It brings us great displeasure to be the bearers of bad news however itâs time we remind those reading that soon we will be saying farewell to summer and greeting fall. The fading of the summer season brings with it a sense of melancholy, but not to worry, because this is balanced with the excitement for the seasonal transitions from poplins, linens and madras to wools, flannels and tweeds. If you havenât made a trip to visit us in person yet our stacks of corduroys grow foolishly tall, a masterpiece of both textile and human engineering.
This has all of us at OâConnellâs thinking about how we can best ready ourselves for the fall. Sartorially this comes down to having the right garments at your disposal that work for the ending of summer as it blurs with the beginning of fall.
For some this may seem like a conversation that is coming too soon, but as the boy scouts say itâs always better to âbe prepared.â We have put plenty of thought into this subject and have generated a list of garments that we believe will get the job done.
1: The Chukka Boot:
We wonât find ourselves presented with many more opportunities to set sail on the waters of Lake Erie as the weather cools. What you are more likely to find us doing is family in-tow navigating through the maze of apple orchards, pumpkin vines and sometimes mud that is September and October in Western New York. So the first thing we switch out are our boat shoes and sandals in favor of something a little sturdier. And when a shoe is not enough but a boot is too much we turn to the Chukka.
There are three distinct characteristics of a Chukka that make it our recommendation: Itâs of ankle height, unlined, and has two or three eyelets. The first two make it a boot that your foot can breathe in the last gives it a lighter appearance.
Our Pick: Quoodyâs Kennebec Chukka: Brown Chromexcel with a Vibram sole.
â Chomexcel is the original pull-up leather; a highly processed leather that has been in use for over a hundred years.
2: Wool Gabardine Trousers:
Something weâve noticed over the past decades is that the world of textiles and fabrics is full of âbuzzâ words. Catchy names that are created in order to convince the customer that the garment they are holding deserves a place in their wardrobe. Long before haberdashers were using terms like âultrasuedeâ and âacid washedâ the original sport fabric was wool gabardine.
However as other fabrics have come and gone in fashion, and others we recommend avoiding completely, gabardine has become the âgo toâ for gentleman looking for a fabric that can be worn with abandon. Taking itâs name from the cloaks worn in the Middle Ages, gabardine is a tough tightly woven fabric, typically made from wool.
The first man to reach the South Pole wore gabardine on his voyage which leads us to believe that youâll have no trouble on your morning commute. Good enough for Antarctica, good enough for the highway.
Our Pick: OâConnellâs Plain Front Wool Prunelle Gabardine Trousers in Medium Grey
3: Irish poplin neckwear:
If there was a neckwear fabric that signified the merging and changing of the seasons it would most certainly be Irish Poplin. Made notable by Lord Mayor of Dublin Richard Atkinson whose Irish Poplin was held in such high-esteem that in 1837 Queen Victoria granted Atkinson a Royal Warrant. A Royal Warrant meant that Atkinson could advertise that he supplied goods to the royal family.
What is Irish Poplin? Irish Poplin is a fabric that is created by weaving together silk and wool. More specifically for those fabric aficionados out there, a silk warp covering a wool weft. The silk acts to smooth out the heavy texture of the wool while the wool reduces the sheen of the silk creating a fabric that is neither here nor there. Suitable for all seasons but perfect for weather that is also neither here nor there.
Our Pick: Atkinsonâs Irish Poplin Stripes.
4: A lightweight wool sport coat:
One benefit to the advent of colder weather is that we can begin to wear our favorite sport coats without overheating. Pair that with the fact that as we move from cotton to wool the textiles we wear become much richer andĂ this becomes the item on our list that we are most jazzed up about. The two elements that you will want to pay close attention to are color and texture.
Color: We may or may not do it consciously but as the colors of the seasons change in nature so do the colors of the clothing that we wear. So look around and take your ques from the world around you. The bright greens and floral colors of our gardens will be replaced with the warm reds, yellows, and oranges of fall foliage alongside the browns of an earth preparing for hibernation. Opt for darker colors with rich notes.
Our Picks For Color: OâConnellâs Super 120âs Wool District Check
Texture: Along with colors the textures that we take ques from also change. Look for a lightweight wool fabric with a noticeable weave. Take note that tweeds are not your only option. There is a whole world of basket weaves, cheviot, and twill out there waiting for you.
Our Pick For Texture: H. Freeman Super 100âs Wool Hopsack in Navy
Bonus Pick: A great pair of slippers:
It goes without saying that comfort is key and that the weather we will be facing will try desperately to prevent our comfort. Sorry for the dramatics here, but we are writing from Buffalo, New York where winters are known to be long and cold. Since we are posted in a city that gives us some authority to speak on being cold, we know the first thing to get cold as the weather chills are our feet. Luckily this is an easy fix, a shearling lined slipper will prevent you from starting and ending your day with cold feet.
Our pick: Draper of Glastonbury Anton Slipper in Nut
Follow us on instagram at Oconnellsclothing and Oconnellswomens for more tips, tricks, and inspiration.
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