Fashion
September is the trickiest month in the Montréal clothing year: 25 °C at noon, 10 °C walking out of an evening class. It is also the best month to build a wardrobe, because end-of-summer sales sit right next to the autumn arrivals. Here is what to buy now, and what to wait for.
The five pieces of the season
- A light unlined jacket — the most-worn garment from September to October.
- A fine-knit sweater that slips into a bag without creasing.
- Mid-season trousers, neither summer canvas nor winter wool.
- Waterproof closed shoes — September is the rainiest month of the return.
- A bag that protects a laptop in a downpour.
What to buy right now
Summer end-of-lines hit their floor price in September: this is the moment for basics that never date — quality t-shirts, shirts, light trousers. Winter coats deserve to wait: the real bargains land in January and February, and a good second-hand coat beats a cheap new one, as we explained in the minimal first-winter wardrobe.
The three-layer rule, autumn edition
Québec autumn works exactly like winter, only lighter: a breathable layer near the skin, an insulating layer, and a layer that blocks wind and rain. Three thin pieces always beat one thick one — and they let you survive an overheated classroom twenty minutes after walking through rain.
Dressing for a first interview
The return to school is also interview season. A neutral, clean, well-fitted outfit beats an expensive badly-cut one: hemming a pair of trousers costs under thirty dollars and changes everything. If you want an outside eye on your professional wardrobe, our styling consultation is built for exactly that.