Item of the week: the plaid skirt

What it is:

While the plaid skirt is most regularly linked to pop culture of the late 90s, its history is more complex than that. The pattern, also often known as ‘tartan’, descends from 18th century Scotland, where it was used by the Jacobite army, an anti-British group. Over time, however, the symbolism that comes with plaid has evolved over generations, as it regularly takes on new meanings in the eyes of the changing consumers. In fashion, some of its most famous iterations have been that of Burberry’s plaid, which rose to fame in the 1920s, its adoption by the punk subculture in the 1970s and its place in the 90s grunge movement, popularised by Kurt Cobain.