Trace the Trend: Plaid Shirts

From bucket hats to Birkenstocks, what goes around comes back around. In "TrACE THE TREND," we take a look at our favorite pieces of the moment as worn by our favorite icons.

Plaid button-downs are a universal wardrobe staple. Everyone from lumberjacks (I see you, Brawny paper towel man) to rockabilly dudes and dudettes have effortlessly pulled off this comfy-chic shirt. In the early 90s, Kurt Cobain rocked out in them in Seattle while virtually every cast member of Roseanne rocked them around the table at 714 Delaware Street.

The versatile plaid button-down was originally designed as work wear; it was the piece your dad put on when he wanted to “get dressed up." But it soon found its way onto the torsos of the fashion-conscious, largely thanks to the influence of the band formerly known as The Pendletones—The Beach Boys. And even after they ditched their Pendleton-inspired name, the crooners continued to wear those matching plaid button-downs throughout the 60s. The influence of Ralph Lauren in the 80s and West Coast hip-hop culture in the 90s also contributed to the popularity of the PBD. And then, in 1992, Marc Jacobs made waves with his famous “grunge collection” for Perry Ellis. Christy Turlington opened the show wearing a beanie, boots, and a sleeveless plaid shirt. Suddenly every mallrat from coast to coast could be seen chilling in the food court in an array of plaid. The comfy staple became a high-end and low-end must-have.

Today, the PBD is just as universal and can be found in every scenester’s closet, most menswear collections, and countless Gwen Stefani music videos. Below, some of our favorite plaids from editorials past and OC racks present.