Stark Raving Plaid — Check Out The New Gap + Pendleton Collection
September marks so many beginnings: school goes back in session, football season kicks off, upcoming fashions are showcased during New York Fashion Week, the autumn equinox arrives, the Emmy Awards fête the year’s best TV series, and pumpkin spice-flavored everything hits supermarket shelves. On the fashion front, September is also the unofficial start of plaid season. Sure, punk- and grunge-flavored plaids are seen year-round, as are preppy, streamlined, almost timid checkered patterns on polo shirts and button-downs, but in the fall season, plaid patterns take on a decidedly outdoors-y feel. There’s a coziness, a warmth, a homey feeling to fall plaids that seems fitting for the season of changing leaves and cooler temperatures. This year, GAP is going mad for plaid with a versatile collection created alongside Pendleton. The limited-edition GAP + Pendleton collection, then, is comprised of classic garments that marry the aesthetic of two all-American brands.
While many associate Pendleton with wool garments featuring Native American-inspired patterns (an essential piece of the brand’s history since, in the early 20th century, it grew its empire by producing wool blankets that were prized and traded by the Navajo, Hopi and Zuni nations), the 153-year-old company pioneered the wool men’s utility shirt, offering men protection from the elements via functional, durable, and warm button-down shirts, often bearing plaid prints. GAP, meanwhile, has been synonymous with all-American style — particularly through its denim love affair — since its inception. This collection, then, is all about fashion and function, classic laid-back style and comfort.
One of the hero pieces in the collection is the GAP + Pendleton 1969 Icon Denim Jacket ($79.95.com at GAP stores and Gap.com), shown at top. The hip-length, button-front, premium denim jacket features a pointed collar, long sleeves with button cuffs, two patch pockets with buttoned flaps, and two front welt pockets. A plaid flannel yoke in patriotic red, white, and blue comprises the crowning design element.
Heritage plaids are also celebrated through the loose-fitting, medium-weight, laid-back GAP + Pendleton Long Sleeve Shirt Dress ($69.95 at GAP stores and Gap.com), made of a soft twill weave and featuring a split neckline, long sleeves with buttoned cuffs, a shirttail hem, a single chest patch pocket, and a self-tie belt t the waist. The dress — shown above in a red, white, and blue color scheme —is the type of garment you can wear with canvas sneakers, buckled booties, or knee-high equestrian boots, that you can wear underneath faux fur vests or leather motorcycle jackets, that you can layer over turtlenecks and skinny jeans or tights. The styling possibilities are endless, and the classic plaid pattern guarantees this piece will never go out of style.
On the outerwear front, the collection incorporates the GAP + Pendleton ColdControl Hooded Puffer Vest ($98 at GAP and Gap.com), a puffy vest with a brushed flannel weave at the yoke and a removable hood with faux fur trim. GAP’s trademark PrimaLoft filling ensures the vest provides warmth without being too heavy or cumbersome.
Another versatile garment is the long-sleeved, drape-y, button-front GAP + Pendleton Boyfriend Shirt ($59.95 at GAP stores and Gap.com), which features patch pockets and a shirttail hem. With its roomy fit and vivid, saturated plaid print, this shirt is the ideal top to wear while watching a football game, picking apples at an orchard, or going on a hay ride.
Of course, no GAP + Pendleton collection would be complete without a fun pair of jeans, which is where the GAP + Pendleton Authentic 1969 Destructed Real Straight Jeans ($79.95 at GAP stores and Gap.com) comes in. These mid-rise, five-pocket, straight-leg jeans come in a medium indigo wash and feature just a hint of stretch. Slightly distressed, they boast rips and holes that reveal plaid flannel patches.
The collection also includes fun accessories like the 100% wool GAP + Pendleton Blanket Scarf ($79.95 at GAP stores and Gap.com) shown last above, utility totes, and baseball caps. The collection is only available for a limited time, so make sure to grab those plaids you find particularly rad!
