Plaid scarves, plaid pajamas, plaid skirts, plaid shirts – growing up with Ginger, especially during the holiday season, there was LOTS of plaid.  Her two favorites were the classic red plaid (Royal Stewart) and the classic ‘black watch plaid’.   These watch plaid pants actually were hers, and I have posted about them before, but thought they deserved a second look…

Let me remind you that my mother passed away in 2004 so these pants are well over 15-20 years old…they are by Ralph Lauren, 100% wool, and look like new. I had them taken in a bit in the waist, but otherwise they fit me perfectly. Now, let’s face it – plaid pants are preppy, right?  Yup, for sure.  But mixing the preppy look with other styles is where the fun really begins!  Avoid the temptation to wear a navy blazer and loafers – choose pieces that are feminine, edgy, sexy – unexpected!  The top two pics show how I recently wore the pants to work:  with a sleeveless white microfiber turtleneck, a cropped sequin jacket, and navy suede pumps.  Why it works:  true white, not off white, pops against the blue…the lightweight microfiber fabric is a nice contrast to the heavier wool pants…the cropped style of the jacket shows the waistline, which is figure flattering, and finally, the sparkles add unpredictable glam!

Here on the left, two years ago, I wore the pants while hosting Christmas…a bit more casually, with a cream off-the-shoulder sweater and gold sparkly kitten heels.  Red lipstick for a festive touch.

And here is one more way to style the pants, with a lace shirt and a slim black leather jacket.  Depending on what you choose for footwear, this look could be for a business casual setting, or for a holiday party.

The bottom line:

• From scarves to shirts, trousers to blazers, plaids are especially fun and festive during the holiday season!
• Do pair your plaid with leather, lace, sparkles, and other dressier pieces.
• Bring plaid the same way into your home decor – wrap gifts in plaid wrapping paper with shiny gold ribbon or try a red plaid bow on your front door wreath.

Are YOU mad about plaid?