Welcome back to the Gentleman's Gazette!
In today's video, we discuss the 10 must-haves for men during the fall season.
In my opinion, fall is one of the best seasons for classic menswear because you can add additional
layers such as a vest, sweater, maybe an overcoat, as well as accessories in rich subdued earthy
colors which are just a joy to look at.
It's also the start of the season where winter accessories such as gloves, maybe unlined
gloves, or you could go with lightweight scarves, maybe sweaters, vests, and all those things
that don't make too much sense during the summer season.
In the past, we already discussed 10 tips to create better fall outfits and this video
is the extension of that, so if you have not watched it, please check it out here now.
So what are the 11 must-have items for an elegant classic gentleman?
The first one is unlined gloves.
I know most people have lined gloves and while that's fine, the advantage of unlined gloves
is that it is very thin and looks very elegant.
Also, during the transitioning season, you don't need a cashmere lining or alpaca lining
because it would simply be too warm.
At the same time, going without gloves is a little bit too cold so go with unlined gloves,
combines the best of both worlds while giving you the chance to add some color to your outfit
in an unusual way.
Because I had a hard time finding unlined gloves, I simply designed them myself.
I went with a very lean, slim cut that is very elegant; I added a button at the wrist
to ensure a tight fit and sometimes, I like to wear driving gloves with everyday outfits
because they are airier so I get a little cooler hand and it is perfect if it's not
a too cold fall day but more of the warmer fall days.
Of course, we also offer unlined peccary gloves and you can find our full selection of unlined
gloves perfect for the fall season in our shop here.
If you go with unlined gloves, make sure to add a dash of color that is fall appropriate
because black gloves simply don't suit the rich brown, green, orange, and whatever fall
tones you incorporate in your wardrobe.
The second must-have item for fall are knit ties.
I like them because they have this really nice texture and today, you can find lots
of knit ties on the market.
Traditionally, the ones with the thickest texture are the cris de loi soie ties and
they have the crunch in them, you can hear the crunch when you move it back and forth
slightly.
Traditionally, they were knitted flat then put on a wooden form and sewn together by
hand and that is exactly how we do our knit ties today.
Most knit ties you can find on the market are knitted like a sock in a round and they
are a lot more flimsy and the texture and the weft of the old school quality knit ties.
In terms of color, I suggest to leave behind the pastel colors and rather opt for something
like bottle green, maybe a purple, or a bronze rust orange.
Of course, you can also go with a tobacco brown, maybe a two tone shade in cognac and
dark charcoal or a yellow.
Because they have more texture, you can combine them with casual outfits, maybe such as a
cardigan or a sweater but you can also wear them with tweed coats which are very elegant
and stylish and very seasonally appropriate.
The third fall must have is a pair of suede boots.
Now, boots are in general ideal for fall because they are lined with leather most of the time
and they are not super warm and at the same time, they keep you warmer than a regular
pair of oxfords or derby shoes.
I suggest you get them with a thicker leather sole and you can go with lace ups.
I personally think lace ups are great with a suede shoe such as a chukka boot which I'm
wearing here right now.
Of course, you can also get different options such as a desert boot in a sand color.
I think the most versatile one that you can incorporate in your wardrobe is a mid-brown,
maybe a chestnut brown, and the suede just gives it a softer character.
If you can only afford one pair of boots, I suggest you go with something burgundy because
you can combine it with a suit, as well as all kinds of casual garments.
Also, if you want to spice up the look of your boots, you can simply go with contrasting
colored bootlaces because that way, it looks like an entirely new boot and you just invest
a few dollars rather than having to buy an entirely new pair of boots.
If you are not into lace up boots, maybe you can consider a chelsea boot which is a classic
with an insert and to spice things up, you can maybe add a colored insert.
The fourth item every gentleman should add to his fall wardrobe is a vest or waistcoat.
The term is used interchangeably and it just adds another layer to your outfit.
Usually, it's an odd vest meaning it's a contrasting color and it just helps you to create entirely
different looks into your existing wardrobe while keeping the budget very low.
To learn more about odd vests, how you can combine them and what to look for, what to
pay attention to, and what mistakes to avoid, please check out our in-depth guide here.
The fifth must have item for gentlemen during the fall is a tweed jacket or sportcoat.
If you follow the Gentleman's Gazette regularly, you know that I love tweed and you can learn
more about this wonderful fabric in our in-depth tweed guide here.
The ebauty about tweed is that it's comprised of lots of different colors and because of
that, it may look like a solid from afar, but in fact, there are lots of different colors
combined.
Because of that, it is very easy for you to wear it with other colored garments and it
always looks like it works really well together.
For example, here I'm wearing what looks to be like a darker to medium brown tweed coat
but the same color as the pants and it has just a beautiful warm depth of color, therefore,
the overall outfit looks very harmonious, elegant, and seasonally appropriate for fall.
Personally, I have over 12 tweed jackets.
If you are just starting out, I suggest to get what is called a Donegal tweed which means
there are little knobs all over the place in a contrasting color, or maybe with a simple
oatmeal colored herringbone tweed because it's a very popular pattern, it's very classic,
and you can combine it with lots of things.
The sixth item no man should be without during the fall season is the quilted jacket.
it is so great because it keeps you warm, at the same time it is lightweight and if
you choose a length that covers your jacket, you could easily wear it on top without looking
too formal.
At the same time, you can wear it with casual outfits and you can just put it on when you
go to the gas station or get some groceries.
It is also lighter than an overcoat and easier to travel with.
If you like something that is a little more formal, I suggest you get a trench coat with
a removable interlining because that way, you can wear it during the warmer days of
fall in the beginning, as well as during the colder ones later on.
