The Best Fall Clothes for Men 2026, According to GQ Editors
84 unimpeachable menswear upgrades—rugged jackets, soft flannels, comfortable jeans—to help you quit your shorts habit for good.
Euro summer is about to be over. The linen shirts will be folded and put away, the Aperol will be replaced with whiskey, and your flip-flops will be given a nine-month rest. Now comes American fall: jeans, boots, flannel, and football back on TV. The onset of peak layering season brings answers to life's most pressing questions. Will a corduroy suit make me look like a geography teacher (No.) Can I pull off derbies with these jeans? (Yes.) Is this T-shirt too long for this jacket? (Maybe.)
To wit, fall is when getting dressed gets good again. To celebrate the changing foliage, we compiled a handy guide to the men's fall wardrobe essentials that'll carry you through the season in superlative fashion. Many of them—hardy jeans, slick boots, a solid rain jacket—are never in danger of losing their September spots, but some newcomers have forced their way into a spot in the starting lineup for feeling especially on point. So this year we also convened a special meeting of the GQ braintrust to discuss the categories that feel genuinely essential for the totally unprecedented meteorological event they're calling…Fall 2026.
That means western-leaning flannel shirts (and cooler cotton plaids) and weightier chinos, along with of-the-moment graphic tees and other timely additions. In other words, it means 84 unimpeachable buys, all ready and raring to turn you into the flyest apple-picker at the orchard. Happy fall and happy shopping.
The Best Fall Clothes for Men, According to GQ
The Heartthrob Plaid
Wallace & Barnes Cotton Twill Plaid Workshirt
The Better-with-Time Boots
Red Wing Blacksmith
The Proven Trucker
Lee Storm Rider Jacket
The Heavier Chino
RRL Chino Field Pant
The Hardy Knit
J. Press Shaggy Dog Sweater
The True Blues
GAP 90s Loose Fit
The Reader's Rugby
Madewell Rugby in Club Cotton
The Zip Hoodie
J.Crew 83 Fleece Full-Zip Hooded Sweatshirt
The Cotton Plaid Shirt
First off, a note for the pedants among us: plaid and flannel are not, in fact, the same thing. Plaid is a pattern. Flannel is a fabric. A shirt can be plaid but not flannel, flannel but not plaid or, as is so often the case, both. Now that we’ve cleared that up, fall is prime time for checks of every persuasion. There’s an embarrassment of styles to choose from in every colour and weight, from heavier heritage tartans to thinner cotton twills to silk-infused flannels. Wear yours buttoned up, open over a tee or poking out from under a sweater.
Polo Ralph Lauren
Checked Cotton Flannel
Wallace & Barnes
Cotton Twill Plaid Workshirt
J.Crew
Cotton Plaid Shirt
Buck Mason
Canyon Plaid Shirt
The Classic Knit
Behold: The staple fall piece you reach for almost instinctively, as soon as you've been knocked back by the first cold day of the season. For real dressers like us, reclaiming your prized wool sweaters from the depths of your closet is the one true sign that summer is over. But first, you need a wool sweater worthy of such a moment. The good news is that there are tons out there: We're starting you off with J.Press' iconic Shaggy Dog sweater (which comes in about fifteen other colors, if pink or Kelly green isn't for you) but relaxed cotton blends from Uniqlo, a lust-worthy speckled knit direct from the Aran Islands of Ireland (say it three times first), and a muted Scottish lambswool crewneck from Rubato.
J. Press
Shaggy Dog Sweater
Inis Meain
Merino Wool and Cashmere Sweater
Rubato
Standard Crewneck
Uniqlo U
Double Face Sweater
The Heavy Chinos
If you’re a jeans guy, switching to chinos in the fall can feel a bit strange. They’re too soft, too light, too office casual. Not if you swap for the Heavy Chino. Chinos started as military workwear, after all, and the right pair can be every bit as rugged as your favourite denim. Cherry Los Angeles and Buck Mason go big and wide, Kapital adds front pleats, while RRL’s field pant leans hard into the style’s ‘40s military roots. Beefy cotton twill gives them some real structure, but they still look just as good with boots and a flannel as they do with loafers and an Oxford shirt.
