HOW TO LOOK BETTER IN OUTERWEAR π§΅
Fall/winter outfits mostly revolve around outerwear, but a lot of outerwear nowadays is painfully uninteresting. Some thoughts about how to think about silhouettes and what to look for when shopping for a cool coat or jacket.
Fall/winter outfits mostly revolve around outerwear, but a lot of outerwear nowadays is painfully uninteresting. Some thoughts about how to think about silhouettes and what to look for when shopping for a cool coat or jacket.
Coming out of the 1990s, a lot of menswear in the early aughts was focused on slim silhouettes and "clothes that fit." That often meant taking a very clinical approach to style: examining where certain seams sit and whether things fit "cleanly."
Over time, this has resulted in all men's outerwear looking the same, no matter the style. Shoulder seams sit on the shoulder bone; hem hits just below waistband or mid-thigh. The trim chest and trim waist give a rectangular silhouette. Look at how all these styles fit a template
There is such a thing as a "good fit," but the parameters for fit should be much narrower than what's thought of today. Separate fit from silhouette and see how these styles can look dramatically different if you let things move a little.
Bomber jacket on the left is slim and rectangular. You could change the details and get the same silhouette in a chore coat, fleece, or cafe racerβit's all the same.
Bomber on right is more interesting. Shorter length and rounder body creates a bubble-like silhouette.
Bomber on right is more interesting. Shorter length and rounder body creates a bubble-like silhouette.
The ubiquitous chore coat. Left fits clean and slim, which is fine. But right is roomier, which makes it more casual and allows for more interesting layering.
Don't think that chore coats necessarily have to fit so clean. The looser fit leans into the workwear look.
Don't think that chore coats necessarily have to fit so clean. The looser fit leans into the workwear look.
Left is the most common silhouette for topcoats. Again, shoulder seam on shoulder bone, slim fit, mid-thigh length.
On the right, you have a looser, A-frame silhouette, and long length for dramatic swishing!!
On the right, you have a looser, A-frame silhouette, and long length for dramatic swishing!!
The styles above are basic and only touch on the simplest ideas of how to play with silhouette. Once you get into designers like Lemaire, silhouettes become even more interesting. But then you have to pay attention to jacket + pant silhouette combos.
Here's a post on how to think about silhouettes in casualwear. Pay attention to shapes, proportions, and where horizontal lines break up the body. Don't buy 10 different outerwear styles in the same silhouette (e.g. bomber, chore coat, topcoat, etc)
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