Squarzi Waffle Knit Henley
Blackpool Sea

A waffle top is one of those things that you’ve probably always wanted, but never quite known where to get a good one from. So, like always, I took it upon myself to create one, and to create the best possible version that I could.

A waffle top is an incredibly versatile piece of clothing, but perhaps most importantly, it’s lovely and warm, which is rather useful for the forthcoming/current cooler temperatures.

Like always, we start with the fabric, and this is a lovely mid-weight cotton that can be worn as a base layer with something over the top, or with a t-shirt underneath to create a nice outer layer. The fabric is tough, rugged, has loads of natural stretch and feels absolutely wonderful against the skin. The cotton has been knitted in Portugal and washed once to give it a beautiful broken-in feel, making it look like a cowboy has owned it for two years, worn it every day and then very kindly given it to you.

The beauty of waffle cotton is in its construction. Unlike ordinary flat cotton jersey, the distinctive three-dimensional knit creates hundreds of tiny pockets that trap warm air close to your body, providing additional insulation without unnecessary weight. The result is a fabric that’s wonderfully warm, naturally breathable and particularly good for layering. A clever bit of textile engineering that’s been keeping people comfortable for generations.

The neck is ribbed and tapers slightly as it approaches the button placket. This is to reduce the dreaded ‘curl up’ that you sometimes get on other henleys and, perhaps more importantly, because it looks super elegant. The placket itself is made from ribbed cotton, which is then reinforced on the button side with additional cotton to give it a wonderfully luxurious feel and improve durability.

There is a split hem at the sides for ease of movement, ribbed cuffs to keep the cold out and the warmth in, and the whole thing is finished with beautiful mother-of-pearl buttons, as is our trademark. No polyester buttons here at TRiCKETT, no way! The henley flat lock stitched throughout, what that means for the non-clothing geeks amongst us, is that the top has no bulky seams that will irritate when wearing and it makes the whole garment more durable due to a lack of stitching to nick or rip. See, we do know what we are doing.

This top comes in our signature deep navy blue, which, to quote the wonderful Sid Mashburn, is “the same colour as the night sky and everything goes with the night sky.” You don’t actually see many navy blue waffle henleys, which is the real reason we decided to make one. And just look at those beautiful contrasting mother-of-pearl buttons!

The fit is a little longer in the body so that you can tuck it in when wearing it underneath a shirt, although it can most definitely be worn untucked if you prefer. Tucking it in will help trap more warmth around your body, but I’m not your parent or guardian, so do what you want, like.

The sizing comes up a little bigger, as waffle tops are designed to be worn with a little room in them. This helps create a comfortable insulating layer of air between the fabric and your body, keeping you lovely and warm without feeling excessively bundled up. Clever stuff, really.

So go on, treat yourself to a proper waffle-knit henley that’ll last you years. You can even use it to pretend you know how to ranch cattle, when really the only ranch you know is the ranch dressing on your salad.