Plaid is the new black―or so it’s been said! If you are trying to keep up with fashion trends this fall, you need to know that plaid is in. Sometimes plaid can seem so―high school. But here are 10 fashionably fall ways to wear the seasons hottest trend: plaid.

1. Trench coat
Plaid doesn’t have to be green and red, it can be subdued gray too. You can pair a gray trench coat with pretty much anything. Just make sure that it’s comfy and will keep you warm.

2. Blazer
Same goes with the blazer, if you want to wear this to work, go for plaids that are more subdued. A blazer would look great paired with some dark washed skinny jeans.

3. Shirt
Plaid is cute for a laid back look. If you want to go country, pair your shirt with jeans and cowboy boots.

4. Dress
Yes, plaid can be worn as a dress. Just make sure that you keep your look simple. Plain can easily get busy if you put too many things with your outfit.

5. Skirt
Plaid skirts can be very cute in the crisp fall season. Just make sure that you wear black leggings with the skirt.

6. Pants
Plaid pants can be a bold move―but if you are willing to try it―go for it!

7. ShortsPlaid shorts can be very cute when paired with a simple top. If you want to wear shorts in the winter months, you will have to wear leggings as well.

8. Scarf
If you feel that your wardrobe is lacking some color, add a scarf and you will be good to go! You can add it for a pop of color. Just make sure that you don’t make your outfit too busy.

9. Shoes
If you’ve got a boring outfit―you can spice it up with plaid shoes!

10. Headbands
If you want to go for a chic look―get some chunky plaid headbands.

There you have it. Plaid is in. Here are 10 ways to update your look and add some plaid to it.

About the Author
Neltje M is a writer for MyCollegesandCareers.com. My Colleges and Careers has dedicated it’s services to helping college-bound students find the best online universities.

Plaid has always been a symbol of some kind of curmudgeonry. Whether it’s the older guy in his plaid golf pants or the young plaided-up punk snob who’s already over all the bands you haven’t heard of, plaid has a reputation for being off-putting and overbearing, albeit mature. So it’s a wonder that plaid shorts are becoming a hot new trend. How did plaid shorts go from weird and stodgy to new and trendy?

I think part of the answer is the wonderful power of contrast. Plaid means business — or at least retirement — but shorts definitely don’t. So plaid shorts add a sort of playful attitude to the maturity of plaid patterns. And this can be a great trick to play, at least compared to other fashion-powered contrasts.

Plaid lets you start off with a premise of maturity, and that’s a great asset. When you’re wearing plaid shorts, people know you picked an unusual pattern, and that you added it to a more youthful article of clothing. That mature pattern means that you know what you’re doing — that if they think you’re weird, the joke’s on them. Unlike other similar fashion choices, plaid shorts don’t add the risk that you’ll just look weird: if you’re wearing plaid, you must know what’s up.

Plaid has other advantages, as well. It’s a pattern that has been around for a long time, so if your new plaid shorts catch the tail end of one trend, you’ll be on the vanguard for the next. And since shorts are always in style for their utility and comfort, plaid shorts will still be good to have even if you’re not showing them off so much.

The best thing about plaid shorts, by far, is that their recent popularity has encouraged many more designers and retailers to pay attention to them. If you’re in the market for ,plaid shorts you’re likel to find plenty of stores with a great selection of shorts that are perfect for your needs.

When you pick out plaid shorts, it’s important to pay attention to a few factors. Comfort is almost a given — most are made with fairly nice material, and they’re roomier than most legwear. So the main issues are price and pattern. As for price, the best bet is actually to aim for smaller stores. Unlike the big companies, they tend to attract people by having a great selection at a great price, rather than having a well-funded marketing department. Pattern is another matter entirely. Plaid shorts come in all shades and (plaid-based) patterns, so the best thing to do is just see which ones you’d be comfortable wearing in various situations: imagine wearing your plaid shorts to a party with friends, on a hike, on errands, etc. If it looks sane, go for it — you’ll find that the number of situations in which you want to wear plaid shorts goes way up once you actually have them.

When you think about it, the mysterious popularity of plaid shorts is not so mysterious at all: they’re affordable and comfortable, and while they’re fashionable now, their aesthetic appeal will outlast the trend. The only question is: why don’t you own some plaid shorts already?

“Barack Obama, the breakout hit of the summer” DNC News.

