Autumnal Hues; Fabrics for the Start of the Cold Snap

Much of the country may still be experiencing some very fine weather, but in the bespoke world, if you want your garments to be ready for the required season then you have to plan ahead. The arrival of a large selection of new heavy weight winter season wool jacketing and suiting cloths at my tailors The Cad & the Dandy has prompted me to produce a timely post on choosing cloths which are appropriate for the cooler climbs of Autumn that are soon going to descend upon us.

Autumn is an interesting season to dress for, a time of year when the comforting, structured and full-weighted tailoring of the colder season comes into play, but its nonetheless a transitionary time, and the crisp coldness that invites a full three piece suit and overcoat ensemble is yet to arrive. Just as the weather is in a transitionary phase, so is the natural world, and the delight of the autumnal wardrobe is the way in which it can reflect these environmental changes, both practically and artistically.

Fabrics have to get heavier with a fuller, more tactile finish to accommodate the increasing coldness and dreariness. Use of colour and pattern can change too, and I always like to swap the pastel colours that I opt for in summer for winter-beating boldness and richness of colour in my autumnal wardrobe. Autumn is a great time to experiment with mid-weight tweeds, flannels and double-milled worsteds. I'd suggest that a weight range of 12 to 14 ounce cloths are perfect for the season and lend autumn tailoring a fullness and body which is comforting and warming, without becoming too heavy or hot. The new selection of flannel bunches by Holland & Sherry and Fox Brothers at The Cad and the Dandy weighing in at 13-14 ounces, are perfect for the gradual cooling of temperatures through autumn.

You can see from the selection of photographs I've provided, how good autumn cloths really do reflect the season. Rich brown hues and earthy tones echo the corresponding colours of the seasonal changes to the natural world, but the more bold designs by Fox Bros and Holland & Sherry also combat the weather's depressing turn for the worse. Autumnal tones are worked into rich, flamboyant checked patterns, or else plain cloths are lifted with brighter overchecks or statement stripes. Tweed options remain rooted in earthy colours, but are lifted with brighter fibres woven in, and the finish of most autumn tweeds is considerably softer and more comforting than the 18-20 oz winter weight alternatives which become wearable later in the year.

As I hope you'd expect, there'll be much more on this as the season progresses, but for now, we'll leave it there, reflecting on the coming season, and the opportunities for working some of its rustic colour and charm into your tailored wardrobe. Within the next couple of days, I'm going to add some perspective to this post, by producing a piece on cloth finishes and the process of milling. I'm aiming to offer a digestible breakdown of how the milling of cloth reflects its suitability for either hot or colder seasons. Keep checking back for more!