Summer Plaid Shirts for Men 2026: Flannels Aren't Just for Fall

Skip to main contentA Plaid Shirt Is This Summer’s Wild-Card LayerColorful, complex button-ups are having an unexpectedly hot season.Courtesy of Conkers, Filson, Celine, Charvet; Design: Brittany LogginsFlannel shirts have always been closely linked with the fall. Forget the annual return of the Pumpkin Spice Latte—for many a menswear man, the season really begins the first day we pull a soft flannel out from storage.If your own wardrobe currently lacks a cozy, brushed flannel, you can easily remedy that here. But that’s not at all what I want to talk about today. Instead, I’m here to report that this summer of 2026, I’m seeing dry cotton, plaid-patterned shirts appearing on stylish guys during the peak of an entirely different season. Whether worn as intended, or simply tied around the waist as an accessory, folks like Sam Bolianatz and James and Larry are showing shirt—as is anyone lucky enough to own this cult Conkers plaid shirt, or a vintage Big Mac one.It's a charming, bright, Americana-adjacent flourish, and—with a white tee and some faded jeans—a truly great look, with an added benefit being that unlike other summer go-tos (flip flops, shorts, white jeans) the hardier plaid you pick up can also be rocked all the way through fall as well. There’s just one problem: Far fewer designers make the breezier, less-cozy versions I'm talking about. So I spent the last few hours pulling the best options from the ones that do.FilsonThe Rangeland FlannelHeritage outdoor outfitters Filson could have kept things safe with some earthy browns and forest greens. It's a gift to us all that they didn't.AuraleeAiry Checked ShirtAuralee earns regular praise for its solid color blocking, but the near-faultless brand can perfect a pattern too.Wallace & BarnesCotton Twill Plaid WorkshirtI really like the traditional red of this option from Wallace & Barnes, J.Crew's tougher, hard-wearing sub-brand…Wallace & BarnesCotton Twill Plaid Workshirt… but the product is so well made for the price, I want you to know about both color options.Banana RepublicStandard Fit Softwash Cotton ShirtAnother great, crispy option for the price you're paying.ConkersFarmer Shirt Irish Linen SloeIt's a little more muted, but the rough, premium linen on this “Farmer's Shirt” has helped make Conkers one of the most beloved new names in menswear.GAPSunwashed Twill Relaxed Plaid ShirtA fraction of the Conkers' price, and also not as frequently sold out.CorridorTea Tree Plaid LSCorridor's thick, textured cotton knits are the first category many of the brand's devotees will tell you to get involved in.KapitalColumbia Checked Cotton-Flannel Western ShirtKapital dialled down its trademark freakiness (skeleton bones, big smileys) here, feeling the plaid was irreverent enough.Polo Ralph LaurenButton-Down Collar Logo-Embroidered Cotton-Flannel ShirtThe plaid Mr. Ralph Lauren decided we were worthy of this season.3SixteenChecked Cotton-Flannel ShirtThe camp collar here makes the shirt's summer utility a little more explicit.CelineChecked Cotton ShirtCeline deserves as much credit as anyone for reminding the fashion industry that Americana staples always work—especially when they're neatened up like this.CharvetChecked Cotton-Flannel ShirtRecently acquired by LVMH, esteemed French shirtmakers Charvet don't only produce business-friendly blanks.Louis Cheslaw is an editor working with the GQ Recommends team. He also writes the Wardrobe newsletter, and previously spent years helping people make good shopping decisions at New York Magazine’s The Strategist. When he isn’t writing about what guys are wearing right now, he’s likely covering cultural movers and ... Read More