Fall is quite possibly my favorite time of year, especially in respect to dressing. You can dust off all the tweed that’s been hiding in storage and wear suits without sweating your face off. Best of all, you don’t have to wear a huge topcoat to survive polar vortices!
With that being said, dressing appropriately for fall weather can still be tricky. You can usually expect some serious temperature swings during the day, not to mention going in and out of a heated office. Take today for example: walking to work at 6.30am, it was in the mid 30’s with a light breeze. But the high will be 68, and the office is probably 75! Coping with these changes, and still looking your best, requires a real game plan.
Layer With Style & Intelligence
To combat these crazy temperature changes, I try to wear 3 to 4 layers that I can mix and match during the day to suit my needs. On my way to the office, I’ll start out wearing all four, then pare down to my shirt and tweed jacket for lunch, when I expect it to be the warmest.
Shoes & Quilted Jacket
Layers offer options, and none more so than the Harris Tweed jacket shown. It’s incredible how warm, wind proof, and resilient this fabric is, not to mention that it’s just stunning to look at! I’m also a big fan of quilted jackets, for their warmth and English countryside look in the city. Mine above is from Banana Republic, but I would also recommend Barbour as an alternative.
Where To Buy The Look
With so many layers, there are going to be a few brands showcased. This ensemble came from:
- Harris Tweed Jacket: Custom made
- Zip-up jacket: Banana Republic
- Shirt: Charles Tyrwhitt
- Trousers: Old Navy
- Tie, Lapel Flower, Pocket Round: Dapper Lapel
- Flat Cap: Benson & Clegg (custom)
- Socks: Ralph Lauren
- Gloves: Banana Republic
- Sunglasses: Zenni Optical
- Shoes: Allen Edmonds
- Quilted Jacket: Banana Republic
You’ll notice that many of the layers employ neutral patterns and earthy tones. By remaining within a common color family, I can easily mix and match the individual pieces with one another. But notice the fun paisley pattern on the shirt, which adds some “up-close” detail. From afar, it just looks light blue. Most of my fall outfits revolve around greens, maroon, brown, and mustard. I’m a big believer in the idea that our outfits should take nature’s palette into account. But that doesn’t always mean mimicking the season’s tones directly. Using contrasting colors (like light blue, which is generally associated with the spring and summer) in isolation, can make a fall outfit pop against your surroundings.
So give it a try. Don’t hide behind a topcoat, layer up and flex some more of that sartorial muscle!
Up Close Details
About the Author: Paul Anthony
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Leave A Comment