plaid

Plaid is a pattern of crisscrossed horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colors. In common usage, plaid can also refer to fabric bearing such a pattern, though the term has specific historical and regional meanings in Scotland and North America.

Historically in Scotland, the word plaid describes a long rectangular piece of cloth worn wrapped over the shoulder or around the body, sometimes called a great plaid. Over time, plaid came to describe the woven pattern itself. In Scotland, tartan is a particular kind of plaid pattern associated with a clan or locality and usually registered with the Scottish Register of Tartans; outside Scotland, plaid is often used more generally to mean any checked or tartan-like design.

Plaid patterns are created by weaving colored yarns in two sets at right angles. The arrangement of colors in the warp and weft is called a sett in the context of tartan; patterns typically repeat at regular intervals. Plaid patterns range from simple checks like gingham and buffalo check to complex, multi-color tartans.

In modern fashion and design, plaid is common in shirts, skirts, dresses, blankets, and upholstery. Wool, cotton, and synthetic blends are frequently used, and the look ranges from subtle, dark tones to bright, high-contrast combinations. The association with Scottish heritage remains strong in some contexts, especially where specific clan patterns are reproduced as tartans.