Fall is imminent. The sun is beginning its slow retreat, the air is growing crisp, and your body is starting to crave sturdy canvas and fuzzy flannel. Thatâs right: Itâs light outerwear season, every menswear enthusiastâs favorite time of year.
Will you be reaching for one of the many chore coats already hanging on your closet? Or will be you procuring a new, better one? Perhaps youâre one of the brave few who will flip the script entirely and opt for a barn jacket this season to set yourself apart from the chore-laden hordes.
Thereâs nothing worse than a fashion scold. You should do whatever makes you feel good. I think itâs fine to own a wide variety of light outerwear options. If you have one that works for you all the time, great. If youâre like me and you feel the need to have nearly as many coats and jackets as you have shirts and pants, thatâs fine, too. But there are some rules and guidelines to operating at the highest possible level during light outerwear season.
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First of all, we need to do something about the chore coat. At this point, my sage advice is to ditch it entirely. Just give it a rest. Iâve seen too many, and too many people rely on the chore coat to represent the entirety of their personal style. Are there exceptions? Sure. Are you Tupac at the 1993 Soul Train Awards with Rosie Perez? You get a pass. But a dead trend is a dead trend and you donât want to look like the last guy on TikTok to find out about selvedge denim. A chore coat is for someone who wonât commit to a blazer, but thinks a trucker is too casual. In other words, a coward. Theyâre twee and unserious, like a guy with a waxed mustache who buys tools at a shoppe.
I understand that there are some truly special chore coats out there. Ones that you might think are exceptional. Or, at least, one that you feel you canât live without. Maybe itâs a totally unexpected color or fabric, or itâs from that new brand you love this year. Maybe you, like a fool, have been waiting a long time for your chance to acquire the âperfectâ chore coat because you were duped into thinking it would be worth the wait. It sold out fast last time, so you better buy now, now, now.
Perhaps youâve read this far and youâre thinking, Beat it buddy, I love my chore coat, from my cold dead hands, etc. Thatâs perfect. Thatâs exactly the kind of attitude you need to have during light outerwear season. You need to be confident and resilient and unswayed by what smarter, more stylish people than you think. Summer is easy because you hardly have to wear anything. Winter is even easier because you just wear everything you own. But light outerwear season is all about making careful decisions and decisive edits. Itâs also peak dressing season and not to be squandered with your ubiquitous chore coat.
