Ready, set — go outside!
Get your nature fix on with this fashionable outerwear
Instead of staring down at your phone, take a moment and look up: It’s autumn! Ignore your default mode to curl up on the couch as cool temperatures take over.
Head out for some forest bathing. Catch the fall colours while you can. The fresh crisp air is intoxicating.
There’s an “epidemic dislocation from the outdoors,” reports Florence Williams in her brand new book, The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Healthier, Happier, and More Creative. Humanity needs nature: It lowers blood pressure and heart rates and stress, and boosts creativity and generosity. It releases endorphins which lift our spirits. It’s a wonderful pill for most that ails you.
Go outside. Often! Breathe. Repeat. Ignore fall’s frigid mornings, the occasional rainy day, or cloudy skies. If you need even more encouragement to get outside, especially you nature newbies, check out some great looking outdoor fashions that you can chill in.
Whether you’re strolling the neighbourhood, commuting to work, or bouldering, biking or backcountry hiking, there are pieces that will take you literally from work to play, says Kelly Caccamo, of Mountain Hardwear. Stuff that can hang with you wherever you happen to be and whatever you happen to be doing. “You don’t need to sacrifice style while wearing technical outdoor apparel.”
Experts agree that it’s all about versatility and layering: Layers can be peeled off as the temperatures rise, and then put back on as things start to cool again. That’s where a great vest comes in: vests are a fall fashion must have and further customize your layering system, says Andrew Sutherland, trends lead at MEC. “Performance oriented vests are growing in popularity alongside the multi- pocketed outdoor classic. Vests help keep your core warm whether they’re designed to be paired with a running tee or a rain jacket.”
A shell jacket is another great layering item and a trending fall staple. A lightweight soft shell jacket takes the edge off an early morning walk or run. “Look for shells with lightweight, breathable fabrics that will protect you from winds and rain but won’t restrict movement,” says Sutherland, of mec. ca.
Seek out versatility. With Canadian weather being so unpredictable, get yourself a versatile jacket that can easily transition from fall to winter. “With the rise of small space living in urban markets, we often don’t have room for five different jackets that serve individual purposes,” says John Martin, brand marketing manager at Columbia Sportwear. They’ve come up with the space- saving Columbia Jacket of All Trades — you can wear each piece of threeinone jacket separately on warmer days, or layer together in seriously cold conditions.
Face the fall with some colourful hues. “Bold, bright colours and patterns are making a comeback on the slopes and streets, with vibrant reds, blues and yellows that’ll make you standout this season,” Martin says.
Get fleeced! Fleece is now lightweight, thin and packable. “It’s the perfect fabric for a midlayer and is used on the interior of winter running tights,” says Sutherland. “There is also a lot of love right now for the ’ 90s- style, bulkier fleece, which shows up in zip- up jackets, hoodies and vests.”
Another major fall fashion trend is sustainability. There’s an increasing environmental consciousness in Canada that’s permeating many industry, and brands are embracing sustainable clothing, including making outerwear without PFCs and from recycled material, adds Martin, referring to Columbia’s new Eco line. PFCs are bio- accumulative in wildlife and humans, and persist in the environment.