The fall 2026 womenswear collections took menswear staples like suiting and shirting and made them feel new, with blazers buttoned high and shirt collars worn slightly askew. Almost every menswear-inspired outfit starts with a good tailored trouser. Thom Browne's navy wool-twill cropped trousers, Polo Ralph Lauren's navy pinstriped fresco-wool pair, Gabriela Hearst's brown wool Vesta trousers and Dolce & Gabbana's grey pleated Prince of Wales flannels are four very different ways in.

A menswear blazer should look like it could survive a board meeting. The Row's navy double-breasted Paden and Dolce & Gabbana's black pinstriped double-breasted blazer are the classics, Loro Piana's beige double-breasted Aurora is softer, and Liberowe's charcoal brushed wool and cashmere Alexander jacket buttons almost to the collar. Wear any of them with the trousers above, matched or not.

The waistcoat is the most interesting menswear piece to borrow right now, because it works on its own. Blazé Milano's beige collarless Danae vest and Loro Piana's dark green wool and cashmere waistcoat are the tailored options, while Dries Van Noten's grey patterned Toque knit vest and Dôen's cream cable-knit sweater vest are the cosy ones. Wear them over a shirt, or alone with trousers.

A good cotton shirt is the backbone of menswear dressing, and it looks best slightly undone. Deiji Studios' blue striped organic cotton shirt and Sir's cream striped poplin Alva shirt are the stripes, Comme Si's La Shirt Classica comes in a fine green stripe and Alaïa's oversized poplin shirt in warm ochre is the statement. Leave the collar open, or let it sit a little off-centre the way the runways did.

The runways leaned toward ballet flats this season, but a proper menswear shoe still finishes a tailored outfit best. Legres's burgundy leather Model 64 loafers and Gucci's black Horsebit 1953 loafers are the classics, Our Legacy's black croc-effect Cypher penny loafers add texture and Church's dark brown suede Nelly lace-ups are the most traditional of the four. All of them look right with a cropped trouser and a flash of sock.

We think menswear-inspired dressing is one of the most practical trends of the season, because tailored trousers and a crisp shirt already fit into most weeks. If you take one thing away, let it be that the trouser is the foundation, so get the fit right at the waist and the hem before worrying about the blazer. We would skip a full matching suit unless you will wear the pieces separately too, since a blazer that only works with its own trousers gets worn half as often. Mixing navy, brown and grey across pieces looks more natural than an exact match. Start with one trouser and one shirt, then add a vest or blazer once you know how you like to wear them.