How to Tie a Flannel
I’m a child of the ’90s, which means I love all things grunge: slackers, Kurt Cobain, and Cameron Crowe’s cinematic masterpiece, Singles. My seventh grade uniform consisted of strategically ripped jeans, scuffed-up Dr. Martens, and my brother’s plaid shirt draped around my waist. Fast forward to 2014 and I’m still rocking the look like it never went away, because I guess it never really has. Over the last few years, everyone one from Phillip Lim to Dries van Noten to Hedi Slimane has paid homage to the Northwest aesthetic with baby doll dresses, knobby cardigans, and of course, the flannel. But even though it’s a lo-fi look, you still need to know how to properly tie a flannel around your waist. Here, four straightforward steps to achieve the look flawlessly.
1. Pick a button-down shirt that’s lightweight. Choosing a flannel that’s too thick will make you look bulky.
2. Avoid the “collar butt.” Hold the sleeves out to the side behind you with the collar facing out. Trust us, it’s a much chicer look!
3. Align the shirt with the top of your jeans for a clean aesthetic. If you go too low, you run the risk of looking like a flannel-wrap novice. If you’re sporting high-waisted jeans, the top of your hips should be your marker for where to position the shirt. If you go too high, you might be mistaken for nerdy Andrea Zuckerman of Beverly Hills, 90210 (the original cast).
4. Bring the sleeves together and loosely knot them over the zipper. Warning: Do not double knot the sleeves. You want to look effortlessly put together, not try-hardy.
Gifs by Dianna McDougall
