Power of plaids

They are one of the most remarkable friends your wardrobe could ever have. Plaids can be fun, smart and totally versatile in the same breath. P S Bhavana suggests you know them through-and-through

These crisscross designs were a hot ‘07-08 trend (Dolce & Gabanna’s School-cum-masculine look; Moschino Cheap & Chic’s interesting shapes; Marc Jacobs Marc’s Brit silhouettes; other designers’ radical watercolor washes or plaids with super-punk accessories). Now you can flaunt them this year as well. Fashion is cyclical! Every fab print, weave or texture that pretends to go out of fashion for a while, hops right back on the scene when you least expect it to. We bring you a must-haves list, complete with how-to-wear cues.

Tunic or bias-cut dress
Go short or knee-length. Create a magical Gossip Girl look with a short checkered dress. Up it with jewel tone leggings and a pair of ballerinas or as-cute-as-buttons thongs. If it is rather cold in your part of the world, throw on a light cardigan and a pair of Uggs. You can add a chubby bag and chain-link accessories with some metallic accents. Check out designer Vineet Bahl’s plaid dress teamed with gold accents, it’s rather quirky.

Oversized or to-fit shirt
Nothing can beat this androgynous shape. Ever. So do Kristen Stewart’s famous Twilight look-wear a plaid shirt with denims. Cinch the shirt at the waist, if it is baggy, with a belt. Finally, slip into a pair of comfy keds or slip-ons. Don’t overload this shirt with accessories, save a chunky neck or wrist piece, maybe.

Short or long skirt
Flaunt a semi-formal, aristocratic look or an utterly girly one. A feminine plaid skirt can look yummy with a boyfriend jacket, a pair of leggings (try hatch-patterned tights), and a shapeless or structured blouse. In short, experiment with asymmetric, box-pleated, flouncy or even billowy skirts.


Scarf or stole
Hop, skip and jump into the realms of eye-popping colour and neutrals. Besides off-whites, blacks and greys, try accents like teal, blue, grass or leaf green, berry, wine and tomato red. Wrap one as benignly and casually as you can on any chic look. No gaudy neckpieces with this one, please!

Slim pants or shorts
This time steer away from usual red plaid combos but grab black-white, beige, brown, purple or fuchsia. Both Mango and Pero by Aneeth Arora, at the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week October 2010, had these scrumptious checkered shorts. These shapes look cool with vests, semi-fitted blouses or tees and casual accessories, although a semi-formal structured jacket may do the trick sometimes as well.

Silk sari or kurta
If the Western line is not you, try going the Vidya Balan way. She looked yummilicious in a South Indian silk sari by Sabyasachi, with yellow and black plaids, at an event. You can pick a pretty plaid polly from a sari store. Or get a silk, cotton or voile kaftan or kurta tailored to your shape. Punch it with leggings or cigarette legged indigo denims.

Bags and shoes
Go beyond plaid clothes and separates; invest in a radical pair of keds or shoes. Diesel has these lovely leather and plaid wool shoes. Large dump-all, totes or duffel bags are cool must-dos too. If you can save a lot, buy a Salvatore Ferragamo bag. It’s ever so smart! Alternatively, how about watches with funky straps?