From Easy to Awesome: Over 50 Ways to Wear a Plaid Shirt

Plaids are always loved and in style for fall and winter.  But they also fit right in the rest of the year, for transitional weather and depending on the style and material. There are probably a million ways to wear your plaid shirts.  But I have come up with over 50 ideas here (on my way to a million as I am constantly adding more!) I hope they inspire you to experiment with different ways to wear this closet staple.  And I start it all off with some style tips. 

To me, a plaid shirt is a laid-back classic that evokes casual comfort.  Over the years, I have collected all these outfit ideas so that I never have to wear my plaid shirts the same way twice.  Getting dressed is more interesting for me that way.  In the process, I have discovered some awesome outfit combinations and some in-depth layering techniques.

You’ll be able to wear and enjoy your plaid shirts more often when you style them in new ways.  Age doesn’t matter.  You can be bolder when you’re older because you have the experience to know best how to express yourself.

The following outfit ideas are meant to inspire your creativity.  If you don’t have the exact pieces of clothing mentioned, feel free to substitute with what you have.  You could also skip something or add something you would like.  Go ahead and stretch the envelope; wear what you love and have fun!

In this post, there are style tips and over 50 ways to wear a plaid shirt.  Actually, I have updated this and expanded it so that it now has over 100 outfit combinations!  Starting off with some basic pairings, there are categories for wearing it with a third piece over it, wearing it open as a jacket over something else and layering it. 

See my style tips and outfit ideas for how to wear plaid in Spring & Summer HERE and HERE.

Print this out, keep it near your closet and enjoy wearing your plaid shirts in new and different ways!

3 Style Tips

1. Accessorize a plaid shirt with a bohemian statement necklace, such as a coin or tassel necklace or metal bib necklace.  Juxtaposing opposite styles is a great style maker!
2. Wear a plaid shirt open as a jacket over a lace or sequin top with any bottoms.  This is good for dressed up day events or easy evenings.
3. Mix animal prints with plaid. Simply adding a leopard-print belt, scarf or footwear to a plaid shirt and jeans amps up the style!

Over 50 Ways to Wear a Plaid Shirt

Simple Pairings

Wear It With a Skirt or Dress

1. Tuck a plaid shirt inside a black faux leather skirt.  Add black ankle boots + a necklace + a bracelet. Or, use a brown leather or suede skirt & boots instead of black.
2. Pair a plaid shirt with a maxi dress or skirt. Add tough boots + a statement necklace. If warm, tie the shirt around your waist.
3. A long-sleeve plaid shirt + a flirty skirt.
4. Tie a flannel shirt around the waist of a little grunge dress (like a waffle-knit Henley dress, for instance).
5. A sweatshirt dress + a plaid shirt (you might like to tie it at your waist.) Add over-the-knee boots + a couple of chain necklaces.

Wear It With Casual Pants

1. A plaid shirt + cargo pants.  Add boots.
2. Wear a plaid shirt over sweatpants. Add sneakers + a hat, such as a fedora.
3. A buffalo plaid shirt + gray corduroy pants.
4. Roll up the sleeves of a plaid shirt over skinny jeans. Tie a sweater around your waist. Add booties.
5. A plaid shirt over blue jeans.  Add a long gold hefty chain necklace + ankle boots.

More Ways to Pair a Plaid Shirt

1. Pair a plaid shirt with velvet pants. Add ornate earrings & boots, or simple crystal earrings & patent leather loafers.
2. A plaid shirt over black faux leather pants. Stack narrow gold bangles. Add flat black shoes or boots. You might also like to wear a hat.
3. A plaid flannel shirt + a long-sleeve charcoal t-shirt rolled back over the shirt cuff + black skinnies. Add black ankle boots + a watch or bracelet + sunglasses if sunny.
4. Pair a plaid shirt with animal-print bottoms.
5. Just add a great statement belt!

Wear It With a Third Piece Over It

Wear a Plaid Shirt With a Jacket

1. A plaid shirt + toned plaid pants + a black jean jacket.  Add black boots.
2. Start with a plaid shirt and black faux leather pants. Add ankle boots or pumps and jewelry of your choice. If cool, add a moto jacket, blazer, trench or short wool coat.
3. A plaid shirt + jeans. You might like to add a topper (a blazer, moto jacket, tweed jacket, fur jacket, etc.) Accessorize with bling or a pile of pearls.
4. Top a plaid shirt and jeans with a black velvet blazer. Add black shoes or boots.
5. A plaid shirt + a navy linen jacket + blue jeans.  Roll up both sets of sleeves so that it creates a plaid cuff.  Add a big gold watch or gold cuff bracelet + diamond or blue stud earrings + blue sneakers + patterned socks.
6. Wear a checkered or plaid flannel shirt beneath a structured jacket.

