CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN

WORDS BY ISAAC PERRY

CMMN SWDN

Pink for decades has been a colour often paired with femininity, as a result your average male tended to shy away from this toneal shade.  To this day males within multiple cultures around the world are scared to wear this tone and no its not because it doesn’t suit there skin tone. Only real men wear pink.

TIGER OF SWEDEN

When summer approaches every year our wardrobes colours tend to get more and more colourful with Pinks, Blues and Yellows sneaking their way back in. However our pick of the bunch is pink! This is due to a large amount of tones, which pink offers as well as the vast array of styling opportunities, which it offers.

CHAMPION

One of the best aspects of this Summery happy shade is the amount of tones which it offers, with a variety like no others, giving all those wearing it an opportunity to standout in a different way, whether it be Deep pink, hot pink or even baby pink, you decide!

ORLEBAR BROWN

However, how far are you willing to take your pink look? Will it be a basic polo or a pink suit to a wedding, we’ll let you decide?
Pink is an incredibly easy colour to wear with combinations of different silhouettes being endless and this is why its so surprising that it’s still not one of the key colours seen within our wardrobe, as long as the piece is styled correctly and worn with confidence it can definitely help take your style to another level.

SANDRO

Pink in general is an incredibly versatile colour and can be seen throughout a vast range of outfits as it simply brings that little something which was previously missing whether it is vibrant tie or standout pair of trousers and pairing pinks with a variety of greys, whites and beiges is something which we will never say no to!

LYLE & SCOTT

Remember a pink garment is the statement piece within outfits so don’t over do it, Here are a couple of our pink picks for this summer!

PAUL SMITH

POLO RALPH LAUREN (I think you guessed this one)

Fifty years is a long time for anyone to imagine,being married to the same person for fifty years. Fifty years is half a Century, If you leave school at 18, the government want you to work for at least fifty years before you can retire. I might jeez it’s the best part of a lifetime !

Well, can you imagine if your clothes were given this kind of guarantee ? This is exactly what Tom Cridland wants to do, after success with his 30 Year Sweatshirt, he now wants to build upon this with the Half Century Jeans!

Cridland works on the age old principle of it’s better to buy less but make sure what you do buy is special and The Half CenturyJeans is an attempt to promote the concept of sustainable fashion.

Working in the Fashion Industry Cridland became tired of the unnecessary waste, created by poorly made clothes and wanted to move towards protecting our natural resources by making truly durable clothing.

Cridland swears his Half Century Jeans are as comfortable as your favourite pair of jeans, but built from a special hybrid of materials including Japanese selvedge denim, sourced from Okayama, and ultra durable Spectra fibres, which are 15x stronger than cable steel.

These are the closest thing to indestructible jeans available right now. He is so confident of this that, for the next 50 years, they will be backed with a guarantee of free repair or replacement should anything happen to them.

We all know as consumers, we need to buy less and buy better, and to stop subscribing to the “fast fashion” mentality that has become so prevalent and has made fashion the world’s second most polluting industry.

Using selvedge denim is crucial to the design of the Half Century Jeans because it is more durable, better value in terms of cost per wear, made ethically and looks smarter.

All cotton used in the production of Half Century Jeans is 100% organic. Organic cotton is free from pesticides, genetic modification and artificial fertilisers. This is better for the health of our planet and the people living on it: whether you’re using cotton to make clothing or a consumer wearing it.

Oliver J Woods has spent the last 20 years working with men’s hair, for everything from magazines to celebrities
to ad campaigns. Throughout this time Oliver has been looking for a consistent range of top quality hair products that helped men look good – without all the messing around and fuss. Hey don’t get him worry here, he believes there are great products out there but what he’s after is a consistent range, that does it all, and does it well. So, for the last two years he’s spent this time researching, experimenting and testing to develop his own.

The range is focused on including the best natural ingredients. So the ABYSSINIAN CLAY is a Matt Clay made with Abyssinica Seed & Hazlenut Oils. Giving a rm, workable hold, for use on either a wet or dry thatch.

The BLACKSEED WAX is a exible wax which revitalises and protects, giving a strong, workable hold. With Persica, Coconut and Sativa Oils. And ting. And the PERILLA OIL is a rich, versatile Himalayan blend of Perilla, Macadamia and Abyssinica seed oils. For calming of frizzy hair, taming of feral beards, and enriching of the face and bonce.

More interestingly we all know Sunlight enables plants to grow. But if natural products are exposed to sunlight, the effect of light changes, and accelerates their decline. Because product range is made with the highest quality natural ingredients, they use Miron Violet Glass to keep them in. By blocking the complete spectrum of visible light (with the exception of the violet part) Miron Glass protects ingredients, reduces loss in potency, and lengthens storage life without the need for arti cial preservatives.

So with a MOISTURISER SHAVE CREAM BODYWASH COLOGNE all coming soon, exciting times ahead for Mr Woods.

If you could have invented anything what would it be ?

Penicillin..to have such a massive impact on saving peoples lives.

If you had one day to live what would be your biggest regret ?

