Over the years, I have accumulated a great collection of flannel shirts. However, as I become more focused on fit, I find myself purging shirts that don’t qualify for an A+ rating. As for me, I love flannel shirts, but I’m a bit weird about them. I look at flannel as a very tough material that can take a lot of abuse. With this as a guidepost, I prefer to wash my flannels vs. dry cleaning. Even if they are a super nice Italian-made shirt with a cutaway collar. I think this gives the flannel a more authentic look and helps them to feel extremely soft. So much so that Mrs. RCS likes to borrow them to wear as an overshirt.
Here’s my process: I unbutton every button on the shirt. Collars, cuffs, etc. I wash them on cold, then throw them into the dryer for about five minutes on low heat. I immediately remove while still warm, then stretch the placket, seams, and sleeves so they don’t bunch, shape the collar, and hang them to dry. Some may need a quick ironing, but it’s rare.
This Fall, I’m happy to add three new flannels to the rotation. The first (L-R) is a super nice Maurizio Galdassari, a made in Italy job that I got from Miller Brothers. I love the color combination – it reminds me of some old shirts I saw in my Granddad’s closet Burgundy and grey are an underused combination:
The middle is the Filson Field Flannel shirt in Camo. I missed out on this one last year, and as soon as they announced them this year, I sourced one from Craig Reagin in Lexington, SC. I’ll wear this one more like an overshirt, as it’s a bit thicker than the rest. It’ll probably get some use in the duck blind as well:
The one on the right is a vintage Viyella that Mrs. RCS found at an estate sale (for $5!). It’s in perfect condition, and the colorway is fantastic. I love having a few like this one in the rotation:
I typically wear these all the time in the winter – especially when I’m spending time outside. I like to pair them with jeans, canvas 5-pockets, or chinos. It’s a classic look that only gets better with age. And remember – with fit being the primary focus, it’ll look polished, not like the old-school baggy flannels. Bring on the Fall temps, right?
What flannels are you eyeing?
Same with the Duck Camo Filson. I was too late last year, and pulled the trigger quickly this year.
Just ran over a cool site called camohq.com Not sure about their products, but they did a great job creating a catalogue of historical camo. This filson looks closest to “American CIDG Leopard” worn by special forces in early Vietnam.