Men's flannel-lined pants: the best things you never knew you needed

We know this to be true: a pair of men's flannel pajamas is perhaps the most comfortable piece of clothing you can add to your wardrobe. And on a frosty winter morning, few things can be a greater comfort than the flannel pajama pants you slip into before brewing the day's first cup of coffee.

As you sip that coffee, still enjoying the flannel pajama pant's warmth, a thought might come to mind. Why can't I wear these all day?

Unless that day happens to be Saturday or Sunday, the answer is of course work. No matter how much looser dress codes become, wearing a pair of flannel pajama pants to your place of employment is going to be a tall order. You're going to have to change into your dedicated office chinos sooner or later.

But what if you just wore your flannel pajama pants under your men's chinos? It might sound like a brilliant idea at first, but then you imagine how those loose-fitting flannel pajama pants might bunch up below your straight-fit chinos, and the concept begins to lose its charm.

However, there is one possibility you haven't considered: men's flannel-lined pants. You should take them into consideration, because flannel lined pants may turn out to be the best things you never knew you needed.

How great are flannel-lined pants? Flannel lined pants are like wearing your flannel pajama pants under your chinos, but in a way that makes sense and is actually comfortable. Flannel-lined pants will prove to be the same as your chinos in every conceivable way, except that they feature inside flannel lining to provide extra warmth.

Indeed, the factor of added warmth is perhaps the greatest case for picking up a pair of flannel-lined pants in the first place. The flannel lining is a far more practical option when compared to wearing pajama pants, thermal underwear or men's long underwear below your work chinos, and will still provide the warmth that you are looking for.

And then there's the visual factor. While we previously stated that one of the strengths of a pair of flannel-lined pants is its ability to blend in as if it's just another pair of chinos, you can also show off the flannel lining if you choose to wear them in a more casual context or simply feel so inclined.

All that's needed to show off the flannel lining of the pants themselves is to cuff the bottom hem the same way that you would a pair of men's jeans. A single cuff is all that is needed to expose the flannel lining, but you can go ahead and give it a double cuff if you've decided to wear them with boots.

Whatever the flannel lining inside the pants—we're particularly partial to a good buffalo check pattern—its exposure will create an immediate visual contrast with the rest of the pant. It's an easy way to add a pop of extra visual interest to even the simplest of outfits, such as a white oxford cloth button-down shirt and a pair of flannel-lined chino pants.

Of course, there's something inherently autumnal about the sight of a contrast flannel cuff on a pair of pants. To make the most of this fall-ready aesthetic, consider pairing the pants to a good pair of leather moccasins or work boots, and wearing a men's flannel shirt up top with a shawl collar cardigan.

Or you could also use the exposed flannel lining at the cuff to add a bit of contrast to a more tailored look, like the classic preppy combination that is a blue blazer, a blue oxford-cloth button-down shirt and a pair of penny loafers.