Most of us are in denial that fall is upon us and you can’t blame anyone with heatwaves and scorching temps much across the country at the moment. But whether we admit it or not, windy brisk days will soon be upon us bringing with it the fall mood of pumpkin spice and cocooning into layers. Our savvy clients know that a wardrobe should be planned ahead of time, not only for the custom-made brief wait of a week of two but also knowing that building a wardrobe with urgency is not the right way to approach working with a personal stylist. In my opinion thinking of a fall wardrobe, you should approach it in layers, starting with shirting, knits and then the sportscoat or outerwear needed to complete the look. Of course, all anchored in pants and this season in particular, aside from the cotton flannel, all or our new casual pant qualities are 12-month weights that can be worn now and later in the season.
Our new Fall Shirting combines our customer’s favorite qualities that we offer year-round with new prints and patterns, some of which are exclusive to J.Hilburn. Within shirting, you will find patterns with white backgrounds and others with a decidedly more fall color palette, capturing warm reds, camel, and cool blues. All of our shirts are chosen thinking that clients can wear them alone in the early part of the season but will layer up perfectly under knits and sportscoats as the season progresses and clients begin to layer up. Layering up with a knit is the easy transition from cottons through to wools, and our Loro Piana Cashmere blend which is added to give clients a unique sweater alternative this year. Our cotton interlock is a year-round quality that clients love due to its compact aspect and breathability. We add fall colors to the assortment this time of year to give warmer zones a perfect fall option.
Our new Sportscoats offer the new color palette in mostly wools or wool-based blends, some of which, such as Reda and Vitale Barberis Canonico, we run year-round in 110’s and 130’s yarns. The sportscoat can always be built with half-lining as an option, which I personally favor, not only as it adds movement great for busy on-the-go lifestyles but also keeps things lighter than a traditionally lined sportscoat. Outerwear, too, comes in half or unlined options, making perfect transitional layers that we all need at some point due to the weather.
All of our Suiting is always selected to be worn 12 months a year with exception only if we add a few flannel qualities for the winter period. Our new fall suiting are all developed off our bestselling base clothes of Revenge, Reda Trabaldo etc., from our Italian partners. Each season, our mills spend time and money to invest in research and design, bringing to us and our clients the very best updates and newness that defines each new season.
Lastly, a note on the cold from someone who generally runs hot. I, like most of us, am rarely warm at the office. Even on the hottest of Texas days, I often find I need a layer handy for that meeting in a particularly cold office in the building. I find that having a layer helps with comfort and is always suitable for a professional appearance. Layering is a key element in menswear styling, and all of our stylists should get used to planning completed outfits for clients and not forgetting those ever-important accessories to complete a total look for our clients all year round.
