Rekindled love for plaid flannel - YouLookFab Forum

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Rekindled love for plaid flannel

Aziraphale

Veteran

Today I'm dressed for 1992. I've got on a plaid hooded shirt (the flannel kind), loose jeans, brown leather lace-up boots (laces undone) and a waxed canvas jacket. After a flannel shirt overload in the 90s, I'd kind of gone off them. I was inspired to buy one recently and it's my new favourite thing. I guess it takes 20+ years for me to come full circle on something! I feel a bit dressed down, but in a good way.

Anyone else loving the plaid flannel these days?

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28 replies

Latest reply was from Aida

abc

Veteran

Funny, I wore my one plaid flannel shirt two weeks ago and just didn't feel fab. I think it is me. I just can't figure out why I don't feel right in them but I don't.

Nadya

Veteran

I didn't do much plaid in the 90s, but I bought this plaid shirt from Targer and am having fun with it. Monday I wore it open over a striped shirt just for fun.

Women's Plus Size Button Down Top - Ava & Viv

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Simplicity on a Saturday Tunic in White Stripes

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NauticalVulpine

(website)

Its my guilty pleasure. I love plaid, its probably one of my favorite prints. And I love flannels they are so comfy and soft and warm. My boyfriend is always getting mad at me for stealing his too.

NauticalVulpine

(website)

Its my guilty pleasure. I love plaid, its probably one of my favorite prints. And I love flannels they are so comfy and soft and warm. My boyfriend is always getting mad at me for stealing his too.

NauticalVulpine

(website)

Sorry it posted twice. And im not sure how to delete the second one : (

Runcarla

Veteran

There is nothing cosier than plaid flannel and corduroy on a chilly day!

Joy

Veteran

More love for plaid, but these days I want it in a different fabric than flannel, plaid lux.

Aziraphale

Veteran

abc -- I always seem to have one light cotton (not flannel) plaid shirt in my closet, but I can go ages without wearing it. My desire to wear plaid seems to come in waves, and sometimes I'm not feeling the love, either. (This rekindled plaid love is specifically for cozy flannel plaid, which I haven't worn since Nirvana was touring).

Nadya -- yes! I like how plaid shirts can be worn done up, as a shirt, or undone with a tee shirt underneath, like a kind of light jacket. I like that you put stripes with plaid.

NauticalVulpine, it is kind of a guilty pleasure, isn't it? Like briefly going back in time. I wouldn't want to have a wholly grunge-style wardrobe, but a few pieces is fun.

Runcarla -- yes, it was yucky out today and I was very comfy in my flannel shirt.

Joy, I agree, I like plaid in other fabrications too. I have a pencil skirt in red and black plaid that I'm fond of.

Diana

Veteran

I bought a fleece lined red plaid flannel hoodie from ll bean earlier this year, and it is the best loungewear ever. I wear it as a hoodie, unbuttoned, around the house mostly - irs a bit too boxy and bulky as a shirt. I also love my long, tunic length blue/black plaid flannel shirt. I've always had a soft spot for plaid flannel ever since the 90's. They seem to come in waves of only hideous colors some years though, so I pick up the good colors when I see them!

NauticalVulpine

(website)

Diana, i know what you mean. The colors they put out now are awful. Less is more when it comes to plaid.

Aziraphale, i was born in 93, so my entire childhood was plaid, especially since my parents were from the grunge/rocker crowd. I hated it at the time because i had to wear it all the time. I never wore it willingly until my late highschool years.

Sal

Veteran

I tried flannel again a couple of years ago, but I did not feel right after wearing it in the 80s and 90s.... in theory I like it, but it did not feel quite right on me now.

It is cosy, and patterns are fun in the winter.

shedev

Veteran

Much love for plaid here. My favorite right now is blackwatch.

kkards

Veteran

last year we started "flannel friday's" at work….it's rekindled my love of flannel, and its an interesting challenge to wear them in a business casual way…

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Anonymous

I bought two shirts last winter during the YLF plaid shirt craze. Wore each of them once, and tossed them in the donate pile this past fall. I was caught up the lemming phenomenon and nothing could be further from my "look". Lesson learned on that one. I feel too "butch" looking in a plaid shirt - pardon the expression.

El Cee

Veteran

I have always been a plaid/tartan gal but have avoided flannel shirts for the past few years -- perhaps feeling that they looked overly masculine on my tall, large frame. I started wearing them again this winter for the coziness factor and have been surprised by how much I am enjoying the overall look. I find that if I dress them up with pretty necklaces, the look is pleasingly feminine. My husband, who almost never comments on my attire, raves whenever I wear a recent purchase from Old Navy. This is encouraging!

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Anonymous

I'm wearing my new Eddie Bauer plaid flannel shirt (the one I picked up at Sam's Club for under $10) underneath a sweater today. It is so soft and comfortable, and the colors in the plaid are so flattering. I don't like the cheap, scratchy plaid fabric, though. It has to be soft or I won't wear it.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

LOVE PLAID, or checks and tartan as I call them. It's one of my favourite patterns - and in any item of clothing. (You saw my recent outfit post).

Your outfit sounds FAB, and perfect for art school. Very '90s. I wore my plaid shirt with a lace camisole in the '90s and the plaid shirt open to show the body hugging lace. Levis, belt, Docs, Raybans, and with Eddie Vedder blaring in the car. I know it sounds familiar.

