The Bunk Bed Monthly #2
Feb 11, 2025
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5 minute read
Hi there, First off, Happy New Year!
Jon took you into the world of monk strap shoes last month. Now, it falls on me to write something educational and hopefully somewhat entertaining to distract you from being back at work.
This should take up the next 3 minutes or so.
By the way, if you’re enjoying the content so far, why not forward it on to your friends?
Favourite Cloths
I’ve had a lot of people randomly ask me recently, "what’s your favourite type of cloth?".
Perhaps because of the time of year, or because I’ve just made myself a grey double breasted chalk stripe suit in this type of cloth, my response has been instant: flannel.
I’m not talking about that horrid rag material your mum used to wash your face with when you had cake above your eyebrow for some reason.
No. I’m talking about the durable woollen material with a slight nap and almost muted finish.
Heavy enough to have an obedient drape on the trouser, warm and versatile enough to help you through the colder months without adding a boatload of lining to your jacket.
In my opinion, grey is the best colour — something mid-toned. That way, it won't wash you out while you’re likely at your palest. It photographs beautifully, too, so I recommend it for winter events when you need to look your best.
Regrettably though, up until very recently, I had no idea how it was made. I’m going to assume you guys probably don’t know either. Apologies to any flannel aficionados out there.
I asked our good friends over at Harrison’s to explain the process behind making cloth so different from the standard, durable stuff we’re all familiar with in four season suiting .
How did they achieve the thicker, more luxurious texture of flannel? Here’s what they said.
"You start with a looser spun yarn. On top of that, it's milled a lot more than other worsted cloths (the cloth used for traditional suiting). Milling involves treating the cloth with heat and moisture. We do that more to a flannel to give it that thickness and fullness. The cloth before genuinely looks like a dish cloth."
Harking back to Jon’s article last month about monk straps and the importance of a well-cut trouser, I like flannel trousers with a whispering/ shivering break. Basically cut so that they fall just on top of the shoe and the break occurs up the shin, as shown here.
Of course, that means if you wear your kegs with a lower shoe, i.e. a loafer, you risk them looking a touch short. You can kind of cover that by wearing socks as close in colour to your trousers as possible, if that's a concern. Also, add a turn-up. This extra weight allows the trousers to fall better. Opt for 4cm, or 5cm if you’re taller or prefer a chunkier look. So, as we’ve likely still got a good 4 months of chilly weather, we recommend bulking out your winter wardrobe with some flannel pieces. It's really easy to swap out a more formal shirt with some wool or cashmere knitwear for a dressed-down look. Fratelli can help with made to measure knitwear items, but If you’re looking for some off-the-rack alternatives, here’s 3 options at differing price points.
Fantasising over your next flannel piece?
Why not book in for an appointment?
That’s all for this month — see you in February.
Cheers,
Ollie from Fratelli