Continued: In fall, two men's fancies turn to fashionable layers in brown

Rick Nelson and Claude Peck dispense unasked-for advice about clothing, etiquette, relationships, grooming and more.

CP: Geez. Though I have, as usual, pored over the fash mags and websites, I can't see much clear direction -- or much I love -- in the new looks for men. You buying anything for fall? Maybe we'd better hit the stores.

RN: Oh, no, you're going to make me go to the Mall of America, aren't you? Twist my arm.

CP: We need to hunt down reasonably priced equivalents of high-buck looks we like. This year, I'm hating the fall menswear of some of my favorite designers. If Miuccia Prada thinks I'm going to iron that ree-diculous double-collared shirt in all her ads, well. ... Really, this is a good thing, since I can't touch her prices anyway.

RN: I hear you. Even Martin + Osa seems a little high-altitude for me, although I liked those spread collar-ish dress shirts for, what, $60? Not bad.

CP: Details magazine did a page on what it called the "semispread" collar on men's shirts, and showed one by Geoffrey Beene for $45. Those shirts can really "hang" a double windsor. The best fall designs have to be Christopher Bailey's beautiful coats for Burberry. Of course, they're Prorsum, so affordable only to royalty. But the Banana is knocking off the length, slender cut and eight-button look of the Burberry coat in a cotton-viscose number for $295. I like it.

RN: Works for me. It looks good on you, but the fit is just a little bit off, although it's not something a $20 investment at Sew What couldn't fix. It's not in the color that is looking good for autumn -- brown -- but you should buy it anyway.

CP: Depends what you mean by brown. For me, camel is a washout, and I've rarely met a brown sweater I could wear. But I am on the lookout for a pair of dark brown wingtips that can stand both a shine and the test of time. As ever, the ones I covet cost more than a plane ticket to London.

RN: Does it make you nervous when you see the word "layering" used as a verb in a men's department in-store promo? It sounds like something Michael Kors might say on "Project Runway." Or, as they refer to him at projectrungay.blogspot.com -- "the Duchess."

CP: For me, "layering" translates into "sweating." It's a come-on to get me to buy stuff -- a vest, cardigan, cashmere hoodie or three-piece suit -- that I don't need. Who wants to spend a day at the office stripping those layers off to prevent fainting? Leave layering to models who've neglected to eat since New Year's.

RN: It does seem as if every retailer save the Apple store was pushing sweater vests for fall. And lots of argyles.

CP: In a glossy, I saw a very cool baggier gray-flannel slack, thanks to Rykiel Homme, that has a single pleat in the front and, zoot alors, I loved it, but won't bother looking for it in the Twin Cities.

RN: Just when I thought the world had been rid of the men's pleated pant.

CP: On a more earthly level, that glen plaid pant at the Banana for $69 may have to go on the wish list.

RN: I think it's the "Mad Men" influence, which, after a somewhat smudgy start is killing in its second season. Those sharp, clean looks are being channeled straight out of the show's wardrobe department.

CP: Well, we could do a lot worse than having Don Draper types showing up all over town.

E-mail: witheringglance@startribune.com.