INSPIRATION AND ADVICE

HOW TO WEAR CHECKS RIGHT NOW

By Sophie Davis, 28 September 2018

When it comes to autumn, some things are pretty much a given: you'll want to stay in and eat pasta on the sofa, you'll start getting excited about Halloween, and you'll stick on a checked item of clothing at least once a week. So how to wear it right now? Well, these street-stylers have a few clever tricks up their (tartan) sleeves...

Street-styler in a red checked blazer and animal print top

Picture: The Urban Spotter

Clashing with leopard? Check

What do you get if you mix a leopard and a check? A pretty sweet AW18 combo, that’s what. This outfit shows you don’t have to leave the rest of your look plain if you’re doing a checked blazer. It works perfectly mixed in with animal print (which is so ubiquitous this season it’s practically a neutral, right?). Just keep the rest of your ensemble laid-back and you’ve nailed it.

Picture: The Urban Spotter

Trying out tartan? Check

If you feel like branching out from heritage checks, could it be time for a little highland fling with tartan? We think so. We love the texture mix-up of the chunky cricket jumper and the razor-sharp pleats of the kilt. And we're calling it – this look makes a strong case for the return of the knee-high boot. You heard it here first.

Street styler in legging shorts and a checked blazer

Picture: Getty

Smartening up sportswear? Check

Legging shorts are fast becoming a transeasonal favourite – warmer than a skirt, while still letting the (increasingly intermittent) sun get to your legs. The checked blazer, along with the ladylike bag, elevate this sporty combo of shorts and trainers into fashion territory. The top half says ‘business meeting’ while the bottom half says ‘lunchtime run’ and we are so into it.

Street-styler in checked pinafore and trench

Picture: The Urban Spotter

Keeping it neutral? Check

Although AW18 is arguably the season of the pattern clash, there’s a lot to be said for keeping it simple. Case in point, this street-styler, who's giving off strong off-duty Lady Di vibes. The checked pinafore is the focus here, mixed with a perfect medley of a neutral beige and cream trench, white polo and tan loafers. Super chic.

Street styler in a checked skirt and bag

Picture: The Urban Spotter

Doubling up? Check

Opting for a plain bag would have been the easy way to go with this combo, so shout out to this street-styler for mixing up her grids with a double whammy of checked skirt and tote. Sticking to a tonal colour palette of red, pink, brown and white ties the whole look together.