These Flannel Jackets Are the Right Weight for Cool Weather

Cemented in the wardrobes of most men, destined to make their annual debut whenever the leaves start turning, are flannel shirts; they feel great, look good, and come with plenty of Americana, outdoorsman lore. We’d all be lost without them, and they’re a certified style classic worn by everyone from Robert Redford to Steve McQueen in decades past to Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper in present times.

They’re perfect for days when it’s cold but a jacket would be too damn much. Slide one on over a T-shirt, thermal shirt or lightweight sweater and you’re set. But that’s about as far as they’ll take you. The right flannel shirt is an undisputed classic, but the best flannel jackets up the ante even further.

Flannel Shirt vs. Flannel Jacket

When real winter weather arrives, plain flannels prove futile against the cold on their own. They have to be sandwiched between other layers, tasked with providing additional warmth but not shouldering the entire load. But if we’re being honest , what’s the fun in hiding your boldly patterned shirt under a puffer, parka or peacoat? The textured, checkered patterns deserve better — their own time in the spotlight.

Seek out a flannel jacket instead of a flimsy shirt made from chamois. Sure, not all of these could keep you warm in extreme climates, but they provide ample warmth to endure the weather of late autumn and early winter. Simply put, these are more substantial than your standard flannel.

They’ve got the heritage to prove it, said Dan Hendricks, the brand manager for Line of Trade at Bespoke Post, which makes a quilted flannel shirt jacket and other rugged layers for fall.

“The flannel shirt jacket has solid American workwear history,” Hendricks says. “From construction to logging, it has been a functional warmth layer under protective outerwear that is often not heavily insulated.

There’s also a touch of mobility and warmth to a flannel jacket that other heavier jackets didn’t necessarily bring to the field, Hendricks says.

“Think about it: If you were doing heavy labor you wouldn’t want to have multiple jackets for shifts in weather,” Hendricks tells Gear Patrol. “The flannel shirt jacket added warmth when needed and a soft layer between you and rugged protective wear.”

Some of these listed below have fleece liners or a heftier construction; down inside to trap your body heat; and pockets to keep your hands warm. Others aren’t made from flannel at all but rather recall patterns found on flannel shirts — i.e. plaid.

How to Style a Flannel Jacket

Wear your flannel jacket just as you would a flannel shirt: overtop a T-shirt. But because flannel jackets are burlier and often bigger, you have the option of branching out, too. Whether you choose a chunky sweater or a sweatshirt, these flannel jackets are big enough to not look weird overtop, like a standard, semi-flimsy flannel shirt would.

Flannel shirt and jacket hybrids also add depth, mobility and functionality, Hendricks says.

“Guys should look for a quilted flannel (shirt jacket) that has the softness of the originals, but with a lighter fill so it layers well and falls on your shoulders like your favorite flannel,” he says.

It’s a smarter, and warmer alternative to your favorite flannel, but with all of the benefits of being flannel in the first place. Just look at Mr. Gosling and Devin Booker, for example, two stylish men that wore a flannel jacket two very different ways.

• Ryan Gosling wearing his flannel jacket over a henley
• Devin Booker wearing his flannel jacket over a hoodie

Buck Mason

Best Overall Flannel Jacket

Buck Mason Blanket Flannel Field Jacket

• $158.00 at Buck Mason

• Country of Manufacture: China
• Fit: Standard fit
• Pockets: 2 (Front-button chest pockets)
• Sizes: XS-XL

Think of Buck Mason’s version as merely a flannel made better fit for colder temps. It looks almost identical to your regular flannel; it’s just way heavier. It’s not hard to find yourself wishing all flannels were this way. Chamois shirts can sometimes be unnecessarily flimsy or flowing, which makes them a little shapeless when worn on their own.

Buck Mason’s has structure, though, something many desire in their favorite shirt. This one has an added dash of style points via a distinctive dark blue and charcoal plaid pattern, which is a change of pace from shades like red, black or rust in the fall months.

This jacket’s color has a pleasing “downtown” edge to it and would wear nicely with black jeans and beat-up moto boots. All that’s missing is a Buck Mason henley to wear underneath, right?

