Patterns, colors, designs—fashion is not just pretty to look at. There's also an underlying psychology to the things we choose to wear. Understanding the history of a trend helps us appreciate fashion even more, so I set out to discover the hidden history of plaid.
Plaid has always been a unisex pattern, and it is very much able to be worn in many different ways. Originally, it was used strictly for kilts and school uniforms. But its use has evolved over time, and has been influenced by cultural events. For example, after 9/11, the amounts of plaid being purchased and worn skyrocketed.
Researchers concluded that plaid's strict pattern organization may attract humans so much since we tend to prefer organization. This would explain why it subconsciously resembles security, which may have much to do with why it never goes out of style.