You know those guys. The types who wear a wispy outer layer like a hoodie, a fleece, or a (gulp) gilet when it’s 40º, 30º, or 20º or even lower. They look like idiots. And don’t get me started on the morons who wear shorts as if to say “I’m a spring break party monster, bro. I don’t need outerwear. Aren’t I hilarious?” No, dude, you look like an asshole.
When I was finding myself in college, I had a real moment among the alternative music and theater crowds in our various uniforms of black. Black t-shirts, black turtlenecks, black jeans, black belts, black combat boots. To be honest, it…
Every year around this time, I feel like burning my winter coats. I’m sick of wearing them. As I write this in the beginning of April, high temperatures peak in the high 30s/low 40s and the low temperatures dip into the low 30s/high 20s. I’m so bored with it.
Winter in the north is a bitch. In terms of smart and effective outerwear, an alarming number of men I observe are ill-prepared. I don’t know if it comes from lack of thought or some hyped sense of virility, but these same men are also felled by colds, flu and other debilitating winter ailments that negate the “I’m too tough for hats, gloves, heavy coats and boots” idea. When it’s 10ºF with snow on the ground, a fleece zip-up and sneakers don’t cut it.
I have to admit that I think of galoshes as something worn only by old men. In some circles, galoshes are referred to as “overshoes” or “rubbers,” which is much more fun to say. But as it its with many tried and true ways and means (think safety razors, classic rules of tailoring and other rehashes of things that have been around forever), the old men are on to something.
After ruining the faux fur hood trim on my beloved snorkel jacket, I needed a solution. I found one.
I’ve written it before, I’ve done a podcast on it, and I’ll say it again: a smart wardrobe starts with good shoes. While there are some places where one could cut corners or “cheat” with less expensive shirts, ties, pants, and even suits, shoes are the one area where playing it cheap really doesn’t pay off in the long run.
And when I talk about shoes, I’m talking about real shoes from companies whose heritage, foundation and strength is shoes. This doesn’t include designer labels who grind out a new collection every season. If someone has the money to blow thousands annually on the new and fabulous, super. I’m not interested in that, and I don’t think most pragmatic and discerning men are, either. It’s about shoes that work now, will work next year and will continue to work for the rest of your life. Good shoes can be expensive, but they are worthy investments. This is about the long game. Take good care of them with regular conditioning and shining, heel and sole maintenance and cedar shoe trees between wearings, and they’ll last longer than a good car.
For the cooler months, I have a thing for chukka boots. They’re handsome, masculine, elegant and practical for just about any occasion, depending on the color and finish. Suede is obviously a more casual flavor, while polished leather in a dark shade with a matching (or closely matching) sole can also be worn in dressier suit and tie modes. I have a few pairs, and they’re my steady fall/winter go-to boots with suits or jeans.
The topcoat is a fall/winter essential for me. The shorter spinoff of the dressier knee-length overcoat, the mid-thigh topcoat is one of those really versatile outerwear garments that I can wear with suit and tie or jeans.
It's finally starting to feel like winter here in NYC. Only now am I starting to pull out my cold weather essentials...
We do a lot of talking about tailoring when it comes to suits, jackets and trousers. But what about tailoring outerwear?
The most common mistake men make with topcoats and overcoats is by going too large in the first place, which does nothing but physically diminish the wearer. My off-the-peg jacket size is 38R, which means I also wear a 38R topcoat, contrary to the more popular practice of “sizing up.” Even if the coat has the right snug fit in the shoulders, there still may be tailoring required to get the coat to look its best.