The 'Blanket Shirt' That's as Cozy as Its Name Suggests
BUY $98, outerknown.com
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I'll cut right to the chase. When the going gets tough (read: it gets chilly outside), and the tough have to get going, all the tough really want to wear is something that looks presentable and feels comfortable. That is no easy feat. I can't tell you how many times I stomped around my bedroom like a 5-year-old on a cold winter morning, huffing and puffing and dreading the amount of layers I need to put on just to brave my 45-minute commute.
It's true: Fall Is for Dressin'. But as it starts to transition to winter, we're all put to the sartorial test. If only it were acceptable to grab your favorite flannel blanket (you know, the one that's accompanied you through "sick days" and long, potato-chip-infused weekends on the couch), drape it over your body, and walk out the door with the swagger of Lenny Kravitz and the coziness of this cat.
Outerknown's Blanket Shirt is the socially acceptable version of that. Here's why.
It's right there in the name.
I love that Outerknown got right to it and named this a Blanket Shirt. But what I love even more is how true to its name it is. First of all, it is a shirt (check). Secondly, it does all the work that a blanket would do should you take my aforementioned suggestion literally and walk out the door wearing one. This shirt is heavy. You can feel it weighing on you—nay, embracing you. It's the winter hug you often need but don't feel like soliciting a stranger to get.
Better yet, aesthetically, Outerknown didn't try too hard, and the result is even more comforting than the coziest fabric. So often with these sorts of garments, function isn't quite enough for those putting them together; they can get a little too loud. That's not the case here. These look normal, but feel amazing. What will follow from friends and coworkers is low-key envy. Envy of your low-key coziness.
BUY $98, outerknown.com
There's a version for everyone.
Outerknown went ahead and made 30 (thirty!) versions of this shirt. That means the only requirement for Blanket Shirt Eligibility is giving a damn about looking and feeling good at the same time. From there, you could spin a roulette wheel and land on an option that'll play anywhere from work to your weekend apple-picking trip. (Don't kid yourself. You'll do it sooner or later.)
BUY $98, outerknown.com
Sometimes, you just get tired of hoodies and sweaters.
Let's be honest. A Blanket Shirt isn't (yet) a staple of the season. When those temperatures do what they do, you've already got a solid hoodie, sweater, or crewneck sweatshirt on deck to do the trick. But even a creature of habit eventually breaks their cycle in search of something new. This is the perfect shirt to mix things up with. You can throw it on over a T-shirt or thermal with jeans or sturdy chinos. You can also reach for that old-faithful sweatshirt out of loyalty and still add the Blanket Shirt on top of it for extra comfort. The simplicity of this garment yields versatility—and during the winter months, where things can easily become formulaic, versatility is more than welcome.
Prop styling by Miako Katoh
Photography by Timothy Mulcare
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