Our favorite futurist tie-makers are playing it safer than usual with their new fall/winter wool collection.

We love a good three-inch tie, but we’re closer to the end than the beginning on that look, and the Sovereign Beck folks—once the great hope for tie design—aren’t doing much to keep it alive. A plaid tie is still a plaid tie, and the collection isn’t bad at all—in fact, it’s probably the most department-store-ready gear we’ve seen from them—but we had high hopes. Only the blue-green version on the right shows any signs of the Mathematica aesthetic that made their previous collections stand out.

On the bright side, they’re also holding a Holiday sale where you can get some of their vintage work for up to half off the usual price. So maybe we’ll cut them a little slack.

The gray wool pant doesn’t get much credit as a wardrobe staple, but it’s every bit as versatile as those cords. It may give off a bit of a Ward Cleaver vibe at times…but now that we think about it, Ward was a pretty stylish guy.

This pair comes from Wings + Horns and boasts a subtly tapered leg and an almost invisible blue thread in the fabric. An entire suit of it might be too formal, too busy, or just too warm…but a pair of trousers is just about right.

Provided you aren’t afraid of showing a little sock.

In the interest of striking while the iron’s hot, we thought we’d direct your attention to the Baracuta shop, where jackets are currently going for half off.

Of course, we’ve weighed in on your short-cropped options before, so this time around, we’re going with a slightly more offbeat option: the Donegal wool jacket. While you’re at it, we’d order it a size smaller than your average number to make sure the fit’s appropriately mod.

Unfortunately, it’s too thin to stand up to winter winds so you probably won’t get too much wear out of it until March…but patience is a virtue too.

Oh, See: Flaunt catches up with the starlet in her unseasonably warm apartment. [Refinery29]

Rise of the Android: The pros and cons of picking up one of these. [Gizmodo]

Pulling the Wool: Wool ties continue to gather strength in the east. [NYMag]

Dazed, Confused: Richard Linklater weighs in on what it means to be an icon. Is it too soon to nominate John Hodgman? [BlackBook]

We’ve never been much for sale chasing, but Billy Reid’s 30% off sale just led us to this winter jacket, which might be enough to convince us to change our ways.

It’s the same heavy wool that makes pea coats such a staple, but the inspiration here is more Southern than nautical. The jacket’s named Tishomingo Woods after a spot in the northeast corner of Mississippi where you can find similar items on the backs of bird hunters. Of course, the down-country version won’t have quite as trim a cut—but that’s what we have designers for.