Welcome to New Arrivals, our ongoing tally of the freshest, flyest, can’t-miss menswear hitting the digital shelves right this very instant.
The New Arrivals Hit List
- The No-Brainer Blazer: Alex Mill “Mill” blazer, $225
- The All-Weather Jacket: Paul Smith chore jacket, $295
- The A-List-Approved Polo: Percival houndstooth rugby shirt, $
240, $190 - The Cozy Cords: J.Crew Giant-fit corduroy pants, $118
- The Drool-Worthy Layering Hack: Madewell waffle-knit crewneck sweatshirt, $98
- The Everyday Jeans: Abercrombie & Fitch loose workwear jeans, $90
- The Slouchy, Slinky Trousers: Banana Republic Italian hopsack wide-leg pants, $200
- The Fall-Ready Watch: Tissot Heritage 1938 39mm watch, $825
- The Bodega-to-Brunch Kicks: Salomon RX Moc 3.0 mesh sneakers, $79
The Low-Key Bar Hang
Calendar looking mercifully empty this month? Count yourself lucky—the best type of party is one you throw yourself, at the very last minute, with a smattering of your choicest loved ones. The next time you’re scrutinizing the IPA section at the bodega, shoot the group chat a text and tell the homies to pull up, pronto. If you’re already wearing Golden Bear’s jaw-dropping sequin-embellished bomber, your outfit’s halfway there—just swap the sweats for Marni’s sneaky-comfortable drawstring tux trousers, and throw on a knit with a little cold-weather texture. No need to change your shoes: Tekla’s shearling-lined riff on Birkenstock’s quintessential clog is cozy enough to wear at home, but looks plenty righteous when your squad ambles over to the bar.
The Dreaded Office Shindig
The quickest way to clinch best-dressed status at your end-of-quarter work bash? Show up in a suit exactly like this, ideally in the same shade of earthy loden green. Dial up the texture, too; there’s nothing wrong with a three-season wool, but when it’s cold outside, baby, a tweed this luxe—Banana Republic sources its lustrous blend from Italy’s vaunted Marzotto mill—will distinguish you from the coworkers in navy blazers and skinny jeans. Wrap a groovy tie around that neck and anchor it all with snakeskin-embossed hard-bottoms your office crush won’t mistake for 9-to-5 drivers. Enjoy the promotion, pal.
The High-Octane Night Out
Depending on how you look at it, we’ve got very good or very bad news. If you already own a tuxedo, you’re about to save a bundle of cash—just ditch the trousers for jeans (Paul Smith and Commission make theirs out of an ultra-hardy cotton-wool blend), and the patent leather pumps for vertiginous boots. If you don’t own a tux, the one you should really buy is Saint Laurent’s, where designer Anthony Vaccarello is busy imbuing the French maison with a jolt of megawatt sex appeal. There’s a reason this low-slung peak lapel joint clinched a starting spot in our inaugural All-Stars class: short of buying a time machine to hoard Apple stock, there’s few better investments for the money.
Eager for more GQ-approved menswear picks? Keep scrolling to see all the new releases that piqued our interest over the last few weeks.
Non-Corny Holiday Knits
In the GQ neck of the woods, the opportunity to flex a rad knit is a terrible thing to waste, especially given the preponderance of actually stylish holiday sweaters on the market right now. Throw Todd Snyder’s shaggy mohair joint under an oxford shirt or layer Bode’s fireside-ready jacquard crew beneath a corduroy jacket—the effect will be the same. No one will bother bringing up politics at the Thanksgiving table when they’re busy asking you for an ID on the pullover.
Duffle Boys
The menswear icon you should pin to your moodboard this fall? A certain hijinks-enjoying, duffle coat-wearing anthropomorphic bear. Swaddle yourself in Blackstock & Weber’s ultra-classic houndstooth spin—made in conjunction with Gloverall, Britain’s premier duffle specialists—or toggle up in Our Legacy’s cropped duffle jacket, the silhouette du jour of wayward prepsters around the globe.
These Shoes Are Made for Loafin’
Love the look of loafers but crave the comfort of house shoes? Breaking news from the frontlines of the footwear scene: you can now have ‘em both. It’s hard to top Madewell’s buttery fleece-lined riff, but if you’re chasing slip-ons with a touch more polish, Vinny’s, the upstart Danish brand behind some of the coolest hard-bottoms on the planet, enlists a roster of skilled leather artisans to elevate your bed-to-bodega shuffle.
Shear Yourself
When it comes to outerwear, it doesn’t get more indulgent than an ultra-luxe shearling. If the classic knee-length version feels a little too Bane for you, don’t sweat it: These days, designers are getting freaky with the lining, employing it on everything from bombers—see the perfectly toasted Banana Republic version below—to hip-hugging coats like Alex Mill’s collaboration with the vaunted sheepskin whisperers at Owen Barry.
Fall Staples with Seoul
Every few years, a shift in the menswear zeitgeist propels a new capital of cool to the fore. Few cities have more mojo right now than Seoul, where labels young and old are busy establishing the thrumming South Korean metropolis as a buzzy epicenter of hyper-tasteful, surprisingly affordable clothes. (That Supreme opened a store there over the summer is no coincidence.) Thanks to the endless sprawl of today’s e-comm landscape, the best and brightest of Korea’s crackling menswear scene are just a few clicks way. Stock up now—or book a ticket soon—before your Instagram nemesis beats you to it.
