Fall Fashion? SingleDad? To understand the meaning behind this article, one must get to know the Founders of SingleDad and understand that this article is part humor, part advice and part fashion. I have compiled a list of what men are wearing this fall, and compared it to the distinct and uncompromising fashion tastes of Jesse Lozano, Jon Graves, and Richard "RJ" Jaramillo. Let the fun begin and see where you fit in when it comes to choosing your fashion "comfort zone" this fall.

SingleDad Fall Fashion Guide ( Part 1)

Author: RJ Jaramillo

Posted: 09/14/09

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Fall Fashion? SingleDad? To understand the meaning behind this article, one must get to know the Founders of SingleDad and understand that this article is part humor, part advice and part fashion. I have compiled a list of what men are wearing this fall, and compared it to the distinct and uncompromising fashion tastes of Jesse Lozano, Jon Graves, and Richard "RJ" Jaramillo. Let the fun begin and see where you fit in when it comes to choosing your fashion "comfort zone"" this fall.

The Fashion Spectrum: Dress your Age?
First you have to determine what "style" you feel most comfortable wearing. As a member on SingleDad, one of the most frequent questions asked to me by new members is "How do I start over? I don't know what to wear and most of the time my wife did all of the shopping for me." I have illustrated a few "Fashion Spectrums" below to give you and idea of the stores, brands and styles that are out there. We all can't wear jeans and T-shirts for the rest of our lives! (I know a few members on SingleDad that make this their mantra). Take a look at the visual maps below. Where do you fit in?

So one of the things I have noticed that is difficult for men is getting them out of their "fashion comfort zone". It's not unusual to gravitate towards the same "look" you have been in comfortable for years. Same colors, textures and patterns....I know I am not going to change that fact. Fashion is choice and it is a personal one at that. So with that said, let's take a look at what I see as great fashion buys for this fall.

Men's Suits: Grey is the new Black
Many variations of grey are swamping the market this fall. Suits are as dark as grey flannel to as bright as platinum-silver grey. Bold and soft pinstripes and chalk stripes are what Kenneth Cole, Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein are showing. I have also noticed that the designers are moving away from three-button suit jackets to the preferred two-button jacket, medium lapel and flat front pant. Additoinally, most suits I am seeing do not show the pants with a cuff... this is a personal choice and I don't seem to miss it!

Casual Jacket: Four Pocket Military Blazer

I know this sounds trendy and not everybody can pull this off, but I like the style points this jacket makes when it is worn with the appropriate shirt and pants in a casual setting. Many designers, from Armani to Kenneth Cole, have taken the military jacket and cut down both the size and length of this military classic. Two breast pockets and two side pockets are functional and fashionable. The shoulders have the same button down shoulder epaulets as the original, but the soft shoulders and "fitted look" make the black and dark grey jacket my personal choice. Wear this jacket with jeans and your favorite layered long sleeve shirt and sweater combo for those classy cold nights out in the town.

Sweaters:
I still like crew neck over the V-neck, but I know it's all personal choice. If you keep to the grey theme this fall and avoid a lot of patterns on your sweater, you can't go wrong. I am hooked on a wool and cashmere blend that I just stumbled upon online at Hugo Boss. It has just the right amount of "blend" that it looks like a sweatshirt pattern. I can dress it up or down. I can layer this sweater with just about anything and it's comfortable. I'm hooked on wearing it all the time!

Shirts:
I think we can officially bury the Ed Hardy look in both the t-shirt and dress shirt categories. Gone is anything that remotely looks like a skull, a cross or something a UFC/MMA Fighter would wear just before a fight - you know the look. This fall's t-shirts are going to have a fitted-vintage-concert look and offer a variety of colors and venues. Long sleeve dress shirts are going to have more subtle patterns and textures. Again, you will see more of the popular colors in grey hues.

