CHESTNUT FLANNEL SHIRT

Product Review (submitted on March 23, 2012):

I have to say, it was worth ordering this shirt to get the confirmation email. Don't ask why, just do it.

Gave the red flannel shirt to my husband this morning. He was thrilled. The Large fit him perfectly, and if I didn't love him so much already, I would have fallen for him all over again as soon as he put it on. The fabric is perfect. The cut is a good, man's cut. It's just what a flannel shirt should be and none of what it shouldn't.

My husband will wear this shirt until it disintegrates. That generally takes about 15 years, based on my observations of his sartorial habits (wear what you love, over and over) and the quality of the shirt.

He had not heard of Stormy Kromer, but as he is a Toledo boy who used to vacation up at Mullett Lake, I knew he'd appreciate that it was from the UP - the WAY UP and WAY WEST - part of MI.

And for reasons lost to time, his nickname at work is Cromer. How could I not buy him this shirt?

I first heard of Stormy Kromer when I stopped into Allen-Edmonds to spoil my husband rotten for Christmas with some MacNeils (which will look amazing with his jeans and Stormy Kromer flannel shirt). They had these wonderful hats, and I looked at the label and went back to work to investigate. I wanted to buy him one, but as the house is strewn with his perfectly good caps, I couldn't justify another. I tried to get the dogs to chew some of them, but they couldn't bring themselves to abandon their decorum and stoop that low. I would have taken things into my own hands, but I couldn't abandon my decorum either, and we don't have a garbage disposal. I guess I have no alternative other than to wait for a few to blow off when he's out in a gale. In the meantime, maybe I'll get one for myself. Either way, a cap shall be ordered in time for Fall.

I tried to get him the shirt for Christmas, but there was a rush on, apparently, as the Red was not available in Large. So I waited for his birthday. Moral of the story: order the shirts early. Don't wait until mid-December if you want to give one for Christmas unless the recipient is either very large or very small and looks good in every color.

We watched the video this morning after he opened the shirt. It was terrific fun to see the stitchers give birth to a hat.

Many thanks to the good folks at Stormy Kromer for making my husband's birthday one he'll remember.