Sneakers That Match the Foliage
When the leaves change color, your sneakers should follow suit. The thrashed canvas slip-ons you’ve been wearing since June aren’t a bad look, but the crisp fall air calls for rugged, beefy kicks done up in a Crayola’s box worth of autumnal tones. If you’re the outdoorsy type (or just want to cosplay as a very eurotrip-coded Answer Garfield), you could do a lot worse than starting with Nike ACG’s revamped Humara, a hulking, trail-ready silhouette in dueling shades of red and yellow. Prefer your kicks with a touch more street cred? Snag a pair from the extremely right-now running gurus at Asics and watch the double-taps climb faster than your heart rate.
The Right Finishing Touches
Random disclaimer: Some of the items below aren’t new—but the discounts are, thanks to a slew of exclusive deals we secured to celebrate our inaugural All-Stars class. We’ve yet to find a hat that keeps our noggins as toasty as Industry of All Nation’s wildly luxe alpaca beanie, or hosiery that keep our dogs as protected as American Trench’s retro-doused merino socks. When it comes to accessorizing this season, keep it simple. Cozy is still king, but you can probably survive the cold without a logo that explicitly telegraphs you dropped [insert ludicrous number of zeros here] on a scarf. Bode’s, for what it’s worth, only hints at it.
Plaids That Aren’t Flannel
You know those hardy flannel shirts you live in all fall? They don’t own the exclusive rights to plaid, and they’re not the only ones putting the pattern to extremely good use. Todd Snyder leans on it to lend his slouchy work pants their office-ready energy (the primo wool fabric doesn’t hurt, either). Ditto the knitwear whizzes at Corridor, whose latest geezer-adjacent cardigan renders a very stodgy silhouette in every shade of scuzzy alpaca cool. Expect to see it on SAG-AFTRA-approved press junkets from now until March.
Pointy Shirts
For years, every button-up you’d see in the pages of GQ (or on the backs of GQ staffers) was equipped with the same type of collar: a trim semi-spread designed to sync up with a slim, dimpled tie. Forget ’em. Go big and pointy and never look back.
Drop-Top Hikers
When you picture hiking shoes, you probably imagine clomping, gargantuan boots that never seem to sit comfortably beneath your pants. Thanks to a new crop of retro-inflected low-top hikers, though, the all-important pants-to-shoes matrix is easier than ever to dial in the next time your fits need a little rugged energy.
Shirt Jackets With Some Juice
A few weeks ago, we made an impassioned case in favor of the overshirt, the double-duty layer that promises to work harder than any other in your closet. A few weeks before that, we spotlighted a grip of blue-chip floral-printed pieces even van Gogh would be proud of. See where we’re going here? The floral print doesn’t even have to be literal—a brooding, swirly riff on the pattern looks plenty groovy, and a little more fall-ready.
Dig the MA-1? Try the MA-Many
Since it was first issued to pilots during WWI, the MA-1 has inserted itself into countless Hollywood moments—and inspired just as many designer riffs. Some take the source material literally—Jerry Lorenzo upgrades the style in a lustrous nylon but leaves the silhouette intact—while others, like the lesser-known Antwerp Six member Marina Yee, subvert its military pedigree with a jolt of the bizarre. The MA-1’s sustained popularity among civilians and A-listers alike might be a happy byproduct of its utilitarian design, but the real crux of its appeal is pretty simple: its cropped, boxy silhouette just looks really hot on everyone.
Plucky Pinstripes
People who wore pinstripes used to fall into two camps: Yankees (of the New York variety) and Gordon Gekko wannabes (also of the New York variety). You don’t have to be either to pull off the cold-weather pattern today—hell, you don’t even need to buy a suit. Thanks to brands like Portugal’s Ernest W. Baker, the tailoring flourish looks decidedly more chill as a matching jacket-and-trousers set. If the menswear classicist in you is crying blasphemy, don’t get your dress socks in a twist: Madewell’s slouchy, Italian-sourced riff will take to a tie and derbies just as easily as it will loafers and a vintage tee.
Black and Brown
For decades, conventional menswear wisdom stipulated that black and brown were opposing colors that should never be mixed. The conventional wisdom, as we pointed out a couple of years ago, was wrong. Wearing the two shades simultaneously isn’t a faux-pas—it’s the quickest way to ratchet up the fashion quotient on your fall outfits. Pair Carhartt WIP’s groovy paisley cardigan with black work pants and a white T-shirt, or tuck that same tee into Stein’s cashmere-blend trousers, gird your waist with a brash belt, and toss a sweater around your shoulders for a little extra verve.
Tweedy Coats
Way back in 2020, GQ’s Sam Schube presented irrefutable evidence in favor of two unlikely menswear icons: the Wet Bandits, a.k.a. Marv and Harry of Home Alone fame. Both, Schube writes, are impeccably equipped in clothes that wouldn’t look out of a place in a Drake’s campaign, or a grainy photograph of the Olsen twins ripping darts downtown. The secret to their sauce? Nubby mac coats exactly like these, cut relaxed, usually with raglan sleeves, and done up in texture-heavy fall tweeds. For a very British riff on the style look to Sir Paul Smith—but it’s tough to beat all-American mainstays like Banana Republic.
