CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN

An American icon in its own right, Vans uses its collaborations to pay tribute to American culture. Surprise my, it’s only now this project has come to fruition. For over 30 years, The Simpsons television show, the longest-running primetime scripted show in television history has been a part of pop culture, providing hilarious insight into suburban family life. Currently airing its record-annihilating 31st season and in production on season 32, THE SIMPSONS has won 34 Emmy Awards (including its 11th in 2019 for Outstanding Animated Program), 34 Annie Awards, 9 Environmental Media Awards, 7 People’s Choice Awards and 13 Writers Guild of America Awards including the 2019 and 2020 Outstanding Writing in an Animated Program Award.  THE SIMPSONS was the first animated series to win a Peabody Award, and in 2019 received the Institutional Peabody Award.  It was nominated for an Academy Award in 2012 for the theatrical short “The Longest Daycare.” The Simpsons Movie was a hit feature film, their mega-attraction The Simpsons Ride at Universal Studios has received historic expansion updates with the addition of ‘Springfield’—winning a Thea Award in both 2009 and 2017. The show was honored with a Star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2000. The Simpsons ongoing Tapped Out mobile game which launched in 2012 was a recipient of a Webby Award in 2018.   It has been named the “Best Show of the 20th Century” by Time Magazine, called the “Greatest American Sitcom” by Entertainment Weekly in 2013, and declared “The Best TV Show Ever” in 2016 by vulture.com.

This season, Vans honors The Simpsons with a vibrant collection of footwear, apparel and accessories that celebrate iconic moments from the historic series.

The Vans x Simpsons collection pays tribute to this all American phenomena, the Simpsons family (Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie) with depictions and references that diehard fans will appreciate. Key pieces from the collection include the Sk8-Hi and Men’s Chukka Pro. The entire Simpsons family makes an appearance on the outside of the Sk8-Hi, with the iconic checkerboard print on the medial in signature shades of blue and yellow.

The Men’s Chukka Pro pays homage to Bart Simpson, the ever youthful 10-year-old prankster.  A Bart-shaped skull and crossbones silhouette appear on the lateral side of the shoe. The Bart Chukka Pro is reinforced with Vans’ Duracap for added durability for skating around town. Bart’s pranks carry over to the pack’s Sk8-Low style which showcases a red brick medial tagged in Bart’s “El Barto” signature plus a graffitied self-portrait.

The footwear assortment is rounded out with eight more styles that pay homage to beloved Simpsons characters. Moe and the Bouviers occupy Old Skool colorways while Scratchy gets a toon-filled Era style. Lisa is featured on a lavender Sk8-Hi, while Mr. Plow rightfully resides on a Sk8-Hi MTE style. Rounding out the footwear collection is a skate-approved color block Slip-On Pro along with a Slide-On sandal inspired by the famous pink Homer Simpson donuts.

With the collection’s apparel line, fans of the show will find a variety of women’s and men’s styles.  The Lisa Fleece features a purple color block fleece crew with raglan sleeves and bright “Lisa Simpson for President” on the back and front chest. The accompanying Simpsons Check Backpack features Vans’ iconic checkerboard print in Simpsons-inspired yellow, featuring close-ups of Lisa’s face and a rubberized logo patch on the front zip pocket. The Lisa look is complete with a “Lisa 4 Prez” short-sleeved tee paired with a matching hat and fanny pack.

For the men’s apparel, The Simpsons short-sleeve tee features a logo on the chest and a family scene on the back, a tribute to the show’s famous couch gag intro.

The collection offers a white and black hoodie, both featuring the entire Simpson family and is accompanied by logos on the sleeves. Standing out is the blue Bart-inspired hoodie with a Bart skull design on the back and chest. The Simpsons long-sleeve tee features “El Barto” fleeing with graffiti can in hand, and the knit short-sleeve tee (a Pro Skate exclusive) is covered in Bart Simpson skull and crossbones.

From 1984, with his first Men’s Collection with its fetishised naked-backed men, Jean Paul Gaultier has been, in the eyes of the world, season after season, event after event, the ‘enfant terrible’ and, as many called him, the father, of men’s fashion.

Just as he created from the corseted woman the emblem and the bottle for his female fragrance, Jean Paul Gaultier transforms the man with the sailor’s top into a symbol and a bottle for Le Male, this year celebrating its milestone Silver anniversary.

The legendary French fashion designer, unleashed a fragrance upon us which was to go on and be as recognisable and synonymous as his trademark breton tops, a fondness for wearing kilts and suicide blond hair. “Le Male” irreversibly shook up the world of scents by introducing an unprecedented masculine archetype: the sensual sailor with a soft heart, to accompany this launch came an Ad campaign which equally shook up the world and is still remembered with fondness today.  Reinventing the classic, enrichening it with a new purpose and a double entendre – Jean Paul Gaultier loves nothing more!

For Le Male, to make something other than another EDT for men, he wanted to revisit the traditional lavender of masculine fragrance – with the help of perfumer Francis Kurkdjian.

A strange idea when one thinks that Jean Paul Gaultier’s original idea, a fragrance which evoked the sensuality of a sun-drenched naked body on the beach, a little lick-able, a little louche, to be oneself, to dare.

