Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Fashion & Style

Fall fashion refresh: Update your business casual look

Update your wardrobe for the changing season

By
Man wearing tweed sweater
Iqbal farooz / Pexels

As the temperature begins to drop, the autumn season is upon us. And just as the summer brings with it specific style trends that help you deal with the hot weather, the fall does the same thing. And while there is a business casual wardrobe that is appropriate for work, that keeps you in a rut of style. Luckily for you, fall provides the perfect excuse for you to update your wardrobe perfectly for the new season. While we definitely don’t ever need a reason to update our wardrobes, we can help those who do with this guide for the perfect fall business casual wardrobe update.

Add a cardigan

Man in cardigan and flat cap
Osama Abo jamoos / Pexels

The cardigan is a staple in the man’s wardrobe. They have been teaching men to layer since the beginning, and they bring with them a little more depth to a wardrobe. While sweaters are the best thing about the fall, the cardigan is one of the most unique and elegant of them. Adding a cardigan to your wardrobe for the fall is the perfect way to upgrade your fall outfits. Here are some tips for nailing the cardigan look:

  • If you want to opt for a chunky cardigan, you can swap it out for the sports coat and let the cardigan be your smart casual upgrade for the autumn. If you decide to go this route, it would also be a good idea to update the shirt and tie as well to keep the aesthetic consistent. A button-down collar will go much better in the look. Swapping the silk tie for a knit tie is another way to add depth and texture to your new fall outfit.
  • If you elect to go with a thinner cardigan, then you can use it more as a layering option than a centerpiece of a look. The best way to accomplish this is to wear a luxurious fabric like Merino wool over your dress shirt and silk tie. Finish off the look by layering a sports coat or suit coat on top. It will act the same way your vest/waistcoat does in a three-piece suit, but it will be a bit less dressy than in a business casual outfit.
Recommended Videos

Update your fabrics

Tweed sleeve buttons
Seacoast Sage / StockSnap

Fabrics are always going to be the mouthpiece of an outfit. They will be the unsung hero of an ensemble that would otherwise be boring and surface-level. When this fall starts to build in colder weather and fade out of warm summer weather, swapping out your summer weights for some new fall weights is the easiest way to accomplish a fall business casual wardrobe. There are some classic fabrics that add elegance to your wardrobe; here are our choices to upgrade your fall aesthetic:

  • Tweed – The Scottish know how to handle fall, and they invented the best way to handle it in the 18th century when they invented tweed. Since then, it has been adopted by the English, and now it feels very “English Country.”
  • Herringbone – Technically, this is a pattern and not a fabric, but when you get a herringbone jacket, there always seems to be a thicker fabric that goes along with it. While it has been seen in ancient times all over the place, its home is perfect in your closet for the fall.
  • Cashmere – There is no more luxurious fabric on this list than cashmere. You can trace its origins back to ancient China when shepherds used it to stay warm, and now you can do the same for the fall by picking up a cashmere overcoat or sportscoat.

Embrace the suede shoe

Man in Toscana suede boots
The Manual

Every season should be a new shoe season. But this year, we can help you upgrade your business casual wardrobe for the fall simply by picking up a new pair of suede shoes. You can grab a couple of shoes that will look fantastic with your dress pants, chinos, and casual Friday denim.

  • Suede oxfords – Dress shoes are always essential in any business casual wardrobe. And elevating your Oxford shoes to a suede version is the perfect way to give your fall business casual wardrobe the jolt it needs.
  • Suede Chelseas – Speaking of the jolt it needs, there is never a bad time to get a new pair of Chelsea boots. While leather versions of these staple boots are perfect for your suits, a suede version is the update your chinos and casual Friday needs this season.
  • Suede chukkas – If you are looking for a great bridge to gap between the dressy Oxfords of the business casual wardrobe and the dress sneakers you most likely wear, the suede chukka is the update your looks need. Chukkas and chinos are the combination this season requires.

