It's tough being a well-dressed man for all seasons, especially when each seasonal change means drastic alterations to one's wardrobe, as styles go in and out of fashion at the whim of designers and manufacturers. This fall and winter, we're happy to report, the fickle shifts in style are down to a minimum. No radical changes here, just good fashion sense in traditional cold-weather fit and feel--a seasonal solstice for looking great. While the over-all cut of a sports jacket varies little from season to season, Italian design firms such as Missoni Uomo have widened lapels and styled jackets a bit longer and slightly closer to the waist, in a tighter, more European fit. Ties, also wider this year, prove to be a wonderful gauge to changes in men's fashion. Many of this fall's ties are patterned in a Forties-retro look, with a two-color dotted design and a tied four-in-hand with a tight knot to offset the tie's broader cut.
The double-breasted suit, a look we've always liked for tall-and-lanky types, is shown on these pages in a traditional six-button, two-to-button model and, as designer Ralph Lauren prefers, a six-button model with a rolled lapel and one-to-button styling. The single-breasted three-button suit also is this fall and winter's comeback kid, styled sleeker than designs past and shaped broader through the shoulders. Many of these suits are offered with pants that are double- or even triple-pleated, tapered slightly to the ankles and worn with one-and-one-quarter-inch cuffs. Combined with a vest made of a contrasting fabric, such as a Ferre wool or a Shamask cardigan knit, you have an interesting layered look that's also a great chill beater. There's also a resurgence of three-piece suits. Remember Saturday Night Fever? Well, check out the tweedy updated three-piecer by Hugo Boss pictured in this feature. Any way you look at it, the vest is making the hottest fashion statement of the season.
In the shirt department, colorful striped styles, longer and straighter in the collar, are being teamed with French cuffs, which are perfect for showing off a pair of heirloom cuff links. The colors of the season are nature's choice, a kaleidoscope of hues and shades for creating autumn comfort and winter warmth. Dark, rich browns worn with navy are like the old soldiers of traditional fashion trends--timeless and elegant. Black-and-white tweeds are the new recruits, ready for action, casual or formal. Accent colors--dark greens and chartreuse--complete the seasonal look. Top all of this off with a peaked pocket square and a dark-faced wrist watch with a rich leather band and step out in style.
