Theory Of Flannel

So flannel shirts are pretty much over, right?

Flannel used to be What You Wore With Leather when you went out to the leather bar.

And I love flannel shirts. Every fall I'd go out and buy one or two new ones. When I was a poor college student, starving in a garret, this meant a trip to K-Mart, where I could pick them up for $4.99. Or, in fatter times, pricier fare made by Woolrich. They'd start off the year sort of stiff, but with these beautiful deep, rich, over-saturated colors. Reds, blacks, greens, blues, yellows. In high school, from October to April, I wore a flannel shirt just about every day. Flannel shirt, jeans, boots. Pretty much the uniform. And flannel shirts were in the mix during my punk rock era, too. And when I first moved to NYC, one day I stumbled upon All American Boy on Christopher Street west of Hudson. And there they all were, lined up on hangers, covering an entire wall. It was pretty much Clone-Central. And I was in Flannel Heaven.

The 90s brought the advent of Nirvana and the whole Lumber-Surf look. So once again, it was all about flannel.

But these days, not so much, huh?

Under Armor seems to have replaced flannel.

And I'm fine with that. I was a pioneer in the wearing of form-fitting athletic garments made from miracle fabrics of the 21st Century.

But on a day like today, mild, damp, cool... What I want to be wearing is a nice warm cotton flannel shirt.

So I am.