Excellent Joe

This look reminds us of one thing: Oliver Twist as a strapping leading man driving a vintage Porsche 911 around winding cliffs and lightly spritzing himself with an irresistible musk fragrance en route to meet his true love who awaits him at a foggy train station in the middle of nowhere.  Now… all this can be yours.

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Variation on a theme here.  If you haven’t figured it out yet, men’s trend has taken a hike, and it’s all about twisting heritage outdoor clothing in a way that works with the most suburban of lifestyles. The Wall Street Journal even ran a report on this a few weeks back.  So pay Skippy down the street to rake your leaves, and you’ll have more free time to rent a canoe and contemplate the secret language of chipmunks.

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What screams autumn more than the tailgating tradition of getting drunk out of the back of your car?  And why relegate this parked party to only sporting events?  Offset your beloved inner meathead with something less obnoxious like a foliage hike or an apple picking excursion, two day trips worthy of an afternoon aperitif.

TRENDS

Fairisle Sweaters: Woolrich John Rich and Bros. Fairisle Crew at Blackbird $245.00

Treat this fairisle like a sweatshirt; it looks great peeking out of vests and jackets or wrapped around your waist.  You want to send the classic and fun message, not the uptight douche bag one.  It’s also perfect for diverting tailgating guests away from your soon-to-be ex who’s ralphing behind the car after six-too-many Apple Smashers.

Corduroy Trousers: J.Crew Bowery Cord $69.50

Fall is always corduroy season, but this year it’s out of control in every silhouette: trousers, shirts, jackets, and suits from mini to wide wale. If your jeans and chinos took a vacation together, they’d recommend these cord trousers to fill in while they were gone. (Don’t forget to tuck them into your boots.)

Chambray Shirts: Gap Chambray Shirt $49.50

Chambray shirts are still going strong in various levels of tooth and texture.  It’s like a solid shirt with a lot of attitude.  More rugged, less slick if you will.  And we just might.

Vests: North Face Redpoint Vest $99.00

This nylon vest updates the look with a layer of sporty, dull shine that plays well off the knitted vintage fairisle pattern.  The quilting is moderately insulated to keep you warm without making you look like you’re trying to smuggle a spare tire into the stadium.

Artisanal Heritage Boots: L.L. Bean Boot $149.00

As the theory goes, the only survivors of a nuclear war would be cockroaches, Cher, and Bean boots. These booticus indestructos will keep your feet cozy and dry through even the most miserably wet parking lot fields. Puddle jumping demonstrations will amaze and annoy your friends. This season’s twist is a black leather upper.

This look is perfect for the person who would rather sit shotgun than actually use one to blow away a squirrel or a duck.  Enter the pseudo-outdoorsman on his way to the movies.

TRENDS:

Vests: J.Crew Merino Solid Vest $45.00

For some reason sweater vests remind us of fifth grade on Picture Day.  Today, however, we like them as a second layer that won’t make you overheat with a jacket overtop.  Plus, you can show off more of your shirt’s pattern with the exposed sleeves.

Wool Shirt Jackets: Filson Mackinaw Cruiser $279.50

Filson says this jacket was originally designed for timber cruisers during long, cold days in the woods. Although we’re not well-versed in timber cruiser arts, we’re guessing this occupation has a high turnover rate based on the miserability index.  On the other hand, we can think of a million other things we’d rather be doing in this jacket…like eating popcorn in a cinema.  Don’t make it hard on yourself.

Artisanal Heritage Boots: Wolverine 1000 Mile Boot at Need Supply $325.00

There are so many great pairs of boots this season, and they all fall into the same genre that we’re calling Artisanal Heritage. They have a hand-made, vintage feel with a gentleman’s workboot attitude: think Paul Bunyan on date night. This particular boot was originally made over 125 years ago and is still being made in America.  Respect.

Raw Denim: Levi’s Matchstick Jeans – Kaihara Selvedge $128.00

Selvedge raw denim is rough, rigid and on all the right people.  It speaks to this early American hard-working-we-built-it-ourselves mentality when raw denim was the only option and purchasing pre-distressed would seem ludicrous.  You owe it to your country to do the right thing.

Outdoorsman Plaids: Steven Alan Fall Reverse Seam L/S Inside Pocket $198.00

Plaids are still here. If we were talking about movie sequels, this season would be called The Return of the Revenge of Plaids 16.  So in order to keep them feeling fresh, we want to stick with the smaller scales that are simpler, more muted, and cut with neutrals like grays or browns.