Plaid or tartan?

But not all plaid is tartan

Quick heads up that this is an insanely long post with 40+ vintage links. It will get cut off in email inboxes. I highly recommend reading it in the Substack app or in a web browser.

When I think about what to post, it’s important to me that it’s something I believe is a valuable item in your closet (or in your home). Not necessarily valuable as in $$, though perhaps, but valuable as in a helpful item to dress around. Sometimes it’s something I’ve had for a while, sometimes it’s something I’m hunting for, and sometimes it’s just something that has brought me immense joy, like a large floral brooch.

This week’s concept isn’t anything new, but I do think it’s timeless. It works for so many different lifestyles (and personal styles in general), and it’s ripe for vintage hunting.

Which brings me to the tartan (or plaid) skirt. I lived in Paris for a few months right after I got married, and the two outfits have stayed seared in my memory since.

Two outfits that, even four years later, live rent free in my head. Same idea: a cape, a pleated tartan skirt, and boots. (I also love the fur trimmed gloves and canvas bag on the left.)

Tartan was in then (and back in Queen Victoria's day), and it's as in as ever now, so I went down the vintage rabbit hole for us.

Tartan vs. plaid

Before writing this I could have loosely described the difference between tartan and plaid, but I definitely couldn’t have explained it succinctly. The short version: all tartan is plaid, but not all plaid is tartan.

Tartan is a very specific kind of plaid. It’s stripes woven in both directions, and the stripes have to repeat in the exact same order going across as they do going up and down. That order is called a “sett” and true tartan should look the same whichever way you turn it.

Many setts belong to specific clans and families, and they're officially recorded in the Scottish Register of Tartans. They're still worn with a lot of pride, especially at weddings and big family occasions. The good news is you can wear whatever tartan you love, regardless of your family name. The main "off-limits" one, per my research, is the royal Balmoral (which is reserved for the royal family).

So, think of plaid as an umbrella term. In Scotland, “plaid” was originally the blanket you wore (not the pattern on it). It was a huge length of wool that was belted at the waist and thrown over the shoulder.

Left to right: two Highlanders in the original "plaid," which meant the wool draped over the shoulder; a pair of spectators at a Highland games; and a trio of women pipers in full dress.

We (Americans) borrowed the word, used it broadly to reference the pattern, and now it colloquially covers anything with crisscrossing stripes (gingham, madras, buffalo check, etc.). When you’re hunting for traditional tartan, at a high level, look for:

• Woven, not printed. You can tell by flipping it over. Woven tartan looks nearly the same on the back.

• Wool. If I want the real deal, I look for 100% wool. “Made in Scotland” on the label is a good sign (mills I’ve seen: Lochcarron, Kinloch Anderson, and Johnstons of Elgin).

We are staying loosely scoped to tartan, alongside a few special/fun plaid pieces I couldn’t help but include. I’ll warn you though, it’s a deep rabbit hole. There’s amazing vintage plaid taffeta out, endless flannel shirts (great plaid shirt post by Elle Sundberg), and quirky plaid-adjacent accessories (gingham, checks, madras, etc).

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New here? Hi! Three months ago I started PMLF as a running record of what I’m hunting for, how I plan on styling it, and a few other creative pursuits sprinkled in. Between weekly(ish) newsletters, find me on Instagram sharing vintage and the aforementioned hodgepodge.

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Start with the midi

I am very favorable towards the tartan midi skirt and can confidently recommend it as a cooler-season pillar (plus, did you hear the news? Skirt!) How can you argue with a staple this?

Just look at these icons.

The longer length makes it feel less Catholic school (or Clueless) and more wearable, in my opinion. I also think a midi (or tea length) is easy to style in a way that feels modern, yet timeless, and will survive closet purges over the next decade.

If you don’t know where to start, pair it with a dark sweater or blazer (or both). Pick up the darkest color in the tartan and you can’t go wrong.

As you can see above, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. The beauty with a patterned skirt (including plaid/tartan) is that it’s a moment in and of itself. Each look is achieved with a dark sweater, turtleneck, or blazer (anything dark in your closet will probably work). There’s no shortage of inspiration for this (simple) equation, and it’s one of my own go-to fallback formulas.

For me, though, I'm into the idea of pushing myself a bit more with color and accessories that create some style contrast. Here's my vision:

Vintage tartan skirt / TRR red sweater (another here and here) / Prada shoes (on sale) or these TB ones I’m thinking about getting / Khaite bag (vintage Prada alt here and $24 alt here)

Instead of leaning into something dark or bright pops of color, you also have the option of going lighter or tonal with browns, grays, or a crisp white button down.

Into aspects of each of these, but very much want to recreate the situation on the far left.

Think more casual (almost channeling the sportiness of the English countryside) and bring in dimension with texture and layering. While I love the idea of a cape, like the original Paris outfits, I find it hard to wear one with a longer A-line skirt given I’m only 5’1. The good news is a shorter poncho over a jacket gets you the same effect.

Secondhand Gucci skirt (alt here and here) / vintage velvet jacket / oxford / poncho (I have and love it) / vintage silver cuff / cowboy boots (TRR alt here and BR alt here)

An aside: I’ve had the poncho above in black for the past two winters. Something about where it hits means you can wear it over a simple turtleneck or over a thicker coat, and it has yet to fail me.

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A quick note: I’ve officially turned on paid subscriptions. Going forward, my weekly “buy before I do” post will be partially paywalled, and my deep dives (like this one) will stay free for now.

