Most men fall into one of two camps. There are those who love summer for the simplicity of throwing on shorts and a T-shirt, and then there are those who get all giddy at the mere mention of the L-word (that’s layering, in case you were unsure.)

For those in the latter group, good news, we’ve broken down every essential layering piece you need to have at your disposal this season. For those still mourning the loss of sun, we’re fairly sure this list will convince you to think otherwise. It’s time to make like a well-dressed onion and embrace your layers.

The Shacket

The shacket: awful name, excellent layering piece. Part way between a shirt and a jacket, it’s a solid example of when refusing to take sides isn’t maddeningly annoying. It’s the opposite, in fact.

The jury is still out on the exact definition of a shacket (and what separates it from an overshirt), but in our book, the best iterations are made from materials heavier than an Oxford button-down to fend off the chill, but still retain the long-sleeved shirt’s slim cut. It’s essentially two items of clothing for the price of one (so we can buy twice as many, right?)

The shacket is also something of a silver bullet for unpredictable weather according to Whistles creative director Nick Passmore. “A wool shacket, in particular, is warm enough to be worn on its own, yet slim enough to fit under a coat.”

How you style yours all comes down to the weather. On milder days, try wearing it open over a crew neck T-shirt. Then, once we reach the thick of autumn, deploy it over a thinner shirt and T-shirt, or (if you’re a certified statement-maker) over a lightweight roll neck jumper.

The Unstructured Blazer

The only thing worse than a blazer that doesn’t fit is a blazer that does fit, but has been put under the strain of so many additional layers that it now resembles an overstuffed sausage skin.