It starts off fresh. Like an outraged diabolo-menthe that made friends with mugwort, bergamot and cardamom, in order to state things clearly, and tease for what’s to come…

Then there’s lavender, married to orange flower and cinnamon and cumin, a reinvented lavender, led astray somewhat into a heart that echoes the heart of Jean Paul Gaultier Parfum for women.

Wood, musk, amber, vanilla and tonka beans, the base is fleshy, carnal, skin-loving and stroke-able.

From the head to the heart, from the heart to the base, the pulsating beat of the fragrance, its successive rhythms are each unlike anything else. You start off with a feeling of knowing and then realise that there is everything to learn. It’s like a life, made up of many lives… or a man who is all men.

We are experiencing what many meteorologists are calling the best Sustained hot weather Summer we have had in over a generation. We all know we have to play our part in what in going on currently with the pandemic and all of us flocking to beaching is a definite NO NO.

However, there are plenty of quite beaches, lidos, lakes etc that we can take advantage of and still social distance. Take a look at this cracking look below, with ensure it can easily fit into a small bag and look tip top trendy, guaranteeing your top of the style stakes.

Tommy Hilfiger x AAPE Cotton-Jersey T-shirt White (SS20) 

Why not mix the old with the new. On this collaboration, Tommy Hilfiger has brought us a very clean classic look tee, incorporated with BAPE’s classic Ape face. This could be thrown on for a nice smart/casual look, keeping true to the Tommy Hilfiger colours, this could fit easily with a pair of blue denim jeans and the fit is yours to finish.

With a whole new collection dropping, Fear of God isn’t slowing down as the ESSENTIALS (SS20) range was a hit all around. Coming in a stealthy Dark Slate/Stretch Limo Black the ESSENTIALS Sweatpants are comfortable and only one part to the full set.

Stussy x Nike Water Short Habanero Red (SS20) 

You can never go wrong with a pair of shorts, especially from a collaboration with Stussy and Nike. Habanero red shorts are made for you to show off your skills in the pool or sea while in style. Going to any beaches? Going to the local pool? or just going out on a casual day?

A child should never be left unattended in the car, even if it is for a brief stop to do some shopping or get an ice cream.  Temperatures can rise by approximately 3°C within 10 minutes and by more than 10°C within 30 minutes.  Children are especially vulnerable to heat-related illnesses; therefore, it is extremely dangerous to leave your child (as well as any pet!) unattended in the car on a warm day.

Scandinavian brands BeSafe and Voksi are dedicated to creating the safest travel solutions for children around the world.   They are passionate about encouraging families to go on adventures, and want to enable them to travel with ease, with the knowledge their children are safely secure in the car.

10 top tips on how to keep kids comfortable in the car on a hot day

Words by Anthony Walker

Many bearded guys are not usually interested in conditioning their facial hair, and this could be due to a lack of knowledge about conditioners. For some others, it could be they don’t know the best products to use for beard grooming and care.

Whether you agree or not, there are no ​secrets to a healthy-looking beard​ aside from occasional grooming and care. And to spot the freshest looking facial hair, you would need to get the right products, and one of them is a beard conditioner. That said, below are the ways you can benefit from using a conditioner.

Protects the Cuticles

The cuticles are a sensitive part of the hair and need to stay hydrated and protected from daily exposure to sun and dirt. With the right conditioner, you could build a protective layer from the hair’s tip down to the roots. This can help to reduce damage during styling and also prevent loss of hair.

Balances pH Levels

The regular use of beard and skincare products could strip the hair of its moisture and nutrients, leading to reduced hair growth. It would help if you used​ a suitable beard conditioner weekly​ to lock in back minerals and moisture needed to support a healthy-looking beard.

Improves Sheen

One of the secrets to a shining looking facial hair is moisture, and with the regular use of beard oil, cream or balm, you can spot a radiant-looking man burns. In addition to a conditioner, you want to invest in some quality beard shampoo and moisturizer to ensure your hair stays hydrated throughout the day.

Improves Styling

Another advantage of hair conditioning is that it reduces tangling, making it easy to run a comb or brush through with ease. This will be useful, especially for men with tight facial hair who find it challenging to groom. You must include the best organic beard cream and oils, blades, scissors, combs, and brushes to achieve your perfect style.

Pleasant Fragrance

You also benefit from the natural fragrance that comes with beard oil, cream, and balms. You can find them available in a variety of sweet-smelling fragrances that last for hours after use. It is safer to stay clear of products with artificial perfumes as they could irritate the skin and cuticles.

Stimulates Hair Growth

It is no lie that most beard oils and balms are capable of ​stimulating the hair follicles and enhancing growth​, but you want to choose the best brands if you want excellent results. You must know that conditioners don’t lead to instant growth but usually show positive results when used regularly.

Choosing the Best Beard Conditioners

Remember, I said that for most guys, the challenge is finding the best option between a beard oil, cream, balm, and butter. The easiest way to find out is to try a few of them to see which one appeals to you best.

For most guys, oils seem to get the job done, but there is no harm in trying other options. The only rule is to avoid using harmful products or chemicals on your beards to prevent damage to your skin and cuticles.