Subscribing (or upgrading to paid) is a way to support me sharing my hunts, perspective, and taste with you. I promise is to stay true to what I think is worth your time and to keep making posts that feel high-quality and thoughtful. I appreciate all the love and support so far. Thank you so much. <3

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The finds

I have a classic Black Watch tartan wrap skirt I found on Etsy a few years ago. (An aside, the history of each tartan is very fun to read.) The wrap is tried and true, and I recommend it as a staple. The below finds follow the same classic shape.

1. Vintage Forbes tartan wrap skirt (S; $77) Classic and slimmer cut; good for the tall girls.

2. Vintage Edinburgh Woolen Mill (M; $45) This burgundy would look amazing with a crisp black blazer.

3. Vintage Cecile de Reve (S; $68) Very similar to the one I have and can wear a variety of ways

4. Vintage Thistle Woollens Scotland (8; $94) More unusual colors. Kind of dying to see it with cowboy boots (juxtaposition, baby!)

5. Vintage Scotch House tartan skirt (XS; $99) The classic wrap pattern with a single buckle and pleats in the back.

6. Daniela Gregis Wool Tartan Wrap Skirt (M; $675) It just feels designer with the way the volume sits asymmetrically. It would be amazing around the holidays.

7. Vintage Evan Picone wool skirt (8; $68) Feels Burberry. Love the colors and slim lines.

8. Vintage wool Pendleton (10; $82) I’m such a sucker for vintage Pendleton and Woolrich.

9. Vintage tartan wrap kilt (S; $125) A good classic that feels just enough different and vintage.

10. Vintage Saks Fifth 1969 skirt (6; $95) I love the unique light blue in this one.

11. Vintage Gap tartan skirt (16; $48) Holiday party waiting!

12. Vintage Johnston's of Elgin kilt (XL; $74) Great pleats and the right amount of volume.

It should come as no surprise that beyond the classic wrap, I'm a big advocate of 1) fringe and 2) cream tones. Fringe makes tartan feel softer and more relaxed, and cream breaks up all the dark greens and navies if you don’t want it to read so holiday.

1. Vintage Ralph Lauren country (S/M; $149) I love RL Country. Dress her for the city or country or all the above!

2. Ralph Lauren fringe skirt (new; $400) This isn’t vintage, but it’s a great skirt and one I believe you would have in your closet for decades.

3. TRR Vintage Ralph Lauren skirt (L; $304) Thinking she could be styled with black velvet or denim/western.

4. Vintage Eddie Bauer skirt (4; $22) Blanket vibes, but make it skirt! For the tall girls!

5. TRR Thom Browne skirt (M; $765) I love Thom Browne—imagine the movement you’ll get in the skirt! This Tory Burch skirt (on sale) is similar and looks promising.

6. Vintage 70s wool skirt (6; $60) Very into this unique plaid ith the color combo and amount of white/cream

7. TRR Ciao Lucia sheer skirt (S; $180) Unlike the others, but I wanted to throw a fun plaid in there. Someone wear her to a girls night out

8. TRR Victoria Beckham skirt (L; $211) Gorgeous, love it, no notes

Beyond skirts

If skirts aren't your thing, or don't fit into your life, you can still bring in tartan in fun ways. A little goes a long way with a pattern this strong, so one piece is usually enough to make an outfit feel seasonal.

The easiest is a wrap or scarf, like above. (Someone needs to beat me to fixing a plaid scarf with a floral brooch—I think the mix would be very good.)

1. Vintage Laird Porch Scotland wrap ($115) I want to pair this one with a floral brooch…it would be so good.

2. TRR Ralph Lauren silk scarf ($90) If you are going on a hunt (the real kind) or “countryside” weekend I need you to get this.

3. Vintage YSL silk plaid scarf ($105) I have a weakness for vintage YSL geometric silk scarves and the it feels like a perfect sprinkle if you’re dipping your toes with plaid.

4. Vintage 1930s plaid shawl with silk fringe ($135) The drama!!! Summer plaid baby

5. Extra large wool scarf/poncho ($65) I can smell the fire and crisp fall air from here.

6. Vivienne Westwood tartan bolero scarf (new; $602) I couldn’t help but include this. It’s cut so it can hang just like this effortlessly (VW is a classic and has been doing tartan pieces for years).

And then I obviously can't help but share other great plaid (or plaid adjacent) finds… a rabbit hole within the rabbit hole if you will.

1. Burberry wristlet/clutch ($74 with code) I have one of these, also found on ThredUp, and I love it more casually with jeans and sweater (or out west to contrast the suede/leather)

2. Giuseppe Zanotti beaded kitten mules (38.5; $450) A splurge, but SO good and hits all the highs of fashion week.

3. Vintage Christian Dior wool blazer (M; $428) Chic chic Thanksgiving?

4. Plaid wine tote (new; $29) This feels like the perfect holiday host gift (or rather, I would love to receive this)

5. Vintage Celine (Phoebe Philo) 2014 dress (L; $652) This was too incredible not to include—a collectors piece.

6. Vintage Ralph Lauren crossbody ($120) Also for your shooting weekend!

7. Vintage Diane Von Furstenberg weekender ($40) I mean, what a deal if you’re in the market for a weekend duffle.

8. Tartan garment bag (new; $262) This is incredible and could be from a major fashion house, imo. It’s too early for me to think about the holidays but this would be an amazing gift for someone that has everything.

Red and some texture, baby!

If you don’t own any plaid, but share a house with literally anyone else (a roommate, your dad, your grandpa, your spouse), I promise they have some. I highly recommend stealing it and getting creative.

Finders keepers,
SN

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