Flannel or worsted wool blazer

[spidercan]

I'm trying to choose between a flannel or regular worsted wool navy blazer as an all-purpose blazer. I live in San Francisco, and seeing how cold it is most of the year, I'm thinking of flannel over normal wool. I have no experience with flannel suits or jackets however. Anybody have any suggestions?

 

[Moss]

Your instincts are good. Go with flannel. Get one in hopsack for summer.

 

[StrataMan]

I'd say that depends on whether you are a person who runs hot or cold. I also live in the Bay Area and find most flannel to be too hot for me except on very cold nights outside. You also have to factor in the amount of time you will be wearing the jacket or blazer indoors, which for me is at least 60% of the time. Inside flannel makes me sweat. You can also vary the fabric weight to give it more or less warmth. Bottom line is ask yourself if you tend to get cold easily or not. If not, then I'd go worsted.

 

[binge]

I wear my 1/2 lined hopsack one about 80% of the year. My flannel gets much less wear.

 

[Manton]

Traditional hopsack is waaaaaaay too hot for spring/summer, at least for me. In SF, maybe.

If had only one blazer, it would be fresco. If I had two, the second would be flannel (worsted flannel). If three, the third would be linen. If four, the fourth would be DB.

 

[spidercan]

Thanks for the advice guys. That's sort of my problem. Right now it's definitely too hot (I was sweating in an unlined cotton(not navy though) the other day). However it gets extremely cold in october or november. I actually spend a lot of time in Berkeley, but San Francisco is significantly more chilly especially after 6. I guess I will have to depend on a few different types.

 

[kuwisdelu]

Forget how cold the thermometer reads. How cold are you? If you personally get cold easily, go with the flannel. If you get warm easily like me (no matter how much below freezing it is, after my walk to class I'm sweating under my jacket) then get worsted.

 

[wetnose]

How is worsted flannel different from typical flannel? Is it lighter weight?

 

[Parker]

I only have one blazer here in SF. I thought it was hopsack, but it's some kind of open weave "hopsack-like" cloth. It's just about right most of the year, but it would be nice to also have a flannel for the winter.

Originally Posted by Manton

If had only one blazer, it would be fresco. If I had two, the second would be flannel (worsted flannel). If three, the third would be linen. If four, the fourth would be DB.

You don't have four blazers? I thought you'd have one for each season plus a couple extra for the shoulder seasons.

Originally Posted by wetnose

How is worsted flannel different from typical flannel? Is it lighter weight?

I think worsted flannel is generally smoother and lighter than woolen flannel. It's less spongey (lofty?). I think there's some extra combing/carding process that smoothes it out. There's some detailed stuff about it somewhere in the archives.