Top 10 Fashion Must-Haves for Men

By: Sharon Mosley

As the weather cools down, the fall style trends heat up, and many of us head to the stores and surf the Internet to see what we can add to our wardrobes to celebrate the change of seasons. It may seem like we girls have all the fashion fun, but there are plenty of ways you guys can put some newness into your closets, too.

Here is a roundup of the top 10 items to put on your fall checklist suggested by Tom Julian and other menswear experts at the Doneger Group, a fashion retail and consulting group.

1. The crewneck sweatshirt — We have observed the emerging athletic influence into leisure dressing (which we call ath-leisure), and as a result, the crewneck sweatshirt looks great with items like premium or designer denim or five-pocket rich colored corduroys. Look for sweatshirts that are pieced fabrics or detailed with knit wristbands or neck collars.

2. Cardigan sweaters — The alternatives to casual sport coats. Wear the cardigan with patterned shirts, accessorized with a knit tie or bow tie. Take note that some cardigans are designed with shawl collars or with full lapels.

3. The printed shirt — A great visual focus for a wardrobe from the traditional guy who might like a small foulard pattern style button-down sport shirt to wear quilted vest and khaki pants or to the modern guy who might like a paisley print dress shirt with a dark slim suit and no tie.

4. The work shirt/shirt jacket — A weekend outerwear option that works well with a chambray shirt, flannel shirt or plaid shirt and worn with denim or cords. We also like the jacket around 30″ to 32″ in length.

5. Slim-fit Sport Coats — Think two-button, narrow lapel (from 2-3″ wide) with a clean silhouette and flap besom pockets. We would use the slim sport coat only with flat front pants, denim jeans or dress wool flannel trousers. Directional dressers are using the slim fit cargo with the slim fit sport coat.

6. Corduroy Pants — Pants with texture from five-pocket jean styles in thin wale to tailored dress styles in a wider wale with creased seams (a product that would require dry cleaning). Also, some cords are mixed with stretch fabric for comfort and wearability.

7. Wool Trousers — Dress pants that range from Super 100 performance wools to wool blends for small checks, tweeds and herringbone patterns. We like the trousers dressed up with a shirt and tie or a lean looking turtleneck.

8. Modern-fit jeans — Time for men to go modern in jean silhouettes. Look for slim or straight over boot cut or relaxed fit. We also like the Japanese denim (darker, heavier) with selvage or the red interior stitching that allows one to cuff the jean and show the hem.

9. The biker jacket — Classic and cool ala James Dean, or edgy and rock cool like Adam Levine. The jacket can be all leather or pieced leather. It can be cropped and asymmetric in cut or blouson. We like the Biker jacket worn with a long-sleeve, v-neck t-shirt and black jeans. The classic jacket is still zipper front and adorned with quilting, seaming and banded collar.

10. Urban Boots — From the ankle boot to the Chelsea boot, from the biker boot to the rugged country style, the boot options are endless for men. We like seeing a boot added to the mix of wing tips, canvas lace-ups, driving shoes, sneakers and leather loafers. Boots are now a year-round fashion must-have.

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