The Autumn/Winter Top 10 Menswear List for this year includes some new names, but also many familiar faces. This is not something that we find surprising or unusual. This is mainly because the world of well-crafted, classic menswear doesn’t exist. Men don’t spend as much on clothes.

However, large brands for men have been the ones that struggled or went out of business over the past year. We wonder if any of the smaller names can fill that gap. Who will be Aquascutum or J Crew, Brooks Brothers, Daks etc. Are they all that scalable or progressive?

Here are some of my favorite things from Autumn/Winter with brief explanations.

• Colhay’s long-sleeved Polo

Price – $395

This cashmere polo is nothing unusual from Colhay’s new collection – Lockie, as well as others, make similar two-ply polos which we love. The difference lies in the colour. Other makers don’t do this dark or dark brown, or the dark olive Colhays uses (see shawl).

The shirt cardigan is also appealing, but we doubt we can use it over a shirt or T-shirt, and not tucking into a shirt as suggested.

• The Anthology Civilman’ trousers

Price – $305

The great thing about so many young brands in menswear, is that they often create combinations you didn’t know existed. Like the Civilman trousers by The Anthology. They feature jeans pockets in the front and flapped at the back. They are classically cut, but made of a denim-type material. The inside finish is closer to jeans or chinos.

The fit is high-rise, with a generous thigh and seat. This is something that tailoring does better than chinos. The leg line is straight, but not too slouchy.

The only comment is that the material is almost as soft as denim and as coarse as denim. It’s about half the way between that and a smarter, cotton twill. It is also white, not off-white or even ecru. They are a nice, more sophisticated trouser that also has jeans-style pockets.

• Wythe jacquard jacket

Price – $328

The Wythe collection isn’t quite at the same level as what we cover on PS. This is intentional, because Pete wants it to be more accessible. This overshirt was the best of the pieces we tried this year.

The material is made from an undyed, unbleached, cotton yarn. It feels natural and slubby. It’s soft and has a nice body. Although the pines design isn’t for everyone, it looks great with a white T-shirt and jeans or boots.

• Uniqlo cream Ivy socks

Price – $5.90

These aren’t called Ivy by Uniqlo, but we do. We have been searching for the perfect style for quite some time. It should be off-white with a wide rib, chunky, and durable. Unfortunately, they are no longer in stock.

Uniqlo is, as it is often, a good backup. They are not the best quality, but they do shift to a ‘Heat Tech” version for winter which has more synthetics. The colour and style are perfect.

John Simons still offers a model with the chunky rib but without the Harvard ‘H.’ End Clothing offers solid Anonymous Ism options. The Uniqlo ribs are just as good as the End Clothing ribs.

• Sunspel fisherman’s knit

Price – $235

For a long time, we wanted a great fisherman’s knitting like this, but the new ones are too expensive and the old ones too coarse. Sunspel’s current version is a great compromise: it is not too coarse to be worn over a T-shirt but has that rugged feel and faint Lanolin smell.

The collar is also high and slimmish, which is a vast improvement on the bulky versions that you used to be able to layer everything underneath.

• Edward Green waxed-suede Govan boot

Price – $800-$950

Edward Green has recently released a limited range of boots and shoes in a waxed leather. This is the first time we’ve seen anything similar to the Lodgers.

This type of suede is durable and water-resistant, according to our experience. It also age well. This boot is perfect for winter, and it’s eleganter than, for instance, RM Williams Gardener.

In a derby boot, chukka or chelsea boot, there’s a grey as well as a dark brown.

• RRL sweatshirt

Price – $175

There are two things you should note. The cut of this sweatshirt, which is the most ‘V-shaped’ at this level of quality, is important. The sleeves are slightly shorter and have a narrower waist. This is a great choice for anyone who wears high waisted trousers.

It’s also a grey melange that has more black than the traditional Merz b Schwanen sweat. It looks less professional and sophisticated. This is a common colour but it’s worth considering as an alternative.

• Drake’s ecru Jeans

Price – $275

Although we don’t like the washes of Drake’s jeans, the ecru pair is our favorite. It’s medium to high-rise, has a generous leg, without being too baggy, and has a subtle taper. They’re great if you like the fit.

• Niwaki Higurashi secateurs

Price – $59

Niwaki, a Japanese garden shop, has just opened in Chiltern Street. It’s also run by Jake, a reader so it must be good. Beautiful products, with a focus on craft and not just gardening, are available. There are also kitchen items, stationery and pocket knives.

Higurashi secateurs are wonderful. It’s the same feeling that you had with Sasuke knife in Japan. It just works beautifully and it feels great every time you use it.

The Higurashi set is mid-range. It’s below the pro level, but higher than the starter options. It’s worth looking at the “About” section to learn more about how to care for them.