Summer is officially over, and as we transition into the cooler months, you’re probably starting to think about reshuffling your wardrobe to make room for your winter clothes. This is the part of the year when putting outfits together becomes fun again. There’s so much choice, so many great colours to experiment with, and, perhaps most importantly of all, all manner of pleasing textured fabrics that can be worked into your daily looks.
Textures are what make autumn/winter outfits sing. Use them to your advantage and you can turn otherwise pedestrian looks into masterpieces worthy of their own grid posts. In order to do so, you’ll need the perfect vehicles to bring these tactile fabrics into your wardrobe. But what are these key textured pieces? And what can each of them bring to your cold-weather style?
Below, we’ve rounded up the tactile garments we feel should be in every stylish man’s cold-weather rotation, spanning everything from a luxurious cashmere scarf to a rough-and-tough duck canvas jacket. Keep reading to find out more.
Heavyweight Flannel Shirt
The Real McCoys
Forget about flimsy flannels – if you want to do brushed-cotton shirting the right way, you need to arm yourself with a proper lumberjack-approved flannel shirt; the sort of flannel that begins to encroach on jacket territory.
Heavyweight flannels are great because they make layering a breeze. They’re usually cut nice and roomy in the body, which means you can wear one as a top layer over a T-shirt, hoodie or knit, or you can use one as a mid-layer along with some more substantial outerwear.
They come unlined, quilted, fleece-lined or synthetically insulated depending on your preferences, and some of the best brands to shop include Filson, Fjällräven, Patagonia, Iron Heart and The Real McCoys. Failing that, head to your local thrift shop.
Aran Sweater
Inis Meáin
The Aran sweater, also known as a fisherman sweater, is a heavily textured, low-gauge knitted pullover that often features a raised pattern knitted into the front of the garment (think cable knit jumpers). The style originated in the Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland and was traditionally undyed, in the natural colour of sheep’s wool.
Today, Aran sweaters come in all sorts of colours and weights, but we’d recommend going for a nice thick one from a brand that knows its way around this style of knitwear. Scotland’s Inverallan is one such specialist which has been perfecting its craft since the 1970s, but be prepared to pay for this level of craftsmanship and heritage.
Duck Canvas Chore Coat
Private White V.C.
Incorporating some classic workwear into your casual outfits is a great way to give them a relaxed, rugged feel. A heavy canvas chore coat is the perfect example of this. It’s built like a tank, gets better with every wear, and you can dress it up or down depending on the type of look you’re going for.
This type of jacket should be a little boxy, slightly cropped and feature a corduroy collar and multiple patch pockets. Check out the likes of Carhartt and Dickies for an authentic take, or Drake’s for something slightly more upscale.
Fuzzy Cardigan
Todd Snyder
Five years ago, you could have been forgiven for thinking that the trend for mohair knitwear would amount to nothing more than a flash in the pan. And yet here we are half a decade down the line and they’re still as popular as ever.
This is great news for your winter wardrobe, as these fuzzy cardigans are great for injecting a dose of colour, character and pattern into your cold-weather looks.
Cashmere Scarf
Luca Faloni
Cashmere has one of the softest and most luxurious handles of any fabric out there. The trouble is that it’s incredibly expensive. Not everyone has the money for a full cashmere sweater or cardigan, but adding a cashmere scarf to your autumn/winter arsenal is a great way to enjoy this high-end material for less while simultaneously getting a lot of wear out of it.
There are countless brands making excellent cashmere scarves. You could go to a high-fashion label like Burberry or Gucci, or you could go to a heritage brand famous for luxury knitwear. Johnstons of Elgin fits the bill if you’re after something made in the UK, or check out the likes of Loro Piana and Brunello Cucinelli if money is no object.
Corduroy Pants
Velasca
Cords have a bit of an undeserved reputation for being uncool, but it’s all about how they’re styled. We think corduroy can most definitely be cool – the trick is not wearing too much of it at once and making sure there’s some variation in the colour palette across the whole outfit. Go in too hard on the earth tones and you risk drifting into geography teacher territory.
We love pleated corduroy pants. Something about adding a few well-placed pleats to this type of legwear really elevates it and makes it feel more stylish.
We’d suggest going for a rich autumnal hue or classic neutral and wearing with anything from soft tailoring to streetwear pieces like hoodies and sneakers.
Waffle Long-Sleeve Top
Todd Snyder
The humble T-shirt has been the foundation of your summer wardrobe, but as the weather begins to cool down, you need a new base upon which to build outfits. Something a little warmer and with longer sleeves, but still simple and versatile enough to go with anything and everything.
A long-sleeve tee is the obvious solution, but why not go one better and opt for one in a waffled fabric? This stuff looks more interesting than regular cotton, but it also does a better job of trapping body heat, making it perfect for the cold months.
Knitted Polo
Velasca
Substituting a shirt for a knitted long-sleeve polo is a great way to jazz up your tailored and smart-casual outfits during the fall and winter. It can lend a laid-back yet still elegant look to a suit while introducing a touch of texture too.
For bonus points, go for a knitted polo with a bit of pattern to it. Neutral colours are great, but adding a vertical stripe or two is a great way to give your outfit a focal point and draw the eye in.
Wool Overcoat
Todd Snyder
A classic wool overcoat is something every man should have hanging up and ready to go for the winter months. It can be worn with anything and everything, it won’t date, and if you buy a good one you’ll likely have it for life. Just throw it on over whatever you’re wearing and you’re good to go – it couldn’t be any easier.
Fit, as always, is very important. Your overcoat should be roomy, but you shouldn’t be drowning in it either. The goal is for it to comfortably fit over a couple of layers of clothing without inhibiting your range of movement. You should be able to fit it over a suit jacket without the sleeves bunching up inside.
Check out Ami, Asket, Acne Studios, Uniqlo and Reiss for some of our favourite examples.
Thick Pile Fleece
Uniqlo
It doesn’t get warmer or cosier than putting on a proper thick-pile fleece. This heavily textured fabric is a great insulator and it works perfectly with wintery casual outfits too. Arm yourself with a jacket, pullover or gilet made from the stuff, and use it to layer up with the weather is nippy.
The undisputed king of thick-pile fleeces is Patagonia’s Retro-X jacket. This thing has been around in various forms for many decades, and it features contrast detailing to the chest pocket hem and collar. Or, if you’re looking for something a bit cheaper, high-street stores like Uniqlo and H&M have some great options too.
