When the weather turns, a go-to plaid shirt jacket is that versatile layering piece you can keep by the door and wear practically anywhere. I like the Legendary Whitetails Woodsman Jacket because it has a quilted insulation for added warmth. But it’s made of cotton flannel. If you prefer wool, I’d recommend the Filson Mackinaw Wool Plaid Jacket which is made of 26-ounce wool sourced from the famed USA Pendleton Woolen Mills.
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These are my choices for the best plaid shirt jackets:
- Legendary Whitetails Woodsman Plaid Quilted Shirt Jacket (click here to view)
- Filson Mackinaw Plaid Wool Shirt Jacket (click here to view)
- Tecovas Plaid Flannel Overshirt Jacket (click here to view)
- LL Bean Men’s Maine Wool Guide Shirt with PrimaLoft (click here to view)
- Legendary Whitetails Camp Night Berber Lined Hooded Shirt Jacket (click here to view)
- Wrangler Authentics Men’s Sherpa Fleece Lined Shirt Jacket (click here to view)
- Legendary Whitetails Men’s Maplewood Flannel Shirt Jacket (click here to view)
- Dickies Men’s Plaid Hooded Water-Repellent Flannel Shirt Jacket (click here to view)
- *Women’s* Legendary Whitetails Plaid Open Country Shirt Jacket (click here to view)
- *Women’s* L.L. Bean Women’s Scotch Plaid Flannel Shirt Jacket (click here to view)
- *Women’s* Columbia Anytime Stretch Hooded Shirt Jacket (click here to view)
- *Women’s* Patagonia Insulated Fjord Flannel Jacket (click here to view)
- *Women’s* Dickies Quilted Plaid Flannel Shirt Jacket (click here to view)
- *Women’s* L.L. Bean Women’s Signature Chamois Plaid Overshirt (click here to view)
- *Women’s* Carhartt Women’s Hubbard Sherpa Lined Shirt Jac (click here to view)
- *Women’s* ThCreasa Sherpa Lined Flannel Shirt Jacket (click here to view)
If you are looking for a simple plaid flannel jacket with no hood, then I personally like the Legendary Whitetails Woodsman Jacket. It has a traditional button-front design, and is quilt-lined for warmth (but isn’t too heavy or bulky). Here is mine:
If you prefer a hooded plaid shirt jacket, then I’d recommend the Legendary Whitetails Berber-Lined Hooded Jacket. The Berber fleece lining is very warm and comfortable, and the attached hood helps keep the weather off my head. Here’s mine:
In this article let’s take a closer look at the best plaid shirt jackets so you can find an option that fits your needs. Let’s also discuss several things to consider when buying these types of plaid flannel and wool shirt jackets.
Best Plaid Shirt Jackets
Legendary Whitetails Woodsman Plaid Quilted Shirt Jacket
Legendary Whitetails is a great brand to consider if you are looking for a shirt jacket to wear. They make mostly outdoor casual gear, and these shirt jackets are very popular and can function as a hooded work jacket or simply as a casual jacket.
Here’s what the Legendary Whitetails Men’s Woodsman Shirt Jacket looks like:
This is the current price of this Legendary Whitetails plaid shirt jacket available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). Here’s what you need to know about this jacket:
- Design – This shirt jacket is made with 100% cotton flannel, and has chamois fabric detailing along the upper back and forearms to help make this shirt jacket stand out a little bit. It has a traditional button-front design with two chest pockets for storage of small essentials. There are also side hand-warming pockets.
- Insulation – This is an insulated shirt jacket (quilted lining) that can provide warmth on cool fall and spring days, and act as a layering piece for brutal winter temperatures. It has a traditional button-front design. Here’s a look at the lining on my jacket:
- Non Bulky – One thing I love about this jacket is it is non-bulky. Even though it has extra insulation for added warmth, this still feels very much like a shirt jacket. It layers easily underneath a work jacket, but also looks good as an outer layer. My size medium weighs 1.36 pounds and is 1.55 mm thick:
- Sizing – In my experience, this plaid shirt jacket has a regular fit that isn’t too tight or too loose. I ordered my normal sizing. Here is my size medium compared to a size medium Hanes t-shirt:
This Legendary Whitetails plaid shirt jacket has a traditional design with no attached hood. The thing I really like is it has the extra insulation so it can provide a little bit more warmth than a standard shirt jacket.
Click here to buy this Legendary Whitetails insulated shirt jacket available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). This jacket is machine washable.
Filson Flannel-Lined Mackinaw Plaid Wool Shirt Jacket
Filson is a clothing company based in Seattle WA that has a deep-rooted tradition in providing heavy-duty dependable workwear. Their founder, C.C. Filson, opened shop in 1897 and, at that time, specialized in making ultra-tough, ultra-dependable clothing for stampeders heading north for the Klondike Gold Rush.
Modern day, they’ve transitioned into a company that provides a wide range of outdoor gear (not just workwear). Their gear can be worn by fisherman, loggers, miners, engineers, explorers, and even just everyday folk looking for rugged casualwear.
