The Budget Babe

Along with plaids and argyle, madras is popping up everywhere this season—it's a lightweight cotton fabric with patterned texture and a typically plaid design, used primarily for summer clothing including pants, shorts, dresses and jackets. The fabric takes its name from the former English name of the city of Chennai, India.

If you're a gal who loves plaid, you're practically required to like madras—that, and you probably did not attend Catholic school. If you don't much care for plaids, you should still give colorful madras a try—it turns fall plaids upside down. Think of it as the wild child in a J.Crew catalog.

Here are some budget-friendly ways to work some madras magic:


Proenza Schouler Seersucker Jacket - Ocean Madras, $17.49. Target.com

Plaid Linen Short (I know, we're totally opposed to shorts but they aren't going away anytime soon) $22.80. Forever21.com

Xhilaration® Sable Ballerina Flats - Madras, $14.99. Target.com

Madras plaid dress, $19.99. Newport-news.com

Jessica Simpson Jada Espadrille slingback wedge in yellow madras fabric, $82. Piperlime.com

Patchwork madras stowaway tote, $49.50. JCrew.com

Juniors' Xhilaration® Plaid Halter/Tube Top - Red/ Orange, $14.99. Target.com