It is SO long since I wore this timeless tartan jacket, I thought it time I dug it out and gave you another re-wear post.
I seem to be subconsciously willing myself to find REALLY old pieces in my wardrobe and finding new ways to style them – maybe 2020 is having more of an effect on me than I realised? It seems so wrong to be wearing brand new outfits at the moment. We were heading that way pre-Covid but, silver linings and all that, at least we’re now FAR more aware of our behaviour and the impact it’s having on the planet.
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With the exception of the Lotus high-top trainers* everything I’m wearing is past-season. The jacket is very lightweight and doesn’t have buttons, so with that AND it being tartan it does shorten the period of time during which it feels right to wear it without getting too cold. (You can see other ways I wore it here, here and here.) It’s been a lot milder this week so with wool trousers, a roll neck and a bobble hat the outfit was the right side of warm enough.
Anyone else feel a bit weird wearing tartan outside of November to February? I KNOW I’m all about the #iwillwearwhatilike and should be able to wear tartan in July if I feel like it, but it makes me feel weird.
In a “something’s not quite right here…” kind of way. Just me?!
Shop the look:
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Going back to the subject of re-wearing: the trousers are older than the blog itself. I wore them in a November outfit post way back in 2011, and in that post I mentioned “Imagine my joy when I found my wool peg-leg trousers again, bought in the spring sales and worn only a couple of times first time around”. That means that next spring they’ll be 10 years old. They have fared me well and will fare me well for many more winters I hope.
However more importantly, the question of the day is: precisely what colour are these trousers? Are they…
Plum? Burgundy? Berry? Purple? Wine? Aubergine?
I think I’ve called them every one of those colours over the years I’ve been describing them here, and I can’t say I’ve stuck with one more than the other. Today’s colour name of choice is…
Plum. Suits the time of year I think.
How many items of clothing over 10 years old do you have? And what are your thoughts on tartan during the months of March to October?! Comment below…
Stay safe, XOXO
P.S. Do add your outfits to this week’s link up – and if you’ve added a link to here or my button to your post you may be featured in my bi-monthly Women Who Wear What They Like post!
Jacket: Asos (old, similar, and I love this shorter version)
Roll neck: Jaeger (old, similar)
Trousers: (old, I adore these velvet ones)
High-top trainers: Lotus* (on sale!)
Bag: House of Fraser (similar)
Hat: Oliver Bonas (I like this one)
Earrings: French Connection (similar) / Orelia
Ear cuffs: Orelia / Asos
Other tartan/check/plaid jackets and coats you might like:
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Gorgeous colour mix! I love tartan but I only seem to wear it in winter, now I think about it. I have lots of really old clothes…including pieces older than some of my colleagues! I love your boots, they look very comfy. Thanks for linking up with me!
Emma xxx
I have some Old Navy pieces (from when I worked there) that are approaching ten years- one lightweight hoodie, in particular, is an item I wear year after year. I also participate in a clothes swap that one of the ladies that I work with at the library hosts, so, until this year, I hadn’t bought a lot of clothes. I found myself buying a lot of loungy items after lockdown happened, and I hope to keep those items for a long time to come.
And yes, I find it weird to wear plaid (I don’t have any true tartan in my wardrobe) outside of fall.
Is Tartan Plaid with a Scottish twist? I have plenty of plaid although I don’t think I do have any for summer or spring. Strange, I never thought of it. It might be because there is more plaid wool than other fabric to be had. As far as old stuff. I have pieces far older than ten years. And I still pull them out.
Author
Tartan is different in that Scottish clans (and other places, but mostly Scotland) traditionally each have their own tartan (any check of two or more colours I think), like a coat of arms. So they go back hundreds of years, but I’m pretty sure that calling plaid tartan is actually incorrect! 😉 I’m being picky of course, but its history is quite interesting… I looked up the difference between plaid and tartan when I first started blogging because so many North Americans were saying plaid and I wanted to know what they both meant. Apparently plaid is the piece of tartan cloth, but the tartan is the pattern (the specific weave).
Bu the Scottish can’t lay claim to its origins, despite it being so associated with the Scots. It’s interesting reading if you ever wanted to look it up! x
I am loving the addtion of the hat! I love how you play with colors.
Author
Thanks Mireille – I was so glad the two colours of my hat were the perfect match! x
Such a beautiful jacket, you look lovely!
Danielle xx
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Thanks danielle! x
Love tartan. Got a cashmere scarf in Edinburgh once. That was like tartan paradise. Haha.
So I have been looking forward to every winter ever since. And a Vivienne Westwood skirt — tartan.
Thank you for hosting
xo Sabina
Author
Oh wow I can only imagine how much choice there was in Scotland itself, Sabina!!
