Award winning men’s hairdresser, Jim Shaw, shares his comments on new season cut and styling trends for men.

Tight Fade – for men looking for a cleaner looking haircut for the new season, the tight fade is a perfect option. This haircut looks best when worn totally shaved or super short on the sides with more length on top but kept relatively short for a lower maintenance look. This look takes inspiration from the military and is super trendy, but it will require regular visits to the salon to ensure the cut is kept fresh and looking its best.  

Buzz Cut – the buzz cut has been trending for some time and it’s not going anywhere! For those feeling adventurous and looking to ‘reset’ their hair for spring, this is a great choice. Although it’s a simple cut, it looks incredibly cool, clean and is extremely low maintenance. It also can be paired with bold colour choices including neons for those looking to stand out from the crowd.

Curtains – curtains are back for 2024 but instead of being worn smooth and sleek we will see curtains being paired with texture and waves for a contemporary take on the trend. Timothee Chalamet is one of the many celebrities that have been sporting this look and pulling it off incredibly!

Mullets – many celebrities have been sporting mullet cuts and the trend is booming as we head into the spring/summer months with men looking for a more modern take on the style. For spring 2024, the style will still have its signature length at the back; however, the sides will be worn slightly shorter and the whole look will appear a lot softer with lots of added texture on top.

Partings – both side and middle partings – for men looking to slightly change up their look without opting for too much of a drastic cut, a parting is a good choice and both side and middle partings are back for spring/summer 2024. The side parting is perfect for those who want to add some volume into their look and who are looking for a style that looks formal and sophisticated. The middle parting looks great on all hair types – straight, textured and curly, and is a great way to enhance your current look. Both side and middle partings have been all over the red carpet and runways and will be a reoccurring trend through spring/summer and into autumn/winter 2024.

Recent reports state that hobbies have been proven to reduce anxiety and improve mental health, whilst also helping many manage their emotions in a positive and productive manner.

With this in mind, Adobe Express conducted a survey of 2,000 UK adults to find out the most popular hobbies Brits are turning to in 2024 to help them relax and unwind.

They found that the most popular hobby or pastime enjoyed by UK adults in a bid to relax and unwind was found to be reading, with more than a third of respondents stating this was their number one choice (35%). This hobby is known for improving critical thinking and creativity skills, as well as enhancing knowledge.

This was closely followed by walking (30%) which is well known for its positive mental and physical health qualities, as well as cooking and baking (29%), which is a creative hobby that stimulates the senses, and boosts self-esteem.

Alongside walking, other outdoors or more active hobbies that proved popular amongst Brits included playing team sports (18%) and solo sports (25%) such as running. 

Other creative hobbies Brits turn to in a bid to chill out, included journaling (22%), writing (20%), and knitting or crocheting (17%). 

Journaling has been found to be a healthy way of dealing with stress and challenges, as well as helping with problem solving and personal growth, whilst writing and knitting are great for cognitive function and easing anxiety.

Just six per cent of respondents stated they did not do any hobbies or pastimes as a means of unwinding.

One in six (15%) of Brits are planning to take up a hobby as part of their New Year’s resolution in 2024 according to the findings – this equates to nearly eight million UK adults*.

Whilst nearly a quarter (23%) of UK adults said they have previously taken up a hobby as part of their New Year’s resolution, when quizzed on how quickly they had given up on said hobbies after the excitement of the New Year was over, the most common answer amongst respondents was within six months (7%).

Additionally, when asked how much money they estimated they had wasted due to abandoning the hobby, the most common answer was up to £50 (7%).

This means, if all eight million Brits who plan to take up a new hobby as part of a New Year’s Resolution spent £50 each on doing so, it would total £400 million.

Kamalyn Kaur, Psychotherapist, www.kamalynkaur.com provides comment on the mental wellbeing benefits of pursuing a hobby:

“Engaging in activities that YOU enjoy is a great way of escaping the day-to-day routines and responsibilities. This time to switch off can help with lowering stress levels; reduces anxiety; gives you space and time to process; and also promotes mental wellbeing.

“Pursuing your own hobbies is crucial for personal fulfilment by giving you the opportunity to engage in something that you are passionate about or makes you happy.