Jeans:
This topic is definitely age dependant. Now, my buddy Jesse Lozano, can get away with skinny jeans, a concert t-shirt, and Converse All-Stars in ANY Color! That's his gig and he can pull it off with style points to boot. Put that fashion combo in front of Jon Graves and I and we've got issues...

With that said, jeans are a personal statement. Every man has his boundaries, so stick to those boundaries. My fashion advice is to get to know your body type. That's right; certain cuts can make a huge difference in your appearance. Most SingleDad members don't know this fact, but you can actually go online to many jean websites and have your jeans made to fit you with very little increase in price. So that leaves you to an even more surprising task... get your measurements done! Go down to just about any dry cleaner that does alterations and ask them to take three simple measurements:

Waist
Outside seam (hip to the heel of your shoe)
Inseam (your left nut down to the heel of your shoe)

Every man should own at least 3 pairs of jeans.

The dark blue jean with a classic straight leg look
This pair of jeans can be worn on ANY occasion and you can dress it up or down. Just own a pair of un-weathered, straight leg, dark blue jeans that are appropriately fitted. Use a belt with a dress shirt and you have the option to tuck it in if the occasion is a little dressier and wear it untucked if it's just another Saturday night out in the town.
Hanging out jeans
This is a pair that is often lighter in color and is more loyal and predictable than your own family pet. They are for everyday situations like hanging out at home or working in the yard.
Black jeans
I know am going to catch some flak for this one, but I believe every man should own a black pair of jeans. This is a pair of jeans that make a personal statement. Don't wear these jeans baggy or too fitted. Make sure you have a special belt and buckle that you want to complement these black jeans. These jeans are an alternative to the "Saturday Night", dark blue jeans If all your buds are all wearing blue, why go the same direction? Go black, you'll never go back!

Shoes
Dress shoes are simple this year. There are two types: a classic black, soft-tip dress shoe and the suede ankle boot. The twist you will notice this year in the dress shoe is going to run up the ankle a little bit like a boot; but it's a dress shoe. I like the look and I can see myself wearing them in cooler weather (colehaan.com). Suede is the choice this year on the casual but dressy ankle boot. The softer the suede, the pricier the boot. Look for dark brown hues and black offered by Tods.com

Casual Shoes this fall have two categories as well. First, sneakers are continuing to make a huge fashion statement. The skater shoe has slimmed down a lot over the past 5 years and different designers are getting use more accent colors to the base white shoe. Expect to see more color accents, as well more "vintage / old school" shoes out by Adidas, Puma and Nike. Speaking of "Old School", expect to see many more varieties of the classic Chuck Taylor / Converse Tennis shoe in both low and high tops to choose from this fall. Color and patterns are in!

And finally, a quick update on accessories. Any one of these items can "make or break" an outfit so pay attention!

Accessories:

3 Belts
- Standard medium width, clean standard buckle, black matet for work
- Thick black, bold pattern OR buckle for your jeans,
- Dark chocolate brown, medium or large width for jeans/casual wear
Bracelets: Not unless you are a diabetic and you need to wear one. Not a cool accessory this year.
Watches: Nixon has a great line to sport "BIG" style, Tried and true Timex has a classic collection; White face, black band.. goes with everything. The "All White" G-Shock with a white wrist band stands out in a crowd.
Hats: Fading a bit, but make sure you have the "mug" to pull it off. Keep an eye for the re-interpretations of classic patterns like Hounds Tooth.
Scarves: Another popular accessory this year, however, I live in San Diego and couldn't pull it off even in our toughest 65 Degree winters!
Pocket Square: No more Square, unless you are wearing a tuxedo!

Richard Jaramillo Richard “RJ” Jaramillo, is the Founder of SingleDad.com, a website and social media resource dedicated to single parenting and specifically for the newly divorced, re-married, widowed and single Father with children. RJ is self employed, entrepreneur living in San Diego and a father of three children. The mission of SingleDad is to help the community of Single Parents “Make Life Happen…Again!”