Short Motivation’s Autumn/Winter 2017 Essentials

Now we’re in September, with evenings getting darker much earlier, it is inevitable that it’s going to get cooler outside. In the early mornings and evenings especially, temperatures tend to drop sharply so it’s important you dress accordingly.

Even in warmer countries such as Cyprus, you can head out for an evening meal in a pair of shorts to suddenly find you’re shivering when the sun drops. It is important to be able to have something which keeps you cool during the warmer times which you can layer over what you’re already wearing, keeping you warm after sunset.

For Autumn/Winter 2017, we’ve highlighted a number of our goto products you’d see us wear on an Autumn evening out with friends, for a stroll at sundown or heading to the gym early on a morning.

Sweatshirt

As the temperatures begin to dip, our first thoughts are to turn to a sweater. You don’t want to get too hot and uncomfortable on a morning when the sun starts to hit your back.

With this in mind, a high-quality cotton sweater will do the trick, keeping that essential casual/smart look. Our first choice is a sweat from German brand Merz. B Swanen and British designer Sunspel, where both cotton sweaters are of the loopback variety. Pair your sweater with a pair of shorts on a cool morning and you’re set to go.

Lightweight Jacket

On an Autumn evening, you’re never quite sure if the weather will change and you can easily be caught out with a stray shower. The ideal jacket would be lightweight, showerproof and ideal for layering, whilst looking styling with a pair of shorts or chinos.

Orlebar Brown’s recent jacket collection is perfect for the above scenario. We were tempted to recommend the Nichol but decided on The Maddox as it includes a stretch material and is designed after a pilots jacket, so you’ll know you’ll look stylish while also remaining shower proof. If you’re looking for something very waterproof, the Stutterheim Stockholm has you covered whilst maintaining style. Their classic raincoat is made from rubberised cotton, so you will be dry even if the skies open up!

Finally, Moncler release a beautiful Contrast-Panel Zip-Through hooded sweater every season, for a good reason. It’s more like a zipped cardigan, is part-wool based, containing down and feather, so you’re guaranteed to stay warm when the temperature drops.

Shorts

During most Autumn days, the weather remains warm so you’ll want to retain your shorts. As your swim-to-lounge shorts may be a bit too light for the cooler evenings, we’d recommend something a little heavier.

Orlebar Brown is a fantastic go-to brand for daily shorts. Their casual cotton twill shorts are made from their classic fit – the Bulldog. These can be worn with practically anything and if you need to add more layers on top, they won’t look out of place.

Another brand for casual shorts is OGUY, designed and made in the US. These guys specialise in a mid-length everyday short which can be worn more formally with shirts or with a sweater and lightweight jacket for when the temperature drops. The district short in Navy is our option.

Chino’s

At Short Motivation, we always advocate shorts, but there are some evenings where it may become a little too cool and you’ll need something to cover your legs. You could be heading out for a formal evening meal and need to pair your shirt and loafers with a pair of trousers.

If you need a darker colour we recommend the Cayson in Storm from Orlebar Brown, which is a slim fitting mid-weight chino with added elastane to stretch and keep you comfortable. For a lighter pair, we recommend Sørensen’s Driver chino, which is simply superb. A tapered cut with cotton woven in Italy which also contains elastane to move with you while maintaining a great shape. The clay colour is slightly off-white and will work with just about any layered Autumnal shade (navy, grey, bright orange).

Long-Sleeve T-shirt

Long-sleeve t-shirts are ideal for layering under a sweater but enable you to keep warm before you feel the need to layer up with your sweat.

With our long sleeve t-shirt, we’re looking for quality. Sørensen provides a unique Driver long sleeve t-shirt which is a contrast of bleached and stonewashed indigo cotton with a highlighted stitching between the contrast. With a more classic design, Swedish design house ACNE has a beautiful long sleeve lightweight long-sleeve cotton t-shirt in white. An instant classic which can be paired with anything. Additionally, Orlebar Brown, produce a long-sleeve version of their classic OB-T which is a lightweight thin cotton knit, ideal for warmer evenings.

Lightweight Knitted Jumper

A sweatshirt mentioned earlier in the article is ideal for early mornings before the gym or to throw on to head out to get some breakfast or coffee. A knitted sweater (ideal in cotton, but consider a cashmere mix) is much more appropriate for evenings as it stays cool and isn’t too thickly knitted. A knitted sweater also provides a great option for dressing more formally whether you want to wear a t-shirt, polo or formal shirt underneath.

Wings + Horns,  have teamed up with Adidas to create a unique cotton blend sweater which is perfect for this and features a patch on the front. American brand James Perse also produce a cotton knit with a small amount of wool and cashmere for softness. If you’re after something even warmer, the Orlebar Brown Griff, a Merino/cashmere mix, is highly recommended.

What do you think of our selection? Any other Autumn/Winter pieces you’d recommend? Let us know in the comments section below.