Tartan, Mon Amour: Here’s How To Wear The Famous Scottish Print

With the arrival of the new season, that typically winter print known as tartan also reappears in the world of fashion , which for time immemorial has made its way into the fashion system – as well as into our wardrobes – as soon as the first cold of the year makes itself felt.

From the classic and traditional red color we move on to new and contemporary combinations that range from yellow, to green, to orange, to turquoise, to purple and pink, not to mention the new combinations of multiple patterns in a single garment (the famous patchwork skirts by Adsb Andersson Bell that are very popular among Gen Z) and the trendsetters’ outfits to love and copy endlessly.

Social media are therefore dictating trends when it comes to the new core tartan, with key pieces that will soon make their way into our wardrobes and looks that will inspire us again and again.

Condensing two trends into one (pleated skirts and tartan itself), trendsetters this fall are opting for a jaunty, back-to-school version of the classic tartan check skirt.

From the most basic color combos like brown, black or gray, to the more traditional ones like the timeless red-burgundy, up to the more fun and irreverent alternatives that mix different prints, shades and sizes in a single garment for an original and true it-girl look. 

But how do you wear tartan according to Instagram rules ? Let’s find out together. 

How To Wear Tartan: The Pleated Mini Skirt

How To Wear Tartan: The Midi Skirt

For those who prefer the midi version of the typical Scottish skirt, autumn-winter 2024/25 offers a series of significant joys.

In fact, midi skirts populate e-commerce sites (and social media) with a series of interesting variations that lend themselves to the creation of very cool looks , which play with stratifications, layering and levels in full Pinterest Girl style.

How to Wear Tartan in Autumn: The Scottish Shirt

This year’s fashion reveals another surprise (perhaps unexpected) for our wardrobe: the checked shirt (flannel or not). Yes, what we are used to considering the traditional “lumberjack shirt” acquires, thanks to Instagram and its trends, a chic, passe-partout and fashionable vein, declined in checks that are halfway between a casual and a more formal style.

With a fitted silhouette and autumnal colour palette, it can be worn with a pair of jeans and loafers, or paired with a ruffled skirt and a blazer for a deliciously preppy twist .

How To Wear Tartan In Fall: On Jackets And Blazers

We certainly couldn’t forget about the tartan shrug craze that hit social media, right? From blazers, to short coats, to Barbours, to more traditional jackets, tartan has truly conquered everyone (and everything).

A tartan check jacket is in fact the ideal wildcard item to give a twist to an entire look: a blazer will be enough, as will a small jacket, to be paired with a very simple black mini and a pair of knee-high boots to transform a basic outfit into an outfit that we would all want , according to a fashion editor. 

How To Wear Tartan In Autumn: The Total Look

We like nothing more than a total tartan look: whether it’s a tailored suit, perhaps with a blazer and trousers both in the same check, or an outfit that combines different checks and colours from head to toe.

To begin experimenting with this trend, start by pairing items of the same shape and color with each other, interspersed with a series of basic pieces such as sweaters, trousers and shoes in neutral colors, and gradually increase the “extravagance” in the choice of various types of tartan.

There are no precise rules to follow, other than to let your instinct guide you and have fun creating looks that help you get out of your comfort zone for an editorial and on-trend result.