You feel that? The fresh chill in the air? The subtle feeling of impermanence and an underlying urge to hold on to the last strands of summer while looking forward to something new?
Autumn is an important transitional period, both in nature and in men’s fashion. As trees color and shed their leaves, an air of excitement sets in for some; maybe it’s a holdover from school days starting new, or a general bittersweet feeling of something once welcomed and enjoyed coming to its natural, appropriate end. When it comes to clothing choices, it’s a time to put away the breezy tanks and shorts of midsummer and get ready to embrace the changes in the weather and your wardrobe.
Autumn’s Evergreen Styles - the Basic tips
As the new shades and textures emerge in nature, fashionable men will keep up. In big and tall men’s fashion, fall’s new beginnings mean simple summer apparel gives way to more style opportunities: additional layers, texture experimentation, and longer shapes to match the lengthening evenings. No matter the year, fall fashion is grounded in a few key concepts that keep men looking sharp and stylish, no matter the outfit.
For most people, it’s best to look stylish rather than fashionable. Know the trends, but don’t chase them. It doesn’t pay to be trend averse, however - fully ignoring trends can lead to men dressing and seeming much older than their age or even looking like they’re in a costume of sorts. A good technique is to borrow a bit from everything; each trend across the decades offers some universal stylistic truth, after all.
Fall Fashion & Color
Well-styled big & tall men will seek ways for their wardrobe to complement nature’s evolving color palette, while strategically picking places to pop some unexpected hues. That means a cornucopia of golden browns and yellows with orange-tinted reds, darkening greens and mid-temperature blues, with blacks and grays tastefully peppered in.
Fall Fabrics
When it comes to materials, your style needs to match the weather. It’s hard looking good if you’re too cold or too warm. Regardless of the season - but especially true in colder temperature - dressing for style means dressing for comfort. Keep in mind, however, there’s a time and place to wear that sweatsuit that’s been sitting unneeded all summer.
For elevated style, fall lends itself well to experimenting with blending fabric choices. Flannels are an obvious choice, but mixing in touches of leather, textured wools and cotton blends can add a lot of flavor to your outfit.
Fit
Fit and style are synonymous. Unless you’re going runway avant garde, well-fitting clothes are the way. Big & tall men know this all too well: always opt for something that works with your body instead of fighting against it. A stout individual should not try to squeeze into skinny jeans, for example. Nor should a lean, tall man select baggy trousers or oversized sport jackets. Striking a good silhouette beats opting for the “perfect” shirt design or unique sweater texture if they don’t fit right.
Layering - a fall tradition
Layering articles is a hallmark of fall style. A simple shirt and overcoat pairing can go a long way in this manner. Adding a sweater or vest between adds warmth, of course, but also lends a chance to create some color, texture and fabric weight contrasts. The general rule for layering is to go thin nearest the skin to thick on the outermost layer. For instance:
- Cotton Shirt, under a:
- Cashmere Sweater, which layers beneath a:
- Wool Blazer
Keeping a firm grasp on the basics of fall style ensures a well-considered appearance, even if you’re just throwing something together last minute. Since we’ve covered these basics, it’s time to look at what we’re seeing come down the fashion pipeline for fall this year:
What’s going on in Fall ‘24
Flannels
If anything is a staple for fall big & tall menswear, it’s flannel. With so many pattern options and colors available from a wide range of designers, the flannel shirt has become omnipresent in the colder seasons. If you’ve graduated stylistically beyond the thrift-store variety, a well-made, well-fitting flannel from Westport Big & Tall can speak volumes.
Some great big & tall flannel options at Westport include:
- Country plaid flannel shirt
- Lined buffalo plaid wool-blend
- Classic flannel sport shirt
- Sherpa-lined flannel shirt jacket
Cardigans
The classic cardigan has seen a resurgence in popularity and offers a great layering opportunity for big & tall men. Its versatility lends to its stylishness, so feel free to pair it with jeans, chinos or slacks. A solid colored t-shirt works well underneath for a casual weekend look, while a collared button-down layered beneath a cardigan can achieve a more elevated style.
