Tartan never goes out of style. While checks and plaids may not have a permanent spot in the limelight but tartan has been known to take Chanel, Vivienne Westwood and Alexander Mcqueen runways by storm. It is a look no longer confined to a Scotsman’s kilt or a schoolgirl’s skirt.
But before you start to implement this style you need to know the difference between Tartan and Plaid.
Plaid’s original definition is ‘as a woolen cloth having a checkered or tartan pattern’. It evolved to mean any such checkered or tartan pattern. Tartan’s first definition is a ‘woolen cloth woven in stripes of various colors at right angles to form a rectangular pattern; also, the pattern and design of such a cloth’.
So, lets begin. We are fully engulfed in the winter season and tartan is making its way back into stores and inevitably our closets. Invading stores like ZARA, Topshop and ASOS.
The key to wearing the tartan trend this season is to give the heritage pattern a more contemporary spin. Dress it down with denim or give it the grunge treatment with beat-up leather accessories. You can easily wear a tartan skirt with a plain top or a tartan shirt with a pair of classic blue/black jeans. You can also choose to take it to a more extreme level with a head-to-toe tartan look.
Check out these tartan street style looks to inspire your wardrobe!
Black Watch Tartan
MacBeth Tartan
Stewart Tartan
Wellington Tartan
Boyd Tartan
So next time you say that you love plaid now you can tell people where the style comes from and the traditional name. There is so much history that comes along with this pattern. So what do you think of tartan? What is your favorite way to wear it? Comment below! I can’t wait to hear what you have to say!
Stay stylish my loves,
The Oxford Guide 