Men's Fall Essentials: Knitwear, Tailoring, Loafers and Leather Goods Worth Buying

Most men do not need more clothes. They need a handful of pieces that fit well, last and go together, and fall is the best season to buy them because layers do so much of the work. A good knit under a good coat looks considered with almost no effort, and that is the idea behind this edit.

 

What I find useful is thinking in order. Knitwear first, because it is the piece you wear most. Then tailoring and outerwear, which set the shape of the outfit. Last the shoes and leather goods, which make it look finished. Buying in that order keeps you from owning a great coat and nothing to wear under it.

 

This men's edit is a general guide to the pieces I would actually buy: luxury and designer labels alongside a few more everyday names. The collage is below, and each grid breaks down the category.

Knitwear is where a man's wardrobe is easiest to improve, and the choices here run from sensible to splurge. The Mr P. Rib-Trimmed Alpaca Half-Zip Sweater is the practical one, a collar-up sweater that works under a coat. The Dries Van Noten Brushed Alpaca and Wool-Blend Sweater is the fuzzy, artistic option. The Brunello Cucinelli Cashmere Sweater and the Loro Piana Silk, Cashmere and Linen-Blend Sweater are the quiet luxury picks, soft enough that you will want to wear them every day. Drake's Brushed Virgin Shetland Wool Sweater is the classic British one.

 

For lighter layers, the A.P.C. Malo Striped Cotton-Poplin Shirt and the Ali Striped Cotton-Jersey T-Shirt are the easy French basics, and the Brioni Cotton-Jersey T-Shirt is the polished version of a plain tee.

 

Tip: pick one knit in a neutral and one in a color, and rotate them. What I would skip is buying a loud sweater before you own a good gray or navy one. The basics make the statement pieces look better.

Tailoring has loosened up in the last few years, and this grid shows how. The Mr P. Wide-Leg Pleated Wool-Fresco Trousers are a relaxed, summer-friendly cut, and the Brunello Cucinelli Tapered Pleated Cotton-Twill Trousers are the more tailored take. The A.P.C. Dylan Straight-Leg Cotton-Poplin Trousers are the weekday standard, and the Loro Piana Quarona Straight-Leg Jeans are the denim you wear when you want dressed-up and casual at once.

 

For jackets, the Margaret Howell MHL. Cordura Cotton Blazer is the work-to-weekend blazer, practical and a little technical. The Lemaire Double-Breasted Wool and Alpaca-Blend coat is the dramatic overcoat, the Mr P. Shearling-Trimmed Full-Grain Leather Bomber is the cold-weather option, and the Our Legacy Distressed Waxed Shell Bomber is the lived-in one.

 

How to wear: pair a wide trouser with a closer-fitting knit, and keep the coat longer than your jacket. What I would skip is a bomber over a blazer. Choose one layer to do the heavy lifting.

The last grid is the one that makes the outfit look finished. Common Projects Achilles Leather Sneakers are the minimal white sneaker everyone recognizes, and the Piuma Leather Chelsea Boots from the same brand are the boot to wear with trousers. The Gucci Jordaan Horsebit Leather Loafers are the dressy option, and the Brunello Cucinelli Suede Desert Boots are the soft, casual boot for fall.

 

Then the accessories. The Métier Closer Two Day Suede Weekend Bag is the big-ticket travel bag, Drake's 2cm Leather Belt is the small, simple essential, and the Cutler and Gross GR14 Aviator-Style Tortoiseshell Acetate Sunglasses are the frame with a bit of character. The Johnstons of Elgin Tantallon Fringed Checked Cashmere Scarf is the finishing wrap for a cold day.

 

If you can only buy two things from this edit, I would suggest a good pair of loafers or boots and a scarf, because they update everything you already own. What I would skip is a bag or belt in a color that does not match your shoes. Keep leather in the same family.