Electric Argyles
Argyle used to be the preserve of misty-eyed academics or the type of pencil-pushers who pronounce the ‘h’ in white. These days, the pattern still adorns plenty of sweaters, but its attitude is more punk than preppy (think shaggy mohair polos or oversized crewnecks in the perfect shade of scuzzy greige). The only outlier here? Bottega Veneta, where Matthieu Blazy and his team of fabric wizards render a classic V-neck silhouette in impossibly supple calfskin, a perfect leather jacket for the gerontocracy—or the cool kids who can afford to jack their style.
Double-Duty Overshirts
Autumn is a time of exciting transitions, but the waffling weather makes dressing a guessing game. So this time around, instead of schlepping a whole-ass extra layer in your bag wherever you go, reach for an overshirt. Unlike more pedestrian garments, they can play double-duty as a shirt and jacket. Think of them like the legendary Deion Sanders—a pro in not one but two major-league sports.
Fall-Ready Tailoring
Tailoring is enjoying a moment again, and the latest crop of fall styles is packed with blazers designed for anywhere but the office. (Think sumptuous corduroys, toasty flannels, and cozy tweeds, and you get a solid idea of the textures we’re talking about here.) Alex Mill’s namesake suit jacket, rendered in a delicious deep-chocolate cord, is begging to be worn with blue jeans and a shaggy sweater, like you’re a dreamy New England architect who definitely has a cute dog.
Drawing Drip
Menswear’s infatuation with DIY-inflected doodles and hand-finished flourishes might’ve reached its highest form in Emily Bode’s artful reclamation of midcentury vintage, but the trend still has plenty to offer. Brands across the spectrum, from indie designers to established labels, are offering their own spin on Bode’s deeply personal collages, deploying the same vibe in freaky and fun new ways.
Shadow Play
Chalk it up to the waning sunlight or the mercurial weather, but shadows (and gradients, their not-so-distant relatives) are showing up interpreted via all kinds of prints and patterns. From the classic shadow plaid Noah incorporates in its handsome 5-panel hat to the spray-paint effect on Acne Studios’ slip-on boots, fall menswear looks broodier than an Alan Moore strip—and we’re ready to embrace the dark side.
Brooding Button-Ups
A crisp white button-up is forever classic, but right now, its black counterpart feels a shade cooler. If you don’t want to take our word for it, take it from Anthony Vacarrello, whose sultry reinterpretations of Saint Laurent’s house codes are best expressed via the maison’s gossamer-like shirting. This one’s cut boxy with a point collar and decorated with a leopard jacquard print, all the better to sync up with the designer’s ultra-gam tailoring and vertiginous boots. If pure silk is too precious for your tastes, don’t sweat it: Winnie New York, the brainchild of upstart suiting expert Idris Balogun, sells a riff on Dickies’ quintessential work shirt crafted from sturdy cotton twill.
Not-So-Burly Rugby Shirts
The rugby shirt has been around in one form or another since the 1800s, when thick-necked Britons popularized the style chasing around a wee leather ball on the pitch. (Okay, you got us: we’ve never watched a game of rugby before.) The point is, the beefy cotton polo—defined by its contrast collar and broad stripes—was designed to take a beating, and it’s lingered in the menswear consciousness for that exact reason. The rugbys we’ve gravitated towards recently, though, are a tad more refined. Noah’s skews pretty close to the source material, but ditches the eye-grabbing chest stripes in favor of a muted fall palette; Studio Nicholson’s keeps the contrast collar, but renders the rest of the body in a premium cotton-wool blend. The result, however, is the same: a ridiculously versatile pullover you’ll wear from now until the heat ratchets up to a sizzle again.
Toasted Suedes
Fall’s distinct colors and textures aren’t limited to foliage. Flannel and corduroy come to mind, certainly—but the material we’re excited about most as summer gives ways to autumn is suede in a particular shade of brown chefs would call GBD (golden brown delicious). From Sunflower’s boxy cropped jacket to Givenchy’s delectable Timberland-inspired work boots, the perfectly toasted hue is all over the place. And if you’re worried about ruining your new suede jacket with wear…don’t. Suede looks even better with some patina, which is greats news considering it’s all you’ll want to wear.
Strappy Shoes
We refuse to waste our time with shoelaces anymore. Instead, we’re moving toward strappy kicks of all stripes, be it Boomer-approved loafers from Noah or the futuristic stylings of Kiko Kostadinov’s Tonkin sneakers. The strap adds just enough dimension to your shoes and often include a bonus hit of hardware, like a little piece of jewelry or a cool belt for your feet. Practical? Sometimes. Ornamental? Always. Let’s face it—these days, most folks aren’t bothering to untie and retie their shoelaces anyway.
