Plaid is prominent in the fashion trends this season.
As Meryl Streep’s fashion icon character in the Devil Wears Prada sarcastically says, “Florals for Spring? Revolutionary.”
She has a point, and it is not uncommon for plaid to start making more appearances during the Autumn season.
This year, American Eagle’s fall 2024 collection is driving the popularity of plaid. They target Gen Z as their main demographic, with a specific focus on college students and the young people are buying in.
American Eagle’s marketing campaign follows themes of friendship, social activities, and living an active lifestyle. A brand with such aesthetics utilizing heavy plaid designs is a big deal because plaid hasn’t been for youth recently, but fashion, just like time, is a cycle. Those in the industry reference past designs and attempt to make new styles out of them.
The plaid design originated in the 1500s with Scottish roots. During the Scottish rebellion in the 1700s plaid was associated with rebel uniforms and became forbidden to wear in Britain.
Having these ‘rebellious’ roots is what led to plaid defining the 90s grunge era in America.
Mona May, the costume designer for the 90s movie ‘Clueless’ helped transform fashion trends by using the 90s plaid with bold colors and designs of the 80s which produced an overall preppy look.
Now in 2024, American Eagle has mixed plaid with modern cuts and colors. They’ve done a good job at making their styles very versatile.
Their items could be seen as more or less a ‘grunge’ style depending on what you choose to wear with the piece.
Some people like to believe that what you wear does not say anything, but our clothing speak, and they speak in context. For plaid, it is rebellion.
There is history to these pieces and to this day whether you pair plaid with khakis or ripped jeans there is going to be an edgy feel to the outfit.
This is best demonstrated by the recent reactions to Taylor Swift wearing plaid. The popular musician has been seen wearing plaids on multiple occasions.
Due to this her fans have speculated that she will be releasing Reputation (Taylor’s Version) soon because plaid hints at her rebellious attitude and grunge style during that era.
Regardless of whether this is Swift’s intent, her wearing plaid is communicating it to people.
Hats off to American Eagle on a good job modernizing plaid to fit with today’s trends.