Cherry Los Angeles
Wide Leg Cotton Twill Chinos
Kapital
Straight-Leg Pleated Cotton Twill Chinos
RRL
Chino Field Pant
Buck Mason
Big Chino
The Derbies
At a moment when the sneaker’s supremacy is in flux, the silhouette has stepped in and stepped up its presence, courtesy of the kind of pleasantly hefty soles that make loafers tremble. The beauty of the derby lies in its rugged versatility. At one end of the spectrum, you can enjoy more formal styles like Alden’s 949, with its polished calfskin upper and leather sole. At the other end are rubber-soled heritage styles from English makers Solovair and Dr. Martens with a more casual, wider shape. Either way, you can pound the pavement in almost any weather and with nearly any outfit. A lot has changed since the derby first rose to prominence, but one thing hasn’t: it’s still one of the most versatile shoes on the planet.
Vinny's
Officer Leather Derby Shoes
Solovair black vegan high shine "Gibson" shoes
Dr. Martens 1461 vintage made in England Oxford shoes
Crispy white kicks aren't just for sneakers, ya know.
Dr. Martens
1461 Black Smooth
The Rugby
There’s no better time than fall to rock a rugby. Tuck one into jeans or chinos, layer it under a jacket or, on those perfect days that are neither too hot nor too cold, wear it with shorts. The best versions don’t stray too far from the classic formula of solid colours or bold stripes. Lean preppy with Polo or J.Press, or modernize things with Noah, which, ever inspired by the Ivy styles of the past, brings a unique button-tab collar to the party.
Madewell
Rugby in Club Cotton
Noah
Button Tab Rugby
Polo Ralph Lauren
Stripe Long-Sleeve Rugby Shirt
J. Press
Made in USA Cotton Rugby
The Full-Zip Sweater
There was a stretch there when the zip-up hoodie felt a little passé. Maybe it was Zuckerberg’s penchant for them, or the waning influence of American Apparel-wearing indie-sleaze millennials. But hey, that’s trends, baby. Since those halcyon days, the full-zip has returned with details that feel right for now: waffle-knit linings, cropped proportions, double zippers and punchy colours.
J.Crew
83 Fleece Full-Zip Hooded Sweatshirt
Brut
Zip Sweat
Reigning Champ
Midweight Terry Relaxed Zip Hoodie
GAP
Adult VintageSoft Relaxed Zip Hoodie
The Crewneck Sweatshirt
The humble gray crewneck helped Steve McQueen evade capture in The Great Escape, cemented John Travolta’s heartthrob status in Grease, and made Eddie Murphy a badass in Beverly Hills Cop. Paul Newman, the patron saint of laid-back menswear, wore one religiously. Grey is still gold but in 2026, the crewneck sweatshirt comes in a rainbow of different colors from faded greens and pinks to bright orange, but for our money, ever-dependable gray is still the shade to beat.
Champion
Reverse Weave Sweatshirt
Lady White Co.
Mini Crewneck
Reigning Champ
Crewneck Sweatshirt
Stone Island
Garment-Dyed Cotton Sweatshirt
The Thermal Long-Sleeve
On the most dastardly days of late fall, when you wake up achy and frigid and physically unable to roll out from under your duvet, you're going to need some backup. You're probably familiar with the thermal shirts you wore hiking and skiing as a kid, but those old-school long-sleeved tees are just as practical and relevant as ever now with cozy waffle, raglan sleeves and other cool details. Even the Henley is starting to make a comeback with leaner, cooler cuts and the likes of Austin Butler and Paul Mescal having them in the regular rotation. Tuck one into your jeans, throw a band tee over the top, and you've got yourself an unimpeachable cold-weather ensemble.
Brut
The Best Thermal
Banana Republic
Slub Long Sleeve
Reigning Champ
Lightweight Waffle Longsleeve
Buck Mason
Vintage Thermal Henley
The Graphic Tee
For a while there, the graphic tee wasn’t doing so hot. Too many loud logos, too many corny phrases. There’s still no shortage of bad ones. (“New York or Nowhere” doesn’t seem to be going anywhere.) But after quiet luxury sent everyone running for plain fronts, graphic tees are looking good again. The best take their cues from vintage sportswear, souvenir shops and military uniforms, ideally saying something about your interests, or at least your taste. With the NFL back, Abercrombie has a whole new crop of vintage-inspired team tees, while Brut offers freaky graphics for days, and The Real McCoy’s specializes in meticulous re-creations of classic military designs. Either way, the graphic tee is a great way to send a message.
