Plaid dress shirts are nice choices for men who want to spice up their style. They combine colors with style. They look well with a casual outfit. The trick here is to combine them with suits well and look sharp and fashionable.

Combining a plaid dress shirt with jeans is the simplest way to go. You want to do this right; casual does not mean unfashionable. Also, a plaid dress shirt does not mean casual. Many stylings perfectly combine plaid shirts with men’s suits. Like many, you may be wondering how to wear a plaid dress shirt for men with style – classic or casual.

Let’s look at some suggestions to give you an idea of how to look fashionable with a bright, nice, colorful plaid shirt. We also have some tips and tricks for you to improvise.

How To Style a Fashionable Plaid Dress Shirt

CLASSIC CASUAL STYLE

The first look comes to mind when you think of a plaid dress shirt is its combination with your favorite jeans. Black or dark washed jeans are perfect for this look. You can choose regular or slim-fit jeans according to your style.

Complete the casual look with a pair of men’s simple sneakers or casual shorts and a denim or sports jacket.

 

WINTER CASUAL STYLE

Plaid shirts will keep you warm when made of flannel fabric. You can combine a red plaid shirt with a classic men’s boots and a nice, warm coat. This look is nice for weekend trips or other outdoor events in winter. Whatever the weather is, you can look stylish and protect yourself. The jeans are in the picture again.

As an accessory, you can take a backpack of any casual style.

SMART CASUAL

The smart Casual style has numerous variations to consider. Men’s plaid shirts have their place in this styling. They can be combined with jeans as usual. Additionally, you can combine them with basic chinos, too. A pair of slip-on sneakers, a solid color chino, and a plaid dress shirt put together is a go-to look.

A sweater or cardigan on top and a matching belt can be the cherry on top for smart-casual styling.

SUMMER CASUAL WITH SHORTS

Summer owes most of its joy to the shorts. Although some men do not prefer to wear them for events, a short combined with a nice plaid dress shirt can be a stylish look for any casual occasion. If you have doubts and do not know how to look neat and fashionable with shorts, we have some suggestions.

Oxfords or slip-on sneakers can be worn without socks for a summer smart casual look.

SUITS WITH PLAID SHIRTS

Plaid dress shirts are thought to be a casual type. It is time to rewrite that thought. Plaid dress shirts can look fashionable and stylish in a suit. You should decide if you will wear a tie or not. There are different types of plaid shirts to go with both looks – with or without a tie. You can choose loafers for summer and classic men’s boots for winter. A suit and a plaid dress shirt will be the perfect addition to your sharp-looking style.

About the Pattern and Plaid Dress Shirts

ARE FLANNEL AND PLAID THE SAME?

No, they aren’t. You can see that flannel and plaid are used interchangeably. There is a very basic difference between flannel and plaid. Flannel is the type of fabric. Plaid, on the other hand, is the pattern of the fabric.

The flannel is a nice fabric. It keeps you warm and is comfortable. It is traditionally made of wool. Yet, it is commonly made of cotton. Flannel is made with solid colors and a variety of patterns, in addition to plaid. It is confused with plaid because it is the most common pattern used with flannel garments.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PLAID, TARTAN, AND CHECKERED PATTERNS?

Plaid and tartan are two fabrics that are always mixed up. They are used interchangeably all the time. Yet, – believe it or not – they are different. The difference is subtle, but it is in geometry.

Tartans are originated from Celts and they are widely used in Scottish traditional cloths. There are tartan plaids by family name. When you look at the pattern, you will notice there are stripes in both patterns. They both have horizontal and vertical stripes. For tartan fabrics, the vertical stripes are repeated the same on the horizontal side, too. The horizontal and vertical perspectives of the tartan are the same.

On the other hand, a simple plaid does not have the same stripes vertically and horizontally. The stripes of the plaid can change in color, size, or pattern. The bars or stripes of plaid does not necessarily present in checkered patterns.

Checkered patterns do not ideally have stripes. They have squares in different colors, or light or dark shades of the same color.

SHOULD YOU TUCK IN YOUR SHIRT?

After you pick your outfit, there comes the ultimate question. Tucked or untucked. You can trust your fashion eye, wear the clothes, and take a look in both ways. Also, you can follow the general rule that untucked is casual, tucked is formal. Here are some general rules for you to decide if you want to pay attention to the details more.

For starters, let’s check the bottom hem of the dress shirt. If the hem of the plaid dress shirt is short and straight, it will look better untucked. On the other hand, if the front or back hem is longer, it should be tucked in.

When you wear a plaid shirt, check the point where the hem ends. In the untucked version, the front hem should go down to the middle of the zippers of your pants. On the backside, the ham should end in the middle of the back pockets.

Lastly, think about the other layers you will be wearing. For example, it is rarely okay to untuck your dress shirt when you wear it with a leather jacket or a blazer. This also goes for sweaters and cardigans. To be on the safe side, always tuck in your dress shirt when wearing it with a layer on top.

For t-shirts, the occasion matters most. If you are going to a casual event, a t-shirt combined with an untucked dress shirt looks appropriate. However, for a date or a work event, it is better to tuck in your shirt – adding a belt to this combination will complete the look nicely.

There are numerous styling options when it comes to plaid dress shirts. The fact is, you need to have more than one plaid t-shirts in your wardrobe. You can combine them with casual and classic looks and create your own style. Consider the colors and styles of the clothes and create your perfect look.