Photo by Muffy Aldrich
Muffy Aldrich's SALT WATER NEW ENGLAND

Sunday, July 14, 2024

Do You Own More Flannel Shirts or Tattersalls?

Photos by/of Muffy Aldrich
When it is a little warm, I think of sailing, tennis, and working in the garden.  When it is a lot warm (read that, too bloody hot), I think of brushed cotton tattersalls, Scottish knitwear, and Barbours.

As well, when I pick up an L.L. Bean catalog this time of year – in the same way I look for the yellowing of leaves – I instinctively look for their flannel shirts, always curious what tartans they are offering this season, though I never buy them anymore.  It's tattersalls, always tattersalls.

So, my question in this heat wave is simple.  Do you own more flannel shirts or tattersalls?

Shown:
   



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26 comments:

  1. I have dozens of tattersall shirts. Some from O’Connell‘s, Barbour, Cordings, Orvis Schoffel and several other places. I seem to have outgrown the desire to wear the flannel shirts. I still do occasionally wear them, however.

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    1. I find that Bean flannels remove the need for a sweater over a button-down. Nice for weekends, but not office wear. JDV

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  2. For me it is only tattersalls and I have a great many of them including a good few shown here, as they're almost exclusively Cordings. Very envious of your heatwave, as here in Yorkshire I've been wearing a tattersall today and to add insult to injury it was under a Barbour!

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    1. Flannel shirts are too heavy for me unless its freezing cold so I usually wear tattersalls and OCBDs in the cooler months. Cording's shirt sizing is very generous so I'd be interested in your comments on fit.

      My sister-in-law lives in north Yorkshire. She is totally fed up with the never-ending cold and wet weather this year. The forecasts say that it should be a bit warmer this week. :)

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    2. Cordings sizing is certainly generous as the shirts are designed for country sports like shooting (which is one of my vices) where freedom of movement is important. Some other brands lean a little more towards fashion (I.e. for those who aren't going to wear them for country pursuits) and they tend to have a slimmer profile.
      We too are in North Yorkshire and the weather has indeed been grim this year although this morning the sun is actually shining and it's quite warm (yesterday was cold and damp all day)

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  3. By far more Viyella-not flannel, than tattersalls although I’m not thinking about them in 90 degree heat.

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  4. I have a few tattersalls, but I have a whole slew of LL Bean flannel shirts. Flannels just work well for my needs.

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  5. I prefer the ll bean flannels. They always seem softer and warmer to the tattersall cotton/wool mixes.

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  6. Do you have a link to the leather belt on the first photo please Muffy ?

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  7. There are one black and grey buffalo plaid flannel from Vermont Flannel and no tattersalls in my closet. I like tattersalls, but in retirement and in a warm clime, I just do not need them. Five OCBD, two gingham, two linen, and three Madras have me covered more than adequately. Vermont Flannel is superb stuff.

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  8. As I get older, I find that what attracts me in a shirt (a non-office shirt) is darker colors. I usually wear light color (tan or chino) pants, and the overall light color of tattersalls doesn't go well with them, at least to my eye.

    And for plaids, which I like, far too many on the market today look loud and garish. Again, a no-sale for me.

    So I guess it'll be a race, hopefully years-long, to see if makers can subdue those noisy colors before I'm in the Home and don't much care anymore.

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    1. Agree on the dark over khakis. I am wearing a creme or ecru button-down today over khakis and I feel too bland. White over khaki is great, but anything else has to have dark colors in it. JDV

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  9. Three tattersalls, a pair of plaid lightweight flannels, four heavier-weight solid Bean chamois shirts. Adding - I wear canvas shirts with some regularity, though not in the current hot weather. Three are relatively lighter-weight cotton, two are heavy enough to resist thorns and brambles when I'm off-trail in cooler weather, or limb fallen trees and take out pernicious bamboo.

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  10. I own both, but prefer tattersalls. Although I have several flannels, I tend to use them to layer, and only wear them untucked. As others have said, they are too thick to wear as a regular, tucked-in shirt, or under a sweater.

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    1. Too thick for under a sweater, sure, but I routinely tuck in flannel and chamois (= thicker flannel) shirts.

      But if I'm wearing a chamois shirt over a t-shirt and I'm outdoors raking leaves, say, then I'll leave it untucked and likely unbuttoned, too.

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  11. More flannel. LL Bean Scotch Plaids. Crucial in Colorado. Have a few tattersalls but most always revert to blue or white oxford cloth button-downs.

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  12. About 50/50 I must say! The old classic brands still do their job! Thanks! Cheers!

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  13. Pardon a foreigner... but I thought Tattersall was a pattern?

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    1. It is, but it's widely associated with a soft brushed cotton cloth for shirtmaking

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    2. Three Orvis plaid flannels, which are all I need for an Austin winter. All of my tattersalls and ginghams are broadcloth. I have numerous linen and linen-blend shirts for the dog days. Still, I'll take our summers over y'all's winters.

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  14. Mostly bushed cotton-wool blend Tattersalls for me, and usually under a tweed sport coat. I also have a couple of oxford-cloth Tattersalls that work well even in warmer weather. However, I do have a few heavier flannels from L. L. Bean and Woolrich for cold winter weekends.

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  15. Neither. ;) Button-down shirts don't flatter me.

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  16. I much prefer my Tattersalls, all from House of Bruar. They go under most sweaters and don't have the heavy saturation of color I associate with flannels. My husband wears flannel shirts exclusively though. We each have a few beautiful Shetland sweaters from Boise which match our sartorial preferenes.

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  17. How do you take care of your Tattersalls? I notice that Cordings (and other brands) indicate that the shirts should not be tumble dried.

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