
Fall, Winter Style Even on Falling Budget
Like many, you probably weren't paying attention earlier this year as designers showed off their menswear for the fall and winter on the runaways of New York and Milan. If you've been anywhere near a mall or department store recently, though, their impact is unmistakable. Thom Browne's grey flannel infantry garb for Moncler Gamme Bleu, Billy Reid's Charles Lindbergh-inspired leather flight jacket and Christopher Bailey's parade of slim denim pants tucked into chunky calf-height boots -- partnered with with a hefty double-breasted coat for Burberry Prorsum -- inspire much of the Main Street creations and seasonal trends that's fashion's own version of trickle-down economics.
Tweed messenger caps such as those shown by Dolce & Gabbana, known for their versatility between workday and weekend use, replace the knit skullcaps preferred in previous seasons. Hair should be kept longer and slicked-back, a la Gordon Gekko in Oliver Stone's
Wall Street 2
. Scarves make an even more pronounced statement this season, preferably thick, with heavy knitting in wool or cashmere such as the impeccable flannel cashmere scarf retailing for $860 at
.
Billy Reid's tweed three-piece ensemble, worn with chambray dress shirt and bow tie, is an example of how many designers are hearkening back to the 1920s for this year's fall and winter collections. |
Men's business suits will maintain more classic tailoring, and matching three-piecers will dominate with classic lapels and hemmed, cuffed or uncuffed, slim and pleat-free silhouettes. The look is captured in Billy Reid's tweed three-piece ensemble worn with chambray dress shirt and bow tie. Men in black, all black, was the quintessential look by Dolce & Gabbana and
Ralph Lauren
(RL) - Get Report
-- a return to the '20s Italian banker for the Milan-based fashion house and classic American, cut with two buttons in a wool gabardine by the New York-based fashion house. With both suits priced well above $1,500, the financially challenged or restrained should sign up for the email discount site
, where daily sales recently offered a Calvin Klein White Label suit for less than $200 -- perfect for job-seekers.
With more businessmen opting to ditch the traditional suit for comfort or financial reasons, blazers are more popular than ever. Known for their versatility from workplace to outerwear, they're also essential as late summer slowly recedes to the chill of fall. For those with a limited clothing collection, stick to darker colors and muted trends that will keep pieces from becoming dated too quickly. How many times can you wear that black coat with bold white piping, anyway, even if it's Louis Vuitton?
In its most successful designer collaboration to date,
Black Fleece line offers an array of Thom Browne-designed sport-coat separates that gives buyers the option to go back and actually buy the complete suit. Browne's tweed sport coat with patch pocket and ubiquitous blunt tailoring offers the designer's signature style at a fraction of the cost of his own ready-to-wear line. For a more elegant look, especially guys hitting dressier fall parties or nightlife, a three-button classic tuxedo jacket with double back vent of pure wool twill brings a dressy flavor to the classic jeans and white shirt.
Hardly a newcomer to celebrity designer partnerships, H&M has worked with everyone from Comme des Garcons to Karl Lagerfeld for its seasonal one-off collections. In what could be its most avant-garde pairing to date, Lanvin for H&M will land at U.S. stores starting Nov. 2 with signature designs by Lanvin artistic director Alber Elba. For fall, Lanvin's own couture collection brought back the couture backpack in its best reinterpretation since those shiny Prada numbers in the late '90s daringly combined cropped pinstriped suits with tattered plaid neckties and belted trenches. Look for an even more playful collection at Lanvin for H&M that will include men and women's suits, shirts, pants and innovative accessories.
The fall foot is dominated by the boot. Bold, black, shiny or sparkly and preferably well above the calf, boots have been integrated into formal and casual fashions from under the classic suit at Gucci to accompanying leggings and man-shorts at McQ by Alexander McQueen. Season standouts include Bottega's Nero Calf boot with flat rubber sole and lace-up front for $940 and Burberry Prorsum's incredible Leather Mid-Calf Explorer boot with metallic buckle and shearling lining. They'll have you marching through fall in high style.
>To submit a news tip, email:
.
RELATED STORIES:
>>San Francisco In Rare Restaurant Gold Rush
>>Last-Minute Labor Day Trips for Any Budget
Follow TheStreet.com on
and become a fan on
Michael Martin is the managing editor of JetSetReport.com, a luxury travel and lifestyle guide based in Los Angeles and London. His work has appeared in InStyle, Blackbook, Elle, U.K.'s Red magazine and on ITV and the BBC.









