Checks have a habit of coming back around. But this season, they feel less like a nostalgic nod to the past and more like a very easy way to make an outfit look considered.
From oversized checks and classic tartans to windowpane patterns and mismatched prints, checks are turning up across everything from checked shirts and trousers to skirts, dresses and jackets.
The good news? You don't need to go full head-to-toe heritage to wear them.
Start with one good check
If you're new to the trend, one checked piece is plenty.
A checked blazer or jacket instantly sharpens up jeans and a simple T-shirt. A checked shirt can be worn open over a vest or tucked into wide-leg trousers. A checked skirt works with a plain knit and boots when it's colder, or loafers and a simple tee while the weather is still undecided.
The trick is to let the check do the talking. Keep everything else relatively simple and you've got an outfit that looks pulled together without looking like you've tried too hard.
Checks + denim = an easy win
There is a reason checks and denim work so well together. Denim takes some of the formality out of tailored or heritage-inspired checks, making them feel much more current.
Try a checked blazer with relaxed jeans and trainers, or a checked shirt with straight-leg denim and ankle boots.
For something a little sharper, wear checked trousers with a denim jacket and a simple knit. The contrast between the structured print and laid-back denim does most of the styling for you.
Or lean into the clash
Feeling braver? Checks don't necessarily need to match.
Designers have been layering different checks together, playing with scale and colour rather than trying to make everything coordinate perfectly.
Try a smaller check with a larger one or mix a traditional tartan with a cleaner windowpane pattern. The easiest way to make it work is to keep the rest of your outfit quiet.
Think one print, one supporting print, everything else plain.
It sounds more complicated than it is.
Make checks feel less predictable
The easiest way to avoid the school-uniform or country-weekend effect? Change what you wear them with.
Try a checked skirt with a leather jacket. A checked blazer with wide-leg denim. A checked dress with chunky boots. Or a checked coat over something unexpectedly minimal.
Checks have plenty of personality already. They don't need an entire outfit built around them.
And that's perhaps the best thing about the trend: you can make it as classic, rebellious, polished or laid-back as you like.