Maybe Im the only one who finds that hilariously accurate, but once I saw that quote on a graphic t-shirt, I just had to post about it. I found this blog called “tree hugger” the other day and amid their posts about eco-loving and environmentalists of the USA that express moving concerns for wildlife, there was a small and yet poignant post: Mother Lovin Obama. The graphic as seen above can stand on its own as a poster, desktop wallpaper, or even your trendy iPhone background. If youve been keeping up with this urban fashion blog, then Im sure youve noticed that Ive been on a tangent of Barack Obama and his relation to todays youth fashion. I should of course make it clear I have no actual political affiliation. If McCain or Barr had graphic tees, canvas bags, and backpacks as cool as Obama Paraphernalia I would be more than happy to write about it. But this is very far from reality so youre stuck with Obama as my prime example of politics and fashion. The 70s funk feel on this t-shirt is reminiscent of the Good Ol Days where having fun was okay and people were inclined to believe in things like hope, change, and human integrity (as well as a little dance part-ay now and then). The Obama graphic tee capitalizes on not only appealing to the white hipster demographic, but it also appeals to the urban fashion community and successfully melds itself within the fashion grassroots effort by the Obama campaign. The t-shirt was design by Aron Kressner of Vivavi.

Okay, here is one for the weekend. What if all your favorite sports stars dressed in plaid shorts from R.A.G. New York. It would be a really different world…

Kevin Garnett, Tiger Woods, Eli Manning and Jonathan Papelbon in plaid shorts:

The meaning of what being in-style meant has changed over the years, continually breaking barriers and crossing new lines. Or taking a step or two back. Styles are re-visited, remixed and recycled to create new ones. Every time, a movement is born and another is phased out.

Here is a summary of what has happened in men’s New York clothing trends over the past 60 years.

In 1950, we have 2 extremes, the tidy and the dirty. One young man may be dressed in very formal attire:

Or be playing ball on the street in jeans and white t-shirt:

Then came the 60’s and the revolt from this:

Resulted in this:

The ideas was that you should wear whatever you want as long as you don’t look like everybody else. Which is exactly what happened. Hippies started their own look and many joined in and so started “looking like a hippie.” This involved leather, tie dyed t-shirts, beads, jeans, bell-bottoms, and much else.

1980’s New York clothing was a reflection of much of what was going on during those days. The graffiti “epidemic” was in strong at the time as could be seen on New York City subway cars, and Blondie was popular.

This meant that fashion was an eclectic mix of drab and eccentricity. Subtle, yet ridiculous.

Then came hip-hop and the influences that it brought with it. Baggy jeans galore.
(source: NY Times)

And here we are wearing plaid shorts in the 2000’s.

Wearing plaid shorts was not always the thing to do. These days, urban plaid shorts and plaid Bermuda shorts have taken off. Almost every major brand including American Eagle and Abercrombie & Fitch carry them. Here at R.A.G., we wanted to take a look back at the history of plaid and how it came about becoming such a fashion statement.

Full Plaid –
The word plaid itself means blanket, most often a wool cloth with a pattern on it. It comes either from Gaellic (Plaide) or a Scots language. Full Plaid refers to the skirts that accompany traditional highland dress uniform. Its pleats are sewn to keep them from opening. The length of the plaid is twice that of the man wearing it. (Usually only seen on members of pipe bands)
The Kilt –
The most well-known kilt is the Scottish kilt, with its unique design and construction. It is worn at the “natural waist” – above the hip, and below the lowest rib – and has a distinctive tartan pattern (sett), which are individualized for clans and families . Underwear optional. The kilt dates back to the end of the 16th century.

Flannel-
Flannel, which is made from loosely spun yarn (wool or cotton), originated in the Midwest, but similar fabric is traced back to Wales. It was mainly associated with workers in cold climates, such as woodsmen, lumberjack, and farmers.
Then came grunge. Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain (along with much of the grunge scene) made flannel cool again by wearing it on several performances. (photo from www.solarnavigator.net)
Subsequently, West Coast gangster rap began making a fashion statement out of it, making it cool for basically anyone who wanted to wear plaid – as long as it wasn’t tucked into your pants – to do so.

Plaid Shorts –
They became popular around fall 2007, just as the summer season was winding down, and now in preparation of the summer season, any type of summer short can be found in plaid. That includes plaid Bermuda shorts, plaid cargo shorts, and urban plaid shorts. Now even David Beckham can be seen wearing plaid shorts.

Why did they get so cool? Tell us below by commenting on this post!

Look at this photo taken earlier this year found on She Knows Best. It’s soccer superstar David Beckham sporting blue plaid shorts, similar to ones we have in stock for just $15. Were you wondering what the trendy item for this summer was going to be? Look no further. David just gave the answer.

One usually associates plaid with the Scottish highlands. Or perhaps grunge rockers such as Nirvana. That was back in the early 90’s. Now plaid is back and so is summer. Colorful designs have become the norm at many Manhattan boutiques and we at R.A.G. carry them on the regular. But don’t expect to find a lumberjack’s wardrobe on sale here, we offer you an eclectic collection of urban plaid shorts.

Take a look at our collection here, starting at just $15:

These are plaid shorts that come in a variety of colors that are perfect for walking in the summer season.