My disdain for plaid began in childhood. While most of my neighborhood friends went to public school wearing whatever they wanted, I attended parochial school dressed in a hideous Catholic School Uniform. These frocks all look the same: a plaid jumper with a pleated skirt, a white blouse with a peter pan collar, and a nerdy crisscross tie. The only possible variation is in color. Mine was hunter green.
As if all that wasn’t bad enough, I was forced to wear profoundly ugly black oxford shoes. I’m not talking hip Doc Martens, or timeless penny loafers. Try old-lady orthopedic clodhoppers.
I remained trapped in that get-up for six long years. It was more than a crime against fashion – it bordered on child abuse. To this day, I do not own a single hunter green garment, my contempt for plaid is legendary, and pleats of any sort literally give me a case of hives. Really, I’m not kidding about the hives.
During the nineties, plaid flannel shirts were a staple of the grunge look but I ignored them along with the Seattle Sound. Now plaid’s back again. This time, the inspiration’s come from the Scottish kilts worn in the runaway television hit Outlander, based on the Diana Gabaldon books. And while watching the show has become my guilty pleasure, I’ve continued avoiding plaid like the plague.
Until a few weeks ago, when an unexpected parcel arrived from my mother. She’s a skilled seamstress, and I’m always the lucky recipient of her handiwork. I quickly opened the package and to my surprise, it was a plaid wrap.
What was she thinking? She knows I hate plaid.
Ooh, me likey…
This wrap has become my go-to outerwear piece for the fall. It’s easy and comfy, and it looks great with everything in my wardrobe. Disdain finally removed. Now I’m mad for plaid.
Dolce Zitella 
Ahh yes…the plaid memories. You whine of your 6 years of torture. I went to plaid catholic school for TWELVE YEARS!! Admittedly, I still like knee socks.
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Twelve years! You have my sympathy! And thanks for reminding me about the knee socks. I’ll bet that’s why I never wear socks anymore!
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I think every woman can relate to you here – for me it is the color pink – being the youngest of 6, for the older ones a little living doll they could dress up (one was 17 years older than me) – EVERYTHING was pink! Hair ribbons, tops, bottoms, play clothes, dresses, hats, gloves, coats, shoes, wall paper in my room until I was 16 (thanks Dad), scatter rugs, bedspreads, sheets, good heavens I lived in a Pepto-bismol Bottle until I was old enough to tell them I completely hated the color! To this day I don’t own anything pink and my sister recently said – ‘but you look good in pink’ – nope – not me – not ever! Even my nail polish is never pink – maybe mauve – maybe rose – but never pink!
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LOL! A Pepto-Bismol bottle! I’m with you – I not a pink girl. Although my mother is – she ALWAYS wears pink nail polish!
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You’re Mom is a genius. Don’t you know by now? I heard she was making you another wrap and I think you’re such a lucky gal! Enjoy the Fall weather \|||/ (o o)
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Thanks for your comment. And the compliment about my mom! As a matter of fact she did make me another wrap – this time it’s leopard print!
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