Double-Knees Worth a Double-Take
Demand for double-knee jeans might’ve cooled a touch since ravenous vintage lovers first began trawling the web for dusty Carhartts, but the residual heat proves that the nigh-indestructible silhouette isn’t going anywhere. Instead, it’s ditching its humble construction-adjacent origins for a newfound fashion pedigree. These days, any small-batch designer you care to name offers an artisanal riff on the workwear staple, done up every which way but the traditional one. Strut your stuff past the closest “Men At Work” sign and watch the hard hats swivel.
Mind-Bending Accessories
Half a century after her death, surrealist fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli’s legacy lives on thanks to guys like Jonathan Anderson and the Japanese humorists at Doublet. Frog clutches, pastry-inspired pochettes, whale hats—it’s all a bit silly. And that’s the point! The world can feel like a pretty bleak place; a weirdo accessory won’t really solve any of your problems (on the contrary, in fact), but at least it can make you laugh.
Throwback Sling Packs
Chalk it up to our ongoing infatuation with the ‘90s, but sling bags—the asymmetrical zippered packs that are part backpack, part messenger bag—have shouldered they way into the zeitgeist again. Their utilitarian leanings call to mind Euro House style (parachute pants very much sold separately), and they feel both retro and futuristic. Stash your sketch book, your headphones, and your, ahem, paraphernalia in one of these and you’re ready for a hard day of loitering—and a long night of raving.
Conversation-Starters You Can Wear
In fashion, trompe l’oeil (literally “deceive the eye”) largely refers to garments that look like one thing but are actually another, and ever since bleeding-edge designers like Martin Margiela and Jean Paul Gaultier started employing the technique in the ’90s, the novelty has yet to wear off. In 2023, buzzy labels like Y/Project, Our Legacy, and Undercover are finding new ways to riff on the method, in an effort to stimulate your mind, elicit wonder, or just squeeze a smile out of passersby ogling your outfit.
Return of the Rohmer Guy
Remember the Rohmer guy, that insouciantly dressed fella who takes inspiration, consciously or not, from the perennially-OOO characters in the French director’s sun-dappled films? If you’ve been thinking about him again lately, great news: the hallmarks of his look—colorful shirts made from earthy fabrics, dressy trousers that hint at a life spent shuttling between picturesque European cottages—still bang, and now’s the perfect time to reacquaint yourself with the whole lot.
Head-Turning Headwear
Every summer, a power shift occurs that transfers all the charge from your outerwear to your accessories. You might not be able to layer up like you did in the cooler months, but you can use the sweltering weather as a fantastic excuse to invest in some wild finishing touches. The wildest of them all right now are in the hat department, where designers are moonlighting as sculpture artists, taking the most extravagant ideas from their brains and plopping them directly onto their heads—and, soon enough, yours.
Your Tie Deserves a Tiny Graphic, as a Treat
If you’re wearing a tie in the year of our lord 2023, salute: we see you, and we appreciate you. But we also think you’re going to appreciate these suckers, outfitted with teeny-tiny logos that hint at designer pedigrees without bopping you over the head with a splashy print. The freshest of the bunch might be the silk number Kim Jones cooked up in collaboration with Denim Tears mastermind (and Supreme creative director) Tremaine Emory, but don’t sleep on Yohji Yamamoto’s darkly poetic riff, either.
Pumped-Up Kicks
Chalk it up to a collective yearning for a few added inches or nostalgia for the high-energy style of the early-2000s, but inflated footwear is clomping off the shelves at a record clip. From an elephantine take on the Vans Old Skool to padded slides from fashion’s favorite ghoul, Rick Owens, pumped-up kicks are the fastest way to make a big statement this season.
Big, Billowy Shorts
For as long as we can remember, consensus among menswear enthusiasts dictated that shorts should hit roughly mid-thigh, courtesy of a tastefully scant five-inch inseam. In 2023, though, all bets are off: today’s shorts du jour are, well, any length, really. But the shorts we’re feeling most right now are big, baggy, and long, an obvious byproduct of our collective nostalgia for Y2K-era style. Freaky avant-gardists like Rick Owens are leading the charge, but Commas’ gently-tailored half-pants are proof that giant shorts deserve a spot on your vacation moodboard, whether you’re clubbing in Berlin or lounging in Bilbao.
Silver Surfin’
Huge news, science geeks: menswear’s metallurgical moment is here. What started out as an epic glow-up for the sneakers your dad used to run in has exploded into full-blown T-1000 territory. Our Legacy sells foil-wrapped jeans (jeans!), Onitsuka Tiger sells silver-wrapped Mexico 66s, and just this month, Wales Bonner collaborated with Adidas on crinkly metallic shorts—and a matching pair of Sambas, to boot. Dust off your poster of the periodic table while you still can.
Blaze Up
Wear a blazer at any point between June and September, and you’re probably going to sweat. (Extra layers + blistering sun = maximum shvitz. It’s math, really!) The key then, is to choose your blazer carefully—stick to breezy fabrics, ditch the stuffy underpinnings, and keep the silhouette relaxed and a little slouchy. The next time occasion dictates you wear a capital-J Jacket, reach for one like Todd Snyder’s, a vision of creamy linen done up in a gloriously ‘80s double-breasted silhouette—or better yet, make like the steezy Venetians at Barena, whose gauzy plaid joint feels lighter than most summer button-ups.
