Building a Fall Wardrobe? Start With These Affordable Uniqlo Staples

I’VE BEEN JONESING for fall since last winter. Winter calls for heavy coats that swallow everything underneath, and summer is just trying to get by with as little on as possible, but fall is the golden ratio of layering: Everything feels balanced, visible, and part of a greater harmonious fit. For this, I go to the mecca of year-round layering staples—Uniqlo.

Uniqlo first evangelized me with its tank tops a couple of summers back. The material feels better than your standard Hanes rib tank: more heft, yet less stiff. I also prefer the fit of Uniqlo’s tanks—perfectly proportioned to wear underneath button-ups and tees, but roomy enough to lounge in. They cost only $10 and last years—I bought a pair when I first moved to New York four years ago, and I still wear them.

Since then, I shop Uniqlo for almost all of my staples. I like that its underwear is comfortable, stretchy, and unbranded, and that it has socks in every color imaginable for either dress shoes or sneakers. They’re cheap, well-made basics, and they come in more colors than I need (but I like knowing I have the option).

Shopping for fall layering pieces is a different dance. Sure, some of them may be hidden under a fleece or sweater, but they’ll still show and should be planned in advance. Case in point: Wearing a tee with a rumpled, saggy collar under a sweater isn’t the polished look I’m shooting for. Uniqlo’s Crewneck Tee has a wide-banded collar similar to vintage tees that holds its shape. The heavyweight fabric adds warmth and helps the tee keep its shape after washes and wear.

SHOP UNIQLO’S FALL MEN’S EDIT

Another fall go-to is the waffle henley, which allows me to wear my lightweight jackets well into the season. Waffle—sometimes called thermal—material traps air close to the body for warmth and makes for a solid base layer. The henley placket is also more of a style flex under a flannel or shacket.

Call me neurotic, but I have certain button-ups I wear only under a sweatshirt or jacket in fall and winter. I won’t wear them on their own in the spring or summer because—for me—they don’t carry an outfit; they only facilitate one.

For this, I also look to Uniqlo. I need my layering button-downs to fit closer to the body without feeling constricting, and I want to wash them constantly without being precious with the method. The broadcloth shirt is one of the best white dress shirts out there and costs just under $50. I love wearing it underneath a crewneck sweatshirt or cardigan, and the button-down collar stays in place. I’m also big on flannels under a vest in early fall. Uniqlo has them in the classic buffalo check pattern in a bunch of different colors.

Fall is prime layering season, but it’s also tricky. I’m layering to be seen and want every piece I’m wearing to be noticed without one taking too much from another. Uniqlo saw me through with its summer skivvies, and now it’s time for more elevated basics.

SHOP UNIQLO’S FALL MEN’S EDIT