The Real McCoy's
Daytona Athletic T-Shirt
Abercrombie
Reversible Buffalo Bills T-Shirt
Brut
The Diver Tee
Stüssy
Graphic Tee
The Western Flannel
Oh, you thought the flannel shirt, that cornerstone of American style, couldn’t be more American? Think again, boyo. Just add Western yokes and snap buttons and you’re more American than a slice of processed cheese. But don’t worry: it feels natural, not cowboy-costumey. Wear one under a denim jacket, tucked into jeans, undone over a T-shirt or even under a suit.
RRL
Checked Wool Blend Multicolored Shirt
Carter Young
Washed Flannel Western Shirt
Kapital
Columbia Checked Flannel
Nordstrom
Canyon Plaid Wool Western Shirt
The Boots
After a summer spent in loafers and sneakers, that first snap of cool air makes a hefty pair of boots feel right again. Which pair? Go country in ropers, cosplay a Dolomites trek in old-school hikers, put insome OT with Red Wings work boots or clean things up with some fine Italian leather and a lug sole. There’s no wrong answer, provided they’ve got a little weight to them.
Red Wing
11-Inch Pecos Rough Toughsaddle Boot
Morjas
Hiking Boot
Red Wing
Blacksmith
Yuketen
Salvia Boots
The Denim Jacket
Few things project rugged cool quite like a denim jacket. Think Robert Redford in Downhill Racer or Tom Cruise in a Lee Storm Rider in Days of Thunder. So secure is the denim jacket in its status as a core component of the stylish guy's fall wardrobe, we knew it could handle being at the bottom of this list. Whatever you call them—jean jackets, denim jackets, trucker jackets—the all-American stalwart is the longtime layering MVP of every fall fit, even though it’s technically the top half of a Canadian Tuxedo.
Levi's
Faded Trucker Jacket
Lee
Storm Rider Jacket
GAP
Classic Icon Denim Jacket
Lemaire
Trucker Jacket
The Corduroy Suit
Admit it: you’ve always wanted to go full Fantastic Mr. Fox. There’s a rakish braininess to a corduroy suit, but also a playfulness that takes some of the starch out of tailoring. Even this old workwear fabric has its own levels of formality, determined largely by the wale, or the thickness of each cord. Ralph Lauren goes finer and more dressed-up, while Drake’s and Alex Mill keep things rougher, more casual and easy-wearing. Meanwhile Scotland’s Kestin delivers a chore coat-and-pant combo that gives you the feel of a suit without actually having to wear one.
Drake's
Games Blazer
Alex Mill
Mill Blazer
Kestin
Huntly Jacket
Polo Ralph Lauren
Corduroy Suit Jacket
The Deck Shoes
The best summer deck days may be behind us, but the deck shoe is a stylish constant. Sperry has the bona fide nautical history, while Vans is, in its own SoCal-skater way, also a deck shoe. The Madewell x Moonstar version brings some made-in-Japan military precision to the style, while Morjas streamlines the silhouette. Wear any of them into fall with cuffed chinos, fatigues or cords, jeans—basically anything— and a good pair of socks. No dock required.
Vans
LX Authentic Reissue
Madewell
Moonstar Low
Sperry
SVO Reissue
Morjas
The Deck Shoe
The Lightweight Fleece
Fleece jackets were once the exclusive remit of dads and crunchy climber types with tips on sleeping in a Subaru's trunk. Those folks have our gratitude—bundling up in a fuzzy pullover is one of the kindest things you can do for yourself in the depths of a surprisingly brisk fall. But this fall, our heads are being turned less by the plush, rug-depth fleeces of family campfires, and more by the stealthy, slips-under-a-jacket type fleece that is capable of intense, rapid warmth (and often intense colors)—but can also pack down capably into even the most space-restricted tote.
