I heard it first from Lauren Tappan, Marie Claire's fashion editor: Plaid is back. The quintessential print always thrives in fall—it's practically made for sipping on a pumpkin spice latte at an apple orchard. However, Fall 2025 collections from Burberry and Calvin Klein suggest it's more cool girl-coded than ever before.
On August 10, Olivia Rodrigo proved Tappan's point during a lunch date with her boyfriend, Louis Partridge. A week after wrapping up her music festival run, she returned to L.A. in fall's plaid trend—specifically, a sleeveless tartan dress. Shockingly, neither @OliviaRodrigoClothing or I have ID'ed the thigh-length look yet, but knowing Rodrigo, there's a chance it's a nameless vintage find. It had a relatively high-neck and a buttoned empire waistline, so the Grammy-winner opted out of a necklace.
Instead, Rodrigo wore a few statement rings in silver, her now-signature hardware. She sourced celeb-beloved brand, Bonnie Clyde for tortoise-shell sunglasses, which matched her brown messenger bag.
Perhaps inspired by the Copenhagen Fashion Week shoe trends parading through street style last week, Rodrigo slipped on brown ballet flats from Anonymous Copenhagen. Her $290, coffee brown Rhina Flats were set with off-center bows atop each toe box. If you follow the "Vampire" singer on Instagram, you know she debuted them in June alongside a My Mum Made It babydoll dress in butter yellow.
Until now, Rodrigo has stood firmly in her pro-gingham stance this summer, most notably at Wimbledon 2025. But during 2022's Sour era, plaid followed the 22-year-old everywhere, from music video shoots to red carpet events. In the "Brutal" music video, she styled a punk plaid skirt set in the album's trademark color palette: purple, pink, and black.
That summer, '90s-coded plaid even popped up in Rodrigo's street style. In August 2022, the Disney Channel alum was spotted in New York wearing a red pleated skirt topped with green checkers. A plain black T-shirt and platform Doc Martens boots (Rodrigo's signature on-stage shoes) upped the mini's punk-ish feel.
There are still a few weeks before the plaid trend shifts into high gear. Until then, Rodrigo's looks both old and new are filled with styling inspiration. Start with a checkered green shift dress, and if you're feeling brave, take things up a notch with a pleated tartan skirt circa '22.
