12 Autumn Wardrobe Essentials Every Man Should Own

The style shift into autumn starts subtly, then very quickly becomes considerable, notably after the first drenching. The whole wardrobe gets heavier, softer and darker, leaning into more interesting textures. Linen concedes to cotton; cashmere, suede, and leather muscle in, while your old friend denim returns from its summer holiday looking as fresh as ever.

The trick, of course, is to weave them all in cohesively, accommodating mercurial weather while keeping one eye on the winter months skulking just around the corner. Smart layering with clever fabrics is critical, but easier said than done.

What follows then are 12 categories and 24pieces that actually earn a place in a versatile autumn wardrobe – garments you can style right now, but you will also be relying upon in the months to come.

Autumn Coats

We know. Who is thinking about outerwear when it’s still 26 degrees outside? Fail to prepare, prepare to fail! Besides, this is going to dent your wallet more than most other categories, so don’t take the decision lightly.

Early in the season, buy short and boxy with room enough to swallow a chunky jumper (cotton field jackets, suede jackets, technical styles and bombers fit the bill), then think structured and heavier for the real guts of autumn, once the wardrobe needs some reinforcement – this is your wool/cashmere tailored coat realm.

Deliberately oversized by design, this brushed-cashmere coat by Casey Casey has teddy bear vibes thanks to its slightly padded finish. We’re here for the dropped shoulders – a really contemporary detail that adds to the minimalist effect and offers a voluminous modern shape. Wear it over bold knitwear but nothing tailored; the coat is the whole outfit.

The classic peacoat has stood the test of time because it cannot be improved. It is outerwear perfection, but not all are made equally. Slowear’s rendition is top-notch, with wide notch lapels framing the double-breasted front, all of which is constructed from the brand’s Montedoro wool-blend. Tailored yet rugged, it’s your go-to cover-up for the next six months.

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Autumn Jackets

Where a coat is often about size and silhouette, a jacket is more about versatility, letting your transitional wardrobe shape-shift between moods. From bombers to blousons, from natural fibres to nylon, the autumn jacket can really help define the attitude of your fits while offering bags of utility, especially when technical styles come into play.

Great as layering pieces over lightweight knitwear and even tailoring, a well-chosen jacket can do plenty of heavy lifting before you have to call in cover from the big coats.

Crafted in Japan with a silk lining that lets it slide over a sweatshirt without adding bulk, this stunner by A.Presse does September’s heavy lifting without ever pretending to be a coat. Wear it with a plain white tee and jeans, James Dean-style –  that easy restraint is the entire point.

Garment-dyed stretch nylon that feels nothing like gym kit and folds into its own pocket the moment the rain stops – meet Stone Island’s hooded shell jacket, a utilitarian modern classic for all of your off-duty fits. When you need to rush out of the door and haven’t checked the forecast, make sure the last thing you grab is this jacket.

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Autumn Knitwear

Gauge matters, and in autumn, the finer the better since you want these knits to slide under a trim jacket without adding too much bulk. A fine cashmere knit works under a jacket as easily as it works alone, while a chunkier, textured knit is the opposite move entirely – the outer layer in September when no jacket is required.

Buy one of each and you’ve solved the rest of the year in one trip. Texture is paramount too – if you’re thinking of wearing a knit without a jacket, then look for styles that are tactile or with interesting weaves.

A loose-fit 100% cashmere hoodie brought to you by founders Brad Pitt and Sat Hari that trades the crew neck for a hood and makes the whole idea feel decidedly more casual. Wear it with virtually anything – off-duty distressed denim is a willing dance partner, but you could just as well layer over a boxy tailored blazer or wool overcoat.

The preppy half-zip is enjoying something of a renaissance right now (thank you, Succession) and it’s easy to see why – versatility. Sunspel’s sweater is knitted from Grade A, 15.5-micron cashmere fibres for an exceptionally soft handle, and you’ll hardly notice it’s there under a blazer or short autumn jacket.

The half-zip construction also makes it easy to layer over a shirt for that business-casual vibe.

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Autumn Shirts & Overshirts

Poplin has no business outside of the office in October. What you want instead is brushed cotton or flannel with decent weight, and have an overshirt or two in your locker because they really come into their own in the autumn.

An overshirt is not a loose-fitting shirt; it’s cut to be a jacket in its own right. Spread collars with a soft roll are your target-rich environment – avoid anything too stiff and formal.

