I can never reason with myself. –Verbal Jint
As Labor Day Weekend signifies in the States the end of Summer, the Autumn smell, I could smell it, Autumn smell, it smells like Autumn. Depending where one lives in the USA, you either look forward to the Fall or have no problem living The Endless Summer. Although there is still some Summer left, it’s always nice to get a jump on the next season. I look forward to the Fall. I enjoy the balance of the four seasons we have in the Northeast. But with the Northeast comes weather patterns that truly have a mind of its own. Today may be 85 and sunny. Tomorrow may be 65 and sunny. It smells like Autumn.
With the changing of the seasons comes the changing of 
attire. Tailored shorts, polo shirts, Sperry Top-siders and most Summer-oriented clothing should be placed into hibernation. The color palette fades from bright to not so bright. You can unleash some of those shoes that were put away for the Summer again. Your skill set to mix, match and layer will be on display! Browns, blacks, darker blues, burgundy, oranges, purples, greys, greens, darker yellows or any color that brings a sense of warmth to your wardrobe is the flavor for the season. Materials change too. Wool, tweed, corduroy, suede and flannel should be ready to go. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different combinations. And don’t be afraid to do something out of the ordinary style-wise (stay away from the pumpkin latte nonsense). For a simple example of layering, in the pic to the right, I am wearing a Club Room lavender stripped slim-fit dress shirt (Ebay, $13.85), a Tricots St. Raphael chocolate brown half-zip sweater (BCF, $19.99), a Chaps tan corduroy sport coat (Kohls, $29.99 clearance) and a pocket square ($6.24) from The SquarExtraordinaire on Ebay. The outfit is simple, warm and exudes the season of Autumn intertwined with a little bit of my personality, the pocket square. What you don’t see, I am wearing Urban Pipeline dark indigo jeans (Kohls $15.99) and a pair of G.H. Bass saddle shoes (BCF $29.99). Remember when creating your own style to incorporate your personality.
Something of pertinence I want to speak about is purchasing off-season. The Chaps sport coat was purchased in Summer of 2014 hence the ridiculously low price. I recently purchased 2 more Chaps sport coats (brown suede and black corduroy with elbow patches) from Kohls online a month ago. Both were on clearance for $35 (original price $175). While some may say the Chaps line is of a lower standard, I couldn’t care less. My tailored executed her magic and I am content. Firstly, I wouldn’t invest full price 
for the sport coats. I know better now that I am older and hopefully wiser. Secondly, I wouldn’t wear these particular sport coats every day. In addition, I treat these coats as if I
purchased them at a Brooks Brothers brick and mortar. I am aware of clothing deemed cheap because they do use cheaper materials and quality control is not up to par as well as other factors that come into play. But I will say it emphatically in my best version of The Rock, it doesn’t matter where you bought them! You treat each piece of clothing with care regardless of price. Same for shoes. I cannot stress this enough. If we were channeling Demi Moore’s character in Indecent Proposal, rolling around half naked in a million dollars, we would be heading to Brooks Brothers ASAP! I saw some Edward Greens I want for a cool $1720!
It shouldn’t be a problem switching over one’s seasonal wardrobe. In fact, it should be fun. Keep to the fundamentals and add on accordingly. If it fits your personality, have the confidence to wear it and wear it to perfection. Before I conclude, keep in mind to put your Spring and Summer clothes away with care. Appropriate care will have them ready to go once the season change again. Take care of your suede shoes too. Give them a good once over and have them nap with cedar shoe trees. Until next time, jal ga!
poor, broke and handsome 