Put a Ring On It
It’s summer, and you want to look sexy? Heard, chef. Ringer tees are enjoying a moment right now for a few reasons, but none more compelling than their bicep-hugging fit. Blackstock & Weber’s version—made in conjunction with the Japanese repro savants at Velva Sheen—will look killer with pleated khakis, but if you’re chasing a sleazier vibe, wear Second/Layer’s exactly as styled: with angular black frames, faded jeans, and a mop of yesterday’s bedhead. Then skip the gym, order another spritz, and get on with your weekend—your tee will handle the rest.
The Camp Shirt Sobers Up
For longer than we care to remember, the camp shirt has been on a delirious bender. (Did we help enable its hard-partying ways? A little.) Every summer, the wild-style button-up would roll through to park hangs, rooftop chills, and weekend BBQs riding high on its own exuberant prints, colors, and patterns—and for a minute there, we were worried. But, we’re relieved to report, the rumors of the camp shirt’s decline have been greatly exaggerated. It isn’t strung out in Ibiza, recovering from the Molly shakes. Instead, it took the winter to sober up, get its shit together, and re-emerge sleeker, svelter, and a little more subdued. In other words: It’s finally growing up.
Banana Republic, no stranger to second chances, recognizes a kindred spirit when it sees one, and the ‘70s sleaze specialists at LA’s Second/Layer prove that sobriety doesn’t have to be a buzzkill—when you’re the unequivocal shirt of the summer, it can be downright sexy.
Take Your Sandals Fishing
We’re calling it now: It’s going to be a huge summer for the fisherman sandal. The geezer-adjacent slip-on has always been cool—your grandpa probably wore a pair on his honeymoon—but its vibe feels just right for this particular moment: dressy enough to class up a vintage tee and jorts, casual enough to make that breezy linen suit feel beach wedding-ready. The venerable British cobblers at Church’s make a version that looks like a close relative of your cap-toes, but you don’t have to drop generational guap to get your feet into a pair: Camper sells a pleasantly brolic riff for less than 200 bucks.
Get Effusive With the Embroidery
For a while there, you couldn’t swing a canvas tote without hitting a fella in a graphic tee or logo-emblazoned hoodie. But, on the precipice of what GQ’s been calling a “return to elegance”, menswear nerds are scoring their visual fix elsewhere—through embroidery. Brands like Karu Research, Wales Bonner, and Bode are hard at work emphasizing the technique’s artisanal bent, and embroidery—along with beading and crochet—feels primed to become the aesthetic flourish of the moment. As the conversation around AI continues to freak us all out, a deliberate sign of the human touch is exactly what the doctor ordered.
Secure a Bag That Makes a Real Statement
As we head into the dog days of summer, putting together a cute lil’ outfit gets increasingly difficult. (There are only so many layers you can wear without passing out.) So we’ll clue you in on a secret: the trick to pulling off a truly humungous look comes down to the accessories—and an eye-catching bag might do the job even better than a winter coat. We’ve got no beef with swanky leather duffels, but these days, we’re digging bags heavier on the texture. Not only do they add a ton of character, they don’t rely on a corny text or a flashy screenprint to convey their message.
SC103’s Link bags have been a Cool Girl™ carry-all for a while, and this being the year of our lord 2023, there’s no reason you can’t get in on the action, too. Harago’s bamboo woven tote is perfect for picnics and beach days—or just upgrading your daily driver from that gift-with-purchase tote you’ve been hauling around for way too long.
Florals You Could Frame
Florals for spring? Not exactly groundbreaking. But when the mercury climbs above a balmy 60-ish degrees, it doesn’t really matter—florals just look right. Which helps explain why menswear’s brightest stars return to the print this time every year, and when you don’t have an imperious fashion editor shooting daggers at you across the table, it’s a whole lot easier to enjoy them. (Fashion editors we may be, but the vibes in our meetings are decidedly more kind-minded, baby!) The Toronto-based swimwear junkies at Bather splash a whole damn bouquet across the front of their trunks, but for a less literal riff on the motif look to Brooklyn’s Connor McKnight: his hand-painted work jacket, made in partnership with Gucci, employs its florals sparingly, lending it all the intrigue of a Braque still life.
Dressy Shorts
In the GQ Recommends universe, the week following Memorial Day means one thing: Short Week Shorts Week, our appropriately abridged ode to the summeriest and calf-baringest of bottoms. Eager to spice up your rotation? As per usual, the Japanese fabric masters at Comme des Garçons have the right idea: their poly-wool dress shorts are cut with so much extra breathing room they could birth a pair of slim-fit chinos. You don’t have to spend big money to shimmy your gams into a pair, though—COS’ sharply-pleated joints come with the same dialed-in fit as their designer counterparts, but cost about as much as a subscription to HBO Max.
Shades That Keep a Low Profile
There’s something downright sexy about a pair of svelte sunglasses that feels extremely fresh right now. They have the power to turn you into an obliviously stylish dad/baseball player, a club-roving techno lover, or even a bleeding edge art dealer. Sure, most acetate sunglasses possess the same superpowers, but few employ them with this much flair.
