November is when the autumn begins to lose its charm, rendered mush on the roadside like all those fallen leaves. The weather takes a turn for the worse, summoning wind, rain and sullen skies; a reminder of what is to come. Such dark times, darker still since the clocks went back, call for an extra layer to keep the cold at bay. All the while, winter lies in wait around the corner, lurking in the shadows.

For some of us, the instinct to hibernate and lock ourselves inside is less of a temptation than it would be given that we’ve spent most of the year doing just that. The good news, though, of vaccines and elections, provides hope just when we need it most. And so for those who did set foot outside, a little spring in their step.

Below are seven men who did better than most this month. Sure, they might not have helped finance vital medical research, like modern-day saint Ms Dolly Parton. Or won a seventh F1 title, like Mr Lewis Hamilton. They did, however, make it out of their digs in outfits we dig.

How does antiquated technology in some hands look so achingly cutting edge? When all about him are losing their heads to AirPods, actor, model and general influencer Mr Luka Sabbat is wearing what looks like iPhone earphones from several generations ago. What does he even plug them into? Is he hiding a MiniDisc player under that piece of paper? Paper itself is pretty retro in this era of contactless payments and social distancing. So, too, the cigarette, which would get you booted out of most public spaces. The navy double-breasted great coat could also be deemed an analogue article in a digital age. This vast form of overcoat sprang out of the Industrial Revolution of the 17th and 18th centuries, and was later adopted by the officer classes of military forces. Paired here with a white T-shirt, dad slacks and – what? – actual leather shoes with laces, there is a case to be made that one man’s relic can, in fact, be timeless.

Also no stranger to our monthly roundup of stylish men, the erstwhile Captain James Tiberius Kirk was seen boldly going out and about in a face mask and Birkenstocks a few months back. This time he’s brought refreshments. We also get to see what was hiding under the white Stetson the last time – the actor seems to be growing out a stripe of hair dye. Not that this experimental tone is entirely unsuccessful given that it matches his suede bomber jacket (and the pendant around his neck). Likewise, note the white that runs through the tee and aforementioned sandals and coffee mug. It is worth considering, also, that Mr Pine is photographed here in New York, not balmy Los Angeles, so his toes are presumably enjoying their last taste of fresh air before winter, when socks, like Spock, are the logical choice.      

This isn’t the first time we’ve found ourselves admiring Mr Shia LaBeouf’s leggings. In truth, we’ve long looked to the actor as a forward-thinking outlier of fashions to come. And, at a stretch, we’ll admit to a thing about men in tights. Lockdown has left us with some peculiar habits, with recent psychological reports suggesting our collective efforts in experimental dressing could be something of a coping mechanism. In Mr LaBeouf’s defence, he is at least sporting spandex here for, er, sport. But perhaps, over this year, many more of us have discovered the joy of leggings. They’re certainly comfy and, given these to-hell-with-it times, you can probably get away with wearing them with almost anything, from wraparound sunglasses to a thrift-store tee or even an arm splint. Treat them well and they’ll get you out of a tight spot.

Despite the name, Tyler, the Creator’s own clothing brand Golf Wang is more skewed towards skate apparel than anything you’d see near a putting green (it’s actually a spoonerism of “Wolf Gang”). However, the rapper is not one for brackets – he’s more a comma man – and so this particular playful ensemble seems to be a swing at gaining approval at his local course. Only he clearly turned up at the wrong club. Not to worry, because this masterclass in tonal dressing did not go to waste. From the signature trapper hat to the cream down jacket (tucked into his pants?) all the way down to the kiltie loafers, everything is well above par – or under it? Either way, he’s well within his rights to drop the mic he’s holding.  

Much like actors slinking undetected through ComicCon in cosplay, dressed as the characters they portray on screen, the face mask is a boon for those unaccustomed to anonymity. Obviously, given that we’ll next see Mr Timothée Chalamet in Mr Denis Villeneuve’s bound-to-be-massive adaptation of Dune (the release date of which is currently, tentatively, “2021”), this is a mode of dress that the Call Me By Your Name star might have to adjust to. And, while this outfit isn’t quite as flamboyant as many of the harnesses and sequins we’re used to seeing him in, the stealth look clearly put together by a deft hand. For now, this will do. Until we spot him in San Diego disguised as a sandworm.

Just as Ian Malcolm’s chaos theory monologue in Jurassic Park has become our go-to explainer for those moments when conversation at a dinner party turns to scientific thinking that we’ll never understand, Mr Jeff Goldblum’s social media presence has become a template for how men should approach middle age. If there’s a whiff of tormented, unbottled id leaking out in the form of a leather biker jacket, not unlike the one worn by the rock-star mathematician he first played almost 30 years ago, the actor is having none of it. As with any statement piece, the key is to keep everything else low-key, from the Levi’s, white tee and trademark glasses to the standard-issue face mask. Although Mr Goldblum can’t help but reveal a bit of charisma in his choice of a blue-ish rinse and footwear. Life finds a way.

If recent events have taught us anything it is that, in these fraught times, Mr Harry Styles is exactly the man we need as our style barometer. Mr Styles, no less. True, you probably don’t have to traverse the distant frontiers of fashion for Mr Piers Morgan to deem your dress sense “a bit weird”. But the sometime One Direction member has evolved into a pan-dimensional sartorial demigod, a spiritual animal of pure enlightenment to show us the way in a world in flux. Reconstituted in his human form, Mr Styles is here doing BODE’s sales team’s job for them. The tan jacket, teamed with an otherwise pale outfit, down to the mask, suggests day release from only the most exclusive of rehab clinics. A beacon of light – and light beige – to lead us through the dark.

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