Flannels & Shackets

A shirt jacket. It has the collar, buttons and general shape of a shirt but is cut from heavier cloth with a boxier body, a straight hem meant to be worn out, and pockets large enough to use. It is worn open as an outer layer rather than tucked in, which is what separates it from a heavy shirt.

A shacket, for most people, because it covers a wider band of weather. A light jacket is either on or off. A shacket works open over a tee in spring, closed over a knit in autumn, and under a coat in winter. The trade off is that it stops nothing in real weather. See chore coats for something heavier.

In anywhere that accepts a casual jacket, yes, particularly in a muted check over a plain shirt. In a tartan or bold check it reads distinctly casual, so it depends far more on the sett than on the garment. A weathered or grey based pattern passes almost anywhere a jumper would.

A plain tee, a fine knit or a plain shirt, in one solid colour taken from the sett. Nothing patterned, since the shacket is already carrying that job. Jeans or plain trousers below and boots rather than formal shoes. If you want a second tartan piece, put it as far from the shacket as possible.

Roomy through the body with clear space to layer a knit underneath, and long enough in the sleeve to cover the wrist with the arm bent. Send chest, shoulder and body length measured over a shirt rather than over a jumper, then mention what you intend to wear underneath so the allowance is right.

Wash cool inside out and hang to dry. Heavier cloth holds shape better than a shirt does, so it needs washing far less often than you think. Air it after wearing rather than washing every time, which keeps both the colour and the body of the cloth in far better condition over years. For the lighter tucked version, see flannel shirts.