Shirts Are Jackets Now
Layering becomes a lot trickier once the temperatures start to rise. Add to that the unpredictable/unreliable weather and you could catch yourself in a climate that’s above your lone A-shirt’s pay grade. Allow us, then to reframe your perspective: in the summer, shirts are actually just very light jackets. We’re not talking about overshirts, necessarily. Definitely not—gulp—shackets. We mean regular-ass button-up shirts. The trick is to opt for one that’s roomy enough to allow for some airflow, even another layer beneath. Toss one over a graphic tee or even a polo to add some oomph—and a little billowy drape—to your outfits.
Introducing Arnold Palmer, Style God
In case you missed the Masters this year, we’re thrilled to report that golf style—once an oxymoron, or worse yet, a punchline—is all kinds of cool now. You can chalk up the sport’s new swagger to a few factors, but it has a lot to do with old-school links legends like Arnold Palmer, who’s righteous personal style looks totally fresh in the context of menswear’s dirtbag Ivy kick. A tipped cardigan and knit polo are vintage Arnie at his best, but unless you’re actually en route to the greens, you can ditch the two-tone spectators for classic kiltie loafers. Don’t forget to yell “fore!” when you peep your reflection in the mirror.
All Linen Everything
Around this time every year, people start to go a little bit linen crazy. Which makes perfect sense: the breezy fabric naturally lends itself to summer’s looser silhouettes, and its nubby texture is a great way to pump up the visual interest when there’s less layers to go around. Pulling off head-to-toe linen, though, is kind of tricky—wear too much off the stuff and you’ll wind up looking like a retired yogi. Thankfully, the next-gen suiting experts at Stòffa have figured out a workaround: treat the material like a secondary feature, and let the craftsmanship do the heavy lifting. You know who else got the memo? Nicholas Daley, the white-hot British wunderkind behind the raddest linen trousers we’ve seen in a minute.
Working Hard or Hardly Working
If Workwear 1.0 was the sack suit you bought at Brooks Brothers, and Workwear 2.0 was the Carhartt hoodie you bought at Dave’s, Workwear 3.0 sits somewhere between—sturdy, all-American clothes that feel authentic to the source material but won’t invite accusations of stolen valor. Vancouver’s (!) James Coward might offer the purest expression of the genre—the label crafts its impossibly elegant wares from materials like Japanese moleskin and good ol’ cotton twill—but NYC’s Royce Hill and LA’s Carson Wach make a strong case to keep the crown stateside.
Jog Like Justin
Earlier this month, pictures of Justin Bieber jogging around LA went mildly viral, largely thanks to the pop star’s confounding choice of pants: big, baggy jeans you’d otherwise see at a Warped Tour stop in the ‘90s. It’s a great outfit—and one you should absolutely jack this spring. If you’re wary of going full Bieber, treat his get-up less like instruction and more like inspiration: start with a sun-drenched fleece vest from the Japanese repro masters at Visvim and finish with Asics’ Gel-NYC shoes, the sportswear juggernaut’s latest bulwark in the ongoing retro sneaker wars. You could probably clock a few brisk miles in the whole get-up without inspiring too many chuckles, but when you look this fresh doesn’t everyone deserve the chance to ogle you in slow-mo?
Indulge Your Green Thumb
If you’ve clocked a whole bunch of fellas gearing up like they’re ready to water a patch of gardenias, you’re not the only one. The gnarliest avatar in the menswear universe right now is your local gardening enthusiast, the guy who spends his downtime volunteering at the neighborhood compost. William Ellery’s verdant cotton hat takes the source material pretty literally, but you don’t need a natural green thumb to lean into the vibe: Bottega Veneta’s hulking rubber clogs will look plenty killer with or without the mulch stains.
Varsity Blues
Varsity Blues, the 1999 coming-of-age movie centered around a small-town high school football team, isn’t exactly high art—but dressing like a ‘90 jock who’s in on the joke feels inexplicably au courant. Guess USA’s battered leather jacket skews more bomber than letterman, but the chenille patches at the sleeves and the sporty ribbed trims get the point across just fine. Add a pair of trefoil-drenched sneakers from Gucci’s monumental tie-up with the Three Stripes, and the gridiron—or, y’know, the Instagram grid—never stood a chance.
Riviera Dreaming
So the sunny days of your dreams are still a little bit away—big whoop. A prolonged bout of gloomy weather shouldn’t stop you from dressing for the forecast you deserve. Throw on a full-placket polo in a groovy geometric print, slip into a pair of nubby linen-blend trousers with a crisp center pleat, and manifest spring’s actual arrival through the sheer enormity of your fits.
Go West—Like, Really West
Menswear is on a serious western kick these days, and the rootin’, tootin’ wave shows no sign of ebbing. Until now, we’ve largely recommended sticking to one ranch-ready piece at a time, but, frankly, we’re happy to eat our words. If you’re itching to really go for it…really go for it. Wythe’s easy, breezy tencel shirts are a great place to start; Ernest W. Baker’s buffed calfskin zip-up boots are an even better place to stop.
All-In on Stealth Wealth
By now, the secret’s out on the whole “quiet luxury” hoopla. But brands like Lemaire and The Row have been riding that wave long before Lydia Tàr and the scheming siblings on Succession coaxed it into the limelight. Maestros and media scions aside, the underlying principles might as well represent the quintessential hack to effortless style: understated pieces in elevated materials rendered in classic silhouettes. If you can look past the whole stealth wealth brouhaha, what’s not to like?
