British summer is a bizarre experience.
Cold in the shade. Too warm in the sun. Raining by lunchtime. Then somehow sunburned by 4pm.
Which is exactly why the Original and Waxed Workers Jackets exist.
The Waxed Woodland Workers Jacket has been one of our staples since 2019.
Waxed cotton. Tough as nails. Ages properly. The sort of jacket that looks better after being dragged through 5 winters.
So we made a wool version. It's the same shape, just a bit smarter and softer.
The Merino Woodland Workers Jacket uses a heavyweight merino wool from Yorkshire mill legends, @abrahammoonsons , who've been making fabric since 1837 and are very, very good at it.
The herringbone texture is the first thing you notice. It has that dry, slightly rugged feel that proper wool jackets should have, without feeling stiff or scratchy.
Merino is softer than traditional wool, naturally temperature regulating, odour resistant, crease resistant, and surprisingly tough.
Which is useful, because historically wool jackets weren't designed for sitting politely in cafes. They were worn by loggers, outdoorsmen, railway workers, and people who generally had much harder mornings than most of us.
But the nice thing about merino is that it works in modern life too.
Cold? Fine.
Wet? Still warm.
Hot? Breathable.
We like fabrics that behave like that.
The Original and Waxed Lightweight Workers Jackets are shortly arriving at our warehouse.
A reminder too that the 20% pre-order discount ends on Tuesday. After that, they return to full price and the remaining stock is all there is until the next run.
A few sizes and colours have already disappeared. Turquoise and Cinnamon Brown are nearly gone, and Blaze Orange and Fuchsia Pink are running very low. Still plenty of good options left for now though.
Not everything helps mental health in some huge, dramatic, life-changing way. Sometimes it’s just smaller things and consistency. Going for a walk. Fresh air. Seeing a mate. Exercise. Leaving your phone alone for an hour. Eating well. Sleeping enough.
A slightly nosy question for Mental Health Awareness Week:
What genuinely helps you when life gets a bit much?
I'm Izzy,
I run service & social at FRAHM. For Mental Health Awareness Week I'd like to share my mental health story:
For most of my youth, I experienced depression.
Two years ago, I moved away from home to chase a big dream. Not long after, I developed panic disorder and anxiety - although I didn’t realise that’s what it was at the time.
I was a social worker. I’d supported so many people through similar things, so I thought I’d recognise it in myself. But when it’s happening to you, it feels completely different.
I never thought of myself as an anxious person. I was always the calm, chilled one. Some panic attacks were so intense that I thought I was dying. I felt terrified and completely alone. They seemed to come out of nowhere.
Looking back now, my nervous system was on constant alert. My amygdala reacted like I was being chased by a lion every time I left the house.
At one point, I truly believed I would feel like that forever.
But slowly, things changed.
I kept doing the things that felt impossible until they gradually became possible again. I went to therapy. I learned how to be kinder to myself. I stopped fighting my feelings and started understanding them.
Eventually, I trusted myself again.
And one day, I recognised myself. I felt present. Calm. Like me.
I’ve learned more about myself through this than I ever expected, and I’m stronger for it.
That’s a big part of what continues to draw me to FRAHM. You realise there is always someone else carrying something invisible, no matter how alone you feel.
I’m not sharing this to preach. Just in case someone reading it needs to hear that things can improve, even when it feels impossible.
Talking helped me - my partner, my family, my therapist. The coping tools I learned are things I’ll carry with me for life.
One of the most fulfilling parts of this community is hearing your stories too.
If you can help even one person feel less alone, that matters.
It’s Mental Health Awareness Week.
A lot of you are quietly struggling. Maybe yourself.
You can look completely fine on the outside while your mind is convincing you that everything is falling apart underneath.
One thing we hear again and again is how much talking helps.
In fact, it is THE cue for recovery.
Not because someone magically fixes everything, but because saying things out loud begins the road to recovery.
It de-natures the shame, when you realise it wasn't shameful.
You feel relief.
It can help you understand what is happening, feel less overwhelmed, and remember that you’re not alone in it. Because you're not.
Feeling suicidal is utterly terrifying and deeply painful, but common.
Some of us, including our founder Nick, have felt this way. We have recovered.
That’s why we’re really proud to support @calmzone and their new app, which gives people practical tools, support, resources, and somewhere to turn when things feel difficult.
CALM answers a call for help every 59 seconds. Which says a lot about how many people are carrying more than they let on.
Mental health can still feel surprisingly hard to talk about sometimes. That's why organisations like CALM are so important. They make those conversations feel a bit easier to start.
