It took seven months to assemble Hermès’s new Grand Jeté necklace, but it was worth the atelier’s painstaking work. Designed by Pierre Hardy, the creative director of the brand’s fine-jewelry line, the unexpected juxtaposition of materials—rose gold, white diamonds, Tahitian pearls, black jade, colored sapphires, and pink Peruvian opal—appears random but is meticulously intentional. The chain that connects these disparate elements moves alongside its wearer, so when you take to the dance floor, it’s right there with you. In both function and form, it’s fine jewelry for a new era. (Price available upon request; Hermès, 691 Madison Avenue, New York, (212) 751-3181)
Button Up
The Wright Jacket
The problem with a black leather motorcycle jacket? Unless you have the swagger of Johnny Rotten you inevitably just remind people of John Travolta in Wild Hogs. The best way to wear leather? The suede Wright flight jacket from the Armoury. Modeled after the gear favored by early-20th-century aviators and made in Italy, it performs triple duty in your wardrobe: keeps you warm; looks great with jeans, as well as with gray flannels; and you can layer it under a parka on extra-cold days. Think of it like a denim jacket—a classic with rugged lineage that can go anywhere. Best of all, the Armoury offers custom sizing. ($1,650, thearmoury.com)
Refresh
Tata Harper Cleanser
If we’re going to recommend an $82 skin-care product, it’s only after rigorous testing. We discovered organic-beauty impresario Tata Harper’s new Nourishing Oil Cleanser earlier this summer, after a desperate search at Space NK. Over the past month, we’ve used it exclusively on days spent running around New York (if you’ve experienced the city in August, you will sympathize) and then through New York Fashion Week. (Add considerable amounts of scrambling, pollution, and stress.) Not only has your air mail style correspondent been spared the predictable breakouts, but our relatively luminous (thirtysomething) skin suggests that we are far more well-rested than we really can claim to be. This phenomenon is due to the oil contained within, which removes dirt and impurities without stripping the skin of its moisture. No doubt it will shepherd us through the fall just as beautifully. ($82, tataharperskincare.com)
Cozy Up
Bottega Veneta Jacket
Here in the Northeastern United States, we’ve arrived at shoulder season, that time of year when one needs something warmer than a jacket or blazer but not as stifling as a proper overcoat. Enter the wool jacket. Perfectly suitable for the office, but even better for leaf-peeping, it’s one of the very best things about fall. (And, no, we don’t care to hear another word about pumpkin spice.) With its unfinished edges, longish sleeves, and comfortable jersey lining, Bottega Veneta’s bouclé version is an updated-for-’19 take on this eternally cool classic. ($2,300, bottegaveneta.com)
Make a Splash
Stella McCartney x Hunter
Even the most eco-consciously produced fashion is destined for the landfill if it looks like garbage. But when the gear in question comes courtesy of Stella McCartney, it’s more likely to spend the next few decades gracing the streets, especially when it involves a collaboration with Hunter. McCartney has teamed up with the purveyor of muck-resistant footwear to design a boot that, the company says, “may just be the most sustainable ever.” Sourced from a sustainably managed forest in Guatemala, the boots come with a stretch sock made of Yulex, an alternative to neoprene that is generated from certified natural rubber. Importantly, they look great, thanks to hand-crafted treads, sporty pull tabs, and chunky soles. ($495, stellamccartney.com)