Time to wear pants
For me, fall sounds like this.
Where’s that L.L. Bean field jacket my mom bought me?
I feel like I only own printed button downs and flannels.
Do I really need more than two pairs of jeans? (One light, one dark, obviously).
I plan for plenty of things. Traveling, game days, my night out, even work. I tend to believe that guys in general are scheduled, on time, regulated, formatted to their own settings, no matter their workout regiment or morning routine. When we want to, we’ll get right and make a to-do. Most of the time we don’t have it for what we wear.
I love going to the mall. I still do - but am wary of the ways malls can be problematic, and that in person shopping in general has likely changed forever. When I was in high school (we’re talking early 2010’s) I would go to the mall to order the $7 lunch special at Wong’s Wok and try to talk to girls from other schools - some of those goals more often met than others. But walking into stores like Lacoste, Vans, or even Nordstrom was inspiring. Like so many people have written about before, the capitalistic energy inert in such a feverish marketplace like the mall is palpable. It’s intoxicating. It’s fun.
Everybody wants to be passionate. You’ve got to be serious about something. I guess you could have that same feeling buying a new speaker system. Or a car. I just think clothes are something we should all be passionate about. Something we should absolutely take seriously.
Maybe once you make a million dollars you lose the excitement behind making a big boy purchase. Obviously there’s something aspirational behind all things come up. Okay, okay. If dropping $500 on a pair of shorts is just that - a drop - in the bucket for a bigger budget - you could go numb. It becomes more material in that way. Something to collect in the short term before something else comes up and comes along. But when I bump that - on my way to the mall - in my Chevy Traxx! - a big come up means that much more. I’m into it and I’m going to flex on it. For once, I’ve got the cash. Let’s do it now.
I worked on at off at Johnston and Murphy through school. I started in NYC by the Flatiron building but at home on break and while at ‘Cuse I’d work the mall. Ross Park & Destiny USA. Big malls. FAT malls. Ross Park was noice noice like Greenwich shit. It’s wonderful. Great food court. While Ross Park was boug, Destiny was sprawling, epic, purposeful - one of those malls you can do everything, ropes course, go-karts, i-max, Margaritaville blackout. J&M was over by The Cheesecake Factory.
The Flatiron building was weak compared to this. I’d made the big time.
This J&M was a factory store so they had clothes from a few seasons past. They had great coats and jackets, being in upstate New York. After a few pay checks I bought this lined two layer mini-pattern wool coat. I thought it made me look mysterious. I was going through some shit with a girl and I wanted to flex on campus walking to class. Sue me. I used my 40% Genesco brands discount and bought it for like $150 and I looked fucking great.
A splurge - a fix - every now and then isn’t vice. Or indulgence, even. It’s earned and it’s deserved.
Coming from a man who thrifts a lot of clothes, spending a hard earned dollar on a serious piece should be substantial.
That being said I’m broke as fuck and cannot afford anything right now.
Here are some items I wish I could spend money on for this fall. If you wanna flex on me, go for it: None of these items were placed using adds, and can be found on the product page hyperlinked to their image.
1) Cotton Corduroy Chore Jacket from Alex Mill
The key to transitional seasons is layering. You’re done wearing shorts - fall days are too brisk to show knee. But you might be between short and long sleeves. So having lightweight, complimentary top layers is crucial in coming correct.
I have a few chore coats, some canvas, some cotton. This one from Alex Mill is cotton corduroy. Corduroy is one of my favorite fabrics - comfortable, textured, relatively retro. Goes well with jeans or trousers. Also tends to be warm.
You’d wear this over your tee shirt and jeans at happy hour. Also over a button down and slacks for a work lunch. Super versatile and worth spending the extra scratch. If it’s on your ass Monday to Sunday, wear and tear will show sooner than later. Higher quality means more use. As always.
2) Pleated Double Knee Trouser from Dickies
These are bold. I’ll make the case.
The double knee has been on the rise for a minute (see Channing Tatum pulling them off next to Zoe Kravitz). I think the work-wear, uniform type stuff is pretty cool. It might be a little ironic (Dickies, Carhartt and Camber make clothes for guys workin’ on the railroad, not guys working in finance or advertising). Still, I appreciate the quality with which these are made. The material is rugged, but more than anything, it’s durable.
When it comes to the shape, I can understand being hesitant about the bulkiness. I think in general, “big on the bottom” is a look to own - regardless of body type. With the right complimentary shapes I don’t think these are too obtuse. They’re comfortable. They actually fit.
Lastly, the pleat and double knee. Double knee pants are meant for mechanics, plumbers, electricians - folks who spend a good bit of their day on their knees with their sleeves rolled up. So for you to be wearing the double knee as a streetwear statement might be a little chach-y. I think the pleat offers a sweet counterbalance to the otherwise utilitarian double knee. It’s a juxtaposition, the traditional business casual pleated trouser crossed over with the blue collar double knee.
You might not be interested in making a statement in class with what you wear on Saturday, and that’s fine. The bottom line is that this shape is comfortable and looks great with layered pieces (like the Chore Coat or a long tee under a hoodie).
3) Camber Max Weight Tee-Shirt
Max weight is somehow an understatement. Whether you go with a short or long sleeve, the material is dense, made with 8 oz. 100% cotton. The shoulders and neck are tapered so this shirt has a great structure to it. Some guys will call it stiff - I think the key here is 1) washing before wearing, 2) ordering the right size. They’re going to get a little snug after that wash - so consider sizing up.
The best part about these shirts is the way they are low key spill proof. Obviously anything serious will settle in, but I’ve spilt water on myself wearing one of these max weight tees, and the water sorta slicked off. Pretty wild for a cotton tee shirt. The knit is just that dense.
If you’re looking for a solid color, dense tee shirt for the fall, Camber’s got you covered.
Camber is one of our manufacturing partners at American Trench. I’m not sure if you can buy their tee’s from their site, but you can definitely order one here for under $30.
4) Diadora MI Basket Row Cut Sneaker
Diadora designs and manufactures shoes in Italy. They look in part Veja, in part PONY. But they’re made from legit Italian leather. Really comfortable. Just a solid sneaker.
I love their MI Basket row because it’s got that Golden Goose scuff-rough going - but they don’t look like shit. Out of the box you won’t be afraid to log some miles on these jawns - which is something I really appreciate. To stay on theme, how great of a product is one you’re afraid to use? If I splooge, I want maximum use. Maximum splooge.
I’ve never bought a pair of shoes from Diodora. But if I had $200 to spend on sneakers, I’d buy something like these.