Now is a great time to prepare for those cooler months. It’s time to get your fall fashion wardrobe straight with some of the best men’s fall fashion essentials. The wardrobe capsule below is built around a fall color palette of blacks and greys with some warm autumn tones thrown in to mix things up a bit. It is also built for absolute comfort.
Related:Men’s 24-Piece Capsule Wardrobe
If you’re into men’s fashion at all then the fall might be the perfect season. You get to break out of wearing shorts and t-shirts and dive into a lot more of your wardrobe.
Quality Matters
The quality of products offered in this wardrobe is from some of the best brands around. I prefer to buy less and put that extra money into quality items that will be worn on a regular basis. Items that age gracefully and will be in your wardrobe for years to come. Each of the products below meets these criteria exceptionally well.
Along with your white kicks, you can start adding in some color with your casual sneakers. Besides those well-worn shorts, you can start breaking out those comfy wool pants, chinos, and slim denim jeans. Not to forget all the fall outwear.
If you’re looking for essentials for colder temperatures, check out the Muted Men’s Winter Fashion Essentials Guide.
Fall Shirts and Sweaters
As I stated above, I wanted to keep things as comfortable as possible. So you will find no button-downs in this wardrobe. Just sweatshirts, sweaters and t-shirts. If paired properly this items can be dressed up and although not formal will definitely work in a business casual and sharp casual situation.
Crew Neck Sweatshirts
Suggested Colors: Black, Grey, Brown, Olive, Charcoal Grey, Beige
The Crew Neck Sweatshirt is one of my main men’s fall fashion essentials. Sweatshirts just aren’t for lounging around the house. Companies like Sunspel have taken the sweatshirt into the high-end casual realm. Nowadays you can pair these guys with everything from jeans, to chinos, to cotton trousers, and wool pants. If your shoes are on point with the outfit and the sweatshirt fits properly you’ll look great. I would by stand grey first, and then black, and then throw in some nice autumn tones with a beige, brown, or burnt orange/red.
Crew Neck Sweaters
Suggested Colors: Black, Grey
A good crew neck merino sweater has always been a fall & winter essential. For the purpose of this article and this particular wardrobe stick with black and grey and stick with merino wool. I have some cotton sweaters, but they tend to stretch more than the wool and don’t wear as well over the long run.
Related: Best Men’s V-Neck Sweaters Buying Guide
1. Sunspel Lambswool Crew Neck Jumper ($285)
2. Cos Merino Wool Jumper ($99)
3. Asket “The Merino Sweater” ($110)
4. J. Crew Merino Wool Crewneck Sweater ($80)
5. Uniqlo Lambswool Crewneck Sweater ($30)
T-Shirts
Suggested Colors: Black, White, Grey
Yes, if you’re building a fall fashion wardrobe you need t-shirts. Always go for good quality t-shirts. I have H&M on the list for a good low-cost option but you will see a dramatic difference between that shirt and let’s say something from Asket. You do pay more, but an Asket T-Shirt will hold its shape much better over the long run and be with you for multiple seasons.
Related: Best Men’s Plaint T-Shirts
1. Asket “The T-Shirt” ($45)
2. Farnol Everyday Cotton Pima T-Shirt ($20)
3. H&M T-Shirt ($10)
4. Uniqlo Supima Cotton T-Shirt ($10)
5. Sunspel Classic Cotton T-Shirt ($90)
6. J. Crew Slub Cotton T-Shirt ($35)
7. Cos Round Neck T-Shirt ($20)
Fall Pants
For this fall wardrobe, I wanted to be able to move between casual and business casual with ease. I’ve included in this wardrobe wool pants, chinos, and jeans. The wool pants are heavier weight so they will go well with heavier tops like sweatshirts and lambswool sweaters. For colors, I’ve tried to stay with the greys and blacks for the wool trousers, dark colors for the chinos, and dark wash blues, and blacks for the jeans. These colors should match well with anything else in the wardrobe without much thought.
Wool Trousers
Suggested Colors: Black, Charcoal Grey, Grey
Nothing screams fall fashion essential more than wool pants. I always used to think of wool pants as strictly for formal wear, either with a suit or a dress shirt and a sweater. But they are so much more. Wool pants can be paired with quality casual gear like t-shirts and sweatshirts. Again as I stated above your focus has to be on the right colors and getting the right shoes to tie everything together.
Related: Best Men’s Wool Trousers
2. Drapeau Noir Wool Pant ($164)
3. Sunspel Wool Cashmere Flannel Drawstring Trouser ($295)
4. Cos Slim Wool Trousers ($125)
5. J. Crew Ludlow Slim Fit Wool Pant ($225)
6. Filippa K Liam Cool Wool Trousers ($195)
Chinos
Suggested Colors: Black, Grey, Navy, Olive
Related: Best Chinos for Men Buying Guide
A good quality chino is an absolute fall fashion essential. Chinos can be dressed up or down and can easily be worn in some of the chillier weather. For the purpose of this article, we’re going to stick with black, medium grey, grey, and dark navy. I love pairing a dark navy top or bottom with a black counterpart. The slight variation in color provides some nice interest.
In this list, I’ve also included the Cos Cotton Trousers. These pants are a little more formal than chinos. They come with a crease and a cuff, but they also work great with sweatshirts and t-shirts. A black option is all that’s needed and they’ll go a long way.
1. H&M Slim Fit Cotton Chinos ($50)
2. Uniqlo Slim Fit Flat Front Chinos ($40)
3. J. Crew 484 Slim Fit Chinos ($68)
4. Asket “The Chino” ($150)
5. Sunspel Stretch Slim Fit Chino ($175)
6. Cos Relaxed Turn-up Trousers ($115)
Denim Jeans
Suggested Colors: Dark Wash, Black
Related: Best Denim Jeans for Men
For a fall wardrobe, you need a good pair of dark wash jeans and a good pair of black jeans. Making either selvedge jeans to adds to your coolness. One of my favorite selvedge jean brands is Rogue Territory. They offer standard and straight fits for any body type.
1. Rogue Territory Standard Issue 15oz Selvedge Jeans ($240)
2. Levis 511 Jeans ($49)
3. Shockoe Atelier Slim Black Selvedge ($225)
Fall Shoes and Boots
Staying with the darker color theme I chose shoes that will work with practically everything else in this wardrobe. The workhorse of the shoe section would be the white sneakers. Followed by the grey sneakers. I only included a type of dress shoe, the derby, because it is so versatile, and can be dressed up or down easily.
Casual Sneakers
Suggested Colors: White, Black w/ White Soles, Dark Grey, Grey
Sneakers, sneakers, sneakers. A lot of folks believe sneakers are becoming the new dress shoe. The faux pas of wearing white sneakers with suits is a thing of the past. White sneakers will look great with absolutely anything in this wardrobe. Whether you’re wearing wool pants, chinos, or jeans, a good pair of sneakers is a must.
Related: Best White Sneakers for Men
Related: Best Casual Sneakers for Men
1. White Sneakers: Common Projects Achilles ($410)
2. Black Sneakers w/ White Soles: Oliver Cabell Low 1s ($178)
3. Dark Grey Sneakers: Maison Margiela 22 Classic Replica Sneaker Black & Amber ($399)
4. Everyday Grey Sneaker: New Balance 574 Grey ($80)
Derby Shoes
Suggested Color: Black
Derbys are a great fall dress shoe that can easily translate between casual and formal wear. Dressing them down with jeans or up with a nice cotton trouser or wool pants is an easy transition for these shoes.
Related: Best Dress Shoes for Men
1. Trickers Woodstock ($519)
2. Beckett Simonon ($199)
3. Grenson Leo Derby Shoes ($315)
Leather Boots
Suggested Colors: Black, Dark Brown
A great pair of leather boots is a must for any fall wardrobe. Again I picked a shoe that can go with anything in this fall men’s wardrobe. A black boot with a white sole like those from Red Wing and a brown boot similar to those from J. Crew and Alden are perfect here. When in stock J. Crew offers a Kenton boot around $200, from there I would try the Red Wings which will run you upwards of $300.
1. J. Crew Kenton Leather Cap Toe ($248)
2. Red Wing Iron Ranger ($319)
3. Alden 405 Boot ($557)
Fall Outerwear
I love having a variety of coats in jackets and they can dramatically change a look. A bomber will keep things casual while switching it out for a formal overcoat will dress things up nicely. If I was starting out fresh I would by a quilted vest first because with Phillie’s mild winters it could be used for fall and most of the winter. I would then pick up the American Trench, a denim jacket, and then a full-fledged winter jacket for the coming season.
Fall Outwear: The Overcoat, Trench Coat & Rain Coat
Suggested Colors: Black, Charcoal Grey, Grey, Beige
Because our color scheme for this season wardrobe is on the greyscale I’m going to keep with that theme with regards to coats. Whether you’re in milder areas and will use a trench coat or pure raincoat, or in more in-climate areas where a wool overcoat makes more since you’ll want to stay with a black. charcoal grey, or grey coat.
1. Trench Coat: Burberry Trench ($2190)
2. Rain Coat: Stutterheim Rain Coat ($295)
3. Overcoat: Filippa-K Overcoat ($580)
Modern Harrington Jacket
Suggested Colors: Black, Navy
For the fall one of my favorite jackets is the Modern Harrington. A modern Harrington has a standard collar and fewer detailing. I personally do not like the tab collar that comes with your typical Harrington. It feels dated to me whereas a standard collar looks much more up to date and modern. This jacket is perfect for the fall and spring seasons when a lightweight jacket will come in handy.
Related: Best Lightweight Jackets for Men
1. Asos Black Harrington Jacket ($56)
2. Cos Zip-up Wool Jacket ($150)
Denim Jackets
Suggested Colors: Black
Denim Jackets are timeless Men’s Fall Fashion Essential and any men’s wardrobe would be incomplete without one. Staying with the theme of this wardrobe I’m going with a black wash for a super cool look. Again you should be able to pair it with anything and get a great look.
Related: Best Denim Jackets for Men
1. J. Crew Classic Denim Jacket ($98)
2. Todd Snyder Denim Jacket ($298)
3. Levis Trucker Jacket ($70)
Quilted Vests
Suggested Colors: Black
As I said above one of my most worn items in the fall season is a quilted vest. I barely take it off once the temperature dips. I own the one from J. Crew. If you’re in colder temps you’ll want to take a look at the offerings from The North Face, and Moncler.
Related: Best Winter Vests for Men
Related: Best Down Vests for Men
1. J. Crew Quilted Vest ($150)
2. The North Face Aconcagua Vest ($100)
3. Moncler Tib Vest ($650)
Lightweight Quilted Jacket
(suggested colors: black)
For a winter coat, I wanted to go with a lightweight puffy jacket. For the vast majority of the winter, you don’t need a full-length parka. You can get away with a waist-length jacket with some good warmth properties. My three options below come from very reputable companies and cover every budget from a couple hundred dollars to over five hundred.
Related: Best Packable Down Jackets for Men
1. The North Face Junction Quilted Jacket ($88)
2. Canada Goose Hybridge Perren Jacket ($750)
3. Uniqlo Ultra-Light Men’s Down Vest ($40)
Fall Accessories
Lastly, you’ll need some great fall accessories. Some of these include season-specific pieces like beanies, wool baseball caps, and scarves, but I’ve also included some of my favorite everyday carry staples, like one of my favorites watches from Tudor.
1. Shoe Cleaner: If you’re going to wear white sneakers in the fall, then you’ll need a good shoe cleaner. One of the most well known is the Jason Markk Shoe Cleaning Set ($16). It also comes with a cool little brush.
2. Fall Socks (black, grey): The Unrecorded Organic Socks ($10) are perfect for the fall season. They’re knitted in Portugal from an organic cotton blend. And have a subtle rib.
3. Aviator Sunglasses: Rayban Aviators ($153) have made classic eyewear for decades. You need a great pair of shades to combat the glare from that low sun.
4. Scarf: The Acne Studios Canada Narrow New Scarf ($150) is big and pricey, but it’s soo cool. It comes in multiple colors. And if you currently don’t wear scarves this one will change your mind.
5. Fall Wool Baseball Cap (black, grey): I have two American Trench Wool Ball Caps ($75). And they’re the same color. I love mine so much I had to get two. The cap is perfect if you’re looking for a little warmth and don’t want to pull out the beanie.
6. Beanie (black, grey): The Asket Plain Wool Beanie ($50) is a great beanie at a great price. This beanie is a great change up to the wool cap above.
7. Watch: The Tudor Heritage Black Bay Watch ($3330) is the baby brother to the Rolex. Instead of spending 10K on a submariner, you can get the same quality at a much better price point.
8. Cologne: I love the smell of Joseph Abboud Cologne ($50). It is a combination of citrus and woodsy scents making it perfect for a night out or a day in the office. A perfect fall scent.
9. Grooming: One of the things I love to do in the fall is to get away to a cool spot for a long weekend. The Aesop Skincare Montreal Nine-Piece Travel Grooming Set ($75) is the way to take care of all of your grooming needs without taking up a whole lot of space. This kit has everything you need for your Hair, Body, and Oral Care.
10. Headphones: The RHA Audio MA750 Headphones ($150) are probably the best sub $100 headphones I’ve listened to. They’re sweatproof, wireless, feature a 12-hour battery, and a 3-year warranty.
11. Backpack: ISM Backpack ($225)
12. Weekender: As I said above, I love taking a long weekend vacation in the fall. The Sandqvist Frans Weekender ($525) is my go-to backpack. With you’re carrying your work tech or a couple of outfits this a great bag that can handle it all.
13. Shoe Trees: Keep your shoe in showroom condition with the Stratton Men’s Cedar Shoe Tree ($20). So cheap you can get a set for every pair of shoes.
14. Wallets: Common Projects Standard Wallet ($185)
15. Keychain: The Orbit Keychain ($43) is by far my favorite keychain. It is a solidly made piece and you can add a number of accessories. I have a USB, a bottle opener, and a pry.
