THE JOURNAL
To paraphrase an iconic menswear savant (Shrek), good style is like an onion – it should be layered. Building outfits from the ground up with a mix of colours, textures and shapes gives you depth and versatility, turning every look into a Russian doll of handsome menswear.
“Adding texture and colour is something that can be used to create depth and layers,” says celebrity stylist Mr Chris Brown. “Try teaming traditional materials such as tweed or patterned fabrics with a simple and classic underpinning such as a thin cashmere sweater or a simple white tee. This creates the effect of tonal gradients which will slim the shape of the body.”
It also just so happens to be seasonally appropriate for autumn and winter. Just as the weather changes its mind every hour, a well-layered outfit allows you to peel back a jacket or a cardigan to unveil a new look that’s as practical and considered as the one before. Need some inspiration? The five-point cheat sheet below will guide you through taking your style – quite literally – to the next level.
01. Mix your fabrics
The first thing they teach you in Layering 101 is that each layer of clothing should bring a different character to your outfit. That could mean the colour or how smart it is, but most often it means a different fabric. Mixing your materials adds depth and visual interest to your look. And, from a practical point of view, it means individual items can take on different roles if the weather changes and you need to shed a skin.
Here’s a simple, fall-friendly way of doing it. Take a staple jeans-and-T-shirt base and add a wool cardigan, all from Mr P.’s latest collection. This would work with indigo denim and a shawl-neck knit, but we’re going with a relaxed, West Coast vibe instead: washed jeans and a wavy pattern on the button-up. The third layer needs to be different from cotton and wool. Try the brand’s tactile, ultra-soft suede jacket in a light tan. The outermost layer elevates the look without disturbing the relaxed styling – and if you need to remove the cardigan, you’ll look just as good.
02. Watch your tone
Tonal outfits are a great way to show off your menswear IQ. And layering feels like a cheat because it makes them simple to put together. The aim with tonal dressing is to take a small sliver of the colour spectrum and create a look that’s handsome, balanced and, well, layered. It can work with different shades of the same colour – a symphony of blues is always good – but we also like closely coordinated tones, such as the browns and creams in the outfit from Mr P., LEMAIRE and A Kind of Guise shown here.
Brown is the primary colour in both the twill trousers and the cashmere-blend coat, but it’s also the secondary colour in the shirt. Matching such small detail brings the whole look together, while the cream offers something different but complementary. And don’t forget the mash-up of different textures, including the footwear. In this look, a just-shiny-enough pair of loafers adds some polish to the matte fabrics above.
03. Play with proportion
Building layers into an outfit is a great way to experiment with form and silhouettes, because each level has a different shape and a different character. Take the look here. The jacket, knit and tee all work with the wide-leg pants in different ways. The T-shirt on its own matches the trousers’ slouchy style. Add the knitted polo from The Elder Statesman and you’re in the Goldilocks zone of smart-casual. Throw the denim jacket on top and the cropped, boxy fit works with the bottoms to create something structured and architectural. One outfit, three ways. This is why we love layering.
Of course, when you have all the layers on together, they also work beautifully. The denim offsets the blanket-grade brushed cashmere, while the tee beneath the polo’s neckline offers a flash of white to balance out your fit.
04. Patent some pattern
You don’t have to be a menswear maximalist to have fun with pattern, shape and texture – that’s yet another sandbox you get to play in if you embrace layered outfits. Here’s a great place to start: invest in a sweater vest. The Chandler Bing favourite couldn’t be any better for layering, with its sleeveless, V-neck design practically begging for something to clash with.
You could try wavy patterns or something like a Fair Isle, but we’ve gone traditional and picked out a handsome cable knit version from Mr P. It’s both the centrepiece and the central piece in the outfit, with contrasting stripes under and above it. The long-sleeved tee offers a focal point on the arms when you’re not wearing a jacket. When you are, try something subtle like this corduroy option from FrizmWORKS, which brings some contrast to the textural palette.
05. Add in some colour
Bright and bold tones aren’t for everyone. If you’re colour-curious, however, layering is a way to use a strong yellow or acid green more surgically – not that there’s much science to it. Using a bold colour as a base or middle layer simply means you can cover some of it up with what you wear on top.
Take this excellent sweater from De Bonne Facture, for instance, which we’d affectionately describe as Very Turquoise. It’s a head-turner every day of the week, but should you want to soften it – or just create a more layered palette – pair it with neutral colours, such as a black overcoat and off-white denim. Pro tip: if you can pick out a touch of your strongest colour elsewhere in the outfit, as we have with the New Balance 1906R sneakers, your outfit will feel perfectly balanced.