Select cardigan options at Westport Big & Tall:
- Aztec Cable Cardigan sweater
- Nordic Toggle full zip cardigan sweater
- Classic Mock-neck full zip cardigan
- Brushed interlock cardigan
Pants: Chinos & Five Pocket Styles
It’s tough to get more versatile than a good pair of big & tall chinos, and the fall offers plenty of opportunities to try different styles and color pairings. Since the five-pocket pants design has moved from being strictly the providence of denim, we’re seeing these styles in all sorts of fabrics and colors. Paired with a t-shirt, polo or button down and some casual shoes, these chinos are a simple option that can get thrown together while still looking intentional.
Get the look at Westport Big & Tall:
- Stretch Sateen Five-pocket pant
- Boracay Five Pocket Pant
- Coastline five-pocket pant
- Corduroy flat front pant
Jeans: What Wash is Right for Fall?
In terms of style and versatility, few items have stayed at the top of the fashion list as long as jeans. With a few exceptions, we feel that a jean’s cut is a matter of personal preference and comfort, so whether you opt for an athletic fit or a simple tapered silhouette, going with what you’re most comfortable in is often the best route.
Lately there’s been a resurgence in experimenting with different colors and wash styles, which is an exciting opportunity. In fall, try a middle ground between light washes of summer and the dark washes that take over in winter.
These jeans options will fit the bill for fall:
Big & Tall Fall Outerwear Style
Corduroy, Leather and Jean Jackets
Owing to a resurgence in 90’s styling, we’re seeing the elevation of cord, denim & leather jacket options this year. What’s different from the Clinton-era is the reduction in bulk for these throwback styles. Denim or corduroy trucker jacket styles work great for casual atmospheres, while leather or suede chore-style jackets keep you stylish when the wind whips up. For something a bit more serious, a corduroy blazer can top off any pants/shirt combo that works in a boardroom.
Here are a few selected options:
- Corduroy sport coat
- Corduroy trucker jacket
- Classic denim jacket
- Sherpa lined mid-length coat
- Weathered leather trucker coat
Fall Blazers & Sportcoats
Before the weather gets too cold, a smartly-matched blazer and sweater or shirt combo can offer endless possibilities for the well-outfitted big & tall man. A cotton polo works or plain button-down always pairs nicely with a light sport-coat, or you can go with a colorfully printed sport-shirt beneath a blazer in muted tones.
Sportcoats and blazers we like for fall:
- Knit basket weave sport coat
- Herringbone knit sport coat
- 3-button knit blazer
- 2-button windowpane plaid sport coat
Bomber Jackets
The classic bomber returns again! The newest take on this iconic piece tends to offer slimmer silhouettes, but is (as always) highly complementary to everything casual, from a t-shirt or henley and jeans to a sport shirt with a pair of well-fitting chinos.
Great bomber jacket options for this fall:
- Cashmere wool and lambskin leather bomber
- Premium leather bomber jacket
- A re-imagined bomber jacket
- Lightweight lambskin bomber jacket
Long Overcoats
A good trench or shearling never seems to go out of style, and we’re seeing a heavy lean on these types of outerwear as a good alternative to the shorter bomber or trucker jacket. For the big & tall man wearing a suit, a long topcoat or trench is an essential pairing. But he can also mix it up and pair a light-colored (camel brown?) topcoat with a fall-hued cardigan and a pair of dark jeans for a more casual feel.
A variety of long overcoats to keep you warm this season:
Footwear for Fall
Fallen leaves crunching under your steps is a hallmark of autumn. The season also brings a change of footwear, for certain: sandy toes in flipflops are quickly replaced with more substantial footwear to handle the changing weather.
Stylish footwear options for autumn include:
