The Plaid Alternative

I've become re-obsessed with plaid. While having an extended lunch with my oldest friend yesterday, I confessed my re-obsession. We both laughed because this new wave of plaid fashion was probably the last thing either of us could have predicted.

I grew up in the 90s (now I'm really aging myself) where plaid was rampant. It  was the grunge era and fashion was all about comfort. I was a teenager through the 90s, so nostalgia probably colors my perspective. I fondly remember baby doll dresses (I owned many!), Doc Martens (I never owned a pair of those), and the perseverance of plaid. I'll probably never again wear baby doll dresses (even though they were so comfortable) or buy a pair of Doc Martens (which are also in style again?!?), but I'm all in with this new plaid era. Back in the 90s, plaid meant "grunge." These days plaid means "hipster." I wouldn't call myself a hipster, but I do like the hipster adherence to plaid. Both "grunge" and "hipster" lifestyles could be called "alternative."

What does alternative mean? I tend to think of it as "against the grain" more than anything. Sort of a rebelling against the collective consciousness. So, why is plaid leading the way? What does plaid signify, if anything? Am I thinking about this too strongly? Sometimes that is the problem when you do research for a living. Small pieces of data can lead to something grand, but more often than not, it doesn't lead to anything significant beyond noise.

However, I do think the re-emergence of plaid means something. Though I freely admit to not having a single piece of datum to back me up. The fact a fabric tend to skirt the outside of convention suggests it might always be associated that way. Perhaps because plaid is such a traditional fabric, people who embrace "alternative" seek a solid foundation. Maybe plaid signifies the strength of tartans worn by Scottish clans. I always associate the delicate nature of lace with the whimsical wonder of Venice. Does the origin of a fabric permeate through centuries? Though maybe only I connect fabric to their origins due to my sewing hobby? These are things to ponder....while wearing plaid shirts.