Proof
Tahr Fleece Jacket
Patagonia
Better Sweater Fleece Jacket
Uniqlo
Zip Fleece
Nike ACG
Wolf Tree Full-Zip Jacket
The Trench Coat
Decades before the kids on TikTok were showering in their Arc’teryx, trench coats were the first line of wardrobe defence against all kinds of hellish weather. Issued to British soldiers during World War I, they were long, double-breasted and cut from gabardine, a durable cotton cloth you might call the Gore-Tex of its era. These days, the trick is wearing one without looking like Peter Sellers in The Pink Panther. In fact, many of the best modern versions borrow from the Mac, the trench’s cleaner, single-breasted cousin. J.Crew’s Rivington keeps the khaki colour but streamlines, while the Aaron Levine x Zara adds a mini-check pattern. Studio Nicholson loosens things up with a roomy brown silhouette, and Haven takes the concept furthest into the future with a minimalist coat made from Loro Piana’s weather-resistant Storm System fabric. Whichever direction you go, it’ll fit over a suit, sharpen up a hoodie and jeans, and keep the weather at bay.
J.Crew
Rivington Trench
Aaron Levine x Zara
Plaid Trench
Studio Nicholson
Crowe Trench Coat
Haven
Bureau Coat
The Jeans
Nothing says fall quite like a good pair of jeans. They’re durable, comfortable and, once you find the right fit, remove most of the thinking from getting dressed. Keep things classic with 3Sixteen’s relaxed straight-leg selvedge, go roomy with Buck Mason’s Big Jean or OrSlow’s Dad’s Fit, or try Gap’s ’90s Loose for an affordable entry point in just about any wash you could want. Add a tucked-in graphic tee and your coolest fall jacket and you’re done.
3sixteen
Relaxed Straight
GAP
90s Loose Fit
Buck Mason
Hardware Store Big Jean
Orslow
101 Dad's Fit
The Leather Jacket
Nothing says fall quite like a good pair of jeans. They’re durable, comfortable and, once you find the right fit, remove most of the thinking from getting dressed. Keep things classic with 3Sixteen’s relaxed straight-leg selvedge, go roomy with Buck Mason’s Big Jean or OrSlow’s Dad’s Fit, or try Gap’s ’90s Loose for an affordable entry point in just about any wash you could want. Add a tucked-in graphic tee and your coolest fall jacket and you’re done.
Schott
Over Leather Jacet
No Maintenance
Alice Lambskin Jacket
Ssstein
Leather Jacket
Valstar
Roy Leather Jacket
The Bomber
Every September, suddenly, you see it. All at once, the most stylish people in your neighborhood are stepping out in stealthy, sleek bomber jackets. They're right to: Beyond making you look like you just hopped out of a chopper, bombers are actually perfectly suited to the unpredictability of fall. Light enough for a warm day, but insulated enough should the weather suddenly turn, they also bat away raindrops with more confidence than Steph stepping up to the free-throw line.
Alpha Industries
CWU 45P Bomber Jacket
Frizmworks
Padded Shell Bomber Jacket
Polo Ralph Lauren
Quilted Cotton Blend Bomber Jacet
Schott
MA-1 Nylon Flight Jacket
The Cozy Striped Tee
Horizontal stripes are everywhere right now, with brands showing their stripes by embracing the thin, colourful bands that defined so much ’90s style. Unlikely’s Jacquard Knit wouldn’t look out of place on the beach in Point Break, while J.Crew’s Cobain-coded version leans into the era’s grungier side. Best of all, they’re easy to pull off and look especially good layered under a solid button-up shirt.
APC
Ali Striped Cotton Jersey T-Shirt
Auralee
Striped Cotton Jersey T-Shirt
J.Crew
Vintage Wash Cotton T-Shirt
Unlikely
Jacquard Knit Tee
The Back-to-Work Watch
Glancing at your watch could have once upon a time been considered rude. But in 2026, it’s a much better look than peeping at your phone under the conference table. As summer Fridays disappear from our calendars, an analog timepiece is an easy way to make your back-to-work wardrobe feel a little more considered. The Timex x J.Crew MK1 lends an Oxford shirt and chinos some military character, while the Citizen Tsuyosa brings ’70s swagger to even the most normal office basics. Shinola’s compact Runwell will catch the right kind of attention if your job has you meeting with clients, while Casio proves that looking punctual doesn’t need to cost much.
J.Crew
MK1 Field Watch
Citizen
Tsuyosa
Shinola
Runwell 3HD 36mm
Casio
Classic Silver Watch
Originally published by gq.com. Syndicated material does not necessarily reflect the views of Glamour Canada.
