Nothing speaks to dapper sensibilities more than the art of layering. Spring and Summer allow you to show your penchant for pastel colors and the ability to dress up while dressing down, and Winter affords you excess layers without necessarily showing stylistic ability as much, but Fall Season….now that’s a whole other ball game.
Cold, but not cold enough to be completely covered up, Fall Season, allows you to wear multiple layers that are not all buttoned up to truly show your fashion sense and ability to mix and match patterns, fabrics and colors.
As some of us would say when we see Craig Sager deliver his post game exploits: “Now that’s a winning combination!”
We know that any sartorially inclined, articulated gentleman will have no trouble picking the right pair of pants and shirt.
It’s the layering that starts to become a source of inspiration (or confusion, which is what this article serves to clear up!). With that said, let’s start with the outer layers and work our way in, in our guide to how to layer clothes for the Fall Season.
Blazers / Jackets
Assuming you are not wearing a standard suit, and are looking to mix and match fabrics, colors and patterns, a Plaid Jacket is a great option. With a recent renaissance in Plaid, we can see why it makes a man look dapper.
More so, Plaid looks aesthetic in different colors, especially colors that suit the Fall Season such as Navy, Greys and Browns. There has been a proliferation in Brown Jackets being worn in recent years, with brown belts and shoes to go with for that extra Dapper Effect!
For suggestions on matching ties with plaid jackets, please view our tie collection at The Dark Knot, where you can filter your search based on matching shirts, suits and even the type of occasion that you are attending!
A Plaid Blazer against a navy pinstriped vest and an abstract silk tie provides for a dapper look!
The Tweed Jacket has also witnessed a resurgence in interest in recent times. Being constructed from a clearly different fabric texture has definitely added interest and intrigue to this type of jacket. The coarser texture allows for flexibility with different layering options underneath, such as textured woolen or knitted ties!
For a list of our silk wool blend ties, please click here.
A Tweed Jacket with a Knitted Tie and complementary pocket square will have you standing out!
A Tweed Blazer can look dapper against a tweed vest with a contrasting polka dot silk tie against a striped blue and white shirt and a complementary pocket square!
Another timeless option that was discussed in a recent article is the Navy Blazer. A Navy Blazer is a versatile item that can be worn casually with khakis / chinos or with a more formal pair of pants.
Add in a fall color silk tie such as burgundy, olive green or mustard yellow and you will have a dapper combination that is sure to have heads turning for a second look!
For a comprehensive list of our exquisite burgundy silk ties at The Dark Knot, please click here.
A Navy Blazer and Burgundy Tie provides for an elegant and dapper look
A braver option but one that will definitely have you looking peerless and sartorially forward is the Gingham Blazer! Yes, style seems to have evolved from just gingham shirts to gingham blazers. While this requires a confident dapper gentleman, a gingham blazer will allow for fabulous layering options.
Be amongst the few and brave that embraces Gingham for their wardrobe this Fall Season!
Vests
From black tie events to work and even casual wear, the vest has truly seen a surge in recent years.
A well fitted vest should be long enough to cover the man’s waist in the front, with no dress shirt showing between the waist and belt. The back can and often is cut slightly higher.
Be sure to wear a fitted shirt or have your shirt appropriately tucked in, so as to avoid your shirt bouncing up around your waist at the back. Just as with the case with a suit, your vest should fit snugly around your shoulders.
This combination of a brown tweed jacket against a grey tweed blazer and a yellow abstract silk tie is beyond dapper!
Cardigans
Contrary to popular belief, Cardigans are not emasculating. So what exactly defines a Cardigan?
A Cardigan is defined as a knitted, full-sleeved, buttoned ‘V-neck’ sweater. How exactly should a Cardigan fit?
Fit should be comfortably loose but not baggy. While Cardigan shoulder seams should end at the top of your shoulder, they need to not be fitted as your shoulders. The bottom hem of the cardigan should cover your waistline but not not your trouser pockets. Ideally, you should be looking for a Cardigan with enough room to layer over a shirt, but fitted enough without becoming too bulky of a middle layer.
A well constructed cardigan should have a taper that flatters a man’s body, where it narrows at the abdomen and widens out by the hips to accentuate one’s chest. A woolen cardigan will protect you more effectively from the cold weather as a result of its insulating characteristics.
When paired with a blazer or suit, a cardigan can provide an extra layer of dapper that will have you standing out. When combined with a blazer, cardigans can look fantastic as part of a three piece ensemble. When paired with a suit, however, it is best to opt for safer, simple colors such as greys or blues.
A burgundy cardigan with a black knitted tie against a blue gingham shirt is a sure winner!
Sweaters
A pullover sweater can be either dressed up or dressed down. These sweaters are typically worn over a collared man’s dress shirt but can also be worn with a collar-less t-shirt for a more casual look.
Ties
While the option of layering in the Fall Season allows us to strut our trendiest silk neckwear, we can also exhibit our attention to detail by opting for textured fabrics such as woolen or knitted ties. With more men dressing dapper these days and choosing various Blazers, Cardigans and Vests as mentioned above, there is more room for textured materials to really make an impact, such as woolen or knitted ties.
A Brown abstract woolen tie against a burnt orange sweater and brown tweed jacket is as dapper as it gets for the Fall Season
This polka dot knitted tie works beautifully against this grey and navy double layer blazer!
Pocket Squares
In recent years, the pocket square has become an indispensable item in the discerning gentleman’s wardrobe. Whereas ties used to add color, the modern sartorial gentleman displays his sense of style and flair through not only ties, but other accessories, such as pocket squares.
Contrary to popular belief, a pocket square should not directly match your tie, but rather complement it. A great and effective way of complementing your tie is to have the background color of your tie as the predominant color of your pocket square. You could also use a color wheel to pick either contrasting or complementary colors for your pocket squares.
For an exquisite array of hand made silk & linen pocket squares with distinctive hand rolled contrasting edges, please click here.
And that's a wrap for this one. I hope that you have enjoyed reading this article as much as I did writing it!
Please feel free to check out our entire collection of beautiful Hand Made Silk Ties, Linen and Silk Pocket Squares & Lapel Flowers here at The Dark Knot!
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