Plaid pants. I little known way to look cooler than anyone in the room. What used to be restricted to Glen Plaid on bad bankers has expanded to every color combination under the sun. But – these are not for the faint of heart. It is extremely easy to screw these up. First – don’t wear any plaid pants from a skateboard store. That should go without saying. Second, there are certain rules for plaid pants:
– Flat front. Otherwise the pleats make them look like parachute pants.
– Cuffed. 1.75″ minimum. Add some serious business to the ends.
– Good Fit. Nothing too baggy. They shouldn’t be slim, but they should fit well. Too slim and you’ll look like a punk rocker.
– The Right Shoes. Dressy. Leather bottoms. Either cap toes or loafers. A good pair of 986s or tassel loafers are an excellent choice.
– Solids everywhere else. White or blue oxford. Solid sweater. Solid sport coat. Let the pants stand out.
Otherwise, get something somewhat subtle. Don’t go for the Arnold Palmer a-la 70’s dirty plaid. Stick with the subtle patterns. Like these:
From left to right:
Ralph Lauren Glen Plaid Trousers – Dark and subtle. A good choice.
Michael Bastian Glen Plaid Trousers – The burgundy accents in the glen plaid update these a bit, but with a crisp white oxford and a navy blazer…knock it out of the park.
Zanella Devon Plaid Trousers – Zanella has some of the nicest fabric out there.
BR Monogram Wool Plaid Trousers – A little more fashion forward, but the fit on these is spot on.
Paul Stuart Wool Herringbone Trousers – These are major league – a plaid on top of herringbone.
From left to right:
Brooks Brothers Black Fleece Plaid Trousers – Absolutley awesome. Black Fleece doesn’t miss.
Orvis Glen Plaid Lambswool Pants – Orvis is the spot to find the traditional look. These never go out of style.
Zanella Todd Plaid Trousers – A subtle tan plaid. Try these with an oxford blue shirt and a burgundy sweater.
Brooks Brothers Black Fleece Navy Plaid Trousers – Again. Awesome.
Epaulet New York Blackwatch Trousers –Blackwatch is a great cold weather pattern. And Epaulet pants are tops.
Now, these aren’t to be confused with the Christmas tartan pants…we’ll talk about those later.
