Life

Fashion: Check is never out of style but here are this season's top trends

When it comes to autumnal dressing, chilly weather and check patterns are a match made in heaven, writes Prudence Wade

Black Dogtooth Gold Button Detail Cardigan, £38, River Island
Black Dogtooth Gold Button Detail Cardigan, £38, River Island Black Dogtooth Gold Button Detail Cardigan, £38, River Island

WHETHER it’s plaid, houndstooth or tartan, there are plenty of different types of check – any pattern made up of horizontal and vertical interlocking lines will do.

And there’s good reason it’s such an enduring feature in fashion, as it can be easily tailored to your personal style and the current trends.

Check patterns have a long history; tartan is one of the oldest manifestations of the design; its origins date back as far as 2,000 BCE.

In the many years since, there have been countless incarnations of check – from gingham dresses to 70s punks' trousers.

Here's how, in 2020, check patterns are being worn...

MIX AND MATCH

Pattern clashing is easier to pull off than you might think. If classic plaid patterns feel a bit stale for you, one way to modernise wearing check is by mixing and matching. Pick out one check item – maybe a coat or pair of trousers – and mix it with lots of other different fabrics, focusing on varying textures and colours, like velvet or thick wool.

:: River Island Black Dogtooth Gold Button Detail Cardigan, £40

:: Tu Herringbone Check Mini Skirt, £18

TAILORING, TAILORING, TAILORING

Check patterns are incredibly well suited to sharp tailoring – be it a long coat or well-made suit. You can’t go wrong with a sleek check coat – it matches everything and will never go out of style.

:: Topshop Brown Double Breasted Check Belted Blazer, £59.99

:: Miss Selfridge Beige Checked Double Breasted Blazer, £49; Beige Check Print Paperbag Trouser, £49 (bag and shoes coming soon)

CLUELESS INSPIRED

One of the undisputed winners of the autumn/winter catwalks was something simple but classic: a check print miniskirt. It’s hard not to think of Cher’s iconic yellow plaid skirt suit from the cult 1995 film Clueless. To channel that vibe, it’s all about matching the top and bottom – go all-in on the plaid in a skirt suit set. Or, to make things more weather-appropriate, and to add a bit of edge, pair with thick tights, a turtleneck and stompy black boots.

:: New Look Black Jacquard Check Flippy Skirt, £12.59 (was £17.99)

:: Miss Selfridge Boucle Blazer, £49.99; Boucle Skirt, £29.99; Ivory Roll Neck, £16 (available from November 16)

AMP UP THE COLOUR

A lot of check patterns tend to be in neutral colours – black, greys and browns – making them infinitely wearable. But who said your winter wardrobe had to be drab? This season, the catwalks were obsessed with injecting a bit of colour into check. This is a great way of making your check pattern seem a little bit more punk.

:: Joe Browns Cheery Check Waistcoat, £45; Jersey Roll Neck Top in Black, £25

:: Dorothy Perkins Check Scarf in Burgundy, £9.60 (was £12)