10 Chic Ways To Wear A Plaid Shirt This Fall

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Plaid shirts are one of the best types of tops to wear during the fall season. While it’s easy to throw on a plaid top with your fave jeans, there are so many other fun ways to wear your plaid shirt – here are the best ones!

Plaid shirts can be worn with almost anything. You can wear a plaid flannel shirt with a tennis skirt to achieve a preppy look, pair it with denim jeans and boots for a classic fall look, or simply tie it around your waist to add a pop of color. It can even be paired with a blazer or cardigan for colder months. 

Similar to owning a white shirt and denim pants, consider your plaid shirt as part of your basic closet staple. You can wear it in almost any kind of weather, you just need to know how to style it. 

However, we completely understand if you’re scared of making a fashion faux pas by mixing tartan patterns with garments that will make your outfit a little bizarre. That’s why today, we’ve put together a simple guide on what to wear with a plaid shirt, featuring some of the best plaid shirt outfits for cute fall looks!

Let’s get started, shall we?

What To Wear With Plaid Shirts

1. Denim Shorts

What to wear with plaid shirts: shorts and boots
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What to wear with plaid shirts: shorts and boots
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If you live in a Southern climate, a plaid shirt with shorts and boots is one of the best early fall looks that you can easily pull off! Simply choose a plaid shirt in your favorite color; it can be a classic brown or a beige, but this year, we’re particularly fond of pastels and lighter colors like lavender.

Pair this with your favorite high-waisted shorts, a classic plain tank or tee, and finish the look off with your favorite ankle boots or knee-high boots. We love a good brown or black suede boot!

2. Short A-line Skirts

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To achieve this pretty look, take your checkered shirt and tuck it under a pleated mini skirt. As your plaid shirt is already going to be the focal point of the outfit, it’s best to stick to neutral skirt colors, unless your plaid shirt is particularly understated.

Alternatively, you can also wear your plaid shirt as a jacket over a pleated skirt, leaving the buttons open. This is such a cute and preppy style!

3. Pencil Skirts

Throw in an oversized plaid shirt and mix it with a mini skirt for a sultry date night look. This works especially well when matched with a pair of knee-high or thigh-high boots.

If you want to wear this look for work, we recommend opting for a longer pencil skirt, and switching the boots for comfortable flats like loafers.

4. Black Jeans & Leggings

Cute brown plaid shirt outfit with black leggings
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The most practical bottoms to wear with any kind of plaid pattern shirt are black skinny jeans and leggings. They’re extremely flattering when paired with all types of plaid shirts, regardless of their design and color. 

Plus, if you’re in a hurry and don’t have time to think about your outfit, this is a simple formula that will always look great.

5. Wear It As A Dress

If you have a relatively long plaid shirt, why not wear it as a dress? If your shirt feels just a little too short for this, you can also wear a plain, loose mini dress underneath to give you more comfort. This also allows you to play with styling your shirt – you can wear it both open and closed!

Complete the look by wearing matching accessories, like a pair of knee-high boots for colder days, or a cute pair of white ankle boots to add a bit of glam to your look.

6. Denim

Matching mommy and me plaid shirt outfits with jeans
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Cute plaid shirt outfit with jeans
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Similar to black leggings, denim in all its forms will look great with a plaid shirt. While our favorite way to style a plaid shirt is with casual skinny or straight-leg jeans, you can also wear the shirt with flare bottoms or baggy jeans if that’s more your style.

However, if you’re opting for a baggier fit for your bottoms, make sure to either leave your plaid shirt open, or wear it in a way that accentuates your waist (unless you love the super casual baggy-on-baggy look).

For that grunge look, opt for a pair of distressed pants, and complete the look by wearing combat boots, ankle books, or a pair of sneakers for a modern look.

7. Cardigans

Wearing a cozy long cardigan over a tartan shirt is a great way to style your it and add layers. This look is perfect for fall weather when it’s just getting chilly, but it isn’t cold enough to warrant a jacket.

It’s also a great stay-at-home outfit, perfect for days when you might need to jump on a Zoom call. It’s a presentable enough look that feels relaxed at the same time.

8. Blazers

If you’re looking for a fun way to wear a festive but understated outfit to the office, consider wearing your plaid shirt under a blazer, and cuffing up the sleeves on the edge. The contrast in color and design will give a new twist to an otherwise plain blazer. 

As a rule of thumb, avoid wearing printed blazers and stick with solid-colored ones. If you’re looking to dress up a festive Christmas-themed plaid shirt, neutral blazer colors such as navy blue, black, and camel are the safest choices.

Of course, you can also experiment with a red plaid shirt and a dark green blazer, if you’re going for an extra-festive look!

9. Vests

Vests are another great way to layer up during the fall or springtime, when the weather doesn’t quite warrant a jacket just yet.

A puffer vest in either a classic black or navy blue will always look sleek, but we’re partial to lighter colored vests, like the ones you can see above. Cream and white puffer vests can be super versatile, too!

10. Leather Jackets

For an edgy look, you can wear a faux leather jacket on top of a plaid shirt. Of course, the color of your leather jacket should match with your plaid shirt, but usually, a black leather jacket is an all-around good option.

If you have a lighter plaid shirt in your wardrobe, consider pairing it with a lighter leather jacket, such as a beige or light pink suede jacket.

Another way of styling these two pieces that instead of wearing your plaid shirt under your leather jacket, wrap it around your waist area instead, adding just a hint of color and volume to your outfit.

We recommend pairing this look with skinny jeans for the best effect.

So, there you have it! We hope you found these styling ideas useful, and got a little inspiration on how to wear your trusted plaid shirt in a new way this season. For more similar posts, make sure to check out the articles below.

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