We’ve hit that transitional period where temperatures are changing, and so are the clothes that we wear. It isn’t unusual to step out of the house in a pair of shorts and a down jacket at this time of year – bottom half dressed for the Bahamas, the top prepared for Ben Nevis.
With that in mind, September’s edition of Proper Picks is chaotic in the best kind of way. We’ve got jackets and sunglasses. Fleeces and shorts. Down insulation and lightweight cotton. Much like the weather itself, there’s no real rhyme or reason to it – just a collection of things that we’d very much like to own.
Consider it a wardrobe for the in-between season: gloriously impractical, occasionally contradictory, and entirely dictated by the forecast.
thisisneverthat PERTEX Long Bill Sun Sport Cap
Sort of like the headwear you’d expect a Sith Lord to wear for a trail run across Tatooine, this thisisneverthat long bill cap is lightweight, waterproof, and absolutely mental.
Rice Nine Ten Mountain Knitted Pullover
If you’re after one of these Rice Nine Ten fleeces, we’d suggest buying one quickly. A lawsuit is inevitably on the way.
This Snow Peak Washer Jacket is an education in perfect pocket presentation. An absolutely sublime balance of size, quantity, positioning and depth.
Presta.94 has been collecting vintage mountain bike references and imagery for some time now, and they’re finally putting all that research to good work. Case in point: this long-sleeve, inspired by the gloriously loud branding of ’80s mountain bikes.
Mephisto’s Rainbow is the stuff of legend. This silhouette earnt a place in our hearts since the early days of Proper, and this toffee colourway should prove exactly why.
Perfecting cool eyewear without looking like you’re trying too hard is no easy feat, which makes this Khakis x Sun Buddies link-up all the more impressive.
Apart from looking like they need a once-over with an iron, these Needles H.D. Military Pants are a slice of premium baggy goodness.
This new limited-edition Clarks release is incredibly reminiscent of advertising merchandise from the ’90s. And the £15 price tag is too.
Typically we wouldn’t be into products that advertise themselves as ‘greasy’, but we’re making an exception for this beautiful pair of hiking boots from Solovair.
Battenwear Five Pocket Island Shirt
The tartan on this Battenwear Shirt is freakishly similar to the pattern you’d find on a cool box from your childhood – usually packed with an assortment of jam sandwiches, patiently waiting to be devoured the moment the midday sun hits the caravan park.
You could know absolutely nothing about mountaineering, but this Nanga Backpack will have everyone thinking you’re the next Chris Bonington. Who cares about grading systems when your bag looks this cool?
Service Works Trade Chef Pants
It doesn’t matter whether you work in a Michelin Star restaurant or simply have an unhealthy reliance on packet Mac & Cheese, these Service Works Chef Pants are guaranteed to improve your culinary skills.
Gramicci have created the type of survival tool that would have made films like Castaway much more boring.
Snow Peak Varsity Logo L/S Shirt
Hate rugby. Love rugby shirts. Especially this lovely forest green one from Timberland.
We’re slightly obsessed with Meanforme’s new Binley silhouette. The perfect piece of footwear for those days when you’ve got Stoke away at 15:00 and San Carlo booked for 20:00.
Whether you’re trying to spot fish beneath a glare-filled river, shielding your eyes from UV rays, or simply want to look cool and mysterious, these VALLON Daytrippers Sunglasses have got you covered.
Creek Angler’s Device Hooded Sweatshirt
We just can’t get enough of Creek. There’s something about that word, in that sans-serif font – that’s completely irresistible.
The type of balaclava you’d wear if you became a cat burglar operating along the Appalachian trail.
As nice as it is navy, this Hikerdelic Coach Jacket is the perfect transitional layer for the current erratic weather patterns.
Haven’t you heard? Merrell’s Moab turned fifty this year. Wish the icon a happy birthday by purchasing a pair. You won’t regret it, and they’ll probably be in your rotation for another fifty years too.
An intimidatingly serious piece of outerwear. This Adsum Marsu Jacket has all the credentials to carry you through autumn, winter and beyond.
This Montbell Bear looks rather smug. Can’t blame him, really – we’d look pretty smug too with a raincoat that nice.
The stark contrast between the lace and the silhouette on this Hanwag Tashi reminds us of when you see old hikers rocking ancient boots with funky replacement laces.
Cafe Mountain Music And Arts Cap
Wearing this Café Mountain Music and Arts Cap is guaranteed to make anyone look culturally aware.
Ever wondered what fishing apparel would look like if it was designed with Paris Fashion Week in mind? South2 West8 has the answer.
This TSPTR garment proves that the small details often matter the most – the white drawstrings absolutely make this hoodie.
We’re approaching that special time of year when it’s perfectly appropriate to wear a jacket and shorts at the same time. And these beauties from Haven look absolutely made for the occasion.
The slide has pretty much usurped the slipper when it comes to round-the-house footwear, and this Norda Recovery Slide makes it easy to see why. That highly cushioned sole has a lot to answer for.
Snow Peak Festival Rechargeable Mini Hozuki
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s a Snow Peak Festival Rechargeable Mini Hozuki.
TDR have perfected the art of making garments look like they’ve lived a life before they ever make it into the packet. Don’t believe us? Try arguing with the beautiful weathering on this barn jacket.
This Gregory Box is basically a munitions box, only instead of bullets, it’s designed to house Clif Bars, cans of IPA and three spare pairs of underwear.
18 East Andrew Brimmed Bandana
This 18 East cap-bandana hybrid is giving us flashbacks to those brimmed beanies everyone seemed to be wearing in the 2010s. Only this is way, way cooler.
If you’re going to purchase this, we hope you enjoy explaining to a 53 year-old carpenter why you’ve got his jacket attached to your keys.
TDR Lined Cordura Balmacaan Jacket
The kind of outerwear we imagine an investigative journalist working in the Alps would favour.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re approaching a climb, or approaching 40 – these Arc’teryx Konseal are fit for purpose.
True to their name, Portal produce the kind of product that looks like it has stumbled through an opening from another galaxy.
The way me and you look at a bowl of cornflakes is the way that this adidas Terrex Agravic SL looks at grit and gravel.
Goldwin has the ability to make even the most boring of garments interesting.
Klattermusen Nordre Mid-Crew Socks
Klättermusen’s logo might look like a piece of Swiss cheese, but thanks to their wool construction, these socks should keep your feet smelling considerably less dairy.
We’d always choose a raincoat over carrying an umbrella. But this Snow Peak number is making us seriously reconsider our position.
Snow Peak x Helinox Noga Chair
Just in case a regular Helinox wasn’t cool enough, this Snow Peak collaboration is sure to keep you comfortable while looking effortlessly good.
