Mad for Plaid

Plaid is everywhere these days, doubly so now that we are fully into the winter season. I love the pattern, for the visual variety it lends an outfit, for the rugged warmth it exudes, but it's really easy to lose the sharp edge of your style and to slide quickly into lumberjack territory.

So how do you rock seasonal plaid without looking like you're about to build a log cabin while hunting a grizzly bear? Here are a few ways to keep your plaid city-appropriate:

1) Dress it Up:

Plaid is a pretty inherently casual pattern, especially when made from a thicker flannel cloth, as is wont in the colder months. However, this doesn't mean your whole outfit has to be way laid-back to match. Try keeping a bit of formality by wearing a plaid button-down under a blazer. I suggest a thicker wool fabric for the blazer to match the heft of the plaid. A tie and a pocket square seal the deal with a look that is definitely business casual, rather than redneck.

2) Don't Wear Jeans:

This is one of your easiest options. Instead of reaching for your favorite beat-up blue jeans, go for something a bit sharper, like some dark chinos. Those black and red buffalo check flannels that are so appealing look great with a pair of black chinos, while some of your lighter options will pair well with khaki's, or even some winter whites. If you do go for jeans, opt for a dark, dressier pair rather than your beat-up 501's.

3) Pay Attention To Fit:

This doesn't mean only wear super slim fitting plaids, but to know the fit of what you're wearing and treat it appropriately. A heavy, looser flannel shirt that you can pick up at your local thrift store will look way better used as a light jacket (say, over a sharp white tee-shirt, or even a turtleneck sweater) instead of trying to pull it off as a dress shirt. 

4) Tuck It In:

This is a huge one. I'm definitely not saying that there is no style or class in an un-tucked casual shirt, but the loose plaid shirt is definitely a cabin-ready look. You can feel much more appropriately dressed hitting the city with your tails tucked. Again, though, pay attention to fit, and avoid billowing at the waist or sleeves. 

Fashion Faux Pas - Untucked Shirts

Returning once again to the ‘Fashion Faux Pas’ series, today we are addressing untucked button-up shirts. Fellas, once you’ve graduated from college, this is almost always a no-no. And it’s one that I notice all the time, all over the place. No joke, the biggest one that bothers me is Ted, from How I Met Your Mother. There’s a lot more wrong with this outfit (mostly those ridiculous-looking jeans), but he is constantly walking around in a baggy shirt, untucked, under a blazer, and it makes him look like he’s playing dress-up in his dads clothing.

So, here are the rules when it comes to button-up shirts: Button-up shirts come in two basic cuts when it comes to the bottom of the shirt. Sport shirts are cut straight across the bottom, while dress-shirts are rounded to give the shirt ‘tails.’ Both can be worn tucked, both can be worn with a tie, but obviously dress shirts tend to be the more formal of the two. I’d say it’s a pretty safe bet that you should always tuck in a dress shirt. The extreme exception is some oxfords, chambrays, or more casual shirts, as well as some short-sleeved dress shirts, but even with these you want to be careful. The deciding factor here is going to be the length of the shirt. The best rule of thumb is to check how far the front hem of your shirt falls below your waistline. If it is less than halfway down your zipper, you can consider leaving it untucked. Anything that falls more than halfway down your fly will just look sloppy untucked. Sport shirts tend to give you a little more leeway, because a well fitted sport shirt, with a straight hem, will usually fall less than halfway down your fly. Dress shirts on the other hand are purposefully cut longer in order to keep them from coming untucked while you are wearing them.

Finally, if you are wearing a blazer, ALWAYS tuck your shirt in. Otherwise you get, at best, this 90’s professor look that is just…well….frumpy. Think Ross from mid-run Friends. At the very least, it’s extremely difficult to put together a physically flattering, slim fitted outfit without tucking yourself in.

Note: This obviously only applies to button-up shirts. Polos are hit-or-miss, but please don’t ever tuck in your T-shirt. We shouldn’t even have to say that.

Photo courtesy of fanpop.com