Or Dive Straight Into the Deep End
Swim trunks aren’t just for swimming, and they might look even cooler on dry land. The characteristically vivid prints typically found on an excellent pair of trunks are particularly well-suited to spring, but the fun shouldn’t stop there. Paired with a loud button-up, retro jacket, and some very un-serious hard-bottoms, they offer a maximalist rejoinder to stealth wealth’s discreet styling—and provide a viable alternative when you feel like making some real noise.
When in Doubt, Wear Head-to-Toe Denim
Spring will always be a great time to go all-in on groovy colors and wild-style prints, but it’s also the best time to get really into denim. That might mean a stiff pair of selvedge jeans or a honky-tonk western shirt or just a gloriously faded cap—but why not all of the above? The Canadian Tuxedo is a fail-safe style hack, but true head-to-toe denim has never looked better, and it demands even less brain power to put together (unless you’re unreasonably particular about the infinite shades of blue). Call it the Midas touch of Glenn Martin’s Diesel or an ongoing fascination with cowboy style, but we’re looking at the world through indigo-soaked lenses right now, and the view is spectacular.
And Don’t Forget to De-Stuff Your Suiting
Tailoring is enjoying a moment, but we’re glad to report that it’s not exactly the #menswear resurgence skeptics were bracing for. We’re talking blazers, dress pants, and derbies—all amicably divorced from each other and their usual contexts. Try pairing crisp trousers with ratty graphic tees, tuxedo jackets with jeans, or, heck, polished hard-bottoms with baggy basketball shorts. The lack of social activity during the height of the the pandemic may have spurred suiting’s grand return (at the very least, it deflected a circa-2012 tailoring repeat), but we’re not limiting our swankiest threads to formal occasions any more—and neither should you.
Muddy Waters
The coolest color you aren’t wearing enough isn’t a color at all: it’s a murky gloop of natural tones—dusty beiges, mossy greens, washed-out browns—that promise to lend your outfits a lived-in, slightly artisanal feel. The eco-minded fabric experts at Older Brother employ a litany of rarified dyeing techniques to get the exact shade of their Made-in-LA garms just right, but the raddest expression of the idea comes from Boris Bidjan Saberi, whose ongoing tie-up with Salomon yields trail-ready runners that look like they’ve already slogged through hell to make it to your front door.
Nip-Baring Knits
On the red carpet and in the NBA tunnel, elite-level dressers like Timothée Chalamet and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have been foregoing their shirts with abandon, strutting their stuff with nary a button-up to shield them from the paparazzi’s flash. If shirtlessness feels like a tall order, consider the next best swerve: a gauzy see-through knit that lets you enjoy the breeze without putting your love handles on blast. How gauzy and see-through is up to you: Corridor’s Pima cotton tank is dense enough to cover your nips; Our Legacy’s sheer sweater vest offers passersby a tantalizing peek.
The Wild Ones
Gaudy, we’re thrilled to remind you, is good. But it feels especially great right now, with brands of all stripes doing up their house signatures—’90s-indebted overcoats, chore jacket-like cardigans—in animal prints that’d make Dorothy gasp in delight. Slip on a pair of spotted pony hair loafers from the arch Danes at Vinny’s or cram your tchotchkes into Stüssy’s cowhide print tote bag, a quilted Chanel clutch for the downtown set. Either way, your plain ol’ white tees and blue jeans will look all the more freaky for it.
Return of the ‘Ton
Remember Harrington jackets, those fusty zip-ups style gods of a certain era (think McQueen in that one photo reblogged a zillion times on Tumblr) couldn’t get enough of? They’re all kinds of cool now, mostly because the brands behind them have shorter memories than you, and they’re brazen enough to disregard the silhouette’s origins entirely. J.Crew makes a ridiculously luxe version crafted from luscious Italian suede, Burberry sells a reliably British riff with plenty of extra hardware, but the real nail in the coffin of the Harrington’s clean-cut reputation might be this shaggy shearling joint from Baracuta, an OG of the genre that’s ready to let its hair down.
Motocrossed Lovers
Fashion and sports have been in loyal cahoots for decades, hopping from arena to pitch to half pipe and back again. For several years now, designers have plumbed the hallmarks of fútbol style for inspiration, but if the latest round of runway shows is any hint a change of scenery is imminent: it’s time to hit the dirt tracks instead. We’re talking logo-splashed leather jackets in vibrant colors, leather pants with moto-inspired stitching and panel details, graphic jerseys with rip-roaring energy—and all of it drenched in Diesel-powered Y2K vibes.
Go for a Subtle Dye Job
From garment dyeing to distressing to sun-fading, a toned-down dye job is a softer, more soothing way to borrow some of tie-dye’s kaleidoscopic antics without sending your closet straight back to the ‘70s (or, uh, 2017). It’s a little bit wabi-sabi, a whole lot of artful, and makes for the kind of one-of-one appeal you’d typically find in well-loved vintage grails.
Crop It!
