Fall clothes for men—remember them? No? What about layers? You definitely remember those. You used to wear ‘em way back when, before circumstances dictated that your wardrobe become nothing but shorts and tanks and slides, lest you sweat yourself into an early grave. Well, it’s finally time to get acquainted with all of them once again. Fall is indeed upon us, friends, bringing with it all the freaky and fantastic combinations your fits have been lacking.
We’re talking plush corduroy trousers, blanket-soft flannel shirts, hardy jeans, slick boots, and everything else you couldn’t even think about during the summer without perspiring. Still not ringing a bell? Don’t worry—to jog your memory, we compiled a who’s who of GQ-approved fall clothes for men worth copping on the double. Memory is fleeting, but really big fits are forever.
The Best Fall Clothes for Men, According to GQ
- The Unbeatable Flannel Shirt: Washed Flannel Workshirt, $188
- The Grandma-Coded Cardigan: Noah Shetland Cardigan, $298
- The Gam-Swaddling Pants: Alex Mill Straight Fit Pants, $145
- The Cinematic Trench Coat: Percival Auxiliary Greyson Trench Coat, $415
- The All-Feet-On-Deck Shoes: Vans Authentic Sneakers, $55
- The Raw-and-Rugged Jeans: Levi’s Vintage Clothing 1944 501 Selvedge Jeans, $295
- The Shit-Kicking Derbies: Sanders Gibson Commando Derby, $360
- The A-List-Approved Suede Jacket: Banana Republic Suede Trucker Jacket, $500
- The Bad Hair Day Panacea: Uniqlo Heattech Ribbed Beanie, $15
- The Suit That Looks Better as Separates: J.Crew Kenmare Double-Breasted Suit Jacket, $598
- The Built-Tough Field Watch: Timex x Todd Snyder MK-1 Amalfi Dress Watch, $239
The Unbeatable Flannel Shirt
In cooler temperatures, a reliable flannel shirt is more than a wardrobe essential: it’s a no-brainer. Most versions will be plaid, but all of them should feel substantial enough to double as a light jacket, thanks to their lightweight wool or thick cotton make.
The Fluffy Fleece Jacket
Way back when, fleece jackets were once the exclusive remit of dads and crunchy climber types with tips on sleeping in a Subaru’s trunk. Those folks have our gratitude—bundling up in a fuzzy, furry pullover is one of the kindest things you can do for yourself in the depths of a surprisingly brisk fall. A fleece is impenetrably warm (and a lot more cost-effective than shearling), impossibly comfy, and brings as much texture to a single fit as all the cords in your closet combined.
The Slip-Ons You Won’t Slip Off
Only a few years ago, mules were the sole domain of line cooks and healthcare workers, who appreciated their no-frills design and easy-wearing attitude. No longer. For proof of the silhouette’s righteous fashion glow-up just look to Jonathan Anderson, the red-hot designer behind the must-cop mules of the season. Jonesing for a pair guaranteed to upgrade your bed-to-bodega shuffle? The Japanese footwear savants at Suicoke line theirs with ultra-plush sheepskin shearling.
The Gam-Swaddling Pants
When the weather is all doom and gloom, corduroy pants are a much-needed boost of fashion seratonin, like a mug of soothing hot chocolate. The rest of that sweet-toothed analogy holds true, too: cords are an absolute heavenly treat for your lower half. Plusher than your jeans, miles more comfortable than your wool trousers, and a worthy substitute for either of ’em.
The Grown-Up Tote Bag
A good tote bag needs to do only one thing: hold stuff. A great tote bag, though, needs to check off a few more boxes. It should still carry your clothes, kicks, chargers, toiletries, and everything else in the most space-efficient, easy-to-find way possible. But it should also be designed to outlast your passport—or better yet, you—despite years of being stuffed in an overhead bin and thrown in the trunk of your car. All of which is to say: that flimsy canvas version you got for free ain’t going to cut it anymore.
The All-Occasion Boots
By now, you’re probably getting the idea that the name of the game here is versatility. While you don’t have to opt for Chelsea boots, the right pair will be able to withstand the elements—and any sideways glances from your office nemesis. Call it a funny case of fashion kismet or chalk it up to Australia’s topsy-turvy climate turbulence, but two of our all-time favorite versions hail from down under. Buy ‘em both and you’ll always be set, whether you swear by paint-splattered work pants or knife-sharp dress trousers.
The Badass Denim Shirt
Denim shirts have come a long way from their humble origins. These days, there’s a wider array of them than ever before, from authentic sawtooth western joints crafted from Japanese selvedge to cozy flannel-lined jacket hybrids. Try one with a blazer and weathered khakis or as one-half of a Canadian tuxedo, and don’t be surprised—or remotely disappointed—if you find yourself reaching for it day after day. You’re in good company.
