Style Scenario: Feels Like Fall – Smart Casual

What are you going to wear? Sometimes it’s good to look at a few suggestions then add your own tweaks and ideas. That’s what these are for. Football, finally seeing a break in the heat, and a few days that feel almost… cold? Almost. This is the time of year when a little bit of layering feels great, and subtle nods to the season in your outfit are appreciated. Depending on your location, you might not be here yet. But fingers crossed autumn arrives for you soon. It’s one of the best times of the year for dressing well, and here’s a smart-casual look to welcome that (very welcome) change in season.

The Sportcoat: Tie Bar Wool-Blend Donegal Sportcoat – $195. Wool blend tweedy-fabric, just butterfly lined in the back (which is more expensive to make/should breathe better), and a reasonable price. Full review of here. The Less Expensive Option: If you’re into thrifting, your local shop could very well have racks of gray tweed sportcoats. Maybe. Thrifting is the ultimate hit-or-miss adventure.

The Polo: Charles Tyrwhitt Smart Long Sleeve Hidden Button Down Long Sleeve Polo – $59.75 multi-buy ($109). Wait for a sale or stock up with the 4 shirts and/or polos multi-buy deal. Super smooth cotton. Dressy, but still casual. Shirt-style barrel cuffs. The Less Expensive Option: If sixty bucks is still too spendy (when you buy four, four! that’s a lot!), consider the machine-washable UNIQLO extra fine merino long sleeve polo sweater. Those run $39.90. The Alternative: Just wear your favorite OCBD. But unlike the polo, you’ll be tucking the shirt in.

The Jeans: Target Goodfellow Slim Jeans in Rinse – $32.99. Or whatever your favorite dark wash denim happens to be. ‘Tis the (jeans) season.

The Sunglasses: Kent Wang Aviators in Gunmetal – $55. Kent Wang does not have a never ending product catalog featuring 8 zillion styles in every color and pattern known to man. Because they don’t need one. They’re excellent at what they do, making classic menswear items with high quality materials and pricing them at reasonable levels. Available in either a standard 54mm width, or a larger 57mm width.

The Watch: Timex Navi 41mm Fabric Strap Watch – $129. Sometimes black and brown can look odd when worn at the same time. That’s not the case with the boots and polo, and it’s not the case with the dial of the watch and its corresponding strap. This style scenario is a good reminder that there are always exceptions to style “rules.”

The Socks: Bombas Men’s Merino Wool Dress Socks – $24. Hard not to like Bombas. Merino blend material will wick and keep your feet comfortable. Knee high length to prevent slouching. Nobody likes a slouch.

The Boots: Rhodes Portland Cap-Toe Boot – $154 ($220). Goodyear Welted in the shoe and boot making hub of Leon Mexico. Weather resistant waxy suede uppers. Low-profile mini lug vibram sole will help keep you on your feet, and off your arse, in unpredictable slick weather (unlike crepe soles which can hydroplane on wet pavement.) And these boots hit a rare price point. Not $100 cheap stuff. Not $300+ budget busters. In-between. Quality. And attainable/save-worthy for most.

The Belt: Made in the USA Flint and Tinder 365 Belt 2.0 – $85. And while we’re at Huckberry… Just reviewed yesterday. It’s a winner. Sizes are going fast though. The Less Expensive Option: (wait for it…) Gap.

Want something more dressed up? Head here for our Style Scenario: Feels like Fall – Dressed UP post. Stay tuned for a casual/dressed down scenario to round out the trifecta. That’s on the way.