Wear It With a Denim, Safari or Utility Jacket 

1. A denim jacket over a plaid shirt + jeans in a different color from the jacket.
2. Add a denim jacket over a plaid shirt & black faux leather skirt. Add tall black boots & a statement necklace.
3. A utility jacket or safari jacket + a plaid shirt tucked inside blue jeans.  Add a belt with a sparkly buckle.
4. A plaid shirt + jeans + a utility jacket.  Add a long pendant on a cord + biker boots.

Wear It With a Cardigan

1. A plaid flannel shirt buttoned + a chunky knit cardigan + jeans or other pants.
2. A cardigan worn open over a plaid shirt tucked into a short black pencil skirt.  Add chains with bling, and maybe some ankle boots.
3. Layer a cardigan over a plaid shirt & short jean skirt. Add boots.
4. A plaid shirt + a cardigan + skinny jeans inside tall boots.  Add a scarf tied European-style (fold an oblong scarf in half, put around neck, then put the ends inside the loop and adjust).  Push, roll or turn back cuffs to show layers.  Be sure the plaid shirt and/or the cardi is hip length or longer to stay classy wearing the skinny jeans! 
   

   

5. Pair a plaid flannel shirt with a geometric print (i.e., a plaid flannel shirt + an Aztec-printed cardigan + jeans).
6. Leave a boyfriend cardigan open over a plaid shirt & bootcut jeans. Shoot the cuffs (let them show.) Add stud earrings + ankle boots.
7. A plaid shirt + a longer-length cardigan + skinny jeans.  Leave the cardi open and add a belt over it.  Wear with ballet flats.  Cuff or turn back the sleeves of the cardigan to show shirt cuffs.
8. Tuck a plaid shirt into velvet sweatpants or joggers, then top with a chunky cardigan.  Belt the cardi.  Add heels.

Wear It With a Faux Leather Jacket

1. A plaid shirt + jeans + a moto jacket.  Add a necklace + ankle boots.
2. A plaid shirt + black pants or jeans + a faux black leather jacket. Add black boots + a long chunky chain
3. Another way to accessorize a plaid shirt + jeans + a moto jacket is:  Add a statement necklace under the collar + animal-print flats.  You might also want to add a beanie if cold and sunglasses if sunny.
4. A plaid button-down shirt + corduroy pants + a black leather jacket. If sunny, add sunglasses.
5. Add a black leather jacket over a plaid shirt & a long black skirt. Accessorize with a black velvet fringed scarf or shawl + rings + black boots.
6. A plaid shirt over black skinnies + a black leather jacket. Add a fedora hat & black oxford shoes.

More Ways to Wear a Plaid Shirt With a Third Piece

1. A plaid shirt + a faux fur vest (even if it’s an animal print!) + jeans or pants in a toned color.
2. An embellished vest over a plaid shirt + bottoms of your choice.
3. A fleece vest worn open over a matching color plaid shirt + blue jeans.  Add ankle boots.
4. A buffalo plaid shirt + any jeans + booties.  Add a leopard-print coat.  You may also like to add a beret.
5. Holiday:  A red buffalo plaid shirt tucked into black jeans or faux leather pants. Add a leopard-print belt, a leopard scarf, gold earrings and aviator sunglasses if sunny. Layer gold chains with a big gold watch. Top with an olive utility jacket. Add a red lip.

Wear It Open as a Jacket

Ways to Wear a Plaid Shirt With Blue Jeans

1. Work at Home:  A plaid shirt worn open as a jacket + a graphic t-shirt + blue jeans.
2. A plaid flannel shirt as jacket + a lace top + blue jeans.  Add a short delicate chain + a delicate necklace that drops slightly below the top’s neckline.
3. Wear a plaid shirt open as a jacket over an animal-print t-shirt & blue jeans.  You might like to add tall boots over the jeans with over-the-knee socks rolled above the boot tops.
4. A buffalo plaid shirt as a jacket + a black Henley top + blue jeans.
5. A gray t-shirt or a Henley shirt + a plaid shirt as jacket + blue jeans. Belt it in brown.
6. Wear a plaid shirt open as a jacket over a black tee & blue jeans. Add a colorful belt.
   