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Anonymous

I was a teen on the west coast during the early 90's and fully embraced the grunge movement (and Starbucks!). It was so freeing to be able to purchase completely on-trend outfits from Value Village. The only expensive part of it were the Doc Martens.

Because I lived it in my teens, I just can't go back there. So I can't do flannel or docs or thermal shirts under t-shirts, or anything tied around the waist. I even recoil a bit from concert t-shirts. I think I OD'ed on grunge. (Of course, I should say 'never say never', but this should be implied in everything I say on this board!)

There are non-grungy paid shirts, but the colours lean towards preppy, and I feel really uptight in them.

JAileen

Veteran

I love plaid. I wore plaid skirts and jumpers in the 60s, and plaid flannel shirts from the 70s right up to today. I have a plaid wool coat that I love. It looks nice with all the grey I like to wear. I recently bought a plaid coat in Black Watch. I ended up returning it even though it was so inexpensive. It was a lint magnet as someone mentioned. I also have several plaid scarves for cold weather.

I do think flannel shirts can look masculine, but I like to put a striped tee underneath for a feminine touch.

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Bonnie

Veteran

I wear plaid almost every day in cool/cold weather. I take long walks every evening at sunset and wear one tied around my waist to put on when it gets cold. Or if it starts out a bit cold, I wear my plaid shirt over my tee and bring a fleece jacket. For the holidays this year, I got two lightweight cotton plaid tunics because I couldn't decide which one I liked best and wore them a lot in December. I am a plaid fan but I agree with Diana and pick up my plaids on the years they have them for sale in the good colors.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I love plaid but for some reason have not yet been reaching for my plaid shirts much this season. I think the mix of plaid shirt + denim bottoms just feels too predictable/country cowgirl, and I see enough of that when I'm in TX. However, I think I might try mixing the plaid with the new faux leather black pants I got just before the holidays, for a little more juxtaposition in style.

Jules

Veteran

I'd love to see a picture!
I myself couldn't really go for the way plaid was reinterpreted by fast fashion this time around - cuts, colours, fabrications all seemed off to me, and the cheap quality seemed to show more than with other items. I wear plenty of lower end stuff but am getting pickier about it I guess. I considered ordering something more classic & hopefully quality from LLbean but never got around to it. I'm not actually sure I could get the classic version to work either, and the prettified versions feel inauthentic to my 19 year old self, so I'm happier leaving this look in my past unless something just jumps out at me.

Aziraphale

Veteran

Diana -- I agree, sometimes they do plaid in really weird colours. I guess it's just to mix it up, but I prefer the old-school varieties. I have an especially soft spot for plaids with red in them.

NauticalVulpine -- "My entire childhood was plaid" -- LOL. I think your parents might have overdone it a bit. I fully participated in 90s grunge, but even I only had a couple of plaid shirts!

Sally -- it's true, flannel does feel distinctly 90s. The way I was dressed yesterday, I would have blended right in with an early 90s crowd. Maybe the challenge this time round is to wear it in a less grungy way!

shedev -- I had to look up blackwatch plaid (I don't know the names), but I recognized it instantly. I like that one too.

kkards -- right on. The heeled booties does dress it up for work

LisaP -- learning what's not "you" is as important as learning what is. And I know what you mean -- plaid flannel definitely has a "lumberjack" quality. I never feel butch because I'm so short and small-boned, which is maybe why I like boyish clothing.

El Cee -- good idea about wearing it with pretty necklaces. I wonder how it would look with pearls?

bettycrocker -- I agree, the whole point of flannel is that it has to be soft and cozy!

Angie -- yes, I've already gushed about your pink plaid jacket. It's fabulous! I had a few lace camis in university, too. the juxtaposition of boyish and feminine was as appealing then as it is now.

smittie -- maybe you can't go back because it's too recent for you. It has been over twenty years for me!

JAileen -- I would love a plaid wool coat. I've seen a few in shop windows recently, and I'm tempted.

Bonnie G -- sounds like you're a true fan.

Janet, plaid looks GREAT with leather. In fact the whole reason I picked up a plaid shirt in the first place was to wear with the leather moto jacket my honey got me for Christmas.

Jules, it's true that cheap fabrics are not appealing. I've seen an awful lot of uninspiring plaids too. They all blend together.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

High five, Elisabeth. It's SO good to see you on the forum again. I missed you. And I'd love to see more of your art too.

LaPed

Veteran

In northern New England, flannels are *the* uniform. We apparently missed the grunge memo and just kept on wearing what we've always worn. Flannel definitely doesn't say 90s to me, just "home". The hipsters, the soccer moms, and the grandpas all wear the same LL Bean plaid shirts 'round here...

I'm in one today, actually. We're having a bit of a thaw so it's serving as a topper over a v-neck sweater.

catgirl

Veteran

Me - I am still looking for a better version of my blue buffalo plaid shirt and I have several others.

crazyone

Veteran

I wore plaid as well today! But not flannel.

Aida

Veteran

Plaid/checks of all kinds are my favorite pattern, don't think I've ever taken a break from them. Definitely still wearing plaid flannels (I have three currently), though I definitely didn't do them "right" in the 90s -- mine were always super cheerful bright colors, and my favorite was NEON lime/orange/yellow (often worn with baggy cobalt Cross Colors jeans, and sometimes a bright orange puffy jacket overtop -- Oh yes!). Love the sound of your outfit, sounds like a perfectly modern take on the 90s uni.