How to Wear Fashion's Favorite Print (No, It's Not Leopard)

If you're simultaneously obsessed with the latest micro-trends and too intimidated to test them out, you've come to the right place. This is Ways to Wear, a monthly series where editor Eliza Huber offers a dose of outfit inspiration focused on current trends that feel intriguing yet overwhelming at the same time. Consider it your guide to actually wearing the coolest items of the moment, no matter how puzzling they might appear at first.

Not to sound dramatic, but a print trend that actually feels fresh and not recycled from a few seasons ago is, in fact, groundbreaking. I love animal prints and polka dots just as much as the next fashion person—probably more—but they're not exactly new. Some patterns just stick around, only to show up in a buzzy runway collection and be called the next It print again. But finally, a genuinely unexpected design is gaining traction among fashion-minded shoppers, and I, for one, am prepared to welcome it with open arms.

If the below curation of lauded runway looks hasn't already given it away, I'm talking about plaid, a print that often lives on the outskirts of fashion. It has a presence, yes, but never shines brightest. That is, until now, when brands like The Row, Bottega Veneta, Kallmeyer, and Calvin Klein are making the checkered pattern priority number one.

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The first signs of plaid's renaissance arrived when The Row released its spring 2025 lookbook, which featured a handful of check-print pieces that would go on to sell out and go viral online. The Tina Jacket—marked with blue-and-red intersecting lines and a scarf-like collar detail—sold out in what felt like moments, leaving shoppers to scour the secondhand market for one in their size, ignoring their heightened prices. The Nesson Shirt, Esperanza Skirt, and Tavishina Skirt also became top buys for the season.

Ahead of his departure from Bottega Veneta, Matthieu Blazy likewise leaned into plaid, featuring the print throughout his pre-spring 2025 and spring 2025 collections in the form of coats, shirts, skirts, and more. Kallmeyer's fall/winter 2025 show saw a Jordan Catalano–esque plaid "shirt" tied around one model's waist. (The plaid knot is actually attached to the trousers in a sneaky, smart move by the brand's designer and founder, Daniella Kallmeyer.) Meanwhile, at Veronica Leoni's Calvin Klein debut in New York, the classic plaid shirt returned to fashion with a sleek upgrade that felt elegant and casual at the same time.

Intrigued? So was I, which is why I set out to style the print in my daily life. See how I'll be wearing plaid this season below.

Wearing: Original Madras Trading Co. shirt; Paige pants; Massimo Dutti Heeled Shoes With Rounded Toe ($190); COS Mini Studio Bowler Bag ($220); Khaite x Oliver Peoples 1998C ($480); Cartier watch; Jenny Bird Nouveaux Puff Earrings ($158)

Styling notes: Not going to lie—I leaned heavily on the aforementioned runway looks for styling inspiration when I first started incorporating plaid into my wardrobe this season. For this look, I looked to the very first outfit featured in The Row's spring 2025 lookbook, in which a model wears the Nesson Shirt with black Lilas Pants, a classic black belt, and sporty sandals. I made the look feel more me by ditching the belt, adding heels, and leaning on accessories, like my new COS bowler bag and Khaite x Oliver Peoples wire-rim sunglasses. I got this shirt, by Original Madras Trading Co., at Century 21 on deep sale, and now cannot stop wearing it. It's so lightweight and breezy while also looking put-together and unique.

Wearing: Tory Burch shirt; Gucci skirt; Bottega Veneta Small Andiamo ($4700); Jimmy Choo boots; Cartier watch

Styling notes: One misconception about plaid is that it always looks casual, but that simply is not true. You can easily dress it up as long as you pair it with the right pieces. Here, I swapped out a classic white or blue button-down shirt with a plaid version from Tory Burch, and tucked it into a tailored leather pencil skirt from Gucci (Tom Ford era, naturally) that I found at the Manhattan Vintage Show. To continue elevating the print, I wore stiletto sock boots from Jimmy Choo and added my Bottega Veneta Andiamo Bag in the color Fondant.

Shop plaid in 2025: