CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN

It’s been super hot of last and many people  are dehydrated and don’t even know it, says Sarah Jefferies from Emergency First Aid At Work Course

A leading health and first aid educator is warning that dehydration often shows up in subtle ways that are frequently missed.

Health Expert Sarah Jefferies, from Emergency First Aid At Work Course says:

“We tend to associate dehydration with feeling thirsty or lightheaded – but by the time you’re noticeably thirsty, you’re already dehydrated. Some of the earliest signs are surprisingly easy to overlook.”

The lesser-known symptoms of dehydration include:

• Irritability or mood swings – Dehydration can affect the brain and make you more short-tempered or anxious.
• Bad breath – Saliva has antibacterial properties, and dehydration reduces its production, causing odour.
• Craving sugar or salty snacks – When hydration is low, your body may misfire hunger signals to compensate.
• Dizziness when standing up – A drop in blood pressure due to low fluid levels can cause postural dizziness.
• Dry eyes or blurred vision – Lack of fluid can affect tear production and eye lubrication.
• Dark yellow or strong-smelling urine – A classic but often ignored sign, especially if bathroom trips are infrequent.

Jefferies continues:

“Dehydration doesn’t just affect athletes or people working outside. Office workers, commuters, and even children in school are at risk. Staying properly hydrated is a simple but critical step in avoiding everything from headaches and fatigue to more serious heat-related illnesses.”

The hidden culprits in your diet

As well as not drinking enough water, some common foods and drinks can actually contribute to dehydration:

• Salty snacks and ready meals – Excess sodium pulls water from your cells and increases fluid loss.
• Caffeine-heavy drinks – Coffee, energy drinks, and some teas can act as diuretics in high quantities.
• Alcohol – Especially during warm weather, alcohol speeds up fluid loss and impacts electrolyte balance.
• High-protein, low-carb diets – These can increase your water needs, especially if you’re cutting carbs heavily.
• Fizzy drinks and sugary treats – These can spike blood sugar and lead to increased urination and fluid loss.

Top tips to stay hydrated during warmer months:

• Carry a refillable water bottle and sip regularly – don’t wait to feel thirsty.
• Eat water-rich foods like cucumber, watermelon and strawberries.
• Limit dehydrating drinks like coffee and alcohol, especially in the sun.
• Be extra mindful if you’re taking medications that affect fluid balance.

Additional images

Engin Akyurt

KOBU Agency

Nigel Msipa

Jacek Dylag

Spotlighting a bold new silhouette, Dickies, the world’s leading workwear brand, introduces the 247 Work Pant with a campaign led by diverse musical voices who reflect its versatile spirit. Launching first with content from Ezra Collective and Diego Naska, the creative captures a day in their world, unfiltered and in motion. From morning coffees to late-night studio sessions, the content offers an inside look at their routines and passions. Whether they’re working, creating or just living, the 247 Work Pant moves with them. Built to keep up, wherever the day goes.

“The campaign leans into real stories and creative communities, showing the 247 work pant in action across different moments and lifestyles.” said Filip Elerud, Global Brand Marketing Director. “It’s about versatility, ease and staying true to the brand’s workwear roots while evolving with a new generation.”

The 247 is a lighter take on Dickies’ iconic work trousers, engineered for round-the-clock wear in enzyme-washed 8.3oz cotton twill. Drawing inspiration from heritage styles like the 874 work pant and Double Knee, the collection updates these classics with a softer fabric and added phone pocket, built to meet the demands of modern life from morning to after hours.

247 continues Dickies legacy of durable and functional design, capturing the honest pace of life in the moment.

The heat has been the HOT topic of conversation, I’m sure like yourselves, in Maison McGrath for quite some time now. Primarily because we have had to, finally, get the Fans down from the attic and how can I put this, we are having quite the dilemma. Fans on at night, great, cooling, but they are waking us all up as it sounds like we are, trying, sleeping in a wind tunnel with Jet engines for company !

Take a shortcut to the latest Quiet Mark certified high performance lowest noise fans and cooling solutions, silent enough for sleeping, before you boil or go dopey from lack of sleep at night, fast-track to the most non intrusive models on the market found for you, from desktop, pedestal, tower, portable to air con units, acoustic lab tested on their highest settings to qualify for tech-leading soothing sound quality experience:

AirCraft LUME Quiet Air Circulator Fan

Big on breeze, low on noise. This fan delivers powerful, refreshing airflow at a volume you can chat, work or dream to. With a soft ambient backlight featuring three brightness settings, it’s not just cool, it sets the mood too.

Duux Whisper Flex 2 Fan

Duux’s newest fan delivers a powerful breeze that reaches up to 15 metres, all while keeping things whisper quiet. When it’s time to wind down, nightmode kicks in to silence any bleeps, reducing sleep disturbances.

MeacoFan Sefte 10” Pedestal Air Circulator

With three adjustable height settings, this fan fits perfectly on your bedside table or living room floor, and night mode ensures a peaceful sleep with lights and sounds off.

Russell Hobbs Premium Tower Fan

With it’s 85 degree oscillation, it sends a fresh breeze sweeping through every corner of the room to provide instant relief no matter where you are.

NSAuk Ultimate Fold-Away Fan

Whisper quiet, easy on energy bills and even easier to tuck away when summer’s over.

Levoit Classic Tower Fan LTF-F362

Powerful, ultra quiet and stylish cooling with 12 speeds, 4 modes, remote control and easy maintenance.

Russell Hobbs RHPDF1221-AZ Desk Fan

Powerful, ultra quiet and stylish cooling with 12 speeds, 4 modes, remote control and easy maintenance.

De’Longhi Pinguino PAC EX93 Extreme Portable Air Conditioner

The quietest Pinguino ever thanks to Arctic Whisper Extreme and Super Quiet Technologies, for up to 70% less noise.

MeacoFan Sefte 10″ Desktop Air Circulator

Precision engineered to deliver more air, create less noise and use less energy.

There’s tailoring, and then there’s tailoring with personality—and Maude & Fox sit squarely in the latter camp. Since its Dorset debut in 2012, this proudly British label has championed tweed’s timeless elegance—reimagined for modern life. Their mantra? “Urban country chic”: classic British materials, sharpened with contemporary flair, and handcrafted into pieces equally at home in London pubs or rural shoots.

Every garment begins with 100% British tweed, sourced meticulously from Yorkshire and Scotland. But that’s just the canvas. A careful half‑zip here, a fleece liner there—and suddenly you have tweed hoodies and shooting jackets with all the practicality of modern outerwear, without sacrificing charm  .

Take The Brace shooting jacket—water‑resistant, fