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As fall settles in, knitwear returns as the ultimate layering essential for transitional fashion. Framed through the lens of modern prep, no pattern feels more of-the-moment than argyle—equal parts heritage and fresh. Originating in western Scotland, argyle was once the textile of kilts and highland regalia—an elevated, stylized cousin of tartan. Its diamond motifs, overlaid with diagonal lines, created dimension and movement that set it apart from simple checks.
After World War I, argyle made its way to England, where it became fashionable leisurewear, before crossing the Atlantic to the US. Here, it found a celebrated home in sportswear—most famously golf—its association with country club culture cementing it as a cornerstone of preppy style.
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What was once a symbol of uniformity and tradition has since been reimagined countless times. Today, argyle sits at the very center of the modern prep revival, thriving because of its duality: heritage-rich yet endlessly adaptable, conservative in origin yet limitless in its possibilities of scale and color. This tension is exactly what makes it feel so relevant now.
Traditional prep was about rules—blazers, pleated skirts, sweaters knotted neatly around the shoulders. Modern prep, by contrast, dismantles those codes, treating familiar motifs not as restrictions but as foundations to build upon. Argyle flourishes in this shift. It falls seamlessly into wardrobes as both a nostalgic touch and a bold statement. Take Khaite’s fall 2025 runway, where an argyle knit was paired with leather pants and an oversized fur coat—an unexpected clash that made the pattern feel new again. Or Guest in Residence, where saturated color pairings added dimension to streamlined looks.
The fall 2025 offerings proved just how far the motif can stretch. Miu Miu leaned into tradition, rendering argyle in a restrained palette that nodded to its country club roots. Proenza Schouler stripped it back, paring the print down to a tri-colored diamond check and elevating it through a wrap silhouette. At the other extreme, Zankov turned argyle into a mix of color and geometry that reads maximalism at its best. Across the board, designers confirmed that argyle, though centuries old, remains remarkably on-point with the current zeitgeist.
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Argyle carries the nostalgia of collegiate dressing while offering endless versatility for reinvention. Within modern prep, it becomes less about recreating the uniform and more about pushing it into bold new territory. In flipping the narrative from Ivy League campuses and gated country clubs to the individualistic styling seen on city streets, we’re seeing argyle paired back to everything from embellished skirts to corduroy trousers and tailoring in contemporary proportions. Put your own spin on the look with our edit, below.
