Plaid is one of those prints that comes back year after year. But just because it comes back every year, doesn’t mean you can wear it the same way over and over without looking dated. Of course, you can always just throw on a plaid shirt with skinny jeans. If you want to look really chic this season, though, you’ll need to know how to mix plaids for 2018.
I really fell in love with this look when I spotted a mannequin wearing mixed plaids at Zara, one of my favorite places for inspiration. Mixing prints can feel intimidating. I wrote this popular post on mixing prints, and many of the same rules apply to mixing plaids.
For this look, I paired a Zara midi skirt with a Stradivarius shirt. The key to making the plaid on plaid look work is to stick with plaids within the same color family. For example, both of my plaids are in the navy blue and green family. The second key to making mixed plaids work is to look for different pattern sizes. My top has a more spaced out plaid, while my skirt is slightly busier.
On top of paying attention to the patterns, also pay attention to styling. Midi skirts are having such a moment this fall, so I went with this style for my plaid bottom. Pair that with slouchy leather boots like this pair, and the look is so on trend.
If you get nervous about how to mix plaids for 2018, start with subtle prints. There are a lot of great plaid coats that you can easily pair with a similarly colored plaid top or pants. Just remember the keys – stay in the same color family and play with proportions.
Are you going to try mixing plaids for 2018?
Xx, Kelsey
OUTFIT DETAILS:
Zara plaid midi skirt | Stradivarius plaid shirt | Mango white boots | YSL wallet bag
