Keeping up with the newest trends (and keeping your closet up with the trends) can be expensive, but it does not have to be. T.J.Maxx is a great way to keep up with the trends, while not breaking the bank. “We have *so* much of that print right now. We literally have full racks of it,” said Amanda Manganello, a T.J.Maxx sales associate and Triton senior. “We always keep up with the trends, and have features that are only ‘trending now’ clothes.”

The whole concept of ‘flannel Friday’ is still a trend, but there is a new version of flannel that is on the rise: buffalo check. Buffalo check is a large scale print of equal size horizontal squares, which can either be one color or multiple colors. Traditionally, it is either black and white or red and black. It originated as a men’s outerwear print, especially for people working outdoors in the late 1800’s, featuring angular squares with crisp lines, however newer versions of the print feature blurred lines and imperfect angles. Essentially, it is the larger scale version of what is known as gingham.

While buffalo check has been having its moment in the spotlight regardless of the season, it is especially trendy right now due to the festive and cozy feel that it lends. Although it has been around for centuries, this checked favorite has been popping up in fashion and decorating trends recently. Recent uses for buffalo check have included: curtains, blankets, placemats, skirts, shirts, and even as the base pattern for themed Christmas tree decorations.

Although it is technically described as a pattern, and the general rule with decorating and outfit choices are not to mix patterns, buffalo check is one of the few ‘patterns’ that can be mixed with another pattern in order to give a more complex feel.

According to Censationalstyle.com, the most popular additions to buffalo check while designing are: other colors of buffalo check, shiplap, animal prints, woven fabrics that add dimension, abstract prints, and heathered materials. In outfit designs, popular pairings are: hunter green with black and white check, cable knit sweaters with any color check skirts, buffalo check shirts paired with a vest and boots, and even pairing a striped shirt or sweater with a buffalo check vest.