It perhaps had its first major spotlight moment back in 1939, when a young Judy Garland forever immortalized the blue gingham print as The Wizard of Oz’s Dorothy Gale. But gingham has evolved since then, and has fast become a favorite look of the royals. Everyone from Catherine, the Princess of Wales to Diana, the late Princess of Wales has made the look their own. Here, we pick some of the best ways to incorporate the print into your own wardrobe as Vogue list it as a trend for 2023.
- Gingham is expected to become a popular print as we move further into the warmer months, especially inspired by the growing Barbie core trend
- Lately, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh has worn the look in a smart, sophisticated way, and throwback photos of Kate Middleton prove you can make the look work in more relaxed ways too
- In other royal news, fancy a royally good bargain? One of the Princess of Wales’ favorite brands is having a major sale
Gingham has been around for as long as we’ve been able to capture images and film. The iconic print fits well to a myriad of colors, being the perfect pop of personality to a work outfit or working well as a complete co-ord look.
Gingham is said to have originated in either Malaysia or France in the 17th century, starting more like a stripe than the check we know (and love) today.
It was adopted and popularized by the English and the Dutch around 1800.
Margot Robbie is one of the latest Hollywood darlings giving the look a fresh feel. The star of the upcoming Barbie movie wore a pink-and-white gingham two-piece set consisting of a crop top and a fitted skirt that looked to be pulled straight from the Mattel archives, but, in reality, was from Prada.
It turned a classic print into a very contemporary look – and it’s also a nod to a similar gingham dress and matching sunhat the actress is seen wearing in a trailer for the movie itself.
So, Barbie has decreed it. Gingham is most definitely in. But if you’re unsure if you want to go full Barbiecore, we can take a cue from the royals.
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh wore a similar vibe outfit to Margot Robbie recently but sported it in a way that was more mature and classic.
The Duchess of Edinburgh looked on trend without chasing trends in a pink and white gingham dress for the first garden party of the year at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday, 3 May.
For the royal garden party, the Duchess chose a pink and white gingham dress with blazer detailing, open collared neckline and a regal A-line skirt finish.
For accessories, she paired her gingham dress with a simple pair of nude heels and a matching pink and white fascinator.
Princess Kate also LOVES gingham. There are numerous outfits to pull out inspiration from, where she’s gone all out or kept things casual.
One where she keeps things less formal included an outfit she wore in family photos released over the late Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee weekend.
She is seen baking with her children wearing a gingham shirt and blue jeans.
It has a Chelsea collar trimmed with a frill with cuffed sleeves for a fresher shape. The blouse is made from 100% cotton and comes from the brand Brora.
Kate has shown the versatility of gingham in the past, too, notably dressing up the look in 2017 with a red and white gingham set.
This look was particularly eye-catching as it seemed to match the gingham trousers the late Princess Diana wore in a now iconic photo.
And if you want to incorporate the trend into your workwear or a more formal setting, Princess Kate has once again shown us how to do it.
Combining a gingham print skirt in black and white with a monochromatic look - white coat, white top - this is an easy look to replicate and will be an appropriate outfit that can switch from the office to catch-ups with friends after work.
