How to Navigate Unpredictable Weather in Style
As a menswear stylist, I’m accustomed to a series of questions that crop up with most of my clients. Most revolve around the fundamentals of fit and tailoring and how to match a shirt with a tie. But something that seems to preoccupy them equally is the challenge of transitional dressing, particularly this time of year, as temperatures begin to rise and fall, and then rise again. As a born and bred New Englander, I’m uniquely equipped to field such questions.
I once heard someone say that the beauty of England is that you can experience every climate in the span of 24 hours and the country’s stateside counterpart region is much the same. Come spring in New England, it’s not uncommon to wake up to tundra-like temperatures, enjoy a sunny lunch outdoors by midday, and return home in a humid rainstorm. While there’s no cheat code for outsmarting mother nature—shy of being weather-worn and hearty like New Englanders, which is not necessarily something that can be taught—there are ways to navigate it sartorially, and still look good.
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Much of the quintessential New England aesthetic—a delightfully disheveled hybrid of preppy academic, and weathered fisherman—lends itself perfectly to adapting to changing temperatures throughout the day without looking like a crass approximation of Gorpcore. The basic principles are simple: enlist layers, neutral, earthy tones, and build interest with varied textures. Whether that’s because the climate here necessitates it, or because we’ve adapted our signature style to meet the climate’s needs (or a blend of both), it serves as a blueprint for transitional dressing that’s both stylish and effective.
The first thing I tell all my clients is to start from the bottom up: an all-weather shoe does not have to mean an insulated clunky boot, but it should have a durable if not weatherproof sole. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that New England-based Alden has a fantastic variety of lug sole shoes. And while legacy and luxury brands are brimming with excellent options, don’t turn your nose up at stalwart New England staples like L.L. Bean, which is worn by everyone from schoolchildren to financiers here in the Northeast for good reason.
Next come the layers. It can be so tempting as the weather changes to just change your outerwear but this ignores the critical truth that a spring day rarely stays one temperature. I advise all my clients to enlist a simple refined base layer like a knit long sleeve polo, a crewneck sweater, or well crafted tee, and to layer that under a or shirt jacket or wool sportcoat, before finishing with a piece of outerwear attuned to the most extreme temperature expected that day; i.e. if you’re expecting downpours, your outermost layer should accommodate this. Ditto snow. But underneath, you should layer multiple medium to lightweight pieces so that as you move from the blustery outdoors into an office building with the heat cranked up, you can shed accordingly without looking undone or underdressed.
The tricky thing with layers is always how to blend and pair them so you don’t look ridiculous, and for this, I’d also suggest taking a page from a hearty New Englander’s book and foregoing bold or light colors and patterns and opting instead for a palette that is rich in neutral tones, and subtle, traditional patterns like plaids, windowpanes and stripes. You can also have some fun with silhouettes—don’t be afraid of a good turtleneck (not too tight!) or a well styled knit vest. To add visual interest to an outfit, instead mix textures: wear a cotton button down under a craggy wool sweater or pair a lightweight knit with a corduroy shirt jacket. They’re called fisherman sweaters for a reason but that doesn’t mean you have to be one to wear one and they make fantastic layering staples with beautifully knit patterns that adds character and legacy to an outfit. If you wear a suit everyday, consider adding a lightweight cashmere in a neutral complementary color layered over your shirt. And nothing says a damp spring day along the Charles River like a pair of flannel or corduroy trousers.
Finally, the most important piece of advice I will impart is to relinquish some aesthetic control to nature. This is not the season to insist on wearing your leather soled shoes or to fuss over your hair looking perfectly coiffed or your outfit being neatly ironed. You are going to get wet, your clothes are going to get road salt or dirt on them, and fighting that is not only going to limit you logistically, it’s going to make you look incredibly silly and vain (never a good look). Take a cue from New England’s most famous artists and our treasured fishermen, and embrace it.
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