Everyone knows that September weather is shakier than the Ferris wheel at Coney Island. At 9am it’s 59 degrees. By noon it’s 92 degrees, by 12:45 it’s down to 65 degrees! We’ve officially pissed off Mother Nature and she’s making us pay. So how in the world do you dress when the weather is as reliable as a baby daddy in a Tyler Perry movie? Think transitional fellas! No matter how far the pendulum swings on the weather, I want you to be ready to adjust. If you stay ready, you don't have to get ready! With some SUITABULL style tips, I’ll help you leave the house ready for that Hell heat with a North Pole cold chaser.
Check the Weather
Truth be told, I like the Fall season. With the exception of the cold, and having to deal with the rain, Fall and I could be friends. I know, that description, pretty much sums up 50% of what the Fall season is about, but I'm entitled to my opinion. But getting back to the point, the weather can be unpredictable, so make sure you check the forecast in advance and plan accordingly. The weatherman is the only person that can be wrong at his/her job 50% of the time and still be gainfully employed, so you'll want to check at the top of the week and re-check the weather each day, to learn how and when to pivot. For example, this morning around 6am, the weather was 60 degrees with a torrential downpour, by 10am it was 70 degrees, by noon 85! On days like this you'll thank me, not only because you'll know to bring an umbrella, but also, so you won't melt or freeze because you when you left the house it was a Hot Boy Summer, and by the end of the day it was cold as ice. Check that weather!
Layer Your Clothes
Now that you've checked the weather, you know what to expect! One of my favorite SUITABULL sound bytes is to "Layer up!" Before you go throwing a blanket over yourself, like A$AP Rocky at the 2021 Met Gala, that's not what I'm talking about.
Here's and idea:
Layer 1: Start with a base. Go with either a t-shirt or a henley. As a base layer, it takes care of your basic need to be free and unrestricted, if you had a sudden hike in temperature.
Layer 2: A button up shirt or light breathable sweater (hooded or not) would serve you well. The material should be slightly thicker than a t-shirt. Either of these should be capable of being worn comfortably under another layer of clothing. However, when worn on It's own, should give you comfort if there's a brisk breeze.
Layer 3: This is where the fun starts for me. I love a good third layer.
Option 1--A waistcoat or vest will give you coverage on your upper body, but keep your extremities free so you don't overheat.
Option 2--A light jacket would serve you well, in either cotton, or leather. As the weather gets cooler, you could bump it up to a thicker suede jacket
Option 3--The sportscoat is my "go-to" so I can easily transition between warm and cool dressing, as well as formal versus casual.
Wear Medium Weight Fabrics (no flannels)
I started to touch on fabric weight a little bit in the layering section. At this time, you don't need to break out the super heavy fabrics yet. Textiles like tweed, flannel, thick suedes and leathers, can be reserved for later in the season, once those leaves start to fall. For now, Cottons and light wools are definitely still in play. You might be able to get away with linens for another couple weeks depending on how forgiving the weather is, but probably not for much longer if you live in NY. for those of you that live in warmer climate, FORGET Y'ALL! Just playing.
Colors
One of my other favorite things about this transitional weather is the array the fall colors. You'll notice that many stores will have all of the autumn colors on display like, burnt oranges, burgundys, yellows, hunter greens and browns. It's no coincidence that those popular colors mimic the color phases of the leaves before they fall from the trees (at least here in New York). Lean into it and use it as an opportunity to mix it up from the brights that we've all been wearing this summer.
Footwear
Sneakers will be in play all year long, but now you're able to dust off those boots (Timberlands, chelsea boots or otherwise) and take them out for show and tell. I'm in the market for some light beige chelsea boots at the moment. Think, grown and sexy times. Depending on how cold it is though, you might have to put those slides back in the closet until you take the vacay. Fellas, unless you just play 48 minutes in an NBA game, I'm not trying to see you in slides after the summer months.
Expect the Unexpected
Weathermen are wrong, i mean like a lot of the time. So what do you do? Plan for the unexpected. Always keep an umbrella on you. If you travel by car, keep large one on deck. If you're on public transportation, keep something portable with a loop, so you don't leave it on the train or bus. It never hurts to keep a light scarf on you as well. Scarves are more portable than jackets and if it get a little cold, just draping a scarf over the neck can change your internal temp in the right direction.
Gents, unless you live on the equator, season change is inevitable. Why complain about what you can't control when you can use it as an opportunity to step out in style. So before you step out, check that weather, plan that look, expect the unexpected, and step out confidently.
Stay SUITABULL guys.
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