The Y2kraze shows no sign of loosening its stranglehold on Gen Z, but ‘90s fashion still commands a significant share of the market—and cropped leather jackets are leading the charge. Sunflower’s buttery-soft lambskin zip-up is a perfect distillation of the trend, which steers clear of the hardware-heavy flourishes of classic moto styles. At the same time, brands like Our Legacy and No Maintenance are side-stepping the obvious ‘90s tropes while maintaining the stripped-down silhouette. It doesn’t hurt that the length pairs equally well with low-rise jeans and high-waisted pants, as sure as indication as any that the style won’t be going away soon.
Drip Yourself to Shreds
Call it the Cobain effect or blame it on some misplaced appreciation for the authentically threadbare: pre-worn clothes are cropping up with a weird frequency right now. There’s Marni’s moth hole-ridden sweater vest, Doublet’s trompe l’oeil denim jacket (with pearl strings masquerading as ripped fabric), and Solitude Studios’ swampy shoulder bag. But it’s not just the high-fashion daredevils tearing their clothes to pieces—Gap’s recent collab with The Brooklyn Circus yielded a series of Ivy-inspired goods, including a classic Oxford shirt with fringed hems.
Add a Splash of Orange
The quickest way to make regular ol’ H20 feel like the agua on tap in a ritzy hotel lobby? Toss in a few slices of orange. The quickest way to imbue your outfits with a similar vibe? Reach for the same color. Pair Union’s svelte liner jacket with faded jeans and hiking boots, swap out your sweats for Noah’s slouchy wool trousers, or double-down on the hue with a trippy fleece crewneck from Beams Plus, Japan’s totally rad answer to J.Crew. Anchor it all with Nike’s latest spin on the Zoom Vomero 5, a sleeper-hit silhouette that looks even sicker equipped with an earthy ochre swoosh.
Break Out the Sandals
You know those strappy leather sandals you benched last spring? If the forecast in your neck of the woods looks anything like ours, it’s time to put in a call to the bullpen. Just need some slip-ons that won’t make you feel like a schlump at JFK? Fear of God’s plush suede model, designed in collaboration with the footwear maestros at Birkenstock, will keep your piggies in prime condition from TSA to tarmac. Jonesing for a pair with a little more attitude? Nab a hardware-heavy silhouette from Toga Virilis and watch the heads swivel wherever you wear them.
Elevate Your Sandlercore
In 2023, Adam Sandler…style god? feels a lot more like Adam Sandler…style god! Part of the funnyman’s bizarro flair boils down to his unmeditated approach to getting dressed, but his appreciation for off-kilter layering, wowza pattern-clashing, and the hallmarks of your local rec league—swishy mesh shorts, AAU-hopeful kicks—offers plenty in the way of inspiration. Ditch the shapeless hoodie for a shaggy cardigan and the Uggs for grippy slip-on sneakers, and you’re left with the type of outfit you’ll want to wear from now until April.
Clean Up Your Mac
There’s a virus afflicting your mac coat, and it’s got nothing to do with malware; it’s the floppy epaulets, janky buttons, and bulky pockets designers haphazardly slapped onto the style over the years. The crop of rain slickers we’re feeling right now are just that—slick, streamlined, and ready to pull together your white tees, blue jeans, and black boots like Steph pulling up from three. If you’re not inclined to drop a month’s rent on one, don’t: plenty of GQ-favorite brands sell affordable takes on the silhouette, including Uniqlo U, the Christophe Lemaire-designed sub-label behind some of the buzziest menswear on the planet.
Stay Neutral
You know how your buddy Brent is always jetting off to Joshua Tree to immerse himself in the “restorative powers of the desert”? Embracing dusty, sandy, light brown tones has the same effect on your closet—and it works even better if you wear a whole bunch of ‘em all at once. If you’re not sure where to start, take a gander at the latest version of Alex Mill’s smash-hit button-up, a perennial GQ-favorite the brand just dropped in a not-quite-mocha shade of khaki. Would it look rad with a battered denim jacket? Sure. But it’ll look even better poking out from beneath Sacai’s wild-style riff on the pointdexter-y argyle sweater.
Freaky Textures
Big, bold colors are good. But big, bold colors paired with big, bold textures—like nubby ostrich leather or Issey Miyake’s iconic pleated nylon—are downright transcendent. Whoever said less is more probably never encountered a Lemonhead-yellow western belt or a croc-embossed bag from Luar—and they were definitely worse off for it.
Dad Energy
“When in doubt, dress like your old man” is always a smart credo to orient yourself around, but it rings especially true in 2023. Start with a beefy striped rugby from the new J.Crew, and then lean all the way into the vibe with washed-out jeans courtesy of the neo-workwear savants at Knickerbocker.
Sleeveless Wonders
Sweater vests have been cool again for a hot second, but in 2023, designers are cranking ‘em out in wilder, wavier varieties than ever before. Case in point: The Elder Statesman’s groovy tie-dyed riff, which looks like what happens when a Rothko leaps out of its frame and wraps your torso in a bear hug. Don’t have two grand to spend on top-of-the-line cashmere? All good: the fine people at Banana Republic—yes, that Banana Republic—made one out of responsibly-sourced wool, doused it in a cheery shade of Nickelodeon orange, and only want $200 in return. Pull one over a crisp white tee and let your funky knit do all the talking.
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