The Endlessly Layerable Undershirt
On the most dastardly days of late fall, when you wake up achy and frigid and physically unable to roll out from under your duvet, you’re going to need some back up. You’re probably familiar with the thermal shirts you wore hiking and skiing as a kid, but those old-school long-sleeved tees are just as practical and relevant as ever. Tuck one into your jeans, throw a heavy flannel and a puffer over top, and you’ve got yourself an unimpeachable cold-weather ensemble.
The Suit That Looks Better as Separates
If you’re worried about your buddies flaming you for going full “Wes Anderson mode” in the group chat, relax: there’s a lot more to fall tailoring than corduroy. (Though if you’re going for Anderson cosplay, Drake’s sells a version so luxe it’d make even the tweeist auteur blush.) Put simply, the fall suit’s biggest selling point is its ability to hold its own split up. Unlike your usual business casual fare, it works even better when you wear the jacket with a knit polo and jeans, or the pants with a plush sweater.
The Hard-Working Pants
Heavy-duty pants have been conquering tough conditions for over a century, and are still going strong as the trousers du jour of fellas whose gigs require them to get down and dirty, day in and day out. But even if your tool belt is more of a laptop bag, a pair of reinforced, beefed-up trousers are a reliable option that’ll add some authentic workwear flavor to your get-ups.
The Treat for Your Feet
Socks, we’ll grant you, aren’t exactly the most exciting category to shop for. But when those balmy late-summer nights give way to shockingly brisk fall mornings, you’re going to curse yourself for not prepping accordingly. So, folks, resolve to do better—and start by stocking up on the type of hardy, handsome hosiery immediately below. Dropping more than ten bucks on a pair you’ll wear forever only feels like a splurge until your feet thank you—for, like, the 100th time—a decade down the line.
The A-List-Approved Suede Jacket
You want to know what Michael B. Jordan, Tom Holland, and Ryan Reynolds all have in common? (Aside from the wildly successful careers…and the sculpted-by-god bodies…and all that money.) A great suede jacket. Why? Because they’re luxe and lush and simply scream movie star. Pro tip: Grab one in a classic style that’s cropped right at the waist. It’ll lengthen your legs, accentuate the butt, and sync up oh-so-well with some of-the-moment high-waisted pants or a pair of classic Levi’s 501s.
The Bad Hair Day Panacea
A great beanie is the gloriously cozy accessory that keeps your head warm (depending on how you choose to wear it) and your fits topped-off. Most of us have a stack of them, accumulated over time. Some were splurges—soft cashmere for a buzzcut head, maybe, or a freaked-out version to offset the midwinter blahs—and some were $12 gas station grails, with plenty in between. The two below will never steer you wrong.
The Grandma-Coded Cardigan
There’s plenty of swervy knitwear moves to make as the leaves change, but the best one this season is the most simple. Like your grandmother’s demure assurances, the crewneck cardigan will support your fits like no other sweater can. You don’t have to add pearls, but we wouldn’t be mad if you did.
The Brawny Work Jacket
In recent years, work jackets have been party to one of the greatest crossover events in men’s style history, making their way from OSHA-approved jobsites to the everyday wardrobes of fellas whose only calluses come from holding an iPhone too long. They’re decidedly brawny, built to get up with the rooster’s crow, and put in a hard 12 hours without missing a beat. In all likelihood, that’s not something you need—but who doesn’t want to pull on a bit of ready-for-anything armor as they set out the door?
The Tie You Wear Because You Want To
In 2024, you don’t need an occasion to rock a tie. Loosen the neck a little. Let that knot hang low. Try pairing a trippy foulard with an Oxford-cloth shirt, crisply-pressed slacks, and a fuzzy shetland sweater. Or a schoolboy-ish repp with a point collar dress shirt and a nubby vintage blazer. Don’t be afraid to mix patterns, either: Who says brash polka dots can’t play nice with subtle plaids? Getting a little freaky is the point!
The Cool-Guy Button-Up
Like a plain white tee or trusty dark jeans, the striped shirt is a sartorial skeleton key you can use to unlock any outfit. The best of the genre will help all the pieces in your closet fall into place—and stand by your side as you puzzle through countless stylistic head-scratchers down the line. And when you’re running late and only have five minutes to get dressed, you can throw one on without maxing out your pre-coffee brain and rest easy in the knowledge that you’ll look more than half-decent.
