by Even the most fashion-conscious men can struggle with how to pull off a checked suit so we thought we’d lend a helping hand.
Plaid, check, tartan; there are many different terms and names thrown around to describe this kind of print. With a checked suits’ reputation long-since damaged by cheesy salesman and spectacled 90s tween TV characters on the prom episode special, modern day designers and street style icons are being tasked with something pretty difficult – bringing the check suit away from its place next to Donald Trumps hair in Tabbooland back into the world of the living.
Plaid Prep
A quick heads up here guys. Incorporating check suiting into your wardrobe might not be as simple as throwing a lumberjack-grade tartan shirt onto the rail, but it’s nothing to be afraid of. If you’re choosing your clothes out of fear, then you’re doing it wrong. Wear what you want to wear and wear it in any way that suits you. Check styles can be a casual and simple way to lift a look and stand out from the crowd.
Wearing checks can lead to you being checked out more. All the science proves it. Look towards the 60’s tailoring of many collections as of late – think Sean Connery, Cary Grant, Michael Cane – in how they’re the epitome of breezy, effortless cool. Checks are timeless and will never go out of style, but will always make a statement. Go for a print you’re comfortable with, I’d say a solid Prince of Wales check suit in a natural shade of navy or grey is a good place to start.
Don’t be Scared
When you’ve found the suit of your dreams, here comes the next step: how to actually wear a check suit. The beauty of a check suit lies in its simplicity. It might not ~look~ like the most simple of garments – it can be hard to walk by a guy wearing one and not double take in awe – but when you have a matching full-piece suit, it all just fits together.
To really show just how versatile a checked suit can be, let’s take a leading example that’s rather out there, and show how many different styles the one piece can be incorporated into.
Try This
Find below our leading checked man. By Scandinavian brand, Selected, the piece features a rather bold check that is executed in a minimal manner. By branching out into an aesthetic that fronts the blockade of brick-laid colour suits in the corporate scene, it does effectively act as a visual business card; a way to be remembered, and a stylish one at that.
Preppy in Plaid
If your office has a liberal dress code, then why not whip out the check suit? Male model Oliver Chesire created geometric waves when wearing a hoary grey check suit to London Collections: Men, during the AW15 season. Anchoring the defined lines of the suit with an inner-shell of muted, tonal pieces. An understated shirt, tie and formal lace-ups cleanly finish off this formal outfit.
Pattern Clash
If you don’t want to go full-on check, go for separates instead. Checked suiting works well into standalone tailoring styling, providing a sleek and contemporary aesthetic in the ways that the crumples of a shirt can be smoothed over with roll neck jumpers or leather gloves and puffed pocket squares to add finishes of interest to the look. All black is the new black, with roll neck and blazer combinations adding a slight sports-luxe slant to the outfit.
Check Mate
If you’re looking for that finishing touch to your party season wear, than checked tailoring is your literal hero piece. Check will always make a statement, so keep it cool and let the check get to work.
This return to more sixties-inspired tailoring has given us guys more space within our dress to express ourselves. Having a bit more fun with your stuffy suiting can freshen up your day-to-day work-wear. Coffee isn’t the only thing that can give us a false sense of liking the thought of going to work each day.
Feature image from Pinterest
