plaid was one of the hottest trends we found on the runways for fall. given the fact that nirvana and pearl jam were at the height of popularity when i was in high school, i am all too familiar with the plaid shirt grunge trend of the ’90s. as a rule, i think you should never re-visit a trend that you have already lived through…but, in this case, i think it might be worth taking a chance on a more refined version of the classic.
while my plaid shirts in high school were, in fact, men’s shirts (often stolen from my dad or grandpa’s closets), the new generation of plaid boasts girly details like ruffles, feminine buttons and darts. i had my eye on the elizabeth and james bonfire shirt, but it is sold out everywhere! fortunately, there are still options that would be fun additions to your fall look – even better when the look comes at under $50. i love a trend you can try without a big commitment!
i love the gathered waist and puffed sleeve details on fire’s plaid ruffle shirt (in red or purple). added bonus: the short sleeves make this a great transitional fall top.
leave it to topshop, the UK-based fashion megaship, to pull off the plaid in a big way. this big check shirt in red has the look of the elizabeth and james shirt, without the price tag. sadly, it is missing the gorgeous back button details of the original, but you can’t beat the price (and they do ship to the states!).
just remember: if you decide to rock the plaid this fall, leave the doc martens and smeared red lipstick (a la courtney love) at home!
