6 of the best Archives - CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN

When participating in sports activities it is not ideal to wear a delicate wrist watch that can break from a sudden impact, that can be damaged by water when swimming or diving or one that can detach itself from your wrist and fall onto the ground when running. Many men take their watches off in fear of it breaking which is understandable if the watch is a Rolex or an Audemars Piguet. For these reasons, watch brands now offer a large selection of sports watches that are primarily focused on being durable, comfortable and highly resistant to water and shock impact.

TAG Heuer ‘Formula 1’ Chronograph

The ‘Formula 1’ collection by TAG Heuer has been engineered with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes and tested on the road by British Formula One driver Jenson Button. Like the majority of TAG Heuer’s sports watches, it is resistant to extreme U.V. rays and temperatures and is vibration resistant so it can be worn during any form of sports, especially outside sports. It also comes with water resistance of 200 metres, scratch resistant sapphire crystal and a double security folding clasp for excellent durability. There is also a tachymeter scale on the bezel that indicates the average speed of a car so this is an ideal watch to have if you’re into driving and racing awesome sports cars.

Hublot ‘King Power’ Usain Bolt Limited Edition

Limited to only 250 pieces, this special Usain Bolt edition is one of the highest forms of sports watches currently available which is to be expected considering they have based it on the 2012 Olympic winner himself. The watch makes many references to the medal winner; most famously the material the strap is made of is the same gold-coloured synthetic leather as Bolt’s running shoes that he won in which is stitched onto black rubber for comfort, flexibility and strength. It will, however, have your bank account shivering.

Alpina ‘Adventure’ Avalanche Extreme

The ‘Adventure’ collection from Alpina is aimed at the more adventurous and extreme types, those who hike, climb and ski from the highest mountains. It claims on their website that hey are “extremely robust sports watches that perform to the highest degrees of precision and reliability in the most demanding situations.” The watch includes a rubber strap that ensures durability and comfort and the face is easy to read, even in the harshest of environments. It is also water resistant up to 200 metres, just in case the adventurer encounters being trapped under snow or happens to fall into water (I assume that’s the reason…)

IWC ‘Aquatimer’ Chronograph

Yet another collection of watches made for diving and water sports and with a similar name to TAG Heuer’s ‘Aquaracer’ collection, this watch has all the functions needed in a sports watch and is also suitable for everyday wear. The underside of the watch is coated in Super-LumiNova® which means the time can be read even in poor and dark conditions. It also has a large rotating bezel that can even be turned when wearing large gloves and it features a ‘quick-change system’ that means the strap can be changed within seconds to a rubber or a hook-and-loop strap. The hook-and-loop strap also allows the watch to be worn over a diving suit. Other incredible functions for divers include a mechanical depth gauge which indicates dive depth- current and maximum. It is the perfect partner to have when alone in the depths of the ocean.

Bremont ‘U-2’

Designed and tested by the elite U-2 Spy Plane Squadron based at Beale, CA in the US, this watch is ideal for those who like to soar in the skies and be seriously badass. It has been tested at 100,000 feet and -40 degrees C both in a laboratory and on missions and successfully sustained all tests. It is also, like the IWC ‘Aquatimer’, coated in Super-LumiNova® so it can be read in all light conditions. The stainless steel case is also hardened to reduce breakage and increase toughness and it has an anti-shock rubberised movement mount. Due to its intense testing and durability, there is no doubt that this watch is useful for any type of sport imaginable, even water sports as it is water resistant to 100 metres.

TAG Heuer ‘Aquaracer’ Countdown Chronograph

The ‘Aquaracer’ collection by TAG Heuer was made with water-lovers in mind, especially divers. It is water resistant up to 500 metres and it is also resistant to extreme U.V. rays and temperatures, so it can be worn outside or in the sea without worry. It is also resistant to chlorine and sea salt, making it even more durable when used for water sports and features luminescent hands that can be seen in the dark and underwater. Even though the sole purpose of this watch is to be used when in water, it is also durable in other sports as it is vibration-resistant and therefore can also be used when in a car, on a motorbike or on a mountain bike. The bezel can also be used to time which is practical when keeping track of race times or personal times without carrying around a stopwatch.

The Penny Loafer is a much underrated and yet highly versatile piece of footwear, equally at home with a pair of jeans as they are within a formal setting. The Penny Loafer or the “Weejuns” to give them there more correct term first become popular after the depression of the 1930’s and had the rather strange origin of being based on Norwegian diary farmers clogs. The shoe’s strap has a split design that is supposed to resemble a pair of lips. This opening in the strap was soon used as a way to add a decorative touch to the usually simple loafer and small objects, such as pennies, were often placed there, hence the name, get it ? As alway we here at Clothes Make the Man bring you 6 of the best which should appear to you no matter what your taste or budget is. Take a look;

Ahhhh a real British, timeless Classic, this time in the form of this great from John Lobb from MRPORTER.com

Annie are you OK, are you OK Annie ! Ahh the late, great MJ himself was fond of a Loafer and these Penny Loafers from Russell & Bromley are a nice break from the traditional and a little trip down that retro memory lane.

Another wonderful example to add a splash of colour to a look, comes this time from Clarks

Now for something just a little bit special, these objects of beauty come from the Italian luxury house Tods to produce this vintage looking Penny Loafer

You can’t go wrong with this Italian Classic interpretation of the Loafer from Brunello Cucinelli‘s designs are backed by meticulous Italian craftsmanship, evident in the quality materials and precise, hand-stitched finishes

Ahhh the original and many say the best by GH Bass the pride of Maine.

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

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!

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!

Six of the Best Designer Sports Watches

Penny for your thoughts – 6 of the best Penny Loafers

Well heeled – Six of the Best Brogues

Nothing better than a pair of Boots!

Fashion do or don’t? Dad shoes!

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