The app is free, extremely handy and 'enjoyable' (if that doesn't feel too weird a context) to use.
🖤This is my suicide recovery story, in support of our chosen charity @calmzone This is extremely personal, totally honest and potentially triggering. But it may save you, or even help you understand how you lost someone. TALK! Nick Xx #mentalhealthawarenessweek
Most denim jackets seem to expect you to suffer for a few months before you’re allowed to enjoy them.
Stiff arms. Scratchy fabric. Can barely reach for a pint without feeling like you’re fighting with your own elbows.
We never really understood that.
The FRAHM Denim Trucker Jacket starts softer from day one, yet is tougher & more weather resistant.
The dry-waxed cotton comes from Halley Stevensons. Tough & weather-resistant, the fabric develops more character the longer you wear it. Inside, it’s fully lined in a textured cotton twill, which makes it far more comfortable and means you can wear it for longer without wanting to fling it across the room.
Or into a bath of conditioner (please don't condition your FRAHMs, or any technical jacket!)
Then we added the really rather high-end lovely practical stuff.
Big hand pockets lined with moleskin. Internal phone pocket. Book pocket. Usable chest pockets instead of decorative tiny ones. Stainless steel hardware throughout, because rusty buttons make us feel slightly ill.
It looks like a classic denim trucker. Just one designed by people who actually want to wear it every day, from day 1.
Just as Spring was warming up nicely, today was a loop back to the cold and wet days of yore. Just as well that I hadn’t fully rotated in the «prancewear» (*), but still had some utilitarian outerwear handy.
Which got me thinking (**) about how we tend to buy clothes for a very specific setting. For me, this is a Tuesday in September, dry and around 12 degrees. Perfect for an assemblage of layers and colours, but not warm enough to overhear. I have infinite combos for days like this. Much relatable, my menswearist chums?
I doubt a bleak Sunday in May, 5 degrees and solid rain, sees as much dedication. Moistness doesn’t isn’t quite as fire, am I wrong, garment gazers?
Oddly, Penny is happy to be outside regardless of the weather. Maybe Corgis have the best coats? She did request I add some outtakes for you to slide into.
Today’s foraying fit is courtesy of @frahmjacket , @halleystevensons , vintage Carharrt, @flowermountain_official and @curzonclassics
(*) Sometimes we need to hear this from those who love us regardless of our lunatic antics.
(**) Honestly, I think all the time, but some of my thoughts are more interesting than others. Luckily, Penny doesn’t judge me.
#slowerfashion #sustainablefashion #menswear #corgiofinstagram
Scalloped cuffs originally appeared on old driving, military, and motorcycle jackets, because a straight cuff can awkwardly dig into your wrist when your arms are bent forward, holding handlebars or a steering wheel.
The curved shape gives your hand more movement and coverage without the sleeve riding halfway up your arm every time you reach for something.
Which is useful if you spend your life doing things like driving, walking dogs, carrying coffee, and pointing dramatically at things.
The ideal fit is usually where the sleeve sits just below the wrist bone, with the scallop covering the top of your hand when your arms are relaxed.
We use them on the Harrington Racer Jackets because they work better in real life.
And they look rather fetching.
The FRAHM Harrington Racer Jacket became our bestseller many years ago.
Smart enough for work, relaxed enough for the pub, good with a t-shirt, shirt or knit. Doesn’t really need thinking about. Grab go, without looking grab go.
The fabric comes from Halley Stevensons in Dundee. A modern waxed cotton that keeps the weather out without feeling stiff, sticky, or overly “outdoorsy”. Breathable, machine-washable, and gets better once it's been knocked about a bit.
There’s a stretch to it, articulated arms so it moves properly with you, and a rear vent that helps remove heat when you’re moving about.
The details matter a lot.
Twin-needle stitching, that's left off lesser jackets, for strength. Stainless steel gunmetal zips that won’t lose positive engagement. Moleskin lined pockets, collar, and cuffs. Hidden chest pocket. Reinforced stress points.
Everything’s there for a reason. Nothing added for the sake of it.
We’ve had people wear them for years for commuting, dog walks, flights, evenings out, football matches, weekends away, and everyday life in between.
Oh, and it comes in 110 options. Customise-a-go-go.
Woodland Workers Jacket.
The same shape as the Original and Lightweight Workers Jacket, but the fabric changes it.
It’s got more structure, so it holds its shape properly rather than creasing or softening quickly.
The texture makes it look slightly smarter without being formal.
It’s also tougher than it looks. It doesn’t feel delicate and holds up well if you wear it regularly.
No coating, just good fabric.
