Two years ago I wrote about how excited I was about for the newest shirt fabrics from Proper Cloth, my favorite shirtmaker. The “low twist” flannels were super heavy, textured, and had great colors as well—I immediately bought two, and they have been in my weekly rotation ever since. They weren’t offered at all last year but it looks like they just restocked, and new colors were added as well.
I have worn these shirts more than just about anything else over the past couple of years. I always have one when traveling, and they’re the perfect “I need a layer but maybe not a full jacket” type of garment. They have broken in wonderfully and are a great combination of warmth and heft while also being machine washable and very hard-wearing.
There are tons of great color and pattern options so it’s hard to pick favorites (you can see them all here). Last time I ordered the Black/Red Ombre as a western-style shirt and the Navy/Pine Plaid as a classic flannel. I wear both of them a ton, so I just picked up a couple more to round out the collection.
Here are a couple quick notes about the Low Twist shirts:
- I recommend ordering a larger, roomier shirt than you normally would. In part because they do shrink a fair amount (mine ended up smaller than expected) and are also super thick, but also because I think they look best a bit loose. I sized up a bit last time and this time I’m adding even more room to them.
- Go for casual shirt details like double front pockets and soft point collar. This is no place for spread collars or a hidden placket. If you’re looking for inspiration, check out flannels from Pendleton or Iron Heart. Note how most of those have two bias-cut front pockets (both of which are design options at Proper Cloth).
After these first launched in 2021 they started to sell out fairly quickly, and then last year they weren’t available at all. I’m not taking any chances this year, so I got my order in early. If you’re trying Proper Cloth for the first time you’re welcome to use my referral code for $20 off of your first purchase. At $150 they’re definitely not cheap but they’re quite literally the best shirts that I own. I wear these when I dress up and I wear these when I’m doing laundry; they are constantly in use, so well worth the money. If you order one now it should arrive by mid-November; the perfect time for a new flannel.