So much goodness to this look- loving it! xx
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Thanks Lucy! xo
Loving the colors of your outfit! Thank you for hosting this link party!
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Thank you Celyn 😀 x
This plaid tartan jacket is such a great piece, Catherine! I never would have guessed it was 10+ years old, you style it so well. 🙂
I hope you are having a great week!
Amber
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Not quite 10 years old Amber (the trousers are nearly 10 years old), but they’re coming up six years old. Still good going, though!!
I listened to a podcast today about how “fashion influencers” have contributed to the wear once, disposable fashion attitude on Instagram. I thought immediately of you Catherine, because fashion bloggers like you are the future of rewearing and restyling our wardrobes. I really wished I could interject in the conversation! Lol I was shouting at my phone, but you don’t know Not Dressed as Lamb!
Author
Ugh doesn’t that make your heart sink to hear that, MT?! It’s like we take one step forwards and three steps back. The people that “influence” us should be the ones who are doing good, not doing harm!!!
Anyway thank you, I’m just glad to be one of the ones who DOES rewear her stuff. I can just imagine you shouting at your phone, LOL 😉
Love the orange and burgundy together, Catherine. I have a number of things that are 10 years old or more. Including a few Max Mara jackets from the nineties that I am SO glad I did not give away. They have become a staple in my fall closet again after all these years.
Author
Thanks Sue – and that’s amazing to hear you still have MaxMara pieces from the 90s… if I’d been able to afford better quality things in the 90s I might also have some pieces still in my wardrobe! Though I did hang onto a pair of VERY 90s black/perspex mules and a baby Fiorelli handbag, both well over 20 years old – and both are now back in fashion!! I should do a post wearing them one day maybe…?
Another lovely outfit, Catherine! I have no burgundy / berry / etc in my closet, and yet with all the lovely burgundy I’ve seen this fall, I am rethinking that.
Michelle
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Thank you Michelle… you can’t go wrong with burgundy IMO, it’s such a lovely colour for this time of year!!
I don’t think it would occur to me to wear tartan in the summer. For me it would feel wrong – I definitely associate it with Fall and Winter. Love this look!
Author
Ahhh you think the same as me then Christine – weird, isn’t it?! Though I do think it depends on the colour of the tartan itself – I’ve seen yellow tartans and pink tartans, I don’t think they’d look out of place in the summer. The less traditional the colours, the more they’d suit warmer weather I reckon!
Richly hued tartans such as the one you’re wearing do seem best suited for the crisper weather months. But then, maybe that’s so many adore this time of year.
Rena
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I think you’ve hit the nail on the head, Rena! Like I just mentioned in my reply to Christine (above), traditional colour tartans in autumnal colours suit cold weather better…!
Plum and what a nice shade it is too! Love the tartan jacket – I can see why you keep bringing it out, there’s so much choice for it. Thanks for hosting too. Jacqui x
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Another vote for calling it plum, Jacqui! 😉 Thanks hon x
Perfect colors for Fall!
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Thanks Sherry, I think so too! 😀
I would call it Berry! They’re very nice! xx
Author
Berry works well I think, Laurie! I think it’s that or plum 😉
Hi Catherine
I lovre the warm colors in this outfit. The bag compliments it well and that plaid jacket is fab. It is fun when you pull out somthing older to style, gives it a fresh new take! Those sneakers look awesome!
jess xx
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Thank you Jess – I’m so into styling my oldest clothes at the moment, it really challenges you I think!
Love it! You always know how to put items together in the best way. It looks to me like a perfect outfit!
I don’t have too many 10 years old items in my closet, but I love every piece which has stayed with me for so long. And, Yes, I think that your tartan would look perfect from October to March.
Tatiana
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Aww that’s kind of you, thank you Tatiana!
I’ve never thought of tartan as time limited, although I guess you see more of it about in autumn and winter. Love the colours you’re wearing. Very harmonious together.
Author
It might also be because the actual pieces I have in tartan are all thick wintry pieces, Gail – wool scarves, jackets, etc.! But I have a small backpack in a brown/red tartan and I NEVER get it out in the summer…!! 😉
Now I’ve come to think of it, I don’t think I wear tartan in summer. Mm, strange, I love tartan. What a great color combination your outfit is!
Author
Thanks Nancy – it’s just too weird to wear it in the summer, isn’t it?? LOL ;D
I am such a huge fan of things tartan! This outfit is so fun and great for this time of year. The colors are stunning no matter what you call them! I have tons of clothing pieces that are more than 10 years old because I never get rid of anything! I have been enjoying shopping my closet (or thrifting) these days so much more than shopping new.
Shelbee
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Wow your wardrobe must be heaving if you never get rid of anything, Shelbee…!!! 😉 I dread to think how much I’d have if I kept everything… I think Keith would divorce me, hehe