Editors’ Recommendations

Topics
Mark McKee
Mark McKee
Contributor
Mark is a full-time freelance writer and men's coach. He spent time as a style consultant and bespoke suit salesman before…
Wicked Director Jon Chu wears custom made from exclusive members only brand
The most exclusive luxury menswear makes an appearance at the Oscars
Jon Chu in custom

The 97th Academy Awards was a show stopped by Adrian Brody's acceptance speech that beat the record for the longest ever, and Kieran Culkin reminding his wife that she agreed to have four children with him if he ever won an Oscar. While Brody beat out the likes of Timothee Chalamet, Sebastian Stan, Ralph Fiennes, and Coleman Domingo and Culkin beat out Edward Norton, Guy Pierce, and Jeremy Strong, we had our eyes keenly planted on Wicked Director Jon Chu and his custom dinner jacket made by one of the most exclusive luxury menswear brands in all of Hollywood: NB44.
Only 44 lucky members as of now

Wicked is one of the year's biggest phenomenons. After years on the stage, the Wizard of Oz prequel finally made it to the big screen and landed ten nominations, including Best Actress (Cynthia Erivo), Best Supporting Actress (Ariana Grande), Editing, and Best Picture. The winning nomination paid tribute to the best costuming of the year, and Chu led the charge with one of the best looks on the red carpet. Of course, he wore green, which paid homage to his Best Actress nomination, but that isn't the only thing that made this dinner jacket stand out. It is a custom piece from NB44, one of the most exclusive LA brands. Launched by Nicolas Bijan, only members get access to his exclusive three or four collections a year. While you can apply to be an addition to the small 44-member brand, it costs a cool twelve grand just for access. No matter the cost, Jon Chu's was the best red carpet costume, making the twelve grand almost worth it.
NB44

Read more
An expert from Moose Knuckles explains this year’s long coat obsession
Industry expert helps us with the long winter coat
man in long coat

When I walked around New York City throughout the month of February, I noticed a trend that seemed to overtake the entire island of Manhatten: The men's long winter coat. Around every corner during New York Men's Day and New York Fashion Week were puffer coats extending all the way to the mid-shins or lower. While the Big Apple is one of the colder big cities, I was surprised to see a melting pot of a city entirely overtaken by one overwhelming trend. In an attempt to understand the phenomenon, I reached out to Ryan Lewis, Director of Community & Culture at Moose Knuckles, one of the brands with the most significant footprint among the bundled-up masses.
Why the long coat?

The key to wearing a coat and remaining stylish is to strike a balance between something fashionable and something functional. You need to be protected from the winds, rains, snows, and ice, but that doesn't mean you can't look as good as you feel. Lewis believes that is partially what drove that explosion this season.

Read more
Vince. wants you to leave an OOO ‘Gone Fishin’
Get the gone fishin' vibe with Vince.
Vince Gone Fishin

Growing up, there was always a surefire sign that spring was on the way. Of course, the weather would change, and I would put the sweaters away and break out the summer wardrobe, but there was another more instinctual sign. Like it was some kind of sixth sense, my father and my grandfather would begin to dress as if they were an hour away from hooking up the boat and heading out to the lake or the river for the fishing season. While I may not be saying you should start wearing your father or grandfather's fishing vest with extra fishhook and lures, Vince. has a new focus this spring. The Vince 'Gone Fishin' line is an elevated version of what my father and grandfather would salivate over every year.
Complete with the loafers

Any good fishing ensemble the men and women in my family wore as they left for the fishing boat included a pair of breathable cargo pants. The cotton-linen cargo pants are perfect for the day on the lake. The natural fibers breathe, and the extra storage is just what any good fisherman needs. Pair those cargo pants with a good, short-sleeve button-up, and you have the look any good fisherman has in his closet. Vince. has a good collection of short-sleeve button-ups to choose from, but their 100% hemp option is perfect for the day on the water. Finally, no good fishing outfit would be good without the perfect loafer. While they have a couple of great options, picking up their jelly sandals is the perfect finishing touch to get you ready for fishing season.
Vince.

Read more