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Hair: Short on the sides, long and uneven on top.

Face: Clean shaved, smooth, clear, and hydrated skin.

Others: Dual pocket denim jacket in white (by Mascln Sassafras), round neck top (by Uniqlo) and brown pair of jeans.

The weather is cooling down and the leaves are changing their colour and shedding. Fall, or the short prewinter season is finally here.

I suggest you start with the basics. Take a cue from the trends you read here. Keep in mind, menswear trends usually follow broader themes, and therefore always have room for personal interpretation. At the end of the day, I always advocate wearing clothes that make you feel and look good.

Outdoor: A shift to being out of the house and out in the open.

Earthy: Both fabrics and colours are inspired by nature. Cream, beige, brown, blue, rust, red, yellow and even shades of grey.

Movement: Emphasis on stretching, flexibility and activity.

Laid back: A relaxed fit and more fluid form.

Work Your Way into The Season

Relaxed office attire is the dominant trend for nine-to-five and the look has never been more comfortable and relaxed as it will be this year. Post pandemic, office wear has a more laid back and easy feel to it. You basically need to sync your comfortable but crisp clothing pieces with the structure of modern workwear.

If your office allows business casual, you should seriously consider this ‘business comfort’ trend: start with a knit blazer then pair it with a soft, yet structured button-up shirt and pants with added stretch, to allow ease of movement. For milder weather, wear a polo with a blazer. Switch to cords. No pants are complete without the right shirt to top it off. Give your look a mild structured spin by adding a crisp button-up shirt in a soft knit or thicker flannel fabrics.

Performance features in shirts and pants will come in handy for your next outdoor excursion. Plus, they provide an excellent base for layering.

Personalise your look with a T-shirt or top that speaks for itself. Go in for graphics or stick with plain solids. When choosing pants or outer layers, utilitarian details like stretch fabrics and either cargo pockets or flap pockets are a good idea. Fleece is another hot ticket item, warming you up and yet feeling both snug and comfortable.

Opposing minimalism, maximal fashion is here to stay and gets kicked off this season. This brash men’s fall fashion trend features lavish adornments dripping in texture, bold prints, and extravagant fabrics, especially for a night around town.

Textures are a must, so reach for a velvet blazer to start. Add a polished button-up shirt paired with slim trousers and loafers. Sport a silk pocket square as a finishing and to add a colour popping touch.

Patterned socks peeking from the gap between your trouser cuff and footwear will add visual interest. For the adventurous, I suggest patterns, geometric and digital prints in contrasting colours on shirts.

Expand your denim repertoire by adding a pair of coloured jeans to your rotation. Red, grey, and yellow are all excellent colours for men’s fashion this year.

Experiment with a different fit. Give skinny or slim-straight styles a try. For those of you who like a bit more room in the leg, swap your relaxed fit style for a coveted straight fit instead. Over time, you will get used to the new fit and shape.

Luckily, layering is both fashionable and functional.

To complement your lowers, look for utility, sports, or bomber-style jackets. Jackets are the go-to garment for the season and can be worn from the day into the night.

It’s become clear over the last few years that comfort is key to dressing. A stretchy, cotton fabric, chino cut is a must-have for date night or when you are on the go. This style will take you easily from work into the weekend.

Up top, it’s all about soft and smart fabrics. T-shirts with button-down flannels pair easily with chino-style jogger pants. If you want to exude an athletic vibe, then wear matching sweatshirts and sweatpants.

Choose warm tones and natural hues like forest green, tan, bark and oatmeal. Wear muted colours that are subtle and inspired by nature. Think of brown tones deeply rooted in the earth. When adding colour to your fall wardrobe, seek out the rusty orange and red hues of changing leaves. The deep, dark navy and black neutrals will have you looking both stylish and dapper.

If you prefer to keep a bright and bold dash of colour in your everyday style then lighten up with dusty blue, teal green and subdued yellow. No matter which of these colours brighten up your day, you’re sure to stay on trend wearing them during this transition season. 

Extend your style into your personal space.

An eye-catching rug or carpet on the floor in your living or workspace will make the space more inviting and create just the right amount of warmth. Trends favour simple lines and geometric patterns.

Lifestyle tip: I suggest a gentle graphic pattern to keep it looking light and subtle.

Since lighting plays a major role in décor, ensure your space has soft lighting to make it look warm and cosy. Lamps should either match (blend in) or contrast the look and feel of the room they are in. Metal lamps (gold, silver, or gun metal) always look masculine and tend to make a statement on their own.

Lifestyle tip: Place the lamp in a spot that highlights the area you want to focus on.

My fall picks to consider adding to your closet to make a stylish statement:

Choose between round or V neck and use these as your first layer and wear jackets or sweatshirts over them.

Shirts in natural fabrics for a more contemporary look. I suggest a semi structured, instead of a snug fit.

Forget minimalism, make a statement with eye catching large or bright graphic prints for taking your style quotient to the maximum.

Besides the office, use the season to wear casual and full sleeve white shirts for both day and casual wear.

Wear them in just about every shape, style, and colour. Your autumn jackets could be casual (denim), sporty or semi formal.

Sporty or casual coordinated sets are here to stay and are in it for the long run. This could be a tracksuit or a sweat suit (sweatshirt with joggers).

Wear your shorts out, before its winter and too cold to wear them. Sports shorts can be worn to the gym, dance class and even during the day.

Add a pair of performance joggers or joggers to your wardrobe for day-to-day dressing. You can wear them from everything from your morning run to the movies.

Traditional clothing always gets noticed and should therefore always look clean, stark, well maintained, and ironed.

Jeans in either grey or black for everything from day to evening wear. Bright and bold colours only when you want to make a strong style statement.

A backpack is more practical than a shoulder or handheld bag as it allows you to be handsfree, especially when you on the move.

The author is an image, style, grooming and etiquette consultant and trainer.

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