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How to Style a Plaid Skirt in Winter (Lengths, Tops, Tights and Coats)

“Plaid is already doing the talking, so let it. One patterned piece, everything else solid, and every solid color borrowed from the check. That's the difference between a skirt that looks chosen and one that looks like a school uniform.”Her take

Which plaid skirt length works best in winter?

Midi and maxi lengths are the easiest in cold weather because they cover most of the leg and pair naturally with tall boots. A mini still works, but it needs opaque tights and a longer coat to look like winter rather than a costume.

Fabric matters as much as length. Wool, wool blends, flannel and brushed tweed hang well, hold warmth and look right with knits. Thin polyester plaid tends to cling to tights and ride up, so if you own one, wear it with a slip or smooth tights.

• Mini: opaque tights, chunky knit, loafers or knee-high boots, coat longer than the skirt.
• Knee length: tall boots that reach just under the hem so no tights show between boot and skirt.
• Midi: the most versatile. Knee-high boots under the hem or ankle boots with tights.
• Maxi: ankle boots or loafers, a fitted top, and a coat that's either cropped or nearly as long as the skirt.

How do you choose colors to wear with plaid?

Look closely at the check and name its colors: usually a background, one or two main stripes, and a thin accent line. Wear the background or a main stripe color on top, and use the accent for something small like tights, a bag or earrings.

Scale matters too. A large, bold check looks best with plain, smooth tops. A small, quiet check can take a cable knit or a textured cardigan without getting busy.

What top should you wear with a plaid skirt?

Balance volume. With a full or pleated skirt, wear a fitted top: a fine turtleneck or crew neck tucked in so your waist shows. With a slim or bias-cut skirt, you can wear a chunky sweater loose over it, ending around the top of your hip.

For work, a button-down shirt under a crew-neck sweater, with just the collar showing, looks smart and keeps the plaid from feeling casual. For an evening or holiday party, swap the knit for a satin blouse in one of the plaid's colors.

Tights and boots that make it look right

Match your tights to your boots or to the darkest color in the plaid. Black opaque tights with black boots is the safest; chocolate tights with brown boots softens the look. Patterned tights compete with the check, so keep them plain.

With knee-high boots, aim for the boot shaft to finish under the skirt hem, so there's no strip of tights between them. With ankle boots, wear tights in the same color as the boot so the leg reads as one line.

Which coat goes with a plaid skirt?

Choose a coat that's either clearly shorter or clearly longer than the skirt. A cropped jacket that ends at the waist, or a long coat that covers the hem, both look intentional. A coat that ends an inch or two above the hem looks like a mistake.

Solid coats in camel, charcoal, navy or chocolate are the easiest. A plaid coat over a plaid skirt is a fashion move that only works if the checks are the same family of colors in very different scales.

Four plaid skirt outfits for winter

Each one starts with the skirt and pulls the other colors from it.

• Office: gray-and-navy plaid midi, navy fine-knit turtleneck tucked in, navy tights, black loafers, long charcoal coat.
• Weekend: camel-and-cream plaid maxi, cream chunky sweater, brown suede ankle boots, chocolate tights.
• Holiday party: dark green tartan midi, black satin blouse, sheer black tights, black pointed pumps, gold earrings.
• Cold day out: wool plaid mini, oversized gray crew neck, black opaque tights, black knee-high boots, coat to mid-thigh.

Questions people ask

The takeaway

Warm fabric, a longer length, solid colors borrowed from the check, tights matched to boots, and a coat that's clearly shorter or longer than the skirt.

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