Pladra Men's Every Day Flannel Shirt Review: Relaxed Fit

I’ve had flannel shirts since I started shopping for myself. Some were memorable, some were forgettable. The Pladra Flannel is absolutely not forgettable and I want to tell you why.

This year, I picked up the Pladra Men’s Every Day Flannel Shirt in Portsmouth Blue Heather. Becca got one too. Even our toddler got one!

In this review, I cover the fit, the style and the practicality. Let’s get started.

How the Pladra Flannel shirt fits me

Let me start with the fit because that’s what you’re probably wondering about. I ordered the Medium, and it fits exactly how I want a flannel to fit - relaxed but not sloppy.

The Pladra flannel has a slightly tapered body with standard chest and sleeve measurements, which means it gives me room to move without looking boxy.

I have an athletic build, and the Medium gives me space in the shoulders and arms without hugging my hips. That’s an important point for me because I’ve had button-downs that are too tight in the hip and I hate it.

One of the good things to know about Pladra is they’re built for movement. They have triple needle stitching on all of the points where shirts might fail. Sometimes I see something in the lawn or start messing around with something else, and before you know it, I’m deep into a project wearing whatever I’m wearing for the day.

It’s nice to know that if I’m doing any type of work in my Pladra shirt, I don’t have to worry about stressing out the material.

The sleeves are long enough to hit my hands with room to cuff, though they’re a bit longer than I’d prefer. A Small would’ve been too tight around my hips, so I am sticking with the Medium even with the slightly long sleeves.

What I enjoy about the Pladra fit is how it moves with me. When I sit down, it doesn’t bunch up like some other flannels do. The relaxed cut means I can move around without feeling restricted.

The cotton flannel has enough natural “give” to accommodate stretching and reaching, which I’m always doing when we travel because I am with my kids.

Materials and quality: 100% cotton warmth and durability

The Pladra flannel uses 100% Portuguese cotton and it has a natural “give” that makes it incredibly comfortable for all-day wear.

I got the Pladra Men’s Every Day Flannel Shirt, so it is mid-weight. The fabric is lightly “brushed” for that classic flannel feel, and the interior is softer still. It’s the perfect weight for layering under a jacket without being too heavy, and it breathes well while I am doing something like hiking, or carrying my daughter at the park.

I never got the sense that I would overheat in this, like I might with other types of synthetic flannels that I’ve gotten in the past.

The style: versatile, multi-use and definitely classic

I’m typically the type to tuck in button-down shirts. They are always too long on me and they get bunched up in ways where I don’t like. Or, it ends up being too tight around the hips and it looks messy. With this flannel, it’s totally fine to leave untucked.

You can tuck these in. There enough length where it won’t easily come untucked. You can also wear this open if you’d like. I don’t think you have any style limitations.

The color we (me, Becca and–well, we chose the color for our toddler) all chose was the Portsmouth Blue Heather. It’s unisex among all of us and it works year-round.

Our whole family got Pladra shirts!

My toddler has the same flannel in size 2T, and it’s adorable.

It’s super cute and something we can share together. And, as a bonus, Becca has one also so we can wear them together as a family. We wore them out to the park and got some looks. So, it’s totally a choice to wear matching family shirts. I never thought I would like it as much as I did.

The Pladra craftsmanship

Having a premium flannel means having premium elements that you won’t get from a regular store-bought flannel that is mass produced. The Pladra flannel is built to last. Don’t take my word for it, you can read all about it on their website.

Some of the highlights are the triple stitching, high quality fabric selection and a thoughtfully designed production process.

The Pladra signature nature scenes

You can order your Pladra flannel with or without the unique “nature scene” wildlife lining on the cuffs, collar and back yoke.

I went with the standard version (without the wildlife scenery), but the nature print liner could be a nice touch if you want something a bit different.

Becca and our daughter both got the wildlife scenery on their Pladra shirts. It looks hand-painted, like a painting out of a museum. Our daughter was so excited to see animals that she could name, on the nature scene on the cuffs. And Becca thinks that it makes a Pladra shirt really worth showing off.

I kind of regret not getting the nature scenes. But that’s me. For you, you have the option!

Care plan

One thing to keep in mind, 100% cotton will shrink or expand based on your use and care.

Pladra accounts for the cotton shrinkage in their pattern design, so the shirt may fit a bit long, right out of the box.

The recommendation from Pladra is to wash on cold, and hang dry if you want to avoid shrinkage. For us, we do a fluff in the dryer, and THEN a hang-dry. It’s the same way Becca washes our denim jeans to preserve the fabrics, but get some lint off.

The Bottom Line: Should you go all-in, or skip?

The Pladra Men’s Every Day Flannel Shirt stands true to its promise of being perfect for those colder parts of the year. It’s comfortable enough for outdoor activities and stylish enough for everyday wear. The relaxed fit works well for athletic builds, and the 100% mid-weight Portuguese cotton construction provides that natural comfort you want in a flannel.

At the current price, it’s not the cheapest flannel out there. But that is not the point.

The quality construction and versatile styling make it worth the investment, like having a purchase for life. Plus, the family matching potential adds value if you’re looking to coordinate with your partner or kids (and take amazing family photos during holiday season).

To top it off, I think a Pladra flannel for winter-time trips makes a great gift for dads who love to travel.

Where to buy Pladra flannel shirts

Check out the Pladra Men’s Every Day Flannel Shirt directly on their website.

You can also check out Pladra on Amazon. In this review, I’ve talked about the mid-weight flannel, but Pladra makes several types of flannels. Go to the all of Pladra’s flannels here to see the array of flannels that have different fabric weights and collections.