Plaid Suits and Formalwear
The Glen Plaid Suit
A gray glen plaid suit is considered by many tailors to be the most versatile patterned suit a man can own. The pattern is complex enough to be visually interesting but subtle enough to work in conservative business settings. It pairs easily with solid shirts and ties and doesn't compete for attention the way bolder plaids can.
Windowpane Suits
A windowpane suit is slightly bolder than glen plaid — the clean, widely-spaced grid is immediately visible. Navy or charcoal with a lighter windowpane overcheck is a classic combination. The pattern's simplicity makes it one of the easier plaids to combine with patterned shirts and ties.
Tartan in Formalwear
Tartan suiting is more adventurous. A Black Watch tartan dinner jacket is a classic alternative to solid black for evening events. Tartan trousers paired with a solid jacket can work for smart-casual occasions. Full tartan suits are a statement — they work at events like weddings, races, and holiday parties, but not in most offices.
Houndstooth and Tweed
Houndstooth sport coats and blazers in wool tweed are fall and winter staples. They work with jeans for smart-casual looks or with flannel trousers for more dressed-up settings. The texture of tweed adds dimension that flat-woven fabrics don't.
Rules of Thumb
- Darker, smaller-scale plaids are more formal. Lighter, larger-scale plaids are more casual.
- Keep the rest of the outfit simple when wearing a plaid suit — solid shirt, minimal accessories.
- If combining a patterned suit with a patterned tie or pocket square, vary the scale. See How to Mix Plaid Patterns.
- Plaid suits look best when well-tailored. The pattern's lines reveal fit issues more clearly than solids do.