"The Flannel Ordeal"

The Backdrop:

It is now the middle of October, and while the gusty winds continue to roll in with transitional colors of the crunchy leaves slowly making their way to the ground, the temperatures have not proven to display the arrival of Autumn in the mid-Atlantic region of Virginia.  I know two months from now, as I'm sitting bundled up on the couch, mug in hand and a fleece blanket wrapped ever-so-tightly around my frozen body, I will wish the dog days of Summer would be present once more.  However, because it is October and because I, personally, feel it a faux pas to walk around in flip flops and tank tops without some sort of Fall accessory in hand, I am happy to report that the flannel has only made one appearance, thus far, in my household.  While I know it is an essential textile to keep warm on those chilly nights, I'm not so sure just how appealing it is on the bodies of men other than cowboy-riding, rodeo-rough-housin' male entities.  

The Situation:

As a recent college graduate, I have the pleasure of residing in Virginia's capital city of Richmond, Virginia with three fine young individuals.  Cat, my best friend and distant cousin (we'd like to think of ourselves more as sisters born from other mothers) is my right-hand woman, and having lived with her once before in undergrad at UVA, I'm happy to be back by her side in Richmond.  Marie, an absolute joy and pleasure to live with, is my second roommate, whose bright smile and ever-endearing compassion shines through to everyone that she knows.  Lastly, our third roommate, Brad, is the sole man of the house, integrating testosterone, Sports Center, Alabama game updates, and simple, uncomplicated responses into the mix of a most-complicated and overly-dominating female residence.  I give him credit for withstanding us, and while I'm not sure how he truly feels about living with three women, I am quite certain he is happy here.  While I, myself, grew up with a younger brother, living with a guy is not all that new and scary for me; I can honestly say it's great having Brad around.  We talk about most anything, from love interests and friends to school and random thoughts, so I never hesitate to even talk to Brad about fashion sense, for both our sakes.  Which brings me to my next thought....

The Issue:

Two weeks ago a taste of Winter's nasty bite flirted with us for about three days, and the temperatures dropped into the upper 40s once the sun set over the city.  As we were all preparing for a night out on the town and getting together with various friends, all four of us were excited to dig though our closets and pull out sweaters, long-sleeved shirts, jeans, boots (!), and flannel.  Wait, FLANNEL?  I cannot forget Brad walking past my room on his way down the hall wearing a flannel long-sleeved shirt and khakis.  "Brad," I remember commenting (jokingly, of course), "you're really going to wear that out?  What will the women think?"  Brad's response, a cool, nonchalant look of unconcern and care for what I had just asked him, was simply, "What?  The women love it."

The PROS: 

I have no argument against the fact that Flannel does, in fact, keep people warm and toasty in those frigid temperatures.  While Brad will forever attest that it is soft and not-at-all scratchy (I have contradictory thoughts), I cannot disagree that it is extremely beneficial for the Winter months.  Flannel is also timeless and practical; for those individuals who enjoy venturing out into the unknown and undiscovered parts of this country with their camping equipment, fishing rods, hunting rifles, and are prepared to conquer rough-terrain and uncharted demographics, flannel is quite appropriate.  Also, if you're the frat type with a lumber jack build, perhaps you can pull the Flannel look off more so than others.  For these reasons, I support the Flannel Ordeal.

The CONS:

Again, Flannel is practical, and whether or not practicality meets social mingling at a precise middle point, I'm not quite certain that Flannel can solely contribute to the "sexy" factor when venturing out on the town.  Perhaps, it's not the concept of Flannel that gets me, but more so the type and how one wears Flannel in the setting which one has placed himself.  I have often commented to Brad that he should go for a more "rough" look when displaying his Flannel around town or, at least, more so paired with jeans rather than khakis.  Again, in thinking about demographics and where we live, Richmond is mostly a trendy, "hip" place, especially where we live in the Fan.  I can honestly say our new city of residence is quite different than preppy Charlottesville, so, naturally, things are worn in different ways.


The Point:
So maybe my entire argument stems from a misinterpretation of the overall purpose of Flannel.  Perhaps it's not so much about Flannel itself, but now I'm beginning to think about how it is worn more so than how it is viewed.  Pairing it with jeans and maybe boots and a hat (maybe with a nice Five O'clock shadow to top it off) would most definitely fit the part and safely deliver Flannel to a nice level of respect.  Not going for anything too over-the-top is the key.  A look of simple, rugged originality will bring out the best in Flannel.  


In Summary:
I know Brad will continue to wear his beloved Flannel throughout these upcoming Winter months, in addition to a recently-discovered extra article of clothing that I never knew existed- Flannel-lined khakis... who knew?  And because I absolutely adore my only guy roommate I will never not support his sense of fashion.  While I might not 100% adore the idea, I will always (deep breath in) fend for his style selections.  So, in conclusion, I am excited to see what this Winter will bring, both weather-wise and fashion-sense wise with my male roommate.  At the end of the day, he is Brad, Flannel and all, and that will never change.

*I would love to hear thoughts/feedback on this topic, so let me know what you think!*

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