A waffle henley is a buttoned, collarless t-shirt made from textured waffle knit fabric. It sits between a tee and a shirt: more interesting than a plain crew neck, easier to wear than a collared shirt. Here is what waffle knit, a henley placket and a raglan sleeve actually mean, when to wear one in India, and five outfits that work.
What is a waffle henley?
A waffle henley is a henley t-shirt, meaning a collarless top with a short buttoned opening at the neck, made in waffle knit, a fabric with a raised grid of small squares. It is warmer and more textured than a plain tee, which makes it a natural pick for cooler weather.
Ours are full sleeve, 250 GSM, 100% cotton compact yarn, with a 3-button placket and a boxy relaxed fit. They come in light grey, beige, black and brown at ₹999.
Waffle t-shirt is the wider term for any tee made in this fabric. A henley is one style of waffle tee, and a raglan, covered below, is another.
What is waffle knit fabric?
Waffle knit is a cotton fabric knitted into a grid of small raised squares and sunken cells, like the surface of a waffle. The cells trap a thin layer of air against your skin for warmth, while the open texture still lets heat out, so it feels warm without getting stuffy.
- Warmth: those air pockets are why waffle knit is often called thermal fabric.
- Texture: the grid gives a plain colour some depth, so a solid henley never looks flat.
- Creases: the textured surface hides wrinkles better than smooth jersey, which helps on trips.
- Stretch: the knit has natural give, so it moves with you.
Ours is 250 GSM, which is heavyweight for a t-shirt, and knitted from compact yarn. Compact spinning holds cotton fibres tightly together for a smoother yarn with fewer loose ends, which generally means less pilling.
What is a henley neckline?
A henley neckline is a round, collarless neck with a short placket, the strip down the front that holds the buttons. You can button it up for a neat look or leave a button or two open for a relaxed one.
Our henleys have a 3-button placket. That placket is what separates a henley from a crew neck tee: it borrows a little of a shirt's structure while keeping the comfort of a t-shirt.
A henley is also not a polo. A polo has a fold-down collar; a henley has none.
What does raglan t-shirt mean?
A raglan t-shirt has sleeves that run in one piece all the way up to the collar, attached to the body with diagonal seams from the underarm to the neckline. There is no shoulder seam, which gives a rounded, sporty shoulder and plenty of room to move your arms.
Raglans are often made two-tone, with sleeves in a different colour from the body, which shows off that diagonal seam. Our waffle raglans work this way, such as the raglan with beige sleeves on a brown body.
The other colourways are grey sleeves on a black body, black sleeves on a light grey body, black sleeves on a beige body, and brown sleeves on a beige body. They share the henleys' 250 GSM waffle fabric, boxy relaxed fit, full sleeves and ₹999 price.
How does a waffle henley fit?
Our waffle henleys and raglans have a boxy relaxed fit: roomy through the body, full sleeved and shorter than an oversized tee. At size M they measure 40 inches across the garment chest and 25 inches long.
| Size | Garment chest | Length |
|---|---|---|
| M | 40 in (101.5 cm) | 25 in (63.5 cm) |
| L | 42 in (106.5 cm) | 25.5 in (65 cm) |
| XL | 44 in (112 cm) | 26 in (66 cm) |
Garment chest is the full chest of the tee laid flat, with both sides added together. The 25 to 26 inch length is 3 to 4 inches shorter than our oversized tees size for size, so the hem lands higher, closer to your waistband.
Sizes run M, L and XL only. If you usually wear S, the M will feel relaxed and roomy. To check, lay a full-sleeve tee you own flat, measure straight across from armpit to armpit, double it, and compare.
When should you wear a waffle henley in India?
Wear a waffle henley in the cooler months, roughly October to March in North India, on cool monsoon evenings, and anywhere the air-conditioning runs cold. A 250 GSM full-sleeve waffle is too warm for peak summer afternoons in most of the country.
- October and November: on its own, sleeves pushed up in the afternoon and pulled down after sunset.
- December and January: as a warm layer under a hoodie, jacket or overshirt.
- Hill trips: alone during the day, under a jacket at night.
- Offices and flights: warm enough for cold air-conditioning, neat enough with the buttons done up.
In warmer southern and coastal cities, save it for cooler evenings, air-conditioned spaces and the mildest winter weeks.
How do you style a waffle henley? 5 outfit ideas
Style a waffle henley with straight jeans, joggers, chinos or cargo pants, and wear the boxy hem untucked. Add an overshirt or jacket when it gets cold. These five combinations cover most days.
1. Black henley, light blue jeans, white sneakers
The easiest outfit there is. Wear the black waffle henley with the top button open, light wash straight jeans and clean white sneakers for college, a coffee catch-up or a casual Friday.
2. Light grey henley with black joggers
Pair the light grey waffle henley with black joggers and chunky sneakers for travel days and long drives. The short hem sits neatly over the jogger waistband instead of bunching.
3. Beige henley under an open overshirt
Layer the beige henley under an open flannel or corduroy overshirt in brown or olive, with dark jeans and boots. It is an easy go-to for December evenings out.
4. Brown henley with cream trousers
Brown and cream is a warm, grown-up colour pairing. Button the brown waffle henley all the way and wear it with cream or beige trousers and loafers for dinners and family get-togethers where a shirt feels too formal.
5. Two-tone raglan with cargo pants
The contrast sleeves on a raglan do the styling for you. Wear one with black sleeves and a light grey body, olive or black cargo pants and a cap for a sporty weekend look.
One rule across all five: keep the rest of the outfit simple. The waffle texture is already the detail.
How do you care for a waffle henley?
Wash it inside out in cold water, which is the care line on our product pages. Turning it inside out reduces rubbing on the waffle texture in the machine.
Dry it over a rail or line rather than on a thin hanger, since a heavier knit can stretch at the shoulders when it hangs wet. Skip hot tumble drying, which can shrink cotton.
How do you order a waffle henley from The Funky Fitz?
You can order our waffle henleys and raglans from the waffle t-shirts collection: four henley colours and five two-tone raglans, each ₹999 in M, L and XL. Check the chart above or our size chart page first, because we do not offer size exchanges.
Orders are packed within 24 to 48 hours. Delhi NCR gets free shipping with delivery within 3 days; the rest of India pays a flat ₹99 and receives orders in 5 to 6 days.
Cash on delivery is available, with a small COD fee paid online at checkout and the rest on delivery. Returns cover only damaged or defective items reported within 48 hours of delivery with photos.
Questions people ask
Is a waffle henley good for summer?
Not for peak summer afternoons. A 250 GSM full-sleeve waffle knit is warm, so it suits October to March in North India, cool monsoon evenings, hill trips and cold air-conditioned offices. On warmer days, push the sleeves up or save it for the evening.
What is the difference between a henley and a polo?
A polo has a fold-down collar and a buttoned placket. A henley has the placket but no collar, just a round neck, so it looks a little more casual and relaxed than a polo.
Should a henley be tight or loose?
Either can work. A close henley looks neat under a jacket, while a boxy relaxed henley looks easy and casual on its own. Ours measure 40 inches across the garment chest in M, so pick your usual size for a relaxed fit.
Can I wear a waffle henley to the office?
Yes, in casual or smart-casual offices. Button it up, pair it with chinos or dark trousers and clean shoes, and choose a solid colour like black, brown or beige. It is also warm enough for cold air-conditioning.
What sizes do The Funky Fitz waffle henleys come in?
M, L and XL, at ₹999. Garment chest is 40, 42 and 44 inches, and length is 25, 25.5 and 26 inches. There are no size exchanges, so measure a tee you own and compare before ordering.
