The trend cycle moves at a breakneck clip, and keeping up can be a royal headache. So if you were feeling a little stressed following the fashion circus as it migrated across Europe, we’ve got the cure for your whiplash. Below, you’ll find a not-quite-comprehensive list of all the weirdest, wildest menswear moves we’re itching to make this fall—along with a handful of brands doing them best—hand-picked by the GQ Recommends squad. Are these the only things we’re going to wear for the next six months straight? Probably not. But they’re definitely the only things we want to wear right this very minute, and if you’re looking for a quick rundown on how to dress like a GQ staffer this season there’s no better place to start.
Freaky Clogs
Clogs have been bubbling up in the menswear zeitgeist for a minute, but right now, I’m more interested in shoes with a touch more lift. Traditional Swedish footwear brands like Dansko and Troentorp have been making the clogs of choice for artsy types and café workers for years, favored for their durability, functionality, and, most important to me, delightful weirdness. They derive their charm from that clunky silhouette, all the better to sync up with wide pants with a generous break (AKA my silhouette du jour). —Gerald Ortiz
Acid Wash-Adjacent Jeans
These five-pockets are a far cry from the raw selvedge joints favored by denim purists, but they’re not quite the ’90s-era acid washed versions you’re probably imagining. Instead, they’re just alt-colored jeans that have gone through a few dozen wash cycles and are now ready to punch up your usual indigo rotation—without making you look like you mugged a cast member of Saved By the Bell. —GO
Big Ol’ Striped Button-Ups
Always thought that the most versatile button-up in your closet was the plain white Oxford? You thought wrong. In the past, we’ve made the case for the not-so-humble blue striped shirt, but we’re not limiting our colorways. The stripes can be thick or thin, mixed or uniform, and the fit should always lean a little more relaxed. You could go for a raise and wear it under a suit the next time you head into the office, or you can wear it more like an overshirt and toss it carelessly over a graphic tee and baggy jeans. —GO
Buttery-Soft Leather Sneakers
After dominating summer, the Samba is getting a head start on fall, too. Cosigned by style-minded fellas like Jonah Hill and A$AP Rocky, retro sneakers, particularly those crafted from smooth leather stitched together with nubuck suede, remain an easy way to inject some quick, casual flair into your autumn fits. Classic lace-ups will never let you down, but it’s worth considering a mule for their extra-cozy vibes. Faded jeans and skinny scarf very much sold separately. —Michella Oré
Cozy Accoutrements
The mere mention of arm warmers might call to mind trips to your local Hot Topic or greasy side bangs, but the adolescent starter pack mainstay got a major upgrade this year. Think 100{05995459f63506108ab777298873a64e11d6b9d8e449f5580a59254103ec4a63} Italian wool and silky, deadstock mohair in juicy colors like hot pink and forest green. Aside from keeping your limbs toasty, they’re super versatile—throw ’em on to add another layer of texture to an otherwise ho-hum look. —MO
Jumbo Pants
More fabric, less problems. At least that’s how it feels trekking across the city completely unrestricted in a pair of jumbo pants. There’s a reason why J.Crew’s Giant-Fit chino is backordered through January 2023: the brand’s highly coveted trouser is a lesson in how to nail oversized proportions with a tailored edge. The real magic of these extra-large bottoms, though, is that any style can be supersized and still look totally cool: classic denim, cargos with an insanely fun print, even corduroys. Not convinced? Keep scrolling. —MO
A-List Suede Jackets
Our November cover shoot with Christian Bale yielded a glut of jaw-dropping images, but I was taken by one photo in particular: Bale in a green beanie, striped shirt tucked into his pleated pants, wearing a gorgeous caramel-colored suede jacket. Suede has always been sexy, and its buttery feel and deceptive warmth lend themselves naturally to fall layering. Will you look as good as Batman—er, Bale—in a version of your own? Only one way to find out. —Tyler Chin
Geezer-y Sweater Vests
You know what’s cooler than the deeply cursed fleece vest your homie who works in finance wears to the office? A sweater vest that looks like the one your grandpa wore to his office back in the day—and probably still rocks on the regular every fall. Layer it over a a plain white tee to avoid looking like a dowdy college professor. —TC
Grown Up Trousers
First things first: a solid pair of Dickies is forever a smart buy. But for the longest time, dudes who had never even tried landing a kickflip were dressing like they just came from the skate park, and it all got to be a little much. Part of the Dickies appeal lies in their dress pant-adjacent look, thanks to their clasp closure and crisp center pleats. Right now, though, the trousers I’m wearing most are actual dress pants, the kind you probably wouldn’t pull on to hit the half pipes—not that you were anyway. —TC
Fancified Leather Pants
There’s a lot of leather talk going down in the GQ Recommends DMs right now. (‘Tis the season, after all.) Far be it from me to cast aspersions on the stylistic bona fides of a slick suede jacket, but why let your torso have all the fun? Crucially, the leather pants I’m eyeing at the moment aren’t rockstar skinny—they’re a closer relative of the capital-D dress pants my inimitable colleague Tyler Chin makes the case for above. Basically, they’re just really cool pants that happen to be made out of leather…and happen to make you feel like a total badass every time you slip them on. —Avidan Grossman
Bad Guy Tailoring
You want to know what all the leering goons duking it out with Keanu Reeves in the latest John Wick sequel have in common? Laughably ambiguous accents, uniformly sour dispositions, and razor-sharp black blazers. You know the ones I’m talking about: those strong-shouldered, sizably-lapel-ed joints imbued with a heavy dose of swaggering braggadocio. You could think of them as the sartorial equivalent of a suit of armor, but—spoiler alert!—they’re way better at warding off bad vibes than bullets. Hell, they don’t even have to be black, really; navy blue will do just fine. —AG
Giddy-Up Shirts
Jury’s still out on which coast is better, but I see your OCBD—that erstwhile Hyannis Port staple—and raise you one of these sick puppies any day. The pockets are big, the collars are even bigger, and the whole shebang works swell tucked into a pair of flared jeans (natch) or tails out over a pair of trim, cuffed trousers. —AG
