Much of the country may still be experiencing fine weather, but in the bespoke world, if you want your garments to be ready for the required season then you have to plan ahead. The arrival of a large selection of new heavy weight winter season wool jacketing and suiting cloths at renown London tailors The Cad & the Dandy has prompted some thoughts on choosing cloths appropriate for the cooler climbs of Autumn that are fast descending upon us.
Autumn is an interesting season to dress for, a time of year when the comforting, structured and full-weighted tailoring of the colder season comes into play. Nonetheless, its a transitionary time and the crisp coldness that invites the heaviest cloths or a full three piece suit and overcoat ensemble is yet to arrive.
Just as the weather is in a mutable phase, so is the natural world; and the delight of the autumnal wardrobe is a way in which one can reflect these environmental changes, both practically and artistically.
Fabrics have to get heavier with a fuller, more tactile finish to win with the cooling temperatures. Use of colour and pattern can change too, and I always like to swap the subtle pastel colours that I opt for in summer for distinctly more bold and rich winter-beating hues, which brighten the day and fight off the dreariness of the weather in one’s autumnal wardrobe.
Autumn is a great time to experiment with mid-weight tweeds, flannels and heavily-milled worsteds, all of which have a thick, soft composition and offer a comforting feel when used for jackets or trousers. In my opinion, a weight range of 12 to 14 ounce cloths are perfect for the season and give autumn tailoring a fullness which is warming, without becoming too heavy or hot.
Autumnal tailoring, despite its rich use of colour, remains nonetheless subtle and sophisticated. Perhaps more than any other season, autumn encourages the dapper gentlemen to take some time and thought to build a compact, elegant, seasonal wardrobe. Deep chocolate, taupe, ochre, maroons and other earthy tones offer a great palette to choose from and provide a comforting feeling of keeping path with the nature’s seasonal changes.
Equally enjoyable are the on-trend, bolder designs that many English fabric mills are producing this year, which also visually combat the weather’s depressing turn for the worse. Autumnal tones are worked into flamboyant checked patterns, or else plain cloths are lifted with brighter overchecks or statement stripes. Tweed options at this time of year remain rooted in earthy colours, but are lifted with brighter fibres woven in, and the finish of most autumn tweeds is considerably softer and finer than the 18-20 ounce winter weight alternatives which become wearable later in the year.
