Fall fashion: two-toned plaid

Plaid for fall isn't exactly a new thing. I've been so pleased to see it return year after year as I snuggle into my well-worn men's flannel tops. But each year, the plaid takes on a slightly different turn. A couple of years ago the plaid featured lots of bright colors; last year, the plaid was muted and traditional; and this year, I'm seeing lots of buffalo plaid (that's a new term for me -- basically that's the kind that looks like a checker board, in the style of Paul Bunyan) and other high-contrast, two-toned plaid. And it's been moving beyond the trusty flannel into pants, jackets, and other work wear pieces. I was happy with my simple flannel, thinking that I wouldn't get to try this year's version of plaid. Then I remembered this top:

I got this shirt on clearance at Target a couple seasons ago when faux-leather details were popping up everywhere. I loved the shirt in the dressing room, but when I got it home, I could never figure out how to wear it. Layered, it always looked funny; by itself, the faux-leather bits were sticky and uncomfortable. So this year, I put it in my sewing pile, thinking I could chop off the sleeves at some point in the future and wear it that way. There it sat in the pile, until I had almost forgotten about it. 

When I stumbled across the shirt as I was cleaning out a neglected corner of my bedroom, I realized it was the perfect style of plaid for the season. So I gave it another try, this time layered over a white button-up for work purposes. And somehow, it worked. The shape always looked a little funny before, but this season's sixties-inspired mod shapes somehow came through in the boxy cut and the high button-up and it all came together. I'm so glad I didn't throw it out!

Add in the red bag and some navy nail polish, and you've got not one, but three 2014 fall trends -- and only the nail polish was new this year. This, my friends, was a triumph of the 1-year-no-new-clothes challenge.