The seventh item you should invest in is a flat cap.
It is a wonderful hat.
It keeps you warm, it is stylish, it can be worn by younger men, even teenagers, as well
as older men, and it just has this typical seasonal appropriate character.it is also
less formal than let's say a fedora hat and therefore, it's a very easy entry hat.
They are also not very expensive and they are usually made out of tweed so they are
easy to combine with other colors and it is just a wonderful addition to any fall wardrobe.
To learn more about flat caps and the intricacies, please check out our in-depth guide here.
The eighth thing you should really think about during fall are wool accessories.
I know most of the time, ties are made out of silk and that is just fine; at the same
time, maybe a pocket square in wool, or a tie, or a flat cap, simply helps you to create
a softer look in your outfit that is very appropriate for fall or autumn.
Unlike silk which is crispy and shiny, wool is softer, much more matte which makes it
very suitable for fall outfits.
If there will just be one wool item, I think every man should have, it is a woolen pocket
square simply because it helps to balance the texture even if you have an entire closet
full of silk ties.
At the same time, it is less expensive than ties and so it is a great start if you don't
have any wool accessories yet.
For a selection of wool pocket squares in wool challis or wool silk blends, please check
out our shop here.
The ninth must have item are corduroy pants.
I know some people may think they make you look like an old professor in College or a
school teacher, however, I think corduroy is wonderful for the fall season because first
of all, it is very warm and just seasonally appropriate.
Second, it has very nice color scheme and because of the way the fabric is created,
it has a different look in different light conditions and it helps to create a soft overall
outfit that is much better during fall winter than it is during spring summer.
the great thing about corduroy is that it comes traditionally in lots of different colors,
mostly earthy colors such as olive green, brown, tan, and that's very easy to combine
during the fall winter season.
The tenth mush have item you want during fall is a pastel colored dress shirt.
I know most men have white dress shirts but with a tweed coat, it is just too stark of
a contrast.
Instead, if you go maybe with an eggshell color, something with a pale orange, maybe
a pale pink, or pale blue, it really helps to tie the outfit together and makes it softer;
the contrast is still there and people would not automatically notice that it is not a
white shirt but overall, it is much more harmonious looking.
Last but not the least, the eleventh must have item for fall are lightweight knitted
sweaters, ideally in cotton.
Usually, you don't need the heavy woolen cashmere sweaters until later in the season and so
you want a finer knit just to help keep you warm, at the same time, you want to look stylish.
Because the knit is thinner, you want them close to your body so it is a very flattering
silhouette.
If you want to wear a tie with it, it's a great opportunity, just make sure you get
a v-neck sweater because with a crew neck, it almost covers the entire tie knot and it
is just a look that is not favorable.
To learn more about the oxford cloth button down shirt, please check out this guide here.
In terms of colors, stay clear of black and navy sweaters because they are simply too
dark.
Likewise, stay clear of very light and bright sweaters because they are just too bright
and they don't work with the rest of your fall wardrobe.
Instead, go with maybe a burgundy sweater which is very versatile, maybe a medium blue,
something in brown, oatmeal, bottle green, maybe orange.
All these tones are really well with fall.
Now that you know the 11 must have items for classic gentlemen during fall season, make
sure to check out our 10 tips for better fall outfits here.
In today's video, I'm wearing a typical fall outfit.
It consists of a flat cap in tweed, it's herringbone with brown.
It works well with my jacket.
The jacket is likewise made of tweed, it's a vintage piece that I found for 10 bucks
at Bobby from Boston.
It was originally made by Orvis and honestly, it really does not matter where it's made.
most tweed jackets today are made of British tweed and it's just a very nice fabric that
drapes very easily and so most jackets will likely fit you.
the typical silhouette you will find is a single breasted jacket wth two buttons, notched
lapel, and a center vent which is just exactly what I'm wearing here right now.
I'm combining it with an odd vest in blue harris tweed which is likewise vintage.
I pick up the blue color of the vest with the pastel blue of the shirt, oxford cloth
button down shirt and I contrast the whole ensemble with a green striped shantung silk
tie.
Now, I only talked about knit ties but there are other ties such as wool challis ties or
shantung ties, maybe mohair, wool grenadine ties, all of which we offer in our shop.
These ties are all great because they add more texture than a typical printed silk or
jacquard woven tie.
At the same time, a printed madder silk tie has those typical fall appropriate tones which
is great during the season.
My pants are a very light caramel colored corduroy that contrast the rest of my outfit
just like my shoes which are suede boots in a medium chestnut brown.
The socks are two tone socks from Fort Belvedere and they pick up the color of the pants and
contrast the shoes.
To learn more about how to combine socks, please check out this guide here.
For a great selection of socks which are easily combined, please go to our shop.
My gloves are unlined gloves from Fort Belvedere in a blue suede, it's a lamb suede, it is
very soft and very elegant and it goes well with my vest.
The same is true for my pocket square, it is also Fort Belvedere and it picks up the
purple and green tones from my tie and just ties it all together.
Because I already had lots of textures in my outfit such as suede gloves, a wool jacket,
a wool waistcoat, I stayed away from a wool tie and a wool pocket square, otherwise, it
would have been too bad.
Instead, I went with a textured silk shantung tie which is also fall appropriate and a madder
silk pocket square.
probably the item in this outfit I get the most compliments for is the Edelweiss boutonniere,
it just looks very natural even though it is hand made in Germany.
The advantage is, it never wilts.
if you want to learn more about how these things are made, please check out this video.
It goes without saying that you can also find it in our shop.