Well heeled – Six of the Best Brogues

The Evenings are drawing in, Summer is starting to be nothing but a deem distance memory, hey ! Nothing to worry about Autumn & Winter offer men some of the best items to wear and show of over the coming months. Whether that be wrapping yourself up in great knitwear, getting a new winter coat, some great examples out there, but we’ll come to them later and of course the Great British Brogue, check out six of the best below –

Beautiful and a real design classic by a great British brand who know more then a thing or two about brogues, Grenson.

Brogues don’t always have to be so traditional and no surprises who have given these, his own individual spin by Paul Smith

Its not just desert boots and senible shoes that this brand is known for and a great little twist on a classic here Ernest Limit Black Leather Brogue from Clarks.

Looking for something a little different ? Now although not everyone’s cup of tea. These brogues from DrMartens won’t break the bank and with look great whatever the occasion.

Back to a classic with a twist and now for one from the Grandaddy of the brogues and a brand synonymous with not only Brogues but great footwear is Churches.

We couldn’t show you six of the best Brogues without showing you an example of a great sneaker version and this is very much one from Ted Baker

 

 

 

Nothing better than a pair of Boots!

WORDS BY ISAAC PERRY

After one of the hottest summers on British record we have become very used to being able to bust out our favourite shorts and sunglasses, however now we have had a reality check and the weather that we are used to is back to haunt us! Coats, Jumpers and Trousers are now back to being key pieces within our everyday wardrobe. But today we aren’t here to talk about clothing. We are talking about the most important piece of a male’s outfit, his shoes (or boots to be more correct).

This wouldn’t be any kind of blog about boots without including a classic Timberland boot and our pick of the bunch are the Timberland classic 6 inch premium boots in black, these are made out of a Nubuck waterproof leather so are perfect for those colder and rainy days. How you wish to style this boot is completely down to you however we would recommend a full black outfit with a Shearling jacket of your choice.

The RedWing Moc Toe boot originates from the 1950’s and still remains as popular today, with it showcasing a classic timeless look! ‘Although these boots were originally made for heavy duty work, its now perfectly suited to modern life blending style and comfort’, this quote perfectly summing up the style aspects of this boot.

Our pick of the bunch is our next boot the Arnold offered by Grenson, this model has a lightweight wedge sole and beautiful Chestnut coloured leather, the older and more worn these shoes become the better they will get. Don’t let the £250 price point put you off as these are shoes that will last season on season if they are looked after correctly and if you ever want a revamp these can easily be resoled.

Basically what we are saying if it you don’t have a boot or two in your wardrobe you need to get moving as these are an essential piece within every mans shoe selection. What’s your favourite? Let us know below!

Fashion do or don’t? Dad shoes!

WORDS BY ISAAC PERRY

Dad shoes? I bet that you would never of expected this to be a key trend of 2018 would you, go on?  This trend started way back in the late 90’s and early 00’s with chunky trainers being a must, however for years fashion became dominated by clean cut, lightweight trainers with the best examples being Common projects with all designs being incredibly plain but consisting of high quality and coming in an array of colours to match all outfits.

However times are changing and trend come back around again, so with ‘chunky’ trainers dominating the high-end street style scene of today. As the fashion cycle always goes high-end brands such as Balenciaga and Gucci were the first to showcase these thick designs back in 2017.

To honour this trend we thought it was only necessary to highlight some of these key shoes that are dominating our timeless industry! The trend first came back to the limelight in Balenciaga’s AW17 menswear show and since then have been played a massive role in the sneaker market with many of those who would never has experimented within high-end fashion now doing so through a mutual love of sneakers.

Balenciaga Triple S

Possibly the shoe of the year the Triple S Balenciaga’s were the ones to first influence the resurgence of Chunky trainers and priced £615.00 they don’t come cheap, after the dominating year in which they have had this doesn’t come as a surprise to us, with a large amount of new colour ways having been released this year. However our favourite is one of the first colour ways, which was released, The Greys.

Gucci Rhyton sneakers ‘Fake logo’

On first view these shoes look incredibly basic with an off white colour way being the most popular however keeping to tradition Gucci love to outrageously brand absolutely all of their products and this one is no exception! On both the outsides of each Sneaker can be found Gucci’s classic Colours and name.

Yung 1’s

The most recent release out of all of these trainers as well as being on the lower end of the pricing are the Adidas Yung 1’s, these were originally released in 1997 however have recently been released in both a red and orange colour way, with the most anticipated white colour way yet to been released, however keep your eyes peeled as they are on route!

Air Monarchs

In our eyes this is as Dad as Dad is ever going to get and these are a pair of shoes, which you will be able to wear forever thanks to a combination of basic design, and simplistic colour ways allowing the monarch to go with almost everything! You are able to pick a pair up for as cheap as £38.00, which makes them the cheapest sneaker on our list by a mile.

Yeezy 700’s

Now something in particular for the Hypebeasts of today, the Yeezy 700’s, these were the first pair of sneakers created Kanye which adopted a different style then we originally seen within his Adidas Yeezy collections, however the chunky sole likened them to the Dad shoe trend and soon after release they entered this category. If you are a Dad who loves his Supreme and Palace then these are the shoes for you.

Raf Simon Ozweego

The Raf Simon Ozweego’s in particular have been a love or hate shoe since there first releases, this silhouette was first seen in 2013 with it adopting a shape never seen before with it the sneaker almost doubling up looking as though it has two separate layers, however thanks to the release the of Triple S this high-end design has taken a back seat.

