An Ode to My Favorite Plaid Button Up

I, like most, have the standard plaid button up that gets a lot more attention than any of my other button ups. 

Her name is Diane. 

Diane is red at her base but is accented with blue, black, and white. 

I met Diane about eight months ago but it feels like we’ve known each other for a lifetime. For a while she was the only thing I’d feel comfortable in. 

It’s wild how wearing Diane will ease many of my nerves and anxieties. I’ve worn Diane to fancy dinners when I’m feeling great and when I need a little extra confidence in an unfamiliar place. She’s got it all in so many ways. She’s loose enough so I can wear a tee shirt or long sleeve underneath but she’s also tight enough to fit comfortably under a sweater. 

On days where I don’t wear Diane I set her up comfortably in my living room. I put Golden Girls (her favorite show) on the TV and leave the window open because she likes to feel the breeze through her cotton fibers. When I get home I say, “Diane! I’m home!” and she goes “Awwwwwww, Allie!” then we talk about the many antics she got into during the day while I was at the club rehearsing. 

On vacations I buy Diane her own plane ticket. I get a lot of push back for this but I can’t just put her in my bag like some ordinary shirt. Getting her through security is always a process though because she forgets to empty her full water bottle every time! I’ve tried just reminding her - it’s futile. 

But no matter how many times she holds us up at security I still love Diane. We never fight and I think that’s pretty rare between a shirt and their person. 

While you might think I’m nuts - (which I am!) - I hope you relate to this. 

When you find that piece of clothing that really makes you feel your best, you do everything you can to keep it in the most mint of conditions. You know that tee shirt you love that you refuse to put through the dryer? Finding it shrunk and no longer perfectly fitted to you would be terrible! 

As a queer still experimenting with gender expression it’s even more important to me when I find the clothes that fit and feel awesome. 

So yes, I will treat Diane like part of the family. When you see us together feel free to greet us both - odds are we’re both having an awesome day. 

The great news is you too can have your own favorite flannel and love it as much as I love mine. For a limited time you can pre-order a plaid flannel button up from Dapper Boi at a reduced price. Jump on this though because this reduced price campaign is only available until March 17th!