette fool you. The greens are olive and moss. And the reds range from dark cranberry and bordeaux to rich plums.
And you can’t go wrong with the classic black and white combo, which beautifully offsets a bright turtleneck or kicky tights.
“There are so many different ways to wear checks,” says Eugenia Ulasewicz, president of Burberry, which is as famous for plaid as it is for its trench coats. “It could be as simple as a skirt or a jacket or, if that’s too much, a handbag or a pair of shoes. We’re even coming out with check bikinis and men’s swimwear that we think will be a big hit with our customers. It’s just such a fun design to wear.”
In its own way, plaid can be as neutral as black or gray. Spice it up with a red sweater. Or tone it down with a pair of camel-colored flat-front pants.
Prince Edward has worn his favorite pair of blue, red and black plaid trousers to formal functions, and Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler got a kick out of his Vivienne Westwood red plaid suit.
Designers are answering the demand for plaid with a range of creations. Michael Kors added a black fox wrap to his plaid wool jersey suit, giving the outfit a dash of old-school Hollywood glamor. Meanwhile, Tommy Hilfiger showed just how feminine plaid could be. His full-length, red and white gown was held up with delicate spaghetti straps that were, natch, tartan. And for the younger set, BCBG’s Max Azria created low-slung, re-embroidered plaid pants that can be dressed up or down, depending on the wearer’s mood.
During a recent visit to Chicago, Sex & the City author Candace Bushnell paired her colorful designer outfit with a plaid camel shawl from Burberry’s.
“I bought this when it was so cold I thought I was going to die,” says Bushnell. “I like wearing it over my [Dolce & Gabbana] coat because it adds a nice flair. I love it so much that I bought the matching shoes for it as well. I feel very grown up and put together when I wear them.”
Wisely, Bushnell realizes that a little plaid goes a long way.
Go overboard and you could risk looking like Elmer Fudd hunting “wabbits.”
“You don’t want to wear an entire plaid outfit,” says Meg Rottman, partner with Style PR, a Los Angeles-based fashion marketing company. “But if you piece together a plaid skirt with a neutral top, you’re going to create a very young, hip look. You’re going to want the skirt to be short, because you don’t want all that plaid hitting your mid-calves.”
We’re not talking about Britney Spears’ Catholic schoolgirl look here–although it’s not totally passe. While the pleated look always will have its place in fashion, designers this season are introducing body-skimming silhouettes that hug the hips.
When it comes to accessories, go a little crazy. With matching shoes and handbags, the plaid factor doesn’t overwhelm. Rather, it creates a neat, pulled together look that completes an outfit.
Know Your Plaid
Plaid is a woven material made up of different colored horizontal and vertical stripes. But did you know that not all plaids are the same?
Check: What we call plaid, the Brits refer to as check.
Madras: Popular in the 1960s and ’70s, madras shirts and dresses were made from thinner, cotton material that was often imported from India.
Houndstooth: Tiny checks.
Herringbone: Small and detailed, the shapes resemble little v’s or w’s.
Tartan: In Scotland, each family has a plaid that is as unique as a family crest. In the ’70s, the Bay City Rollers brought tartan-trimmed trousers and shirts to the forefront of pop culture.