NN07’s Colboy shirt is the perfect example of a garment that can multitask. On its own, it’s a great weekend shirt, crafted from an organic cotton-and-hemp blend for a subtle textural finish. But those two chest pockets give it a workwear edge, helping it transition seamlessly into an early-autumn overshirt that you can wear over a striped tee with jeans or chinos. 

Understated but packing some serious sophistication, Gabriela Hearst’s Italian-made shirt is constructed from a soft wool-and-cashmere-blend flannel with a slightly fuzzy handle for a tactile finish. With a slightly oversized fit, it will easily double as a light jacket when layered over a plain tee.

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Autumn Sweats

This is typically the layer you’ll wear more than anything else you buy this season, and the one most men choose on logo alone rather than substance. What actually matters is the fit and the weight of the cotton jersey.

Opt for a heavier cotton jersey that will hold its shape and look that little bit more considered. A hoodie earns its place, especially if it’s a full zip style, which makes layering with it more interesting.

A.PRESSE’s sweatshirt is cut from a substantial cotton-jersey cloth with a slightly faded finish. What makes it different from most sweatshirts is those raglan sleeves, which give it a more comfortable feel and can make your shoulders look broader. Wear it with your favourite denim or contrast it with pleated wool trousers.

While the typical pullover hoodie veers into loungewear, the zip-through style can be a really effective layering piece. Les Tien’s cotton jersey version is garment-dyed, which gives it a unique colour finish and incredible softness. Slip it on under a field jacket or a bomber for late-autumn warmth.

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Autumn T-Shirts

By October, the T-shirt has stopped being the outfit and started being what’s underneath it, but that doesn’t mean it simply turns into an invisible base layer. A textural tee can become an important autumn layering piece, offering a sliver of colour or contrast to your layered looks.

Look for heavyweight organic cotton and cotton-jersey styles as your base, but to raise it you’ll do well to seek out cashmere or silk blends. The long-sleeve tee is especially resourceful too, great on its own under a short jacket on cooler days.

The long-sleeve tee is an under-appreciated garment if you ask us, especially when it comes to autumn layering. Our Legacy’s version, made from cotton-jersey and featuring a graphic print of a ‘Manifested Spirit’, is bold enough to hold its own with a pair of wide-leg wool trousers, and you could even wear it underneath a black blazer for some punky attitude.

You know what you’re getting from God’s True Cashmere – fibres from the heavens. This tee is cut in a regular fit with a crew neck and Emerald gemstones set at the hem slits, hence the price. Still, it will be the most cherished t-shirt you ever buy.

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Autumn Jeans & Denim

Denim weight is the one spec that almost nobody in menswear writing ever bothers to explain, and it’s the single best predictor of how a jean will actually wear over the years that you own it.

Heavier, raw denim – the kind that can stand up on its own in the shop – takes an age to break in, but will feel like a second skin after a few months. Of course, not everyone is that patient, so don’t stress it – just opt for soft denim in a light rinse for maximum versatility.

Leg shape will determine how you wear them – wide or straight-leg for more casual fits (especially with boots), tapered if you lean into the smarter side of casual dressing. Boot cuts are actually illegal now, so don’t go there.

If you’re not a fan of waiting months for your Japanese denim imports to stop feeling like cardboard, check out Adon’s straight-leg jeans with a faded, worn-in finish. With a distressed effect and a classic five-pocket construction, these are your go-to jeans for all your weekend fits.

Italian selvedge in an all-black wash gives you the rigour of raw denim without the two-tone fade, so it stays looking considered rather than distressed for years — it runs large, so size down. Wear it with a chunky loafer and keep everything else above the ankle equally dark.

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Autumn Trousers

Nowhere does the season change more visibly than trousers. Those breezy cotton and linen numbers you’ve been living in have no business surviving past September. Enter the likes of corduroy, with tonnes of texture and character, or wool flannel with its subtle tactility.

A pleated pair does a great job of dressing up the bottom half of your fits, no matter what you wear on top, and they’re roomy and super comfortable.

Corduroy trousers used to have a boring rep, but today’s styles have been autumn must-haves. Hartford’s straight-leg  ‘Joggy’ trousers eschew classic tailoring for an elasticated drawstring waist, which makes them so much more versatile. Yes, they’ll do preppy very nicely, but pop a roll-up in the leg and pair with hiking boots for something more rugged.

