It is arguably the best style season of the year. Fall. Cool enough to wear layers and perhaps mix in some patterns, but not so bitter that the goal is to ward off hypothermia instead of looking your best. Boots, suits, outerwear and more. It’s a good time. And even if the climate where you’re at hasn’t even begun to approach autumn feeling yet, that doesn’t mean you can’t look forward a bit. Or a lot. Here’s the beginnings of this year’s affordable men’s style autumnal crop. As always, the new arrivals can usually take a little while to drop in price, so keep that in mind.
Would have loved to have seen more wool in the mix, but this still has tons of potential all the same. From their new collaboration with Northern Irish designer Jonathan Anderson. Also available in black. Isles style and then some.
There’s a misconception out there that suede is too delicate for weather. It’s not necessarily ideal raw, but with some treatment, it’s more than fine. And the Allen Edmonds Strand is a gorgeous design almost meant for suede and fall fabric trousers or jeans (not that walnut calfskin ain’t dynamite).
Same, amazing Italian hopsack wool sportcoats, with zero lining in the back and self lining in the front, only now in two autumn ready colors. And kudos to Bonobos for somehow, someway, making a burgundy sportcoat that can in some minds be described as “subtle.” Available in slim or standard fits.
Full disclosure, that’s a coat from a couple years back. One big difference? This year the front pockets are horizontal flaps. Not slashes at the side. The horizontal flaps might look better, but they’re harder to get your hands into. Yet, I’ve found that BR knows how to make some relatively affordable wool outerwear. Thicker than Uniqlo, but still not super sky high in price if you play your cards right. Will drop in price as soon as it loses the “BR Picks” exclusion. Also available in medium charcoal and black.
More sweater than jacket, but could be used as a transitional piece of outerwear too. You’ll see a lot of these sorta sweater sorta jacket hybrids this season.
These were out of stock for a good long while, and then came back with a more expensive price. (If memory serves they were cheaper in years past?) At least they ship and return for free. Also available in black.
A bit spendy, but you get a lot for the cash. Terrific wool and wool blends, lightweight construction and linings, and tons of fall-ready patterns and colors. Plus everything ships and returns for free. (Shown at the top of the post is this blue-check Havana.)
An incredible deal for what you get. Good quality suede uppers, a subtle studded rubber sole for grip, and now this year tons of colors to pick from. No dark brown like years past (see the review over here of those), but the super-rich “sienna” color. Goodness, that’ll do.
The good: they’re inexpensive and usually fit extremely well. The bad: unless you’re layering, heavily, they’re not really great for anything 20 degrees or below. They are NOT the warmest thing in the world. But they look great. Solids. Patterns. Etc. Shown above is a mid-grey plaid option from the past. Looks like they’ve gone darker this year again?
So… not a big fan of Joggers around these parts, but if there’s anything that can convince me otherwise? It’d be a merino wool blend option. 55% Merino Wool, 45% Cotton. Sadly, these seem to be excluded from promos at the moment. But some patience might (key word: might) have you saving some cash in the end.
Still one of the best. An annual favorite. Not a chunky sweater in the least. Downright thin. But not see through, and super strong. And that makes for a perfect layering piece (since it won’t overwhelm a shirt or be super thick and mushy under a blazer). Sizing can be tricky now that UNIQLO has expanded their base template to accommodate American body types. So know that going in.
A mixed material glove with just enough character to make them stand out, quietly, from the regular bland isotoner wearing crowd. Sold through Todd Snyder.
A little more polished than your average chino, but still lacks that too-stiff-and-stuffy leg crease that your Dad’s dockers had. 90% cotton, 8% poly, 2% spandex. Clean hook and bar closure front. Tons of colors and fits. Size shown above is a 33—30 in the Emerson straight fit in olive, which is darker in person.
From their younger leaning “Red Fleece” line. Great looking shade of leather on top of that contrasting white sole. Comes with contrasting white laces. Quality? Unknown. Brooks Brothers shoes can be really nice quality, or… not.
Wait… a suede jacket for under two bills? That seems suspect. Could be a real winner if it shows up and doesn’t feel like crud though. Just inspect carefully upon arrival.
Another potential huge winner from Nordstrom. From their upgraded “JWN” line. Appears to be a blake stitched sole? Also available in black.
