What are you going to wear? Sometimes it’s good to look at a few suggestions then add your own tweaks and ideas. Autumn brings with it gray skies and the occasional day (or days) where it’s cold, rainy, and generally miserable. But that doesn’t mean you can’t look good. Two keys to dressing well when the weather is wet and generally unpredictable:
- Wear machine washable pants instead of dry-clean only suit pants or trousers (in case some of the slop splashes/splatters up on your legs).
- Favor versatile, weather resistant shoes or boots with a subtle rubber sole.
The Raincoat: BR Factory Water Resistant Mac – $80 ($100ish). A super simple, navy mac jacket is outrageously versatile. And it looks grown-up and classy thanks to it purposefully having no bells or whistles. Simplicity is in short supply these days, so you’ll stand out quietly. Wear it with everything from joggers and sneakers to a suit and dress shoes. Pro Tip: If it fits baggy on arrival, try having it tailored. You don’t want it too tight though. Wear a suit or an outfit with layers to your tailor when you get it dialed in. It needs to go on easily. You don’t want to look like a trash bag, but you don’t want to get in a fight with it every time you try to put it on either. The Splurge Option: Suitsupply Water-Repellent Italian Wool Blend Raincoat – $449
The Sportcoat: Nordstrom Stretch Merino Wool Grey Plaid Sportcoat – $399. Interesting but still reserved. Not some bold and brash drunk-uncle jacket. Ships/returns for free. 99% wool/1% spandex fabric. Just quarter lined in the back. The Slightly More Affordable Option: Rodd & Gunn Stretch Wool & Cotton Sport Coat – $278.60 ($398)
The Shirt: Target Goodfellow Performance Dress Shirt – $33. Inexpensive and pretty good. Reviewed here.
The Watch: Timex Men’s Marlin 40mm Chronograph – $139 ($179). A sharp panda-style dress chronograph. Fun, but still dressy.
The Pants: Target Goodfellow Slim Fit Tech Chino Pants – $35. Wearing a nice sportcoat up top + inexpensive trousers = a literal “high/low” look. Plus the dark gray/soft-black color will hide any splashes from aggressive cab or uber drivers.
The Umbrella: Totes “Gentleman’s” Wood Handle Umbrella – $27. A classic that provides good coverage but isn’t as large (or as obnoxious) as a monster golf umbrella. The hooked handle allows you to sling it over your arm/wrist when you need that hand to open a door or grab your phone.
The Socks: Bombas Merino Wool Socks – $22. Not paper thin dress socks, but still temperature regulating merino wool.
The Belt: Nordstrom Reversible Leather Belt – $49.50. A basic, reversible, do-anything dress belt. Ships and returns for free.
The Boots: Charles Tyrwhitt Grain Leather Rubber Sole Brogue Boots – $279. Goodyear welted to a rubber studded sole. Grain leather. Wingtip details. Those are smart. Drops under $225 with the occasional 20% off deal CT tends to run.
The Boots Waterproofer: Saphir Super Invulner Protector – $32. Noticeably more expensive than cheaper competitors, but Saphir has a real reputation for quality in the shoe care business. And this stuff is more gentle on your shoes, thanks to being silicone-free.