Gingham has been reinvented — here are nine new ways to wear it

Gingham is going through her experimental era

Thu, 17 Jul, 2025 - 17:55

Annmarie O’Connor

Bye-bye, picnic tables and pastoral pursuits. Gingham has shed her good girl image and gone off-grid. It’s not the first-time, mind you. We’ve got the 1950s to thank for that. Brigitte Bardot’s pink gingham wedding dress comes to mind, as does the print’s redux in mod subculture. Iconic or ironic, it’s this unexpected tension that makes gingham such a shapeshifter. Quite frankly, I’m here for it.

As with any sartorial shakeup, the key is in knowing how to stand out on your own terms. Take River Island’s Scandi-inspired frill-collared blouse—a wardrobe workhorse that looks sharp with tailored trousers or playful with a gam-worthy mini and chunky loafers. Your mood, your call.

On bare minimum days, look to layering pieces like a gingham jacket or gilet (try Arket or Penneys). Lean into amplified proportions like barrel leg jeans with vintage sneakers or keep it streamlined in head-to-toe black and white. For more colourful iterations, try socially and environmentally sustainable brand, Omnes.

When it comes to dresses, consider playing against type. Whether a RIXO tea dress, a strapless seersucker classic or one of Ganni’s smocked cowgirl minis, pair yours with fisherman sandals and thank me later.

Likewise, consider accessories with intent. Clash an oversized blazer and New Balance kicks with a slicked back bun and a box-ticking hair bow from Oliver Bonas. Remember: it’s all about the checks and balances.

So yes, gingham is going through her experimental era, which means she’s bound to court controversy or, at the very least, a new core. With any luck, we’ll have a bit of both.

Collared gingham shirt