You hate plaid, and you have every reason to do so. Commonly associated with grandfathers, Betty Crockers, the outdoors, and the hillbilly stereotype, the plaid is one print you would sooner drink disinfectant than wear to work.
You just might have to come off your plaid-hating high horse, however. The old-school look is getting new-school treatment; and in it’s second coming, plaid is no longer for the old, the thick, and the hick. Believe it or not, the plaid suit is finding a new place in the closets of the fashion-savvy, tucked alongside other suits for urban professionals.
No, Not Your Grandpa’s Suit
When you hear the word “plaid”, what do you think of? Kilts? Rednecks? Burly, bearded men who chop wood in mid-noon?
In modern menswear, plaid is a group of three singular fabric patterns which create appealing depth in a suit, be it a designer suit for men or one you snagged off the nearest department store. There are three kinds of plaid suits: the windowpane, the Prince of Wales, and the glen plaid.
1. The windowpane
This suit has vertical and horizontal pinstripes which intersect, thereby creating boxes.
2. The glen
Think twill. Twill is a cotton cloth woven in such a way that parallel sloping lines run across it. The same patterns appear in the glen. Simply put, the glen suit shows tight twill patterns of broken checks.
3. The Prince of Wales
What do you get when you combine the windowpane and the glen? The Prince of Wales. Think glen plaid set on windowpane scale.
Whether you choose the windowpane, the glen, or the Prince of Wales, know that a plaid suit is a tricky piece of suit for urban professionals to pill off. Worn, it either puts you at the top of the class or make you look like you’re playing grownup in grandpa’s suit.
Plaids and the Working Man
Suits for urban professionals usually come in dark, somber colors. Stand out from the rest of the working class by taking your plaid suit to the office. The plaid exudes a dapper demeanor and a modish appeal that would make dark suits for urban professionals look drab and dull in comparison.
The best thing about the plaid suit? It may be worn separately. For example, you could pair bold-plaid blazers with blue or black jeans when you go on dates. This is a fashion risk with high rewards. If your date knows anything about fashion at all, she’s going to be impressed by your ability to think outside the “suit for urban professionals” box.
Ways to Go Plaid
If there’s one thing that plaid is not, it’s boring. Unlike other suits for urban professionals, it cannot be pigeonholed into a category. Plaid throws people off, more so if you wear it coupled with the gravest of expressions.
Here are some ways to wear the plaid suit for urban professionals.
1. The windowpane
Aim for two out of three. In menswear lingo, this means two out of the three components of your suit should have the same patterns.
2. The glen
The glen has subdued patterns so you could easily wear this suit for urban professionals with a solid-colored shirt and a patterned tie. Or, you could be more experimental and go for three patterns, accentuating lightly checked or striped shirts with patterned ties.
3. The Prince of Wales
This plaid suit for urban professionals is louder and more intricate. Why should it be otherwise, though? It is, after all, named after royalty. If you plan to wear the Prince of Wales, do not play up the suit’s drama. You would only end up looking like a walking pattern. Rather, play it down. Your suit can attract plenty of attention on its own. Play this down with a patterned tie and a solid shirt.
When wearing the Prince of Wales, you should let the suit do all the talking.
You may not know this yet but the plaid suit for urban professionals just might be your new best friend. More than just a revival of an old routine, it’s a modish twist to an old-school look that you never would have associated with the workplace. So why not give an offbeat edge to your everyday cubicle wear?
Wear plaid.