 

This Trend has been helped progress by celebrities such as Jayden Smith, Ian Connor, Travis Scott and the list could go on, however now at its strongest. If your wanting to impress the youth of today why not bust out a pair of your old Monarchs or showcase a crisp white pair straight from the box. Let us know what you favourite pair are in the comment section below!

 

6 of the best: World Cup Edition – Retro kits from the past

WORDS BY KEANU ADORABLE

Right now the World Cup fever has gripped the nation as England have reached the semi-final stage since that tearful night in Turin during Italia 1990. Today, the new England heroes are trying to emulate the heroes of 1966 and bring the World Cup home, and they have been donning the classic white home kit and red away kit in Russia. But today, we’re looking back to the past, and there have been so many great World Cup jerseys in the tournament’s 88-year history. And we here at CMTM we chose some of the most stunning kits, for each taking into consideration its originality, beauty and representation of a country’s culture and football tradition.

PERU 1970

1970 has been Peru’s best performance at the World Cup so far. In that year’s competition, the Peruvian side reached the quarterfinals. You can see this World Cup jersey has a very clean design, with a twist. Peru’s kit is striking in that it is one of the few World Cup jerseys ever to have used a diagonal stripe across the chest.

ARGENTINA 1986

Need a more emblematic and iconic kit than this one? Diego Armando Maradona won the 1986 World Cup in this stunning jersey. It was the away kit that Maradona wore when he scored two of his most famous goals against England: one dribbling past the entire defence and goalkeeper, the other scored with the hand, the notorious “mano de Dios” (“hand of God”). However, it is the home kit that he wore in the final.

ITALY 1982

Marco Tardelli and THAT celebration. Not only is it one of the most iconic Italian football images of all time, it’s one adored by fans of the beautiful game the world over. So it’s little wonder, therefore, that the 1982 Italy World Cup-winning jersey is recognised as one of football’s most iconic tops.

WEST GERMANY 1990

Adidas reimagined the 2018 World Cup kits for Germany which is reminiscent of 1990’s designs, though their success did not live up to expectations in Russia, it is impossible not to feature Germany’s 1990 uniform Geometrical patterns in black, red and yellow contrasted beautifully with the white in the background. An absolute 90s classic!

FRANCE 1998

France won the 1998 World Cup wearing this amazing uniform. In this jersey, Zinedine Zidane lead “Les Bleus” to their one and only World Cup title so far. It has a V-neck, predominantly blue background, and red and white stripes that beautifully evoke the French flag. In the jersey, you can also see the lingering 90s designs giving way to the new millennium fashion standards.

Brazil 1970

Brazil’s squad, loaded with the finesse and explosive firepower of Pele, Gerson, Rivelino and Jairzinho, was one of the finest ever assembled. Its stylish, flamboyant play style was as if choreographed by Cirque du Soleil. This was the first World Cup to be broadcast in colour, lending the television footage an evocative quality which captured the warmth of Brazil’s classic golden shirts in all of their finery.

England 1966

It’s only appropriate to close this list with what is, without a doubt, the most iconic kit of all time (not biased, promise). The red England Away kit from 1966 remain veritable grails for British football fans and sports memorabilia collectors around the world.

For one, England won the World Cup on home soil in 1966 and that victory stands as the country’s last silverware in international or European competition. That alone should be enough to elevate the kit worn to grail status. But it’s the simplicity of the kit, a plain red cotton shirt with the England crest on the chest and white numbers on the back, that makes it stand out.

p.s – IT’S COMING HOME

6 Of The Best – Sunglasses for the Summer Season

WORDS BY KEANU ADORABLE

The bipolar weather in the UK has been in full force these past few weeks, but the sun has now decided to take front stage and summer is truly upon us – better late than never – so we here at Clothes Make The Man did the honour again chosen our favourite picks for the 6 Of The Best (insert limk) – Sunglasses for the Summer season.

Ace & Tate – Patti Titanium

The Dutch brand has been one of our favourites for the past few years, and they continue to show why they are with these Patti Titanium sunglasses. These frames have the old school-inspired small oval frames, like those once worn and adored by both discrete types and iconic popstars of the 90s.

Kirk Originals – York 

Each pair of Kirk Originals’ Made in England sunglasses, takes a minimum of 72 hours to
make, complete and polish to exact standards that the brand uses. The unisex cult sunglasses brand launched its ‘Made in England’ collection back in November 2017. And our favourite pick is these York sunglasses which take inspiration from men’s sunglasses of the 1950’s. The D-shape lenses, with a rounded edge, are encased in a handmade frame with a subtle dip in the brow that adds a pleasing definition.

LGR – Addis

These pair of Addis sunglasses effortlessly capture the timeless elegance of the Italian gentleman. Meticulously handmade in Italy with mineral glass lenses, they feature an acetate D-frame with a metal bridge and nose pads; a perfect example of our commitment to exceptional craftsmanship and impeccable design.

Moncler – Round-Frame Acetate Sunglasses

Moncler builds its sporty outdoor kit to withstand tough climates and plenty of wear, so it makes sense that the label creates everyday sunglasses with the same idea in mind. This pair has substantial acetate frames with rounded temple tips so they feel secure when you wear them on a lovely summer day.

Another piece that we adore are these classic pilot shape frames from Oliver People’s. These frames are detailed with refined elements emphasizing a contrast of materials. The streamlined metal frame includes a sophisticated single top bridge with inlaid leather and lightweight acetate temples.

Weekday – Explore Rounded Sunglasses

Explore Rounded Sunglasses are a pair of subtle round glasses in thin metallic frames. They have a matte finish and black tinted lenses that are perfect to finish any summer outfit you have.