Pleated wool trousers are autumn’s best friend, bringing a tonne of texture and silhouette to your wardrobe. Kaptain Sunshine’s trousers feature subtle double pleating through the front, offering a very contemporary take on which is traditionally a sartorial trouser. Roomy, comfortable, and great when styled edgily with sneakers or chunky loafers.

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Autumn Sneakers

Canvas kicks, step aside, your time is up. Autumn calls for suede or leather sneakers with soles that withstand genuinely wet pavement. The question everyone actually has is what happens to suede in the rain, and the honest answer is not much if you use a protector spray beforehand, and never let it dry anywhere near a radiator.

Sneaker styles are a personal thing, so think about how you’d mostly wear them – as an addendum to relaxed tailoring or to bookend some jeans and a hoodie? The former will want a more lo-fi style, while you can afford to be more outrageous with the latter.

While best recognised for its iconic Gommino driving shoe, Italian shoemaker Tod’s produces some high-class sneakers too, as evidenced by this retro-running style that features leather trims and panels of buttery soft suede. They are a great hybrid for punctuating both smart and casual fits throughout autumn. 

A Vibram Arctic Grip sole borrowed from hiking boots gives genuine traction on wet stone in a shoe that still belongs with tailoring. Zegna’s galosh-inspired slip-on sneaker is that rare hybrid that can look smart or casual depending on how you style it, but we’d lean towards the smarter contemporary look and pair with wool trousers for a textural contrast.

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Autumn Boots

The single best piece of advice when tackling boots is to buy for the long haul, not just for the season. Cheap now is expensive later, so shell out as much as you can afford – longevity will pay you back.

A suede Chelsea or derby boot earns its place through sheer versatility, while you could back these up with a hiking-style boot built for genuinely bad weather that can still hold its own when you want to dress up your weekend fits. 

Goodyear-welted, so it gets resoled for decades rather than replaced every few years, partnering with tailoring and denim equally convincingly. It takes 190 steps to make a John Lobb Chelsea boot, so don’t undermine the love that has gone into them by not using a suede protector. A little care here and there and you’ll still be wearing these in 2040.

A lugged Vibram sole and Kevlar-reinforced leather turn this into the boot that shrugs off genuinely bad weather rather than merely tolerating it. As rugged as they are edgy, these boots suit loose proportions, so pair them with straight-leg raw denim jeans or wide-leg wool trousers. 

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Autumn Loafers

The loafer refuses to die in October, and it shouldn’t have to – it just needs two adjustments to survive the season properly. The sole gets heavier, trading a paper-thin leather sole for one with actual grip, and suede gives way to leather.

Buy one classic pair for anything smart, and one with a chunkier attitude. Between them, they will cover a tonne of style bases when sneakers or boots are not called for.

Lemaire’s collections have been on a tear recently. They’ve nailed their particular brand of minimalism, perfectly exemplified by these pared-back leather loafers which boast a clean silhouette free from detail. Pair them with your smart trouser collection, and you can’t go wrong. 

We’re not sure what ‘Fabro-Folk’ means either, but we love these loafers by Visvim. Crafted from vegetable-tanned Italian leather with hand-sewn uppers and a Goodyear-welted construction, these chunky boys are a great way to sign off your weekend fits, especially when paired with wool or corduroy trousers.

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Autumn Bags

There’s never a bad time to invest in a leather or suede bag because they don’t care about seasons or trends. They look stunning now, and they’ll look stunning in 20 years, albeit with a little extra character thrown in. In autumn though, the leather and suede sits beautifully against textural wool. Conversely, if you want something with more utility, go for a technical style in nylon or waxed canvas – a different vibe altogether but impervious to the elements.

Métier’s ‘Nomad All Day’ bag is a MR PORTER exclusive, crafted from buttery suede with an organised interior and magnetic front pocket fitted with card slots and a passport holder, perfect for autumn jaunts. At north of 3k, it is certainly an investment, but it will probably outlive you (and certainly look better in old age, sorry).

Fighting back against the urban grind is Visvim’s backpack, which pairs hard-wearing CORDURA® nylon with French leather trims. That bold orange tone is a certain head-turner, and offers your more muted autumn fits a bold pop of colour.

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A paid partnership with MR PORTER – words and opinions are Ape’s own.