Not having had the chance to be a parent.

What would be the one piece of clothing you would rescue from your home in the event of a fire?

A crombie coat from Spencer Hart.

What inspires you ?

A bad haircut…..knowing I can make it better.

If you could only wear one brand/Designer for the rest of your life who would it be ?

John Lobbe. The best shoes you can buy.

Who is your style icon?

Oliver Reed..he just looked like a mans man and clothes loved him.

What piece of style advice do you live by?

Buy expensive from the ground up…….shoes always are the most important and you can add not so pricey clothes with it and still look amazing.

Have you ever bought a piece of clothing and regretted it?

I got pressed into buying some really expensive cut off denim shorts for no reason….. I bought them for £300 and could never force myself to wear them.

Who’s the most famous person’s number in your phone?

Robbie Williams

How did you get into the industry, what was your big break?

After I had done all my training and qualified, shortly after I got asked to do a cover of Sky Magazine way back with Zoe Ball..on that shoot I met a make up artist who now runs the Burberry range and is one of the most influential in the business and she got me my first agent.

In your words, describe your new range?

I think it’s a very classic, beautiful, sleek, non fuss product. Unisex. Technically, the hold of the clay and wax is second to none.

If you could style anyone who would it be? Tom Hardy

What do you have to do after this conversation?

Go down to my pop up salon in the basement of Oliver Spencer’s store on Kensington Park Road. My product is now stocked there.

What would you like to be doing after this conversation?

Having a long hot bath!

‘Smart casual’ is the dress requirement for many events, including birthdays, weddings and the occasional cocktail party. But the line can sometimes become blurred between too formal and too casual, so what should you be wearing?
When to wear?
If it hasn’t been specified, it can be difficult to determine when to go for a smart casual look. Some offices and workplaces have ‘dress down Fridays’ or a casual dress code every day. However, it’s still nice to make an effort and look reasonably smart — even if this doesn’t involve a three-piece suit and tie.
Certain events request a smart casual dress code too, such as a dinner party where a formal tuxedo is not expected but jeans and a T-shirt would be frowned upon. Or, for a first interview — it may specify casual in the email, but first impressions count and your outfit should still be carefully considered.
Opting for business casual can be a good choice when there’s been no indication of dress code too. It avoids the error of looking like you don’t take pride in your appearance and prevents you feeling out of place by dressing too formally.
Some staple items
Dressing for business casual doesn’t have to involve the purchase of a new wardrobe. Simply invest in a few staple items to achieve the look.
One of these items should be a smart and stylish blazer. It depends on your fashion preferences as to what sort of blazer you opt for — just choose one that you feel confident in and it will show. An unstructured blazer is perfect for men who prefer a relaxed look and who want to avoid a rigid and overly tailored shape. Some believe that these are more comfortable too, as they are without inner folds and allow you to move more freely. A structured blazer, on the other hand, emphasises the shape of the body. It gives more of a snug fit to the wearer and is generally more expensive, as it takes great skill to create an impressive jacket of this style. Navy is a good choice for a blazer as it is very versatile and not as formal as the traditional black jacket.
Another staple item is suitable and fashionable footwear. Depending on your preferences, choose a pair of brogues or loafers to complete a smart casual look. Brogues are uber stylish and recognisable by their detailed leather uppers and thin laces. Loafers, on the other hand, are lower shoes so the ankle is exposed, they do not have laces and often have a low heel. They can be seen as less formal than the brogue because more of the foot is on show. In terms of colour, brown is a good colour to go for as it can be paired with denim or smart trousers, whereas black may be too dark to complement some colours.
Invest in a pair of smart trousers that match well with the rest of your wardrobe too. A light pair of chinos are a good option for warmer weather, as they can brighten up your outfit whilst keeping you looking smart. If you feel more comfortable in jeans, try to choose a darker denim as this gives off a more formal vibe — just avoid distressed or ripped denim at all costs.
The full outfit
It can be hard to style for business casual, especially if it’s not something that you’re used to. CT Shirts, who know a thing or two on men’s style and retailers of men’s shirts, have  some suggestions:
The classic roll-neck
One outfit that ticks all the boxes for a stylish smart-casual look involves the fashionable roll-neck. For the colder months especially, a roll-neck jumper is perfect for layering and looking smart. Pair a black wool roll-neck with a grey slim fit jacket and coloured pocket square to become the master of business casual. Match your socks with your pocket square for co-ordination and wear your favourite pair of swanky trousers.
The open collar
Unfasten a few buttons on a smart shirt to dress it down slightly. An open collar shirt paired with a double-breasted jacket can create an ideal look for the fashion-conscious gentleman. Choose complementing colours for the shirt and blazer, such as different hues of blue or grey, to really make your outfit come together. Slip into tailored trousers, chinos or jeans and pair with brogues to complete the look.

So, there we have it, the decoded version of smart-casual — not as difficult to master as you might have thought! Of course, keeping your outfit neat and tidy is important too, so don’t let smaller details drop you into the ‘casual’ bracket. Have a lint roller on hand before leaving the house and make sure you always look your best.