Plaid Maxi Skirt: The Fall Check That Works With Boots, Knits and a White Shirt

Coveteur called plaid, tartan and checkerboard weaves one of the biggest runway trends of the season, pointing to Chloé, Acne Studios, Burberry and Rabanne. Harper's Bazaar, via a separate roundup, called out maxi lengths as a return to drama. Put the two together and you get a plaid maxi skirt, the one piece that makes the trend easy to wear on a Tuesday.

 

The first grid is the moody end of the pattern. The All the Ways Dianne Maxi Skirt is a sheer burgundy plaid that moves like a scarf. The Aya Muse Kae Skirt is a column of brown plaid, and Aya Muse itself is a Los Angeles label that Tina Rodiou started in 2018 with one hero product, biker shorts, before moving into knits. The Aligne Yvonne Check Maxi Skirt is a brown-and-cream bias cut, and the 4th & Reckless Carlotta Skirt is a rust-brown bias plaid that looks vintage.

 

My test for any plaid maxi skirt is to hold the hem against a pair of boots and see if the length works. These all do. What I would skip is a plaid so busy that it needs a plain top to calm it, since you will not want to wear that every day.

Us Weekly's fall skirt coverage notes that plaid skirts work best in warm hues like browns, blacks and other neutrals, which fits this season's color story. A lighter plaid maxi skirt brings the airy mood of the summer white skirt into fall, and you can style it with a sweater vest or a knit top.

 

The second grid is the softer side. The Lioness Sweet Escape Maxi Skirt is a grey-and-cream plaid with a drawstring waist that looks like a favorite pair of pajama pants. The Rag & Bone Wren Plaid Skirt is a white, bias-cut plaid. The Lovers and Friends Blake Maxi Skirt has a sage and ivory plaid with a handkerchief hem, and the More To Come Luciya Drawstring Maxi Skirt is the pink plaid, the one I would pick if I wanted a plaid maxi skirt that does not look like a school uniform.

 

Wear any of these with a fitted turtleneck and flat boots. What I would skip is a pale plaid maxi skirt with a pale top, since the pattern gets lost.

For anyone who finds traditional plaid too serious, the London Fashion Week designers had a similar idea. The Story, a UK magazine, reports that Burberry, Tolu Coker, Emilia Wickstead and Bora Aksu explored checks this season, with a focus on mixing scale and color rather than matching. A plaid maxi skirt with a different print on top is the easiest way to try that.

 

The last grid is the bolder end. The Benni Desi Maxi Skirt is a blue-and-brown bias plaid with a high slit that I would wear at night. The Yuhan Wang Lace Trim Check Maxi Skirt comes from a London label that Yuhan Wang started in 2018 after studying at Central Saint Martins, and it is known for lace, florals and romantic layers. The two Peixoto gingham maxi skirts, the cloud-blue Riley and the red Lola, are the checked cousins of plaid, and they are a cheerful way into the trend.

 

If you are choosing, I would go bias cut for movement and gingham for a lighter feel. What I would skip is a plaid maxi skirt with a hem so long you have to hold it up on stairs.

A plaid maxi skirt is the rare trend that works with clothes you already own. A white shirt and flat boots make it look polished, a leather jacket makes it look cool, and a chunky knit makes it feel cozy. Us Weekly describes the same range, from buttoned-up shirts for work to a cardigan for coffee runs and a leather jacket for date night.

 

Before you buy a plaid maxi skirt, check the waist and the lining. A drawstring or elastic waist is easiest for everyday wear, while a fitted waist suits tucked-in tops. Sheer plaids need a slip, so factor that in.

 

If you already own a pair of tall boots, a plaid maxi skirt will get more wear than almost anything else this fall. I would start with a brown or neutral plaid, then add a bolder check once you know how you like to wear it.

 

Whichever you pick, a plaid maxi skirt is a piece you will keep reaching for.