Incredible looking sportcoat. But six bills is what many are shelling out for their monthly rent (and some in the big cities wish they were paying). That’s a lot of dough. Still, made in the USA from Italian wool. One day perhaps. One can dream. But, the thing is, if it doesn’t fit perfect out of the box, even with the ability to return it, it feels like a major disappointment.
When is this thing gonna happen?
Nailed it. Has cotton in there as the base to eliminate that shine that all poly/synthetic can bring. Dead simple. Great fall color.
Big fan of the shade of grey and the overall design of the peacoat. Like a less expensive version of the J. Crew dock peacoat, in a more medium shade of grey. Plus, they’ll go on sale often. Excluded now, but, should get nice cuts in the future.
Part sweater, part jacket. Easy to wear in or outside of the house. It’s the pricing differences that are a bit odd. The grey option is the cheapest and made of Lambswool. The black option is from their upgraded Wallace and Barnes line and made from wool sourced from Italy. And same goes for the navy (W&B + Italian wool), albeit there are some slight design differences to the navy option.
Another example of how you can be casual but still skip the hoodie. Appears to be excluded from the current code that’s running, but should come down in price with further promos. Would have been nice to have more wool in there.
This could be something. Moleskin is like velvet with a crew cut. So you lose the shine and fussiness, and you get a warm cotton fabric that’s extremely touchable. Like, good luck having your date keep their hands off your jacket.
Quite an investment from the jump, but they are made in the USA from French milled corduroy, and if you like that Bonobos fit? Then that’s hard to beat. A wale that’s not too thin nor too thick. Just 4 colors to pick from, so far, this season?
Is it wool? Is it cotton? Is it somewhere in between? Hell if I know. But it looks incredible. UPDATE: it’s all Merino. Thanks to Adam T. for the clarification!
Somewhere between a bomber and a long field jacket. Corduroy collar. Three colors to pick from. Ships and returns for free via Nordstrom.
“Genuine leather.” Hmmm. Could be hot garbage in your hands when it shows up. But the price is tempting, and the shape looks perfect. Cheap smooth leather can be not worth it sometimes though. Just tread carefully.
Hold your fire. These’ll drop once they aren’t excluded from a BR code. A new favorite, especially if you’re thicker south of your waist. Why? Because they still refuse to make traveler denim in a straight fit. Plenty stretchy, plenty comfortable, and the deep dark rinse shade is a bit more jean looking that the Traveler version. Size shown above is a 33—30 in the straight fit (they make slim and skinny too). Full review here.
A nice addition to the Thompson Tweed Blazer stable. Wool, poly, and viscose shell. Fully lined. No elbow patches, so, that’ll please plenty.
Tons of fall colors. Does carry the “Everyday Steal” label with em’, so it can be tough to find a code or promo that doesn’t exclude them. But discounts do happen (think sitewide, no exclusion deals) and when they do, they’re one heck of a pant for the price. 97% cotton. 3% spandex. 4.7/5 stars after 97 reviews. Not bad. Also available in a straight fit, albeit in not nearly as many colors to pick from compared to the slims.
Doesn’t appear to be made in Italy, but mighty fine looking all the same. And that’s how you do a lug sole with some restraint.
These things are genius. Lots of tweed blazers can be stiff and scratchy. These are mostly unconstructed and nicely soft. Three colors to pick from. Sleeve cuff buttons are non-functioning for easy tailoring. Shown above is an unaltered 40R (notice the sleeves, they’d need to be shortened).
Spendy, but the calfskin uppers seem to be a step above what Allen Edmonds usually uses (which is mighty fine stuff for everyone but the shoe snobs out there). That, and they come standard with a grippy V-tread sole. Not a new arrival, but now that it’s boot weather, some of us can’t wait to wear these things again. Full review here. Meanwhile… permission to be honest? I just don’t “get” the new Tate collection. That’s a lot of heavy lug sole on those shoes. Toothy. The v-tread option (which is on the Liverpool above) provides plenty of traction but is much more subtle.
Corduroy shirts are underrated. Size shown above is a medium. Surprisingly soft and lightweight. Not some stiff, heavy thing. 4 colors to pick from. No buttons to the collar and no collar stay slots, so, super casual for sure. But, that’s what cord shirts almost always are.
