How to Wear It: Jeans and a Plaid Top

Street style plaid shirt and jeans
Christian Vierig/Getty Images
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Denim and Plaid Outfits You Can Dress Up (Or Down)

Street style plaid shirt and jeans
Wear plaid with jeans the stylish way. Christian Vierig/Getty Images

Plaid shirts and denim go together like PB&J. Like many classic pairings, though, you could easily be fooled into thinking there's only one way to style a plaid shirt with your jeans. Switch up your fashion game with these fresh outfit ideas for how you can wear jeans and a plaid shirt to look different every day of the week, including options for dressing up — or dressing down — each look.

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Black and White Denim and Plaid

Black and white denim and plaid outfit ideas
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Straight leg black jeans are not only a fashionable denim style -- they're also slimming to every figure. Black jeans that closely follow your curves help to minimize your lower body and look chic when matched with a black-and-white plaid shirt.

Dress It Up: To wear this outfit to the office, add a tailored black blazer, high heels, and a structured leather satchel.

Dress It Down: Wear this outfit with slip-on sneakers or ballet flats for an easy, casual weekend look.

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Coated Jeans and Khaki Plaid Shirt

Coated jeans and khaki plaid shirt
Coated jeans look smart with a Burberry plaid style shirt. Amazon.com

Skinny, leather-look coated jeans are a staple in many fashionable women's wardrobes, and are a great way to look pulled together, while enjoying the comfort of jeans. Paired with leg-extending black heels, and a Burberry-inspired plaid on top, this outfit can take you anywhere from work to cocktails and out on date night.

Dress It Up: Wear this outfit to work and out on the town afterward, by adding a statement necklace, polished black satchel, and high heeled ankle boots.

Dress It Down: Layer a t-shirt underneath and slip into easy black sneakers, for a stylish weekend look you can wear to brunch or shopping with friends.

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Blue Jeans and Blue Plaid

Skinny jeans and blue plaid shirt
Look stylish in an all-blue outfit of denim and plaid. Amazon.com

If you want to look slimmer in your jeans, one great trick is dressing in a monotone color palette. Even more slenderizing is an outfit that adds pattern up top, to pull attention upward on the body (and away from any trouble spots below). Take a look at how sophisticated a plaid shirt and jeans look can be, when you closely match the shirt and jeans colors. If you're curvy, consider a straight leg or bootcut jean, instead of the skinny fit pictured here, to balance your figure.

Dress It Up: Button the shirt all the way up, then layer on a glittering statement necklace, making sure it sits on top of the shirt. (This pulls more attention up toward your face. too). Tuck in the shirt, cinch your waist with a slim metallic belt and finish with heels or pointy-toed flats.

Dress It Down: Tuck the front of the shirt casually into your jeans' waistband, to define your waist. Wear with sandals or sneakers.

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Dark Wash Jeans and Plaid Sweater

Jeans and a plaid sweater
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Who says a plaid top has to be a button-down style? Take a look at this easy, chic outfit of a red plaid sweater worn over dark wash jeans. This simple, flattering combination is a great go-to for casual weekend wear, but it can look polished for shopping or even wearing to the office on denim-friendly days when you add grown-up layers and accessories. It would make a fashionable maternity look, too.

Dress It Up: Wear this outfit to work with a chunky gold chain necklace, navy blazer, and black high heels.​

Dress It Down: Wear the sweater and jeans with your favorite black flats -- simple chic doesn't get any easier than this look.

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Black and Blue Outfit With Denim and Plaid

Black jeans and blue plaid shirt outfit
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Back in your grandmother's day, women were told to avoid wearing black and blue together. Now, that old rule seems positively outdated. Check out how a soft, blue plaid shirt matches with sleek black denim jeans.

Dress It Up: Add an oatmeal boyfriend blazer, round-toe high heel shoes and a chunky watch for a stylish casual Friday look.

Dress It Down: Wear the shirt tucked or untucked. Finish with chunky sneakers or black ankle boots.

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Jeans and Multiple Layers of Plaid

Boyfriend jeans with a plaid shirt and coat
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Since plaid and jeans go so beautifully together why not pile on the plaid for a stylish, layered look when the temperature dips? You'll look current and stay warm in a plaid-pattern shirt topped with a plaid wool coat, over easy boyfriend denim.

Dress It Up: This look is meant to be casual -- but you can give it a more streamlined, fashionable feel by choosing slim-fitting separates. Look for boyfriend jeans that are more fitted to your shape and roll your cuffs smartly.

Dress It Down: Go for relaxed comfort in easy pieces that skim your figure, casually-rolled cuffs and menswear-inspired oxford shoes.

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Distressed Black Jeans and Grey Plaid

Distressed black jeans and a grey shirt
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Fashion editors agree - ripped jeans are a denim style that's here to stay. You already know they match well with all your white t-shirts. For cool weather style, instead of the expected leather jacket, wear an open plaid button-down in muted grey tones as your top layer.

Dress It Up: This look is casual by nature but you can add edgy accessories that ​work for wearing to concerts. Just pile on silver jewelry, from chunky chain necklaces to multiple, stacked rings and spiky hoop earrings.

Dress It Down: Wear as-is or with a big, black scarf wrapped casually around your neck, for an easy look to wear to house parties.

09
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Black Jeans and a Red Plaid Shirt

Black jeans and red plaid shirt
Grunge-inspired separates are easy to dress up for a modern look. Amazon.com

If you’re a fan of the classics, here’s how to wear a grunge-inspired outfit of jeans and plaid, without looking dated. Black skinny jeans make an easy match for a classic red plaid shirt, as always. What makes this outfit feel fresh now, though, is a slimmer jean silhouette, as opposed to the baggier jeans of 20 years ago.

Dress It Up: Tuck in the shirt and add a navy blazer, diamond (real or faux) stud earrings, and shiny black high heels.

Dress It Down: Wear the shirt untucked. layer with a boyfriend cardigan and finish the look with flat lug-soled shoes or boots.