Men's navy Fair Isle Christmas flannel dressing gown

Start with what the garment is for: a dressing gown is for the hours either side of sleep: the kettle at seven, the sofa at ten. Flannel is a woven cotton brushed on both faces. The brushing raises a soft nap that traps warmth, without the synthetic feel of a fleece. That is the difference between a flannel robe and one that only looks the part.

In use it shows up as one thing: warm and breathable at once — the combination fleece cannot manage, because the base is still cotton. The same need shows up in our mens flannel dressing gown.

Men ask about room across the back and enough length in the sleeve before anything else, and they are right to — it is where most robes fall down. On that note, see also our christmas dressing gown range.

• Soft from the first wear — no breaking-in period: the nap is raised at the mill, not by use
• It looks like clothing, not like loungewear — which is what makes it wearable when someone knocks at the door
• A Christmas present that gets used — the one gift that comes out of the wardrobe every evening for the next three winters
• Belt loops that hold the belt — a small thing, and the first thing missing on a cheap robe

Flannel pills slightly at the cuffs over a couple of winters. A fabric shaver takes care of it in two minutes, and the fabric is otherwise very long-lived. Machine wash at 40°C, tumble dry low. Treated that way, a flannel dressing gown lasts five winters rather than one — the difference between a robe you keep on the back of the door and one you replace every autumn. The same need shows up in our flannel dressing gown.