One of the best and most accessible deals in the cords world. A wale that’s just right. Not super plush and fat, but not pincord either. A little bit of stretch. A bunch of colors and a couple of fits. It’s the menswear snobs who say “ciao” who’d turn their nose up at these things. And let them.
I have no idea what to think of these things, but I’m inclined to like them. They’re like smoking jackets for dudes who actually like to split wood? (I mean, to an extent, after a while it’s a chore like anything else.)
Sure, it’s a bit of a guilty pleasure, but it’s not sickly sweet or over-cooked like a lot of other pumpkin beers. And for it being an imperial? It’s got a nice clean finish. Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice are all up front but not so overwhelming that it burns up your nose hairs. Sold in 22 oz bottles. Price depends on where you find it. If it’s on tap? Treat. Yo. Self.
A quilted jacket with all the right details. Regular fit. Sold through Bespoke Post of all places.
Well done, simple sneakers are big right now. And for good reason. We’re getting more and more casual yet still paying attention to how we present ourselves to the public. And these could walk that line. Pretty rich shade of suede there. And the dark brown leather accents are a nice touch. Kicks in autumnal colors.
All wool exterior in a perfect, dark navy. Guessing that if you really wanted to close that top button, in case of particularly brutal weather, you probably could without issue? Since it’s Suitsupply, it’ll ship and return for free, so you can try it out for yourself in person if you so desire. Lots of other colors available in the Suitsupiply basic 2/3 roll topcoat template.
Three styles, with the inclusion of a plain toe boot this year. Made in China, but that Goodyear welt and the classic good looks are hard to top… when on sale. $248 might be a little steep for some (since you can get these for about the same price).
Remember jeans? Yay. They’re back now that it’s not Sahara hot out. Still one of the best, cheapest options for the thicker legged crowd. Super stretchy. Make sure you wash these before wearing, as the color can bleed onto light colored stuff. Size shown above is 33—30 on 5’10″/185.
1/4 lining in the back. Moon Mills tweed or Cotton Moleskin. Available in either their slim or contemporary fit. Remember, Spier & Mackay pricing is in Canadian Dollars on their site, so, prepare to convert if you’re here in the US. Also, they’ll cover the return shipping if it’s your first suit or sportcoat purchase.
A more autumnal offering than their loafers from a few months back. Made in Spain, Goodyear welt, lower $200s, if not lower than that depending on the code. Currently 40% off with the GAP inc. sitewide code.
Some of us just aren’t hat people. And we’re extremely jealous of those that can pull em’ off. Made in England.
Like the feel of knit sportcoats but hate the way they drape and look on your body? Here be your answer. An ultra soft construction, which is so void of stiffness that it feels like you’re wearing a sweater, yet still somehow looks like a sportcoat. Got one of these myself. They’re impressive. And the lambswool cashmere blend is perfect for fall. Better for the broader guys since it’s the Regent fit, which is trim but not slim. Was just on sale for 30% off, so, sit tight and you could get a sizeable discount.
Classic, Barbour-like sporting looks without the heritage brand price tag. Corduroy collar, brass-tone snaps, raglan sleeves, and a vent in the rear for ease of movement. Also available in vest form.
A load of cash, but guaranteed to go on sale at some point. And that plaid pattern. Nice. Peak lapel, Italian wool, and only offered in their slim fit.
Horween leather uppers. Goodyear welted and made in the USA of course. Subtle, studded, Danite rubber sole. Full review here. Not bad for half the price of an Alden Indy (no knock against the Alden Indy of course, it’s a legend for a reason). Often drops to $250 during sales. They are the bootiest boot to ever boot… and they do it well.
Not your Professor’s squishy cord boxy fit number. Much more modern. Dark chocolate = more casual. Blue = pair it up with some dark wash denim, a crisp white shirt, and sleek boots, and you’ve got a go-to nice (but not super dressed up) date outfit.
Wool, especially merino, is the king of all fabrics. Strong, lighter in weight merino wool woven into a long sleeve polo shirt. Three colors to pick from. Size shown there is a medium on 5’10″/190lbs.
Hot toddys, whiskey slings, etc, Makes you almost want to catch a cold. Almost.
Got a tip on a new fall arrival? You can send those into joe@dappered.com.
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