“Having your own hobbies, away from family, is also a great way of introducing balance into your life as it is dedicated and protected time for you to focus on what you want to do; prioritise yourself; and think about your own emotional needs. In this respect, hobbies can be a great way of introducing self-care and preventing burnout.

“Self-identity is strengthened because hobbies allow you to engage in what you enjoy; what sparks you; and what makes you feel good. This is important especially when so many people feel they have lost themselves and who they are in the hustle and bustle of a family life.”

The Top Hobbies Brits Turn to in Order to Relax

Calvin Klein Fragrances newest additions to its ETERNITY portfolio with ETERNITY AROMATIC ESSENCE FOR WOMEN and MEN. Continuing to build upon ETERNITY’s reputation for  timeless love, the franchise returns with a duo of elevated and bold fougère fragrances linked by a unique coconut note.

The new Calvin Klein ETERNITY campaign continues to celebrate romance, paying homage to the timelessness of the ETERNITY legacy—sensuality inspired by profound connection and the essence of desire.

ETERNITY AROMATIC ESSENCE FOR MEN can be summed up in three words. Seductive. Sultry. Strong.

The scent pays homage to the iconic ETERNITY fragrance pillar with a bold olfactive experience. A highly contrasted fougère gourmand, the fragrance opens with fresh juniper berry essence with woody and gin-like facets. At the heart, the radiance of cardamom adds a spicy quality balanced by a sweet and floral lavender note. The seductive warmth of comforting coconut adds a sexy gourmand twist. The scents were formulated by Daphné Bugey whose past credits include fragrances for such noted Fashion & Fragrance houses as Dolce & Gabbana, Giorgio Armani and Issey Miyake. And Frank Voelkl who returns to Calvin Klein, but other past successes include fragrances for Ermenegildo Zegna, Hugo Boss and Tommy Hilfiger.

The signature bottles and packaging have been reimagined with luxurious finishes. Inspired by the vibrancy of gemstones, the scents are housed in a lacquered teal green glass bottle. Maintaining the shape and silver cap of the iconic original ETERNITY fragrances.

Named after the beautiful Neem tree in India, famed for producing leaves with healing properties, the eponymous brand is designed as an antidote to the modern ways of consumption – an antiseptic for fast fashion. Neem London produces low emitting menswear, designed to achieve a cleaner way of living.

As it launches SS24, the brand works with the Charles App to introduce the Take Back Scheme that will provide £70 in cash, and £30 in credit, on anything bought from the brand that is returned after six months. Items returned will then be sold in pre-loved market places, or recycled.

The scheme is a further step forward towards circularity for the brand, which produces ‘Power Casual’ pieces in Regenerative Cotton, Recycled Cotton and ZQ Merino – the world’s leading ethical wool.

Regenerative Cotton. Shirts are produced in fabrics sourced from farms working towards the highest organic standards, which aim to rehabilitate soil, respect animal welfare and improve the lives of farmers. These practices reduce greenhouse gas emissions and could help trap more carbon than conventional agriculture. Everything produced using Regenerative Cotton at Neem London is traceable to the farm.

Recycled Cotton. By regenerating textiles that would otherwise go to waste, Neem London works within a circular economy. The yarns are just as luxurious, the shirts just as soft, and the cuts just as comfortable. The pieces are made in RecoverTM Recycled Cotton Fiber. A sustainable cotton which uses recycled raw materials diverted from landfill, zero chemicals and water, and minimal CO2 emissions. Neem London measures the full impact of its production lines. From carbon and water footprints, to the use of chemicals or how many shirts are saved from landfill. The recycled cotton shirts from Neem London are believed to be the lowest emitting on the market, at 2.91kg CO2e.

ZQ Merino. The world’s leading ethical wool – low emitting, traceable yet stylish. Neem London works with ZQ who farm sustainably, to ensure the merino wool is renewable and biodegradable. The natural fibres mean it rarely needs washing and is ZHDC (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals) certified. It’s sourced from regenerative New Zealand farms, and performance enhancing, zero chlorine treatment is added. Over 50% less C02e than a standard wool garment.

