The Best New Fall Menswear to Buy This Week: August 25, 2023

Dec 29, 2023

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Politics has its place, but these are the debate questions we want answered: Should your first layering piece of the fall be a chocolate suede “worker’s jacket” by Cad & The Dandy, or a garment-dyed cotton overshirt by NN07? When it comes to cardigans, should you pull for a casentino iteration by Drake’s, or a deep V-neck cable-knit by Ghiaia Cashmere? And most importantly, when is it appropriate to wear an ivory-colored corduroy Cucinelli tux? These and other hot-button issues will be explored below.

Whether you’ll soon be returning to classes on an ivy-covered campus somewhere—or just enjoy dressing like you will—The Armoury’s new Isaac shirt should be at the top of your back-to-school list. With features like an unlined collar, a five-button front and a generous roll, the American-made shirt passes OCBD 101 with flying colors.

Buy Now on The Armoury: $175

No, these wool cargo trousers from Marni are not hot cop-style breakaway pants; they just sport contrast stitching at the mid-thigh and below the knee for decoration. The oversized patch-flap pockets at the side of each leg, however, remain very functional.

Buy Now on Shopbop: $950

Never before in history have the phrases “Hollywood glamour” and “corduroy tuxedo” been used in conjunction. But Brunello Cucinelli has managed to pull off this so-crazy-it-might-just-work sartorial feat, cutting a tuxedo from ivory-colored cotton corduroy and finishing it off with white satin peak lapels.

Buy Now on Neiman Marcus: $7,995

Given its post-pandemic prevalence, you may already have several chore coats in your fall rotation. But you probably don’t have a chocolate suede iteration with handmade buttonholes and internal poacher’s pockets. If that’s the case, Cad & The Dandy can provide.

Buy Now on Cad and the Dandy: £1,440 (ABOUT $1,854)

If The Wild One were set in, say, Positano rather than small-town California, we imagine its biker protagonists would be clad in something like this leather field jacket by Isaia. In a characteristic touch of flair, the Neapolitan brand has finished it off with a belted closure of generous length.

Buy Now on Saks Fifth Avenue: $6,950

Is “Grapes of Wrath core” a thing? No. But there is room for a pair of cotton-linen carpenter pants styled like hard-beaten 1930s workwear, as this expertly distressed and repaired specimen from RRL indicates.

Buy Now on Ralph Lauren: $425

Though undoubtedly a wardrobe staple, the spread collar poplin shirt can feel a little boring. To remedy that, Comme Des Garçons has treated it like a grade school art project and affixed panels of colorful, contrast fabric throughout the front and all across the back.

Buy Now on FRWD: $644

Is this Our Legacy knit truly a polo, as its description claims, or a cardigan, as its button-through front would suggest? We don’t have a definitive answer, but we do know that it’s made from a nubby alpaca-wool blend that will be welcome on that first frosty fall evening.

Buy Now on Mohawk General Store: $374

A straw-colored, wide wale corduroy sport coat worked for Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate, and it should work for you, too. Particularly as this Brooks Brothers iteration checks all the mid-century style boxes, including triple patch pockets, a 3/2 roll and braided leather buttons.

Buy Now on Brooks Brothers: $548

You’ve waited long enough for flannel shirt season to return: make your first foray back into plaid worth it. This checked cotton shit from John Elliot is a promising candidate, as it’s made from a custom-woven plaid and is hand-brushed for a satisfyingly fuzzy finish.

Buy Now on Farfetch: $398

The patriotic title of this Billy Reid knit calls back to its fabric. The V-neck sweater is made entirely from yarn-dyed organic cotton grown right here in the U-S-of-A.

Buy Now on Billy Reid: $398

As tantalizing as the promise of fall may be, we’re still some days away from sweater weather. Heavyweight tee weather, on the other hand, is approaching rapidly, and you could do worse than pick up this substantial mockneck pocket tee from Saturdays NYC in preparation.

Buy Now on Saturdays: $88

No subterranean-dwelling mammals were hurt in the making of these slim-fitting Tom Ford jeans, which are in fact made from stretch-cotton fabric with a pleasingly peached finish. Wear them with a shawl collar cardigan and that first PSL of the season.

Buy Now on LuisaViaRoma: $870

If you’re anything like us, you’ve been chomping at the bit to get back into a proper overcoat. A promising choice for the season to come is this piece from Barena, which matches a wool-blend fabric in a classic check to a soft, modern construction.

Buy Now on Trunk: $1,235

This wool-mohair, wide gauge knit from Sage Nation is about as thick and fuzzy as a bear pelt—but considerably more comfortable to wear. A dropped shoulder and relaxed fit further burnish its ursine appeal.

Buy Now on Browns: $500

Composed of recycled and organic cotton, NN07’s Freddy overshirt is a lightweight layer that’s light on the conscious. Aside from its green bonafides, the garment-dyed piece also features a helpful pair of oversized chest pockets.

Buy Now on Mr Porter: $190

Your summer fling with Westernwear need not ride into the sunset with autumn’s arrival. Indeed, you can keep the rodeo going with this corduroy shirt from Noah, which features a Western yoke and snap buttons.

Buy Now on Noah: $228

Bonastre’s Lovni messenger bag combines supple Spanish leather with clean lines inspired by modern architecture. True to that movement’s “form follows function” ethos, a pair of silver-toned hooks secure its front flap.

Buy Now on Mr Porter: $630

This Canali blazer features the same wool-cashmere blend fabric on both sides, a neat feat accomplished with the use of hand-stitched internal and invisible seams. Triple patch pockets keep it casual and a soft shoulder gives it all the comfort of a favorite sweater.

Buy Now on Canali: $630

Word on the street is that V-necks are back. Truthful or not, it’s intelligence Ghiaia Cashmere has taken to heart, as the V-shaped neckline of this cable-knit cotton cardigan extends below the sternum.

Buy Now on Mr Porter: $655

The short-sleeved knit polos that have become a Todd Snyder signature don’t disappear in fall. They just adopt a more autumnal character, as this merino polo in a mustard and dark brown plaid ably demonstrates.

Buy Now on Todd Snyder: $268

Casentino wool—a textile that dates back to medieval Florence and is famous for its frizzy look and feel—was utilized to make this stripped-down cardigan from Drake’s. Finished with a pair of front handwarmer pockets, a clean neckline and raglan sleeves, it’s an ideal base layer for the colder weather in your future.

Buy Now on Drake's: $695

What’s that old adage about the man who has everything? That he probably doesn’t have a desk-sized statue of Snoopy made from smoke-stained white oak by a Danish design firm? Yes, we think that’s how it goes.

Buy Now on Couverture & the Garbstore: $252