My Favourite Women’s Flannel Shirts
I’m Canadian. As a female, wearing flannel shirts is part of our culture, but it’s also a difficult style to pull off. I’ve always struggled to find flannel shirts that don’t make me feel like I’m about to chop down a tree (not that I know how to use a chainsaw) or make me feel too boxy.
That said, I love a good flannel shirt. Here are my top picks for multiple occasions.
This plaid flannel shirt
Why I love it:
Flannel needs to be soft, fit right and not too thick. This flannel from MEC hits 10/10 on all those. Plus, right now, it’s only $36. Win-win-win-win!
MEC is cool again. It was in for my dad when he rocked a 1990s purple fanny pack, went out for a couple decades (he still wore the purple fanny pack) and is now back stronger than ever.
Blue plaid is my absolute favourite, but understandably, everyone has their own colour. Lucky for you this shirt comes in red, navy blue/green, purple and even pink. Personally I’m VERY picky about pink plaid and their alpenglow colour doesn’t do it for me. But check it out yourself - maybe it’s in your colour wheel and just not mine!
It’s soft. Did I already say that? Well, I’m saying it again. SOFT!
Get it here.
Okay, this red plaid flannel too…
Why I love it:
If you haven’t heard of the Rocky Mountain Flannel Company you need to check them out… and probably also move to or visit the Rocky Mountains.
Started by Gayle Houlton out of her basement in 1989, this company is impressive in so many ways. I’m also a sucker for badass female Canadian entrepreneur success stories.
The COLOUR! Red with a splash of the best complimentary blue and some black. I’m swooning.
If you want quality women’s flannel, this is it.
And this black flannel
I grew up in Deep River, Ontario, in the Ottawa Valley, so a flannel from Ottawa Valley Apparel is an absolute must-have.
These shirts, though from a smaller maker, are as high or higher quality than anything I’ve tried. Soft, tough and sturdy buttons. Not too thick, two chest pockets and cuffs that sit just right.
The Ottawa Valley played a major role in the Canadian logging industry. There’s probably no better place to source an authentic black plaid.
A long flannel shirt doubles as a coat
Why I love it:
I’ve been a TenTree fan since I saw them on Dragon’s Den years ago. Fun fact: I watched their episode and immediately created an Instagram account @tentree. A few years later, I messaged Ten Tree and transferred them their handle in exchange for $500 in gift cards.
This jacket is made from 100% organic cotton, so it doesn’t induce any of that horrible itch so many long plaid jackets do.
I like how it feels Canadian chic without being over-the-top.
Yes, it’s $198. But plaid really never goes out of style. At least not in Canada. Think $19.80 per year for the next ten years. It is not a bad investment in a quality, long-life staple.