Filson

Best Upgrade Flannel Jacket

Filson Mackinaw Wool Cruiser Jacket

• $495.00 at Filson

• Country of Manufacture: United States
• Fit: Standard fit
• Pockets: 4 (2 snap chest pockets and two snap patch hip pockets)
• Sizes: S-L

Filson is one of the foremost outerwear brands around, with more than a century of pedigree and proven heritage and utility. There’s a reason Pacific Northwest loggers, explorers and hard-working folks everywhere trusted the brand, and that carries through to this day.

As such, you trust their ability to make something super warm yet plenty functional. (You won’t feel suffocated but you’ll definitely still survive.) This style in particular is more than 100 years old and made using tightly woven Pendleton Woolen Mills wool. This is definitely the most serious jacket on this list — hence the price.

But it’s well worth it considering its waterproof capabilities, durable construction and slightly oversized fit. Plus, it’s super warm, our tester found, and the red plaid colorway is as legendary as it gets

Read our full review of the Filson Mackinaw Wool Cruiser Jacket.

Everlane

Best Affordable Flannel Jacket

Everlane The Heavyweight Overshirt

• $98.00 at Everlane

• Country of Manufacture: Sri Lanka
• Fit: Relaxed straight fit
• Pockets: 2 (2 button chest pockets)
• Sizes: XXS-XXL

Everlane’s The Heavyweight Overshirt (made from cotton twill) is plenty comfortable, and, honestly, super soft. It isn’t as serious as a true jacket, which makes it work as a layer beneath a bigger coat. It’s part of the brand’s Uniform Collection, a capsule offering of pieces designed to be mixed and matched as part of, well, your daily uniform.

That is to say, you can layer this rich plaid shirt jacket atop an Everlane Uniform tee atop crisp Everlane Uniform blue jeans for an easy, transitional fall look. Seven color and pattern options, plus a nice range of sizes, offer versatility for every wardrobe.

Huckberry

Best Plaid Flannel Jacket

Flint and Tinder Felted Wool Overshirt

• $168.00 at Huckberry

• Country of Manufacture: China
• Fit: Standard fit
• Pockets: 2 (2 front-button chest pockets)
• Sizes: S-XXL

Flint and Tinder strikes again. The brand, which launched with a humble-yet-durable zip hoodie before joining the Huckberry family, makes rugged fall and winter gear aplenty, from henleys to waxed trucker jackets and now, this cozy plaid overshirt. The thick wool-blend fabric is a change of pace from traditional cotton flannel, sure, but that gives this jacket some heft (along with a decent amount of stretch).

The dark plaid pattern is a solid option if you want a flannel jacket with a bit of a dressier look and feel. While it can’t replace a blazer, it looks more ready for a casual evening on the town than other plaid flannel jackets.

Nordstrom

Best Flannel Shirt Jacket

Wax London Whiting Overshirt

• $215.00 at Nordstrom

• Country of Manufacture: England
• Fit: Slim fit
• Pockets: 2 (2 patch chest pockets)
• Sizes: S-XXL

Wax London’s made a name for itself with the Whiting Overshirt, a tightly wound, heavyweight flannel overshirt. It comes in tons of patterns, plus plenty of colors. Plus, the pronounced buttons give this a “jacket” feel, even if it isn’t quite as heavy as most jackets, our tester found.

If you’ve found yourself looking for a bit of a swerve in terms of style, then the blue-and-white, multi-dimensional plaid pattern is a nice option for variety. The cotton-poly blend should also prove fairly stretch and comfortable.

As to the fit: Order up if you like an oversized fit, our tester says. The sleeves on the Wax London Whiting Overshirt were just a little bit too short. They aren’t comically so, which means it could still be easily worn without people noticing but an overshirt should be a little exaggerated, a slightly oversized version of its original self – the flannel shirt.

Read our full review of the Wax London Whiting Overshirt.

Patagonia

Best Sustainable Flannel Jacket

Patagonia Insulated Fjord Flannel Shirt

• $94.00 at Patagonia
  $189.00 (50% off)

• Country of Manufacture: China
• Fit: Standard fit
• Pockets: 4 (2 front-button chest pockets and 2 side hip pockets)
• Sizes: S-XXL

Your flannel shirt or flannel jacket gets amped up in a big way here thanks to Patagonia. The company always goes the extra mile in terms of eco-conscious production, and that extends to this rugged jacket. It features organic cotton flannel, but it’s what’s inside that counts — literally.

