Pendleton Season

When Seasons Change, The Pendleton Remains

We are approaching summer in California which usually means perfect weather for a trip to the beach or a stroll on the boardwalk. Every summer Californians expect 80 to 90 degree weather, which at times peaks at 100 degrees. People trade their pants for shorts and their wool fedoras for straw fedoras—but the Pendleton brand is everlasting through the seasons. It is not uncommon to see someone rocking the Pendleton 100% wool board shirt through the unpredictable California spring weather or through the warm summer. For Pendletonians that just means to switch out the black board shirt for a lighter color, like a tan or bright ombre, or maybe switch the wool board shirt for their lightweight cotton blend. Wear the Pendleton buttoned to the collar for a classic look or unbuttoned for a loose, casual look. The Pendleton Board Shirt is a timeless item in your closet for every occasion.

For a Pendletonian, every season is Pendleton season. Pendleton lovers all over the world impatiently wait for the each season’s new line so they can add on to their collection. Pendletons are treated as novelty item; they are one of a kind flannels that seldom bring back patterns from their vintage years for upcoming new seasons. Those who own a Pendleton board shirt understand why these wool flannels are treated with as much care as they deserve: the Pendleton brand represents everything that quality entails. Men, if you don’t have a Pendleton in your closet, maybe it’s time to get one and be a part of this tradition that began in the late 1800’s. It’s no wonder why Pendleton has been around so long.

Adrian Cardenas has been a barber at Santa Ana's Barbería El Catrín for five years. We sat with Adrian for a short Q&A about how his Pendleton collection all began.

Q&A:

How long have you been wearing Pendleton board shirts?
When I was younger, probably in my adolescence like in middle school.

How did you first hear about the Pendleton brand?

My parents used to buy them for my older brothers. I would get their hand-me-downs, but that was okay for me because Pendletons never really go out of style. Pendletons have always been “in” during my lifetime. Once we outgrew them, my parents would give them away or donate them to Goodwill. Today, I never go to Goodwill to look for them, but I do have one secondhand Pendleton from a friend who turned it into a short sleeve for me.

But back then, I didn’t really know too much about them, all I knew was that I liked them. For me, it was just a nice shirt to wear. However, growing up in school Pendletons were an uncommon thing. In the neighborhood we grew up in, nobody was wearing Pendletons. The guys at school were asking me where I got my flannels, because they would just wear regular ones.

How many Pendletons do you own?

Right now I have 8 board shirts, one being the custom short sleeve.

What kind of colors are you always looking for to add to your collection? Do you prefer the plaids, the mixes, or the ombres?

Most of the Pendletons I have are the ombres. I have a couple of more defined plaids. I am usually looking for the darker colors that include the blues, blacks, greys, and browns.

Do you think you will continue to wear Pendletons for a long time? Would you consider passing them on to others like your brothers did for you?

Oh yeah, I will continue to wear them. They have been around forever. I wouldn’t mind handing them down to my nephews to keep it a family tradition.