This is what the Filson Wool Shirt Jacket looks like available at Filson.com (affiliate link takes you to filson.com). Here’s what you need to know about this jacket:
- Material – This Filson wool plaid shirt jacket is made using 26-ounce Mackinaw wool sourced from the famed Pendleton Woolen Mills. It has a snap-front closure and features two chest pockets, and two hand-warmer pockets. The left chest pocket is slotted to store small essentials.
- Warmth – Not only does this jacket use 26-ounce wool for insulation (which is Filson’s heaviest shirt jacket), it is also lined with 8-ounce cotton flannel for extra warmth. The wool fabric itself is naturally water-repellent to help keep you dry in light precipitation.
Click here to buy this Filson wool shirt jacket available at Filson.com (affiliate link takes you to Filson.com). This jacket needs to be dry cleaned.
Legendary Whitetails Men’s Camp Night Berber Lined Hooded Flannel Shirt Jacket
This is another Legendary Whitetails shirt jacket that I own. This insulated shirt jacket is a bit different than the Legendary Whitetails shirt jacket we discussed at the top because this jacket has an attached hood, and uses a Berber-fleece lining.
Here I am wearing this Legendary Whitetails Men’s Camp Night Berber lined shirt jacket:
This is the current price of this Legendary Whitetails plaid shirt jacket available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). Here’s what you need to know about this jacket:
- Style – This is one of the few lined shirt jackets on the market that also has a built-in hood. This shirt jacket blends in easily as a casual jacket you can keep by the door and wear practically anywhere.
- Type of Lining – Soft, thick, 100% Berber lines the inside of this cotton flannel jacket while fleece lines the hood. This jacket also uses Poly-fil insulation for added warmth. This jacket keeps me warm on cool spring and fall days, and even some winter days. No, it’s not warm enough to take on extreme temperatures, but it is quite warm for a shirt jacket.
- Non Bulky – This plaid jacket, despite providing nice warmth, is not too bulky or too heavy. My size medium weighs 2.11 pounds and the body of the jacket measures at 1.72mm in thickness.
- Design – This jacket does have hand-warmer side pockets. It also has two chest pockets that are perfect for stashing essentials. Reinforced elbow patches help this jacket stand up against the great outdoors and give it a unique rugged casual style. This jacket has a snap button front which makes it easy to get on and off.
I love this jacket. The Berber fleece lining is very warm, and in my experience, this fleece is a bit warmer to wear than a flannel lined shirt jacket. This jacket blends in nicely with jeans and a t-shirt and is a jacket I can leave by the door during the spring and fall and wear practically anywhere.
Click here to buy of this Legendary Whitetails fleece lined plaid shirt jacket available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). In my experience, this jacket fits true to size. It is machine washable.
Wrangler Authentics Men’s Sherpa Lined Shirt Jacket
Wrangler is a well-known name for both casual and work apparel, and they have a very popular plaid Sherpa-lined flannel shirt jacket. Here’s what it looks like (multiple colors available):
This is the current price of this Wrangler Sherpa lined plaid shirt jacket available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). Here’s what you need to know about this jacket:
- Material – This jacket is made with a mid-weight, 100% brushed cotton flannel shell. The lining is made with 100% polyester Sherpa lining that will provide nice warmth on cool fall and spring days. The sleeves are quilt lined so that they are easy to slip on and off.
- Design – This jacket has two hand-warmer pockets and two chest pockets. It has a traditional button-front design (it does not use snap buttons). This jacket is not hooded and is design like a traditional shirt jacket:
- Size – I found this jacket to fit true to size, but it does have a relaxed, roomy cut through the shoulders. Here is my size medium Wrangler fleece lined shirt jacket compared to a size medium Hanes t-shirt:
- Weight Specs – My size medium Wrangler shirt jacket weighs 1.27 pounds. Obviously, it weighs a bit less than the Legendary Whitetails shirt jacket from above since this jacket does not have a hood. This jacket measured at 1.55mm thick.
This shirt jacket is warm, but it is best for cool spring and fall weather, or as a layer for winter under your work jacket. This jacket has a traditional shirt jacket design, without an attached hood. If you want a shirt jacket without hood, but prefer a flannel lined shirt jacket instead, then I would recommend this flannel lined shirt jacket by CQR (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com).
Click here to buy this Wrangler Sherpa lined plaid shirt jacket available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). Again, in my experience this fits true to size. This jacket is machine washable.
Other Plaid Shirt Jackets to Consider
- LL Bean Men’s Maine Wool Guide Shirt with PrimaLoft – Looking for an insulated wool shirt jacket? This LL Bean Maine Wool Guide Shirt has a quilt lining with Primaloft insulation to help keep you warm. Like other synthetic insulations, PrimaLoft is good at trapping heat, but non-bulky and lightweight. This jacket has a traditional design with a button front and two flap-close chest pockets. Click here to view this LL Bean men’s wool guide shirt jacket (affiliate link takes you to llbean.com).
- Dickies Men’s Plaid Hooded Water-Repellent Flannel Shirt Jacket – Wool is water-repellent, which makes wool shirt jackets very popular. But flannel? Not so much. If you prefer flannel, but need something that repels water, this Dickies Shirt Jacket is one of the few flannel jackets on the market today that has fabric treated to be water-repellent. No, don’t expect this jacket to take on a monsoon and keep you dry, but it will be capable of repelling light rain and snow. Click here to view this Dickies plaid shirt jacket available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com).
