The gentleman returns this fall as designers refine their craft of perfecting, renovating and remixing the sartorial elements rooted in the archetypal gentleman's wardrobe.
Take the return of the three-piece suit. A sophisticated and somewhat formal look, yes, but the satisfaction for the man owning the three-piece includes the ability to take it in multiple directions. Give it the full treatment: in deep tones of charcoal grey; in the best fabric; add a silk bow tie or expertly tooled wingtip shoes. Add a structured hat and a fringed scarf and you've reached the height of gentleman chic.
Designers are recognizing that sartorial perfection can be pulled apart, turned around and re-mixed for a new excitement. This sartorial spirit lives in a piece like the vest, whether it's finely finished with horn buttons and layered under a tailored top coat or trimmed with safety pins and sitting prominently on a crisp shirt without a tie.
The patterned wool pant creates a study in texture when worn with a patterned cardigan, a velvet jacket and a patterned shirt-and-tie combination. Think of this look in hues of brown, plum, dark blue and gold and you've approached the rich kaleidoscope of the season. Or bring the pant into singular focus with a more minimal approach, pairing it with a fine-gauge knit and a simple leather jacket.
With sartorial tradition stronger than ever and classic notions of fabric and construction underscoring the realm of the casual, weekend, weekday, day-in-and-day-out wardrobe, Fall 2008 is truly the season of the gentleman.
