Men, these items will update your wardrobe

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I’m not going to tell you what you need in your wardrobe this autumn because you’ll just get cross. If you’re a reader of this newspaper, the chances are you’re a grown-up and have worked out for yourself that trousers are required in most social situations, coats keep you dry and shoes stop your feet getting ouchy.
You may also get prickly if I try to tell you what the trends are this season. We don’t want to be dictated to by fashion houses any more, style magazines have lost their lustre and the seasons tend to blur into one now that it rains all year round.
However — I know, you saw a “however” coming — there are a few items that you may not already own but may want to consider. Let’s call them wardrobe updates: the pieces that add a little forever freshness to the clothes you own already. Let’s think of them as fashion Febreze.
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1. Knitted polo shirts. For years I was very anti the traditional cotton polo shirt. It seemed a little ubiquitous, a tad dad. But there’s a slew of new versions that have given the polo shirt a new lease of life. Long or short-sleeved, knitted, often vibrantly patterned, they make the perfect transition piece (sorry, a fashion term) from late summer to early winter. They’re easy to wear smart or casual — ie great teamed with jeans; neat under a blazer. My favourites are the Casa Martini short-sleeved knitted polos from Percival. Or try the long-sleeved merino versions in forest green from Charles Tyrwhitt.
2. Lightweight puffer jackets. Come rain or, er, come rain, a puffer jacket you can wear in any temperature is a truly worthwhile investment. And they look as good slung over a suit jacket as they do with your weekend wear. I recommend the ultra-light down ones in an array of colours from Uniqlo. They live up to their name and you can screw them up and plonk them in your backpack or the basket of your Lime bike and they’ll soon unfurl to look snappy and smart.
3. Workwear trousers. I love that they’re called workwear — grrr! — when all it means is that they’re made of canvas and have multiple or oversized pockets. The truth is that these make a welcome alternative to jeans, are made from hardy materials that will see you from tree-chopping to bar-hopping, and who doesn’t love multiple pockets? Phone, keys, cash … all sorted. Try the Carhartt Double Knee or Judd ones (the latter are baggy: more room for winter snacks).
4. The soft blazer. An unstructured jacket — they appear untailored, a little like a cardigan — is a classic that truly keeps on giving. Great over a sweater with jeans, equally admirable with a shirt and flannel trousers, these give you a bit of a lift when you need one. And when you’re unsure of a dress code, they work for any occasion. Basically, a smart comfort blanket you can take anywhere.
5. Shackets. Apologies for using that terminology. Imagine telling someone in the pub you’ve bought a shacket. You’d never hear the end of it. But these jacket/shirt hybrids — shall we settle for overshirt or chore jacket? — will be easier to find if you google “shacket”. I recommend these as forever items because they work so well when it’s too breezy for only a shirt yet not quite cold enough for a coat. Worn either buttoned up or undone over a white T-shirt, these autumnal newcomers add a little something extra to your weekend attire. My favourites are the navy organic cotton overshirts from Asket (they have a whiff of Monty Don to them) or the navy corduroy chore jackets from Sirplus.
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6. The chunky loafer. A classic shoe with a chunky rubber sole works pretty well with anything. These will stop your work shoe from looking too traditional and will make a refreshing change from wearing sneakers when you’re off duty. Though endlessly popular on the Milan catwalks, these classic staples can be found at all prices. Check out the black chunky boat shoes from Cos or the Badell Step loafers from Clarks for inspiration.
7. Finally, you will be glad to hear that the tie is back in fashion. And if you don’t care about fashion, just be grateful it’s back in stock. Over the past few years my favourite menswear stores have offered up a paltry selection of ties as they told me there was little demand for them any more. That’s all to return to normal. Ties somehow pull an outfit together, make you seem more upright (physically rather than morally, perhaps) and now, believe it or not, add a bit of an edge to your look. Consider the colourful knitted ties from Cordings: they look as good worn casually with a chambray shirt as they do with something more formal.