Edition: Dance All Night
Shopping: Men's Chicago Chic
Author: Danny McCullough
Beef up your wardrobe when it comes to men's shopping in the Windy City; take the edge off autumn. You can find fashions for yourself or your guy from casual to formal and all with an eye toward what's trendy and fashionable this winter.
Fall is...well, falling all around us, and the trees aren't the only thing that should be changing to adapt to the weather. It's time to cast off the flip flops, store the seersucker, and lose the linen. Fall fabrics are typically heavier and the colors a little more earthy and subdued; but don't let that get you in a post pool-party rut. This fall fashion season is shaping up to be an exciting one, and though the patterns and colors change, the stores for snagging the good stuff don't.
SHIRTLESS IN CHICAGO
Brad Habansky, founder and co-owner of Guise|Chic, a premium clothing boutique and salon for men, lays down the ground rules for this season: "We are moving
toward a more ‘worker’ style of clothing. Things have moved from the preppy, nerdy kind of look to a tougher kind of worker look.” Henleys, longsleeved shirts with a ringcollar and a button-able placket, are perfect for fall; they can be worn on their own for a simplistic, dress-down look, or thrown underneath any shirt for extra insulation. Abercrombie-grownup brand Ruehl has several Henley and long-sleeve options. Universally recognized as classic, Ralph Lauren has a plethora of fits and husky materials to take the chill out of the wind.
DON'T SWEAT IT
While the hoodie may be popular for the collegiate crowd, it may be time to expand your tastes into the more adult world of jackets. Habansky weighs in on the future: "The worker jacket is going to replace the blazer. The worker jacket is a lighter weight fall jacket that will be used much like the blazer but more casual. We are [also] seeing traditional blazers mixed in cool fabrics like flannels and herringbone to give a different texture and heavier weight to the blazer." Try Macy's on State Street, which carries hundreds of designers in its men's department alone.
HOW-NOW-BROWN-TROU(SER)
Fall temperatures necessitate the use of corduroy wool to insulate you, but don't rule out thicker cottons as well. Like the other items, keep these earthier in tone. Chicago boutique Untitled is a good option for the younger crowd, with the hipper-cut Modern Amusement slacks; Kenneth Cole New York is reasonably priced and has a brand of trousers that can be either dressed up or down.
DENIM'D IF YOU DO;
DENIM'D IF YOU DON'T
The staple of any casual closet, drift towards the darker washes in your denim wardrobe, which match the weather and add an element of semidressiness to your look. If your duds are lacking, check out The Blue Jeans Bar in Lincoln Park, as they specialize in the stuff for both sexes, in addition to having a friendly and helpful sales staff. Another option for sheer variety is Macy's at Water Tower Place, where you’ll find scores of different brands. If you're still not satisfied, try Barney's New York. They have a wide variety of designers that the other two may not cover, and while depth for each brand may not be expansive, the volume of labels is. Armed with your fall ideas in hand, being the best dressed man of the season shouldn't be hard. Now you just have to worry about the other three seasons.