   

7. Wear a plaid shirt as a jacket over a long-sleeve gray turtleneck over blue jeans. Roll back the shirt cuffs, letting the turtleneck cuffs show and push them back. 
8. Wear a plaid shirt or two with the sleeves rolled back over a lace turtleneck & blue jeans. Add a locket + a ring. Layer a cuff with stretch bracelets. You might like to wear thin socks with sandals.
9. A plaid shirt worn open as a jacket over a long-sleeved top with embellished cuffs and blue jeans. Add a short pendant necklace.
10. An aqua or gray thermal top + blue plaid or flannel shirt as jacket + blue jeans.  Add a bracelet or two.
11. A navy plaid shirt + a navy thermal top + blue jeans. Add a belt.
12. A plaid shirt + a thermal top + blue jeans.  Shoot the cuffs.  Add bangles and/or bracelets.
13. Roll the sleeves back on a long-sleeve plaid shirt to show the cuffs of a long-sleeve black t-shirt + blue jeans. Push back the sleeves.  You might like to do a messy tuck or half tuck.

Wear It With Different Colored Jeans or Pants

• Wear a plaid flannel shirt open as a jacket over a striped tank or tee with jeans or other pants. You might like to add a pendant.
• A plaid shirt as jacket + a white embroidered mesh tank top + an Aztec-print cardigan + jeans or other pants.
• Wear a plaid flannel shirt as a jacket over a concert tee with jeans or any pants.
• A graphic long-sleeve t-shirt + printed jeans + a plaid shirt worn open as a jacket. Shoot the cuffs. Add Converse sneakers with low socks + a belt + sunglasses if sunny. You might like to put your hair up.
• Wear a plaid shirt open over a colorful and/or embellished long-sleeve t-shirt & colored jeans. Add colorful sneakers & sunglasses if sunny.  

• Wear a plaid shirt over a column of color (same color top & bottom) such as a black turtleneck & black pants or jeans.
• A sequin tank or tee + a plaid shirt as jacket + black jeans.  Add a beanie + a fine gold bracelet + a big ring.  You might like to roll back the sleeves.
• A plaid shirt as jacket + a lace top or velvet burnout top + jeans or corduroy pants
• Pair a plaid flannel shirt with a matching-color tank top in a longer length and pants of your choice.

Wear It With Any Jeans

1. A plaid shirt worn open as a jacket over a long-sleeve lace top + jeans + boots. Add gold jewelry.
2. Wear a plaid shirt as a jacket over jeans & a striped t-shirt or a long-sleeve tee with embellished cuffs. Layer a few necklaces. You might like to add a studded belt.
3. Pair a plaid flannel shirt with a matching-color tank top in a longer length or a matching-color graphic tee. Wear over jeans or the pants of your choice.
4. A plaid shirt worn open over a couple of camisoles/tank tops & jeans.
5. A plaid shirt worn open over a camisole or hoodie & jeans.  
6. Wear a plaid shirt open over jeans & a tee. Add flat ankle boots + a beanie. 
7. A plaid shirt as jacket over a gray tee + jeans. Add statement necklaces + chains + big rings.

Wear It With Any Kind of Black Pants

1. A plaid shirt as jacket over a black top + black pants + black shoes (or substitute navy or charcoal for black).  Add a necklace or two.
2. Wear a plaid shirt open over a long black shell top & black faux leather pants. Add moto boots or high-top sneakers. You might also like to add chains and/or crosses.
3. A graphic tee + black faux leather pants + a plaid shirt as jacket.  Add black ankle boots.
4. A buffalo plaid shirt as jacket + a black top + black skinnies.  Add black riding boots.
5. Wear a plaid shirt open as a jacket over a longer-length camisole or tank top over black jeggings or skinny black jeans. Add tall black boots, a long pendant & maybe a beret.

Wear It With a Dress

1. A slip dress + flannel shirt as jacket.  Add biker boots.
2. Wear a plaid shirt open as a jacket over a black maxi dress. Top with a black faux leather jacket. Add black boots.
3. A plaid shirt as jacket over a thermal/sweater dress.  Add a floral scarf + flat boots + tights + a gold chain bracelet.
4. Wear a plaid shirt open as a jacket over a thermal dress. Add a floral scarf + tights + tall boots + a brass bracelet.
5. A plaid shirt as jacket over a casual black dress.  Add boots.
6. A plaid shirt as jacket over a body-conscious dress.  Add tights + tall boots (over-the-knee boots are even better.)

Layer It

Layer With a Faux Leather Jacket

1. A moto jacket over a plaid shirt unbuttoned over a black long-sleeve tee + black coated skinny jeans.  Add black booties & simple gold jewelry.
2. Layer a biker jacket over a plaid shirt unbuttoned over a t-shirt loosely tucked into black skinnies. Add a belt, ankle boots & a big gold watch. Layer a bar necklace with a long gold pendant.
3. A moto jacket open over a plaid shirt (button only one button) + a gray tee + black skinnies.  Add black ankle boots.
4. A plaid shirt over a striped tee + jeans + a moto jacket.  Add Converse or basketball shoes.
5. Wear a plaid shirt over a slip dress & leggings. Top with a faux leather jacket.