The Hot-Professor Sweater Vest
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). We dig an argyle cardigan as much as the next guy, but to really channel the pattern’s geeky-cool heritage, reach for the silhouette you would’ve encountered on the quads of yesteryear: the professorial sweater vest.
The Built-Tough Field Watch
There’s a good reason why field watches have long since transcended their military pedigree. For one thing, they’re designed to literally stand up to battle, which generally speaks well when it comes to quality and functionality in non-combat situations. For another, military gear tends to have a particular kind of rugged, honest appeal that looks particularly fresh with everything you pair it with: faded jeans, crisp white tees, an apocalypse-ready canvas trucker.
The Cinematic Trench Coat
Decades before the kids on TikTok were showering in their Arc’teryx, trench coats were the first line of wardrobe defense against all kinds of hellish weather. When they were issued to British soldiers during World War I, trench coats were long, double-breasted, and cut from gabardine, a durable cotton cloth you might call the Gore-Tex of its era. But in the time since, trench coats became prized for their civilian benefits too: roomy enough to drape easily over a razor-sharp suit, elegant enough to class up a hoodie and jeans, and warm enough to wear during anything shy of a full-blown blizzard.
The All-Feet-On-Deck Shoes
The deck shoe’s appeal is pretty obvious: it boasts no splashy logos, no tech-age fabrics, and no extra paneling or ergonomic curves beyond what’s entirely necessary to keep your foot in place and help prevent untimely slips, whether you’re hopping aboard a schooner or hustling to a brunch reservation after a light fall shower. There’s a reason mood board legends like Paul Newman swore by them—but unlike, say, Newman’s sought-after Rolexes, there’s nothing “grail-worthy” about the ’em, in the best way possible.
The Ultra-Cozy Zip-Up
Think of the zip-up hoodie as the pullover’s edgy younger brother. In its most natural state, it can cuddle-up to a matching set of pants and a baggy tee with flair. Unzipped and left open, it can take on the role of a picture frame ready to display your sickest graphic tee—much like the cardigan, another treasure of 2000s fashion. Or make like a mid-aughts garage band and wear yours over a dress shirt and baggy tailored trousers, a high-minded fashion move with a jolt of Scandinavian cool.
The Everyday Crewneck Sweatshirt
The humble gray crewneck helped Steve McQueen evade capture in The Great Escape, cemented John Travolta’s heartthrob status in Grease, and made Eddie Murphy a badass in Beverly Hills Cop. Paul Newman, the patron saint of laid-back menswear, wore one religiously. In 2024, the crewneck sweatshirt comes in a rainbow of different colors and silhouettes, but for our money, every-dependable gray is still the shade to beat.
The Raw-and-Rugged Jeans
Unlike the raw denim that dominated the menswear conversation a decade or so ago, the jeans we’re talking about here can do more than just stand up on their own. The silhouettes are looser and flowier, the branding is more overt, and the hems are supposed to be worn uncuffed; the jeans themselves, not the red-trimmed evidence of their Japanese provenance, are the flex. They’ll still whisker with the best of ’em, but they’re meant to be worn how you want, with way more just than waxed jackets and work boots.
The Loafers (‘Nuff Said, Really)
At GQ, we’ve long maintained that loafers are the Swiss Army Knife of shoes, ready to help you puzzle through any and all stylistic head-scratchers you encounter. Not sure what shoes to wear with a bespoke tux for a red carpet event—or just a really fancy wedding? Now you are. Not sure what shoes to wear with fraying jeans to the after-after party that same night? (The only two vibes, really.) Now you are, too.
The Movie-Star Shades
Come fall, sunglasses are more than just protective—they’re major fit enhancers in their own right, the type of last-minute additions to the roster that get fashion referees buzzing about fair play. Even next to the most paparazzi-attracting coat or outrageous haircut, the right pair of frames can steal the show. Think of them as adding ‘90s-era Jordan to a lineup that already includes 2000s-era Kobe and 2010s-era Lebron.
The Beefy Leather Belt
A leather belt with this much heft is guaranteed to look swell with just about everything in your wardrobe, but if you really want it to pop, slip it into a pair of dusty-hued corduroys or nubby raw jeans and watch it go from nice-to-have accessory to fit-making finishing touch.
The Shit-Kicking Derbys
Over the last couple of years, the derby has reclaimed its rightful place in the hearts and closets of stylish dudes across the globe. At a moment when the sneaker’s supremacy is in flux, the silhouette has stepped in—and stepped up its presence, courtesy of the type of pleasantly hefty soles that make loafers tremble. A lot has changed since the derby first rose to prominence, but one thing hasn’t: it’s still one of the most versatile shoes on the planet.
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