How to style Barbour tartan, according to a fashion editor
Few motifs have left as indelible a mark on fashion history as tartan. Designers like Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen spiked it with a punk lens, whilst others like Ralph Lauren leaned into its preppy signatures. However, for over 130 years, South Shields heritage label Barbour has quietly reminded us that sometimes the most iconic patterns are best left untouched.
Within the Barbour tartan family, you'll find a handful of exclusive tartans, unique to the label, each telling a story of heritage and belonging and carrying a seal of authenticity and trust. From Classic to Ancient, Birchwood Dress to Shadow Classic, each shares the original sett, spanning outerwear, lifestyle apparel, and weather-ready accessories.
And whilst Barbour has steadily ticked away, unmoved by turbulent trend tides, the resurgence of checks and tartan on the runways is impossible to ignore. Naturally, such movements have trickled down to street style, uniting FROW attendees from Copenhagen to New York and everywhere in between. Now, it's Aotearoa's turn. As the fashion-forward flocked to Shed 10 and its surrounds, Remix Fashion Editor Martha took new-season Barbour tartan to the street style scene and shares her secrets for styling it.
For those in my inner circle or those I pass on the street, it's clear from the outset that I am an embracee of all things more-is-more. Whether it's colour, pattern, or texture, I advocate building interest into an outfit, and styling Barbour tartan is no different. Due to its muted palettes and grounding tones, I treat Barbour tartans like a neutral, styling them with a plethora of shades or introducing a colour pop, like the cuff peek of the Woodhouse Knitted Jumper in Pear. Following the sandwich effect, I found another area to match this vibrant chartreuse tone, and the laces of the Devlin Mid Welly ticked the box perfectly (whilst also offering unrivalled comfort from show to show). 
I opted for the Carville Mini Skirt as my base — a pleated, preppy skirt in the Shadow Classic Tartan, inspired by the colours of the British countryside. For the jacket, I reached for the Barbour Hazelwood Checked Wax Jacket, which boasts a subtle patchwork of tartans, a trend-led funnel-neck collar and golden front hooks — contemporary touches on a heritage piece. The skirt and jacket worked together for several reasons. 1, the shared tartan lineage — both drawn from the same muted, countryside palette, so a common thread of colour held it together. 2, the contrast in scale did the heavy lifting: the skirt's neat, uniform check set against the jacket's bolder, larger-scale tartans gave the eye a clear hierarchy to follow, rather than two prints competing at the same volume. The cherry on top? The Barbour Tartan Arlene Wax Tie Headscarf, adding a touch of whimsy and a dose of practicality for unpredictable weather.
The tartan takeaway? Treat it as a neutral, layer in texture for instant interest and lean into more-is-more — because this works far beyond fashion week.
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