- Women’s Legendary Whitetails Plaid Open Country Shirt Jacket – Legendary Whitetails has a wide selection of shirt jackets, and they do offer several women’s shirt jackets. This Legendary Whitetails Open Country shirt jacket is Sherpa fleece lined for warmth and features two chest pockets and two side hand-warmer pockets. It has a traditional button-front design with adjustable cuffs. Click here to view this Legendary Whitetails women’s plaid shirt jacket (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com).
- Women’s Dickies Quilted Flannel Shirt Jacket – This Dickies women’s insulated shirt jacket has a quilted exterior made of brushed flannel and is jersey lined for warmth. It features a snap-button front with two chest pockets and two hand-warmer pockets. Rounded hem provides coverage below the waist. Click here to view this Dickies women’s insulated shirt jacket available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com).
- Women’s LL Bean Scotch Plaid Zip Front Flannel Shirt – If you are shopping for a women’s zip shirt jacket, this L.L. Bean Scotch Plaid Flannel Shirt Jacket is a nice option. It is made with high-quality Portuguese cotton flannel. This is a hooded shirt jacket, but it is not lined, so it is best used in mild fall and spring conditions. Full zip front with a rounded hem that provides some warmth below the waist. Click here to view this women’s zip flannel shirt jacket (affiliate link takes you to llbean.com).
- Women’s L.L. Bean Signature Snap Flannel Chamois Shirt – This L.L. Bean women’s snap flannel shirt is made with 7.5-ounce chamois flannel. This shirt in unlined, but the fabric itself is warmer and more durable than many other types of unlined flannel shirts. This shirt has snap-buttons and also has two flap chest pockets for storage. It finishes past the waist and has rounded hem with side slits. Click here to view this snap button flannel shirt available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com).
5 Things to Consider When Buying Plaid Shirt Jackets
Warmth
Standard, unlined shirt jackets are best used for mild fall and spring days. For something warmer, you’ll definitely want an insulated shirt jacket.
There are several types of insulated shirt jackets. You can find fleece lined shirt jackets, flannel lined shirt jackets, Sherpa lined shirt jackets, and shirt jackets with synthetic insulation. In my experience, they all provide similar warmth.
Don’t expect these insulated shirt jackets to take on brutal winter temperatures, but they can handle mild winter days that unlined shirt jackets cannot. To read more about insulated shirt jackets, visit our article about the best fleece and flannel lined shirt jackets.
Weather Protection
One drawback to plaid shirt jackets is many options provide little protection against precipitation. If you are in a wet, rainy climate, buying a wool shirt jacket might be best. Wool is naturally water-repellent, and very good at insulating even when it gets wet. I’d recommend the Filson Flannel-Lined Wool Shirt Jacket – click here to view it at Filson.com (affiliate link takes you to Filson.com).
If you prefer cotton flannel shirt jackets, water-repellent options are much harder to find. That’s why I like the Dickies Flannel Shirt Jacket on our list at the top of the page because the fabric is treated to make it water-repellent. It’s rare to find that in a flannel jacket.
No, a water-repellent jacket can’t take on a monsoon and keep you dry like a waterproof jacket can, but they will hold up against a light rain shower. If you want more water-repellent options, visit our article about the best water-repellent hoodies. For more wool options, visit our article about the best wool work jackets.
Hooded Plaid Shirt Jackets
Another way to add warmth to your flannel or fleece lined shirt jacket is to buy a shirt jacket that has an attached hood. As I mentioned earlier in the article, I own a Legendary Whitetails hooded insulated shirt jacket, which I like a lot.
These types of hooded shirt jackets are especially nice to layer under a winter jacket if your winter jacket doesn’t have a hood. That way the shirt jacket hood can give you extra protection against the elements. To read about more options, visit our article about shirt jackets with attached hood.
Durability
Yes, these types of plaid shirt jackets make for great casual jackets (another great option for casual is corduroy). But will you be using this shirt jacket for work?
If so, would you be interested in something more durable? These shirt jackets often have soft outer shell fabrics which, yes, are very comfortable, but aren’t abrasion resistant.
If you need something durable, canvas shirt jackets are made with durable cotton canvas outer shell fabric that is more abrasion-resistant than other materials. To read more, visit our article about the best canvas shirt jackets. You can also find certain types of quilted shirt jackets that use a durable, waxed outer shell.
Button vs Zip Shirt Jacket
Most shirt jackets have a button-front design, but there are exceptions. For example, LL Bean offers their popular Maine Wool Guide Shirt Jacket in a zip-front version. Click here to view this LL Bean zip-front wool shirt jacket (affiliate link takes you to llbean.com). If you want more zip-front options, visit our article about the best zip up shirt jackets.
If you frequently use work gloves, finding an plaid shirt jacket that uses snap buttons may be best. Snap buttons are much easier to open and close while wearing gloves. The Legendary Whitetails Berber-Lined Jacket on our list uses snap buttons.