There’s a sure-fire way to tell that winter has arrived in the Kootenays without looking at the weather. No, it’s not holiday lights or the light, puffy smoke rising from the chimneys of houses around town. Nor is it the emergence of winter-spiced coffees and ales from our favourite local café or craft brewery. As the cold weather descends upon our mountain towns, you’ll find us reaching into our closets and pulling out our winter coat-of-armour – the knit toque and plaid flannel shirts and jackets, to be worn until the spring (or summer!) with a certain sense of pride. What is it about the plaid-laden, cozy shirts and uber-warm headwear that make them so suitable for our Kootenay winters? Does wearing a toque all day mean we don’t have to worry about how our hair looks? I don’t think so. After all we’re mountain folk, and if there’s one thing we’re not, it’s sedentary.

As the cold weather descends upon our mountain towns, you’ll find us reaching into our closets and pulling out our winter coat-of-armour – the knit toque and plaid, flannel shirts and jackets, to be worn until the spring (or summer!) with a certain sense of pride.

It’s not rare to catch us out for a Nordic ski in the morning with our knit toques wrapped tightly around our heads. Then in the afternoon, cruising through the forests for a fat-bike ride or exploring by snow-shoe in our long-sleeved plaid, flannel jackets. Our distinctive outerwear will then take us to the restaurants and pubs without missing a beat or looking out of place. Even in the offices of our cities, the iconic checkered patterned clothing can be found everywhere. I swear, on my last group Zoom meeting, at least a quarter of attendees were wearing their favourite flannel shirts! Beyond the versatility, flannel is also ridiculously comfortable.

In fact, plaid-flannel is such an ingrained part of our culture that Kimberley even has its own winter festival, Flannel Fest – mid February (second Saturday in February), celebrates our love and passion for the greatest of winter outerwear! Maybe that’s it. We belong in the outdoors, we live for the outdoors, and toques and flannel are like a match made in heaven for our Kootenay winters.