Flannel is a woven fabric, loosely spun and typically quite soft to the touch, which can be made from cotton, synthetic fibre – or wool, which is its most common form for men’s suits and other garments.
A man’s suit in flannel will appear quite bulky and unfitted because the fabric is not easily shaped and does not take a crease well – indeed, the less structure and shape it has, the better. As a result, flannel can look positively baggy.
Flannel is traditionally associated with conservative and old-fashioned attitudes. So a flannel suit certainly has to be worn with the right attitude, otherwise you will look distinctly unfashionable.
But if you find the right suit, and if you can wear it with panache, a flannel suit can add real style and variety to your otherwise drab winter wardrobe. In its most classic form, probably a plain or speckled mid grey, it gives a strong sense of tradition and refinement. It never looks too slick or pushy; and even when it’s patterned, the soft and fuzzy surface of the fabric can mute the pattern a bit so that it’s never distasteful and can be worn with a broader range of accessories.