Our Fall Favorites

In our Fall Preparation newsletter, we briefly mentioned puffer vests as a fall essential. We want to reiterate that. Sometimes, even when it’s pretty chilly outside, we just don’t feel like wearing a coat. And a puffer vest fills that void nicely. There isn’t much that a puffer vest won’t look good on top of, and that includes suits as well.

If you get more of a thinner vest, it’s an item that doesn’t have to be taken off when you get to the office. Puffer vests look best with multiple layers underneath: a t-shirt under a button down under a vest, for example. The more the merrier, so long as you don’t overheat. Check Uniqlo for a good selection of colors for vests.

When you hear “corduroy pants” you probably think of a college professor. For some time, I know I did. But cords are stylish as hell, and a great way to add some texture into your wardrobe in the fall. Since cords typically aren’t worn in warmer months, pretty much any color you’ll find in cords will be fair game.

Brown cords might be your safest bet as a good fall color, but if you want to get a little more edgy, go with an orange or burgundy color. You’ll wear cords like you wear any other pants, in terms of what shirts to pair them with. And they look great with boots on your feet.

I’m beginning to see denim shirts as a bit of an underrated men’s classic clothing item. I say it’s a classic because, even though it’s not as ubiquitous as a navy blazer or blue jeans, it’s been around for a while and – conveying a look that’s both a little rugged and a little polished – doesn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon.

Pictured is my current favorite purchase for this coming fall. Purchased via Kickstarter from Trim, a new company out of Tennessee, it fits slim with a little bit of stretch to the denim. This medium shade will pair well with dark jeans, a darker khaki pant, or those burgundy corduroys mentioned by John above. For a lighter or darker denim shirt than pictured medium blue jeans will work well. You always want to make sure that your denim shirt and blue jeans are of two different shades, if you wear them together.

We’ve spent the last few months telling you to ditch your socks, and unfortunately it’s time to go back in the other direction. Soon it will be too cold to go sock less, so we need to bring those back in a stylish way too. You see funky socks all over the place now, and while it can look good in some cases, it’s easy to go overboard.

But adding a little texture or pattern into your socks is never a bad idea. With all the layers you’ll be piling on, interesting socks just adds another dimension to your outfit. Of recent years, I think J. Crew has the best selection of socks. They offer great colors combinations with stripes and other patterns that don’t make it seem like you’re trying too hard. And while $14 can be a hit for a pair of socks, you don’t have to buy them all at once. Try buying a pair a month and build up a collection over time.

I kinda really love jackets. I picked up this Hugo Boss Coss 2 jacket at Nordstrom Rack at half retail last spring and I relish every time the temperature drops just low enough for me to break it out.

Beyond protecting us from the elements, jackets can be a cheat code to layering your outfit. You know that rule about not wearing a tie without putting something over it? The right fall jacket would serve this purpose quite nicely.