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We’ve got to give you props. For decades, the MO of lifestyle publications everywhere has been harm reduction: lean into the OCBD, don’t wear navy and black together, buy clothes that fit. Essentially, ensuring that guys don’t look terrible. This rings especially true when it comes to fall fashion trends; the season, which typically demands some serious rehab for your wardrobe as you stock away your graphic tees and bust out (or add to cart) a plethora of layering and corduroy pants, is one so often treated with menswear training wheels.
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With the market bigger and better than ever, here are five budding menswear brands to knowBut nowadays, the cohort of guys who care enough about what they wear to consume InsideHook’s big-brain battery of menswear-forward content on a daily basis (yes, we’re talking about you) don’t need to be handheld through the process of matching a chunky sweater with some pleated pants. We know that you still desire all the elite intel and nose-to-the-ground style reporting and flaming hot takes that only professionals (now we’re talking about us) can provide, but the babying content about stocking up on chinos? We aren’t going to do you like that, chief.
That’s why, rather than rattle off a list of boring essentials in place of actual trending menswear moments, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to present you with a variety of heater insights that’ll take your sartorial game to the next level during the objectively best season for really gettin’ dressed.
These trends have been painstakingly gleaned from expert menswear buyers, deep-cut runway looks and countless hours on the scroll, and range from individual pieces you should really be copping to macro-level declarations about the continued validity of crimson. Some of them can be challenging, but we know you can handle it. Below, all the biggest fall fashion trends to incorporate into your closet this season.
Bananas for Barn Coats
Poised to boil over as the biggest fall fashion trend, a barn coat resurgence has been bubbling for some time now. With the demand for workwear styles at an all-time high, the slightly longer, decidedly preppier cousin of the chore coat and the cropped trucker is primed to provide a rugged, corduroy-collar alternative for the season ahead. Lean into classic labels — Bean’s iconic Field Coat, another workwear style, just turned 100 — and traditional cuts, after all, you can expect the best-dressed dudes are already doing the same.
The L.L. Bean Field Coat Celebrates Its Centennial With a Curated Vintage Drop
To commemorate 100 years of the rugged icon jacket, L.L. Bean is dropping archival vintageCount on Crimson
Menswear doesn’t exist in a bubble. Often, the freshest fashion flexes are ripped straight from the archives or, just as common, from the other side of the runway. A flash of crimson — socks, tights, knits — has been dominating womenswear shows (and street style) for a few seasons now, and, if only by pure osmosis, this season’s best and brightest include the same complex cherry shades.
Set the Pace in Trail Footwear
Gorpcore is dead? We don’t know about that one, chief. Lugged, trail-ready footwear remains some of the only in-vogue sneakers you can currently cop, and this rotation of gorpy footwear has delivered an especially solid crop of weatherized, ready-to-ruck silos. From heritage hikers in very new colorways to new-age trail kicks with NASA-level locking systems, there’s plenty to choose from — we recommend you go bold in both color and outsole size.
Ger Your Full-Zip Freak On
Even a just few years ago, the idea of rocking a Gap hoodie would’ve induced some serious cringe, and yet here we are: the full-zip is so back. Silky track jackets, Y2K-emblazoned hoodies — it’s all happening, thanks to a newfound obsession with turn-of-the-century mall culture and a host of sick releases from our favorite players.
Live in Leather Derbies
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: it’s time to retire your cooked loafers for something a bit more substantial. A lugged soled derby straddles the suitable-for-the-office-suitable-for-kicking-teeth-in continuum like no other footwear style can, and, given the timeless nature of leather footwear, should serve as a sound investment for the future.
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Leather derbies are about to take your fall ‘fits to the next levelEmbrace Embroidered Everything
By all accounts, menswear is beginning to settle down — after a few seasons of nonstop trends, wacky palettes and out-there garments, the vibe of this season seems to have reverted back to tried-and-tested staples in neutral tones. That being said, you don’t have to, and shouldn’t, give up on apparel with personality. In true prep fashion, embroidered essentials — chunky sweaters, velvety cords — serve as the perfect middle ground between playful and put-together.
Crack a Joke With Carson-Core
Earlier this year, we were tickled by the elite costuming of John Mulaney’s zany, live-broadcast talkshow Everybody’s In LA, especially the Johnny Carson-esque combination of shiny suit separates and striped repp ties that stylist/consultant Michael Fisher painstakingly sourced for the show. Flash forward a few months, and a ton of top-shelf trad is suddenly popping up. Coincidence? We think not.
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John Mulaney’s live, zany Netflix show was a wild ride. And then there were the clothes.Shake(r) It Up
Notice anything different about the most recent batch of knitwear? If texture has caught your eye, you’re onto something. A new style of sweater has entered the chat, with massive shaker ribbing popping up across the zeitgeist. We’re here for it. Consider it your typical sweatshirt, but on steroids — a cozy, thick-knit pullover with more Friends curb appeal that you’ll know what to do with.
Recalibrate Your Denim
Denim, more than any other garment, has become a indicator of the times — that is, the size and shape of jeans has oscillated wildly over the past few years, slingshotting between slim-cut flares and barrel-leg relaxed cuts in the blink of an eye. Our advice? Get over following the fads, because a solid pair of straight leg jeans will always do you right. This is a truth that, if fall lookbooks are any indication, seems to have resonated beyond the walls of InsideHook, too. American-made selvedge, reworked K102 denim — it’s all happening.
Test Out Half Tights
Any seasoned milehound will tell you that the half-tight — a piece of technical running gear that is exactly what is sounds like — is the mark of a true run club hottie, and, in a new era of casual dressing, might just translate to a street-level flex, too. Showing off spandex-clad thighs (and, if we’re being honest, a bit more) won’t be for everyone, but for any confident cat who’s been getting after it in the gym, a fuzzy fleece and some lined half-tights is proving to be something of a swervy fall fashion trend.
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