Layer Over Blue Jeans

1. Leave a plaid shirt unbuttoned over a graphic tee over a long-sleeve top extender overblue jeans.  Roll the plaid cuffs back to show the cuffs of the top extender sleeves.  Add bead bracelets + a collar necklace + one-to-three short chains.  You might also like to add earrings and a cap.
2. A long-sleeve graphic tee + a plaid shirt unbuttoned over it + a furry vest + blue jeans.  Add Western boots + a necklace + one or more bracelets.
3. A long-sleeve shirt + a plaid shirt unbuttoned over it + flared blue jeans + a pieced cardigan, such as leather with knit sleeves.
4. Wear a leather blazer over a plaid shirt unbuttoned over a graphic tee and blue jeans. Add ankle boots and a sparkly statement necklace.
5. A short-sleeve plaid shirt + a long-sleeve matching color tee over blue jeans. Add a cuff bracelet & push back the t-shirt sleeves. Or, wear pants instead of jeans & wear heels.

Layer Over Any Kind of Jeans

1. Layer a top extender under a plaid shirt with skinny jeans. Add tall flat boots + a necklace + a watch or bracelet.
2. A black graphic tee + a plaid shirt as jacket + a black moto jacket.  Add jeans or bottoms of choice.
3. Wear a plaid flannel shirt over a black top and gray skinny jeans. Top with a black leather jacket. Add hoop earrings, bangles and black boots.
4. A plaid shirt as jacket + a ribbed or studded top + a cardigan + a jean jacket + pants or jeans in a different shade than the jean jacket.
5. Wear a plaid shirt over a turtleneck & straight-cut jeans. Add heels.
6. A plaid shirt + a long-sleeve t-shirt to match one of the colors in the shirt. Wear with jeans and shoot the cuffs.

More Ways to Layer a Plaid Shirt

1. Leave a plaid shirt unbuttoned to show a graphic tee & black skinnies. Top with a jean jacket.  Add a short necklace + a big ring + sneakers.  If sunny, add sunglasses.
2. A plaid shirt + a black boyfriend cardigan buttoned over it as a jacket + black pants.  If cold, add a camel coat.
3. A black long-sleeve undershirt + a plaid shirt + bottoms of your choice. Add black boots + a black outerwear jacket.
4. Layer a thermal top under a plaid shirt over corduroy pants. Add bracelets.
5. Wear a plaid shirt unbuttoned over a short-sleeve charcoal t-shirt and pants of your choice. Top with a leather jacket. Add flat boots and a wrap bracelet.
6. A short-sleeve plaid shirt + a flannel plaid shirt over pants.  You might also want to add a sweater vest, scarf, belt and/or boots.
7. A duster over a plaid shirt unbuttoned over a printed shell top + any bottoms.

There Are So Many Ways to Wear a Plaid Shirt, From Easy to Awesome!

Did you realize how much traction you could get out of a plaid shirt? Or did you have a habit of simply pairing it with jeans? Even if you did, you now know that adding accessories, a third piece and layering are just three of the ways that you can get endless variations. And then there are the skirts, pants, trousers, leggings, joggers, shorts, different types and colors of jeans, etc. And how about print mixing? You don’t even have to think about it, though, because that’s my job — to think about it for you. I hope you will refer to this post whenever you want fresh ideas on how to wear your plaid shirts. And then be sure to come back and let us know how it works out for you!

Let’s Connect

Was this helpful to you?  What’s your favorite way to wear a plaid shirt?  Please leave a reply below!

Like this post? You might like to read more like this:

• “Style Tip of the Day:  Plaid Love”
• “The Plaid Blazer:  33 Ideas for How to Wear It”
• “How to Be Bold and Creative with Print Mixing”

Do you have a friend who would like this?  Please use the Share buttons.

Never miss a post! Get new content each week by email. Send your request by clicking “Subscribe” in the form at top, or fill out the form for my newsletter on the right. That would be a great help in keeping this blog going. You can unsubscribe at any time with a simple click.

I now have a Shop page where you can purchase for a nominal price one of my Style Guides. Over time, I will add more. Please support Your True Self. Visit my Shop HERE. Or go to the top of this page and select the Shop tab.

Please follow Your True Self Blog on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and Bloglovin.

Thank you for visiting Your True Self Blog!

Angie

Related posts:

Style Tips and Outfit Ideas for How to Wear Plaid Spring & Summer How to Create Outfits for Any Age With Touches of Punk Futurism Now Transitional Weather: Outfit Ideas for How to Wear Denim Jackets Anytime

Outfit Combinations, Style Inspiration, Ways to Wear It

Outfit Ideas, Plaid, Plaid Shirt