Like most menswear geeks, I love fall style. I love it so much that when I started this newsletter over the summer, I used a photo of myself taken in the fall as my profile photo. In the photo I am wearing jeans, suede chukkas, an oxford shirt, and a corduroy chore jacket.
This outfit and variations on the theme have sort of become a fall uniform for me. Change up the jeans to a pair of chinos or cords, the jacket to a sweater, or any of the versions of the oxford that happen to jump out at me that particular day, and that’s probably what I’m wearing. At least most days.
I don’t expect much to change this year. I’ve picked up a couple new shetland style sweaters, but am otherwise wearing the same items I’ve been wearing for the past few years. How I choose to mix it up, however may change a bit. Like many, I look to other men whose style I admire to influence my sartorial choices. Whether the influence comes from a movie or a book cover or someone’s social media doesn’t really matter. I like what I like, and tailor my own style to match my mood.
I previously featured Jason Jules in another post. Yes, the guy sometimes models for Drake’s, which happens to be the source of the two preceding images but the sense of style is his own. In the first image above, he is wearing flannel trousers, an oxford shirt, shetland sweater, and wool button-up vest. I have a similar vest from Proper Cloth, several shetland sweaters (more on those in another post), and a fantastic pair of flannel trousers from Spier & Mackay. This is something I can see myself wearing later in the fall when the weather is appropriate. Wear it too soon and I’ll overheat for sure. The second outfit is something I can see myself pulling together very easily as well. I have a few pairs of chukka boots and wear them on constant rotation throughout the cooler months. I have a similar overshirt from Bonobos, Breton stripe shirt from Quaker Marine, and brown chinos from J.Crew that will help round the rest of this out.
Don’t get the wrong idea - I don’t plan daily outfits down to the thread based on what I see someone else wearing. So while I may not wear this piece for piece at any given time, I still look to images like these for inspiration.
If you haven’t seen the movie, The Gentlemen from director Guy Ritchie you should. It’s as fun as it is stylish. Charlie Hunnam (pictured above) plays Ray - right hand man to Matthew McConaughey’s character Mickey Pearson. He has a house with a table in the backyard that has a grill built right in. He drinks Glenfarclas Scotch. And his clothes are pretty fantastic too. Throughout most of the movie he is seen wearing dark denim, an oxford shirt, neck tie, and a sweater of some sort. I especially like the ochre shawl cardigan he wears while conversing with Fletcher played by Hugh Grant. I bought a cardigan in a similar color last year made by Spier & Mackay. It has become my favorite sweater to wear around the house.
Simon Crompton runs the website Permanent Style, and is one of the most stylish men on the internet and probably in all of England. Most of his clothes are custom. He wears a lot of bespoke suits and jackets. Some of those images have been influential in my own purchases, as have his more casual outfits. Like this one. I appreciate its simplicity and daily wearability. I love to wear simple chinos and an oxford. I have a pair in this shade of green from the late, occasionally great Brooks Brothers Red Fleece, and an oxford in a similar shade of blue from Spier & Mackay. Add suede loafers (check!) and a suede belt (check!), and it’s in the bag. Though for later in the fall I’d probably add socks and maybe swap the loafers for some chukkas.
Speaking of socks - I’m all about bold solid socks this fall. Purple is up there on the list. So are green & orange. Uniqlo is probably the best source for socks. They are very well priced, fit great, and come in all sorts of bold colors.
Fall is also a great time for adding texture. This is easily done with corduroy - whether as a jacket, shirt, or trousers. I have two pairs of 5-pockets from J.Crew and another more formal pair from Spier & Mackay; all of which will see heavy rotation this fall. Shetland sweaters will get plenty of play as we get closer to and into winter. Denim shirts will start to see the light of day once again later this week when the temperature drops into the sixties and it really starts to feel like fall.
And speaking of other seasonal switches, another thing I like to do at the equinoxes is switch out my cologne. For spring & summer I like to wear Royall Lyme - the classic original from Royall Bermuda. For fall & winter I switch to Royall Rugby for an earthier, warmer scent. I also like their Royall Yacht and Royall Vetiver Noir scents, the latter of which I will wear year round for nighttime. But honestly, they can all be interchanged or worn in tandem year round. The key with any fragrance, however is to spritz lightly. That’s good advice.