This Trend Will Make You Look Polished (With No Effort)

last updated 1 July 2020

You know it's a great day when you actually have the time and energy to put together a well-styled look. But there are many mornings when that's just not the case (e.g., Mondays). As a result, it's key to have a few styling tricks up your sleeve to master that sleek and cool vibe with little to no effort. Fortunately, one of this fall's biggest trends lends itself incredibly well for those days when you need to toss on something for an instantly polished look. As we first spotted on the runway at shows like Balenciaga, as well as on the street during fashion week, plaid has been completely re-imagined this season in the form of unique dresses, forward-feeling suits, and everything in between.

The beauty of this print is that it's inherently sophisticated because of its classic vibe—and it can easily work with all of your everyday basics to create a polished, last-minute outfit. We suggest wearing a plaid blazer with a white blouse, black trousers, and heels for an instant nine-to-five look—or go for a check-print dress with your classic ankle boots for client drinks. Done and done.

Interested in checking out how to wear plaid this season? Go on to check out our favorite street style moments and shop our favorite check-print picks, too.

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Balenciaga

Hourglass Blazer

This is the jacket all the fashion girls have.

Zara

Checked Trousers

A flared trouser in the check print would look great with a slim turtleneck for the office.

Mango

Check Suit Blazer

We love this alternative silhouette—not your average blazer.

Acne Studios

Polina Pencil Skirt

You can still master this trend by selecting a style that has a touch of the pattern, like this Acne Studios skirt.

H&M

Ruffled Shirt

Try a casual checked shirt with jeans for a sophisticated (yet cool) weekend look.

T by Alexander Wang

Plaid Wrap Shirt

If you really want to go for it—try the trend in a bold red hue.

Marni

Checked Silk Shirt

This is a classic that will never go out of style.

Sandro

Lodget Jacket

You'll wear this to the office all the time.

3.1 Phillip Lim

Sleeveless Plaid Dress

You can wear this as is—or with a blouse or sweater layered underneath.

Joseph

Ethan Plaid Midi Skirt

This skirt is so festive for the season.Check out the ankle boots all the NYC girls are wearing now.

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Bobby Schuessler is a fashion editor with over a decade of editorial experience covering shopping, style, and beauty. He's spent over seven years at Who What Wear, currently leading the market team to deliver highly covetable and convertible content. He creates data-driven shopping guides featuring top retailers like Nordstrom, Shopbop, and Net-a-Porter and is at the forefront of Who What Wear's shopping tentpole strategies, including Amazon Prime Day. He also works on branded content initiatives and appears on camera in video and shopping livestream franchises. He has also worked across a variety of other media brands and fashion retailers like Refinery29, PureWow, Men's Health, and Gilt covering commerce, trend reporting, women's and men's fashion, home, and lifestyle.