There is an unlined version of this Patagonia shirt, but the insulated version offers better protection from the cold. It’s made from 100 percent organic cotton yarn-dyed flannel and lined with 100 percent recycled polyester twill.

Bonobos

Most Stylish Flannel Jacket

Bonobos Fireside Flannel Overshirt

• $129.00 at Bonobos

• Country of Manufacture: China
• Fit: Standard fit
• Pockets: 2 (2 front-button chest pockets)
• Sizes: XS-XXL

Go beyond Bonobos chinos with this refined-yet-rugged take on the flannel shirt jacket. The key here is the use of fabric like a herringbone cotton flannel in a heavyweight stretch design that’s both bulky yet easy to move around in.

This is the kind of flannel jacket you can wear atop a navy turtleneck for a dash of throwback collegiate style this season – and it’s an ideal pairing with stretch Bonobos chinos for a casually rugged Friday at the office.

Bespoke Post

Best Hybrid Flannel Jacket

Line of Trade Ridge Quilted Flannel Shirt

• $65.00 at Bespoke Post
  $95.00 (32% off)

• Country of Manufacture: China
• Fit: Standard fit
• Pockets: 2 (2 front-button chest pockets)
• Sizes: S-3XL

Variety is a cornerstone of any wardrobe, and your flannel shirt gets turned on its head with the latest from Line of Trade via Bespoke Post. The base is cotton flannel, but it’s beefed up with warm insulation and a rugged diamond-quilt pattern.

Tonal buttons give this hybrid flannel jacket a clean look, while the color itself is easy enough to wear with dark blue jeans without looking like you’re rocking an entirely monochromatic #OOTD. Better still is the sub-$100 price tag from an in-house brand at Bespoke Post.

“The Ridge adds a new twist by bringing the diamond quilt to the outside, shifting that soft texture to the front, and is made from a heather flannel that has a depth of texture but plays like a solid so it mixes with your whole wardrobe,” Hendricks of Bespoke Post tells Gear Patrol.

Clothing

Best Oversized Flannel Jacket

Percival Blanket Workshirt

• $130.00 at percivalclo.com
  $330.00 (61% off)

• Country of Manufacture: England and Portugal
• Fit: Relaxed fit
• Pockets: 4 (2 front-button chest pockets and 2 side slant hip pockets)
• Sizes: XS-4XL

Percival’s Blanket Workshirt feels bulky and boasts a textured finish in premium Italian wool-blend fabric (we like to call that “the good stuff.” Think of it like a warm sartorial hug, available in a pleasing variety of rich, seasonal colors.)

We especially love the Forest Green option, which can be worn with tan chinos, blue denim, grey corduroy trousers and more.

Huckberry

Best Lightweight Flannel Jacket

Katin Harold Jacket

• $129.00 at Huckberry

• Country of Manufacture: United States
• Fit: Standard fit
• Pockets: 4 (2 front-button chest pockets and 2 side hip pockets)
• Sizes: S-XXL

Katin’s Harold Jacket is fairly lightweight, but it boasts the features of your favorite top layer: two slant pockets at the hips, tighter cuffs and button closure pockets across the chest.

Did we mention it features a sherpa-lined body to offset the relatively lightweight cotton flannel exterior? The washed-out plaid color options are also highly appealing if your wardrobe tends to feature more traditional flannel jacket colors and patterns.

And while they’re not the fanciest brand, they do focus on USA-made construction at highly agreeable prices — we can get behind that ethos.

Courtesy

Best Hooded Flannel Jacket

Dickies Hooded Quilted Flannel Shirt Jacket

• $60.00 at dickies.com

• Country of Manufacture: China
• Fit: Relaxed fit
• Pockets: 2 (2 front-button chest pockets)
• Sizes: S-5XL

Quilted and hooded, Dickies standard Flannel Shirt Jacket sticks out from the rest. It’s the kind of flannel jacket practically made to be worn on frigid mornings as you fire up your truck and head out into the field or to the shop, right? It’s also the kind of piece your dad might have worn to tackle his own to-do list back in the day, which we can certainly appreciate — Dickies gear has more than 100 years of heritage going for it, after all.

The hood mimics the look of a zip-up hoodie but it’s not removable, which means you have to really like that look. It does offer solid protection, though, and plenty of warmth, courtesy of the hood the quilted construction.

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