the humble check shirt.

Hands up who doesn't own a check shirt?

Today there is not outfit post because my outfit was minimal effort. Check shirt, high waisted shorts, tights.

I have a slight hatred for the check shirt. For me, it's lazy. It's too simple. For me, it's a bit too 'throw on and go.' There doesn't seem to be much of a challenge.

I was the first person I knew to get a check shirt. I'd been bought a Top Shop stylist day for my Mum, and we went on my 18th birthday. The girl was gorgeous and fabulous, and was the first person to present me with high waisted shorts and a check shirt, or two.

At first I loved it; tucked into shorts, or thrown over jeans. I loved it for precisely the reasons I'm started to fall out of love with it now. It was so easy.

Maybe I've just lost the ability to pull it off. Or maybe I just miss the exciting new-ness of a new trend. Now you can't go out without walking into an army of check shirted girls and boys. They are standard attire for everything. And why? They're no more exciting than a striped or plain shirt, but they would be sacrilegious against the name of the check shirt.

Maybe I can't *quite* pull it off. I admit, I've never managed to pull one off with jeans or leggings. I can't just throw it on; I feel the need to tuck it in.

Or maybe I just hate looking like everyone else?

I have three check shirts. One giant Top Shop one in blue and white; gorgeously huge and summery, the generic black and white check, and a more bluey and red one. None of them really inspire me. My black one is just a bit big to throw on without looking like I've been sleeping in the streets, and the big blue one doesn't have any buttons, so has to be tucked in to avoid looking about 20 stone.

Maybe I need to go back to tucking in. And try something new. Today I really wanted to imitate the fabulous Elizabeth of Delightfully Tacky, but I just couldn't it right. My shirt was too baggy, my skirt too tight.



She just has a way with check shirts, maybe I should use her as my inspiration to become, once again inspired by the check shirt.













Maybe I need a tartan one...

Right, okay, my next fashion challenge is to find some new ways of wearing my check shirts!! That is my goal. Elizabeth is so inspiring and one of my absolute favourite bloggers. If you haven't checked her blog out, you really should!! She is incredibly gorgeous and her style is so, so inspiring.

I love the look of a check shirt thrown over like a jacket- two of mine are too big to really work like that, but my smaller one might be okay. And I love the look with a leather skirt!! I've tried the high waisted skirt, like in the first picture, before, but I could try again. I think I need to play around with mixing prints and colours.

A few google searches found me some help here, here, here, here and here have given me some inspiration, so finger's crossed!! It's nice to have a fun challenge to give my wardrobe a new lease of life!!

I do think perhaps I need to look for a new one. I love real tartan-looking prints, and I'd love one that could double up as a light jacket for spring and summer.

I hope this has inspired you if you're stuck in a rut with checks like me!!

Back to the revision :[[[

Charlotte xxx