How to Wear a Flannel Shirt During Every Season

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When you think about how to wear a flannel shirt, you're probably not flooded with inventive outfit ideas. Flannels are more or less the Old Faithful of casual tops—the one that typically leaves your closet in September, and only if you're pairing it with sneakers and jeans.

But! With some clever styling tricks, the humble flannel can be worn in dozens of different ways across any season. Some proof: instead of a hoodie, throw on a flannel when heading to the gym; wear an open flannel with a white tee and jeans shorts for an effortless summer outfit, or button up a flannel under a sleeveless dress. The ideas are kind of endless. With celebrities like Gigi Hadid and Sarah Jessica Parker finding unique ways to style their plaid—and plenty of street style inspo—keep reading to see that flannels don't have to be confined to one season—or one type of outfit. Here's how to wear a flannel shirt any time of year.

How to wear a flannel as a dress

Grab a flannel that's triple your normal size (the men's department at your local thrift store is always a good place to start) and button it up like a shirtdress. In chilly weather, throw on an oversized bomber, varsity, or leather jacket and a pair of statement boots. In warmer weather, roll up the sleeves and add a pair of “It” sneakers and socks.

Madewell Sunday Flannel Easy Long-Sleeve Shirt

$90.00, Madewell

Stewart & Strauss Original Varsity Letterman Jacket

$219.00, Amazon

How to wear a flannel for an evening out

Take a cut from Sarah Jessica Parker and pair a classic flannel with a sweeping maxi skirt and plaform sandals.

How to layer a flannel

Who knew popping a flannel shirt underneath a sleeveless dress could look this cool? Here, this model is working with a Carhart utility dress in the style of overalls, but the look could also work under a slip dress, a shift dress, or even a strapless dress.

How to wear a flannel in the summer

This outfit recipe is easy to recreate and will look polished and cool all season: a perfect white tee, a somewhat slouchy pair of denim shorts, and shoes of your choice all come together with an open and well-fitting flannel on top.

Skims Seamless T-shirt

$54.00, Skims

Madewell Relaxed Denim Shorts in Lytle Wash

$85.00, Madewell

This look is also serving summer vibes.

How to wear a cropped flannel

This look is giving effortless cool and—upon close inspection—it appears the crop on the flannel might have been a DIY job. If you're into a shorter fit, grab a pair of scissors and let the hem do its fraying. Baggy pants, a longer tee, and sneakers round out the outfit.

Mix patterns with your flannel

Don't be afraid to pair the plaid of the flannel with other motifs, like stripes or a graphic tee.

How to wear a flannel in the fall

Double down on layering with not one, not two, not three but four different pieces on top: a turtleneck, a flat-knit sweater, a flannel, and a leather jacket.

Tie up your flannel

Anything can be a crop top if you just believe—even a flannel shirt. Bella Hadid said as much when she wore a yellow flannel shirt tied under her rib cage with a miniskirt. If denim skirts aren't your vibe, this Daisy Duke styling pairs with high-waist jeans. This look works best in summer for obvious reasons, so make sure your flannel has short sleeves.

Over Athleisure

If someone asked how to wear a flannel shirt to the gym, you might assume they don't know what flannel is. But think of flannel as a cozy replacement for a sweatshirt, like Alessandra Ambrosio. For travel, a boxy flannel shirt buttoned or unbuttoned with leggings and chunky sneakers is a Gigi Hadid favorite.

Grab a flannel shacket

An unbuttoned flannel shacket provides a little more warmth than a standard button-down and sits nicely on top of a vintage band tee and jeans. Roll each sleeve once, then push them up to channel a casual look.

Originally Appeared on Glamour