In my monthly newsletter I mentioned wanting to do more menswear posts, but that idea is not why menswear (for ladies) is my November HSWI topic. That was just a coincidence. What I want is to write more posts about men’s style…for men. I know Style and Cheek has some male readers and directing my female readers to some cool pieces for the men in their life can be very helpful. So fellas, even if you don’t like a particular piece I choose, please keep an open mind about the brands and styles.
Buying Dan clothes is a lot more fun for me than buying clothing for myself. I find that in general it’s easier to buy clothes for guys than girls, that is, once a guy knows what brands fit best with his body type. J.Crew is great for slim men with long arms and broad shoulders, Hudson Jeans is good for guys with bigger butts and thighs, Ralph Lauren is better for guys who have larger chests. Banana Republic has Big & Tall sizes. Brooks Brothers is a brand that historically cuts pretty comfortably (vs. slim fit) and even has in-house tailoring to give that perfect fit. For this post I tried to be a little more varied in my brand selecting but it was just too hard for me to deny my love for J.Crew.
I have for you ten pieces that would be a great addition to your wardrobe for fall, and even transitioning into winter. It was hard to not fill this post with button downs and sweaters because you have a lot of options out there, and honestly I’d like to steal many of them. So many perfect plaid shirts, so many luxurious sweaters. Girls may have the pretty clothes but guys have the weather appropriate, cozy pieces. You probably need more than shirts in your closet. Maybe a nice pair of slacks to wear to all the holiday events coming up, some nice shoes you can dress up or down, and with them some funky socks. You’ll definitely need a coat, a lighter weight layer because the weather isn’t super cold yet, and who doesn’t love lounge around the house pants? I’ve got those covered too.
J.Crew Ludlow Spread-Collar Shirt in Burgundy Gingham – I sat on this shirt until it went on sale and then bought for Dan for his birthday. I love J.Crew dress shirts and I love burgundy. If you’re looking for a dress shirt for the season I’d go for one with burgundy. It looks great with jeans or dress pants.
Grayers ‘Luxury’ 3-Ply Brushed Twill Flannel Shirt – A plaid flannel is the perfect shirt for fall. There are all kinds of plaids but I really like the green/blue combination because it’s less holiday looking than red plaids, though keep that red plaid in mind for Christmas.
J.Crew English Silk Tie with Embroidered Squirrels – There are so many ties out there in a crazy variety of colors, textures, patterns, including novelty ties like this one. You could spend your entire life collecting different styles of ties if you wanted but what about a squirrel tie? That’s a fun tie. That’s a cheeky tie.
J.Crew Lambswool Bird’s-Eye Sweater – This sweater is dramatic, the perfect nighttime sweater for a date or chilling in a classy bar. The textured look and relaxed (but not too relaxed) cut makes this a sweater you could wear with some slacks or dark washed jeans.
J.Crew Bowery Classic in Brushed Herringbone Cotton – Speaking of texture, that’s what really sets these pants aside from normal chinos or wool pants. Per usual with J.Crew the cut of these slacks may be a little on the slim side for some, but the idea here is universal – get yourself a pair versatile slacks because they can be extremely flattering.
Topman Bright Houndstooth Pattern Socks (5-Pack) – Fun, funky socks. If you bought some pants over the summer that are cut a little high on the ankle then this is the perfect time to wear them, just add some funky socks to add some color and contrast to your fall wardrobe.
Beckett Simonon Goodyear Welted Hoyt Double Monk Straps in Burgundy – Dan makes fun of me for this but I guess I like men’s shoes with a bit of hardware, in this case, buckles. Once again this shoe is in my favorite color, burgundy, but can dressed up or down and comes at a great price point for a shoe you could wear frequently. It also comes in black or light brown.
J.Crew Barbour® Chelsea Sportsquilt Jacket – No need to break out the parka yet, we’re still in quilted jacket season, and this coat is a great option. It’s somewhere in between letterman and motorcycle jackets as far as cut, but this piece is sleek and preppy.
American Giant Mens Heavyweight Full Zip Hooded Sweatshirt – There’s a reason why this is considered the world’s greatest hoodie, everyone loves it. I bought this for Dan awhile back and he swears by it. It doesn’t fit like a normal sweatshirt (loose), in fact it fits more like a sweater, which really is ideal for fall weather, particularly since it is really warm and comfortable.
Polo Ralph Lauren Waffle-Knit Pant – It’s getting to the point where you’ll need more than basketball shorts while hanging around the house. Sweatpants are great but how about some waffle-knit? If you’re a fan of waffle-knit shirts then you’ll probably love these pants.
