Top Of The Lot

Produced by Joe Dolce

Climb out of the trenches. There's a place between the rock-and-roll fashions and baseball caps of Korn clones and the buttoned-up, buttoned-down Wall Street drones. It's a place where businesswear is more casual than ever and casualwear is more sophisticated. Call it cold-weather cool. The point is, you can revel in winter. It's a chance to mix different materials, like suede, fleece and corduroy. It's a time to experiment with visual textures as well. One of the most daring ways is with the rejuvenated Burberry plaid—or a pattern inspired by it. These days shirt-and-tie goes well with a leather jacket—there's no need for a suit and overcoat. It's all in how you work the layers. And rumpled isn't necessarily sloppy. Softer silhouettes have replaced hard-edged, futuristic Matrix-wear. New outerwear is practical, soft and warm. These jackets go down easy—a little hot-buttered rum for your closet.

Where and how to buy on page 162.