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. 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 that 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. This would work with indigo denim and a shawl-neck knit, but you could try 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, such as a tactile suede jacket. The outermost layer should elevate 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 it’s worth experimenting with closely coordinated tones.
Browns and creams are everywhere right now and will work particularly well when it comes to this second option – for more thoughts on this, read our recent guide. Here, if you’re using brown as your primary colour – say, in the shape of trousers and a jacket – then try a shirt in the secondary colour, cream, to break them up. Matching small details will bring the whole look together, while the cream will offer something different, but complementary. And don’t forget to mix textures, including the footwear. Shiny leather loafers, for example, will add polish when worn with matte fabrics.
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. The wide-leg trousers of the moment are a good place to start, so think about how the layers on your top half interact with them.
The “big pants, little shirt” tactic is one way of deal with this. Or you could try a T-shirt that matches the trousers’ slouchy style. Add a knitted polo and you’re in the Goldilocks zone of smart-casual. A boxy, cropped denim jacket will also help create something structured and architectural. There are many ways to remix an outfit, which is another reason to love layering.
04. Notice a pattern
As well as shapes and textures, pattern is an easy way to add interest to a layered look. And perhaps no piece is better for this than a sweater vest. With its sleeveless, V-neck design, this Chandler Bing wardrobe staple is practically begging for something to clash with.
You could try wavy patterns or something like a Fair Isle. Equally, a traditional cable-knit can be deployed to ground a visually striking piece worn underneath, say a shirt or long-sleeved tee featuring contrasting stripes.
05. Add just a touch of colour
Bright and bold tones aren’t for everyone. If you’re colour-curious, however, layering is a way to use a vivid pink, 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.
Got an eye-catching piece in mind? Soften it by layering neutral tones on top, 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 – perhaps with a pair of socks or in the detailing on your sneakers – then your outfit will not just feel perfectly balanced, it will sing.