Fashion goes plaid

This season, plaid is everywhere. Not just from the old faithfuls, such as Pringle of Scotland or Ralph Lauren, no, also Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga and Alberta Feretti found inspiration in the Hebrides. So is what is the 'kilt trip' all about? Plaid, for fall, is about being bold, bright and understatedly sexy. Alexander McQueen drew on his Scottish roots with his Highland Rape show, where red tartans mixed with camel cashmere tweeds and headpieces were made from falcon wings.

Nicolas Ghesquiere at Balenciaga created bulbous tweed minidresses and matching jackets. Ralph Lauren did urban huntress perfectly with glen plaids: delicate dresses in silk taffeta had peplum kicks and ruffles galore.

Burberry championed Britishness with cable-knit hats - also a trend at Stella McCartney. Pringle's chunky wool jumpers and cardigans and Gerard Darel's extra-long knit scarf are essentials, and best in warm creams. Wear them with a Luella mini-kilt or Marc Jacobs maxi-kilt and Falke's thick wool tights in autumnal shades. Jackets were a staple: finely tailored tweed blazers at Hardy Amies and cropped numbers with buckles at Bottega Veneta. To top it all off, ruff collars and neckties replace jewellery for daywear.