Neem London was founded by Nick Reed, a menswear specialist with over 20 years’ experience and has a very distinct handwriting; always smart, but with understated quiet luxury underpinning each piece. Soft, comfortable and exceptionally easy-on-the-eye, its warm colour palette has almost restorative qualities; wear this to the office and you’re in for a good day, wear it off-duty and the results will be equally as favourable.

Nick Reed, founder of Neem London added, “As a brand we’re always striving to be better. We believe the Neem London Take Back Scheme, which provides a significant amount of cash as well as credit in return for old items, is one of the best Take Back Schemes on the market. Our customers will benefit financially from this initiative, and of course anything that goes some way to reduce the ecological impact of fashion is always something we at Neem would push for.”

Their latest collection is built predominantly around shirting, it also includes t-shirts, sweatshirts, jackets and long sleeve polos. The shirts come in an array of styles; Oxfords, popover shirts and short sleeves.

Learning new skills throughout your career is a key factor in staying motivated and progressing in a business.

A new survey of 2,000 UK adults conducted by The Knowledge Academy sought to find out which skills most people are planning to learn in 2024. Interestingly, over a quarter of Brits want to learn general work related skills such as project management or leadership (27%).

Key Findings:

• General work related skills such as project management and leadership ranks in number one position, with more than a quarter (27%)Brits looking to learn these skills in 2024.

• Half of Brits (50%) are eager to learn their chosen skill in order to improve their overall knowledge and awareness, with over a third (36%) looking to open further workplace opportunities.

• Almost three in ten Brits are looking to learn their chosen skill to aid them in securing a job (29%).

We hope you find this release useful. If you do end up using it, we would appreciate a link to https://www.theknowledgeacademy.com/, who commissioned the data.

The top skills Brits plan to learn in 2024

*The full survey data is available to view here.

The Knowledge Academy has found that work related skills such as project management and leadershipare the top skills UK adults want to learn in 2024, as more than a quarter (27%) of respondents opted for this.

Brits looking to improve their work related skills may gain more fulfilment in their roles, as research shows that learning can keep you feeling happy and purposeful at work.

Secondly, improving business management skills (26%), and enhancing business skills (24%) also rank among the top choices, with around a quarter of Brits choosing to focus on these skills this year.

With one in five Brits hoping to find a new job for 2024, these skills may be a focus for many looking to seek out a career change this year.

Improving computer literacy also ranks among the top skills Brits are planning to learn this year, with almost one in four (23%) looking to upskill these abilities. A recent study found that almost half of Brits don’t feel ‘tech savvy’, which many may look to improve on in 2024, with the ever-changing tech landscape constantly advancing.

The top reasons why UK adults want to learn new a new skill in 2024

The top reason for Brits opting for their chosen skill in 2024 is to improve knowledge and awareness, withhalf of respondents (50%) sharing this as their reason.

Whilst almost two fifths (37%) of those surveyed admit they want to improve on their chosen skill inorder to help them in everyday life.

Finally, opening further workplace opportunitiesranks third, with over a third (36%) of Brits choosing to learn skills in order to increase opportunities within their career. Meanwhile, almost three in ten Brits are looking to learn their chosen skill to help them with securing a job (29%).

Talveer Sandhu on behalf of the The Knowledge Academy provides comment on the survey findings, and how this can help Brits throughout 2024:

“It is fantastic to see a willingness among UK adults to adopt and learn new skills this year, both inside and outside of the workplace. With many looking to open more workplace opportunities for themselves, learning more business and project management skills is always a great way to increase employability, as well as chances of promotion and greater responsibility. 

“Learning skills such as this can not only improve your career, but also leave you feeling more motivated and fulfilled at work, resulting in greater productivity and quality of work produced. Giving yourself this motivation can improve mental wellbeing, and learning a new skill can give you a sense of accomplishment.

“Whilst work skills seem to be a focus for many respondents this year, it is great to see many looking to learn more creative skills too. Creativity can improve mental wellbeing, and provide many transferable skills such as better communication and problem solving abilities. 

“Overall, whatever skill it is that you choose to learn in 2024, learning and educating yourself not only comes with cognitive benefits, but also boosts confidence, happiness, and improves motivation.”