Red-and-black plaid shirt, check. Rolled and cuffed jeans, check. Grungy leather boots, check. Chunky knit watch cap, check. What are we talking about here? Fashion trends come and go, but the “Paul Bunyan” look has certainly taken over as one of the easy go-to looks of the fall/winter season. Anyone can wear it, even if you’ve never held an axe or stood 20 feet tall. On runways at a plethora of men’s and women’s presentations, the plaid outdoorsy style is out in full force.
Growing up in rural Wisconsin, I know the practical outdoorsy look well. I have vivid memories of a Pendleton plaid, wool shirt-jacket just like the ones in style now, hanging outside the door into the kitchen from the garage. This is where my dad, Edmund, hung up his work clothes. 
This coat served as the top layer over his bib overalls, flannel shirt and knit cap during winter on the farm. For years, that old, moth-eaten jacket hung just waiting for a cool nip in the air to signal my father to put it to use. After he passed, I kept that coat for a few years because it represented home, warmth and the work ethic that Ed instilled in me.
I also liked wearing it and thought it looked quite fashionable with the right outfit. In the ’80s, that outfit would have been tight jeans, black sweater and combat boots. The coarse wool fibers eventually wore out, the moths took over, and there was nothing left for me to do but consign it to the trash can. It’s funny how clothing can hold both sentiment and style as well as give us a warm fuzzy, quite literally when wearing them. Cozy yet cool. That’s how I feel about this current trend. I think it suits our weather here in the Midwest perfectly and combines our no-fuss preferences with stylish print and silhouette. I love seeing bright reds in the winter here!
Because I don’t have my dad’s
coat as a layering piece anymore, I set out to find something like the ones I had been seeing. Ideally, I would love to find another Pendleton vintage wool, but I was open to anything vintage. I headed out to the thrift store in my neighborhood to see what I could find and do a look-for-less type thing. “Ideas don’t cost money” is my motto. I already had some awesome, American-made, cydwoq boots in a black leather printed with a subtle reptile print, jeans and everything else needed to do my own version of the look. I saw quite a few pieces at the Value Village that day that could work. I settled on a vintage J.C. Penney flannel shirt jacket. While it doesn’t have the traditional red-an-black pattern, it fit me well and also had a great, red, quilted lining. I paid $9 for it. When I wore it to a work meeting, I got compliments from a few people. I guess it is sort of a “manly” pattern, but I wore it with jeans, cowboy boots, a graphic T-shirt and a monogrammed scarf in shades of gray. I definitely like pattern mixing and am not afraid of it!
I know that a lot of people just don’t have the time and energy to dig for treasures like I do at the thrifts, so just make sure to check out my inspiration pictures. Keep them in mind when shopping anywhere here in town. I love this shawl-type traditional jacket. The collar just puts a great spin on the classic lines and keeps it soft and simple. It helps soften the bold pattern of the black and red. I also like her gray cowl under it, but the navy leggings can only work for a few gals. Obviously, you can wear jeans with some structure and get the same effect.
Stylehive.com showed this plaid flannel dress I thought looked really stylish. It can be belted and accessorized. The longer length works better with the leggings in my book.
For him, the classic styling in the pictures is just like how I wore my dad’s shirt. Keep it simple with black button down, knit shirt or sweater under jeans and some sort of substantial boot.
Having fun with fashion is what it’s all about, no matter what. I’ve seen tons of variations on this traditional plaid look, including hats, shoes, scarves and accessories. With all these options, I encourage you all to be creative. Own the look! There is no right or wrong; there are a lot of different ways you can go with it. Layering here is key, and making sure the p
roportions suit your body. Comfort and style have never been so easy to do. So, take a trek out to the Northwood’s, or maybe just Mayfair Mall, and hunt down your own lumber-jacked up look.
