My obsessions with radios and watches often proceed a huge epiphany of some sort: "I need this!"
Behind a lot of consumerism, especially in the realm of obsession, lies the search for comfort, unconditional love, belonging, self-image, "excellence of the past," etc.
Now I've come back to flannel shirts, my favorite type of shirt as a high school student in the San Francisco Bay Area.
The difference now is I'll research the fabric and insist on only 100% authentic Portugese flannel as tauted by L.L. Bean.
At least my new obsession makes it easy for my wife to find me a Christmas present.
It's hard to go wrong with LL Bean. Seems like everything I've ever purchased from them----for myself and my son (going back to when my wife bought stuff from them----she's the one who turned me onto them) lasts forever. Wash after wash, the more you wear it the better. Sometimes paying more up front pays off. Do you buy Hanna Andersson clothes for the twins Jeff?
Posted by: Angelo | December 06, 2013 at 12:18 PM
My wife buys all the clothes. I'm an LLBean fan for the flannel shirts, for sure.
Posted by: herculodge | December 06, 2013 at 12:20 PM
Filson makes some great stuff, you should check them out.
Posted by: nathanjr | December 06, 2013 at 12:53 PM
Filson starts around 155 on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Filson-10399-Cotton-Guide-Medium/dp/B00CKS600Y/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1386366073&sr=8-6&keywords=filson+shirt
Posted by: herculodge | December 06, 2013 at 01:42 PM
Uh, oh. Now you'll need to buy some thinner watches to fit under those long sleeves.
Posted by: Gary | December 06, 2013 at 01:47 PM
Been wearing flannel shirts for casual winter wear for at least 40 years. LL Bean is the way to go, although Costco here in NJ carries some heavy duty lower budget ones of decent quality for around $14.
Posted by: Ken K. in NJ | December 06, 2013 at 03:49 PM
Ken: I am often surprised at the quality of the Costco clothing too---hadn't seen flannel shirts there, but will have a look. Apparently, Mitt Romney buys Cosco white dress shirts because "They look as good as expensive shirts, are comfortable and fit me." Maybe they should get him to do a commercial.
Posted by: Angelo | December 06, 2013 at 03:58 PM
That whole "My wife buys my shirts at Costco" was a a typical election condescension to the unwashed masses. Zillionaire Willard Romney has never dirtied the soles of his imported tasseled shoes by walking inside a Costco, good gawd!
Posted by: Ed | December 06, 2013 at 05:09 PM
But Ed, actually he didn't gain any favors from that. In context, it was also citing Costco as being a great capitalist accomplishment---and many on the left blasted him for it, since Costco isn't a mom and pop shop (I guess the Kennedy clan and others on the left shop locally at places like Tiffany).
Posted by: Angelo | December 06, 2013 at 06:33 PM
X's 2 on Filson...but it is more than a fashion statement, it is made for weather and is very practical. I first got on to Filson about 25 years ago after settling in the Pacific Northwest. I am in the elements frequently ( woods) and Filson clothing offers unsurpassed performance and life expectancy in regards to the material. Check out the Alaska Guide shirts. It is expensive, but worth every penny in my humble opinion.
Posted by: MaPa | December 06, 2013 at 08:13 PM
When I was working, I purchased my khaki pants and dress shirts from Lands End and polo Shirts from LL Bean. LL Bean's fleece outerwear is outstanding, I especially love their Wind Challenger and Trail Model Polartec 200 jackets...a wonderful design and value and less expensive than Patagonia, Mountain Hardware, Marmont, and the rest of their competition.
Posted by: Tom Welch | December 07, 2013 at 07:16 AM
It appears Filson is the Rolex of flannel shirts and comes from Seattle, a city iconic in its relationship with flannel since Grunge early 90s.
I just bought a Land's End flannel shirt for 34 with free shipping. Thanks for the tip, Tom.
It wouldn't surprise me if I see one at Costco that catches my fancy.
Pretty soon I'll have flannel rotation anxiety.
Posted by: herculodge | December 07, 2013 at 09:42 AM
Did you hear that Sears (not doing well) is spinning off Lands End? I like Lands End----my company orders logo clothing from them and it's good quality. But I still prefer LL Bean. In any case, I'm waiting until after Christmas to see if there are better sales. There are some good ones now----but stock is depleted.
Posted by: Angelo | December 07, 2013 at 12:13 PM
Bean's had and may still have cotton chamois shirts that are thicker and even more indestructible than their flannels. I have had one for 20 years. I also have a flannel lined canvas shirt from them that I have been beating up on for 20+ years. My original fleece jacket from them is 20 years old and just needs the cuff trim tacked back down. It does not look as good as new, but it is wearable still across a wide range of temperatures, and zippers have held up perfectly. Wish I had the body and the wallet for slim Italian tailoring, but I have accepted that I am a Beanie.
Posted by: Bill Bush | December 07, 2013 at 03:18 PM
When I was in high school, all the cool kids wore Pendleton shirts, my mother told me Pendleton shirts were too expensive, $25 in 1962, now $80 or more last time I checked. In 1962, Pendleton shirt were The Beach Boys signature shirt at a time when JC Penneys was selling flannel for $4.00. Checkout this vid on the Wind Challenger jack http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOr_ds8QUw0
Posted by: Tom Welch | December 07, 2013 at 04:29 PM