woolrich >, <, or = pendleton?

[hollowsleather]

Pendleton is the way to go. The majority of the Pendletons that you'll thrift will be US-made. Woolrich started outsourcing earlier, and seem to make more cotton flannel than wool.

Wool is more durable and warmer. Function.

 

[pitboss12]

Nice pics. If you go to flea markets with a vintage clothing section, you can get them for cheap. At the Roebowl flea, there is a vendor that has racks of Pendleton, Woolich, and assorted flannels for $5 - $10 a piece. Now if only the weather would change. It was about 80 in LA today.

 

[Lafont]

I went around with an Aquascutum house check baseball cap and a matching, light-weight, reversible jacket (some would call it a "harrington") and got lots and lots of comments - particularly when I wore the jacket on the check side. I had gotten the cap new in Shopsy's - the store in Toronto that specializes in British attire - in 2008 and a few years later ordered the pre-owned jacket on eBay (it actually had been owned by someone in the Ukraine). Recently the jacket's sleeves, particularly on the checked side, got sufficiently worn for me to rationalize giving it away or selling it, and I sold it for hardly anything to an above-average collectible/vintage store, which promptly featured it on the more damaged but more interesting side and gave it a price higher than most of their jackets.

Then I decided the cap is also a bit too worn for me to want to keep wearing it and, after not being able to sell it at one or two places, I put it in the giveaway bag. Actually, I had gone to the one of our two regional outlet malls for the first time and was happy to find it actually has a Pendleton outlet store. There's only one store now in Greater Cleveland that sells even a few Pendleton men's items. I saw a cap I liked and bought it, so in this case I replaced a "luxury" Aquascutum cap with one from Pendleton and am very pleased. One thing the companies have in common is they're both over a century old. The cap was not very expensive, but it's got a real leather label on the back and, with its American Indian pattern in front, it is quite handsome. Technically, I replaced the Aquascutum jacket with a Wilson's leather jacket originally extremely expensive but I purchased it in one of their crazy markdowns.

 

[double00]

Pendleton wool flannels are great. Look at ebay, shopgoodwill.com, etsy etc till you find a tartan or whatever that works for you. At the prices you will pay secondhand, you can afford to try both amigo! Also: pendleton uses a couple of different fabrics, there are napped and un-napped wool and probably also cotton. You might also look at older LL Bean.

 

[ctb87]

I have owned both Woolrich and Pendelton flannels. Filson's are nice too but IMHO they're not all that much better considering the steep increase in price. They are a little thicker, but if you're layering the flannel that doesn't really matter.

USA made either way obviously, the construction will be better. In my experience the Pendeltons are more likely to be a scratchy polyester blend or wool, with a wicking lining of some sort.

The Woolrich vintage flannels tend to have a cut on the bottom with a curved yoke in the back, Pendeltons are more likely to be a straight cut like Filson's. Obviously each company produces both, but in my binning those cuts are what is more common to each brand.

I prefer to have one of each, myself.

 

[Lafont]

Correction: a second store in Greater Cleveland sells some Pendleton's, but not much - Geiger's.

 

[Streettrash]

I like a mix personally. I have an ancient Woolrich that belonged to my father and his father that I love. Also own Pendletons in various colors and patterns. Agree that if budget is an issue second hand is the way to go. Fit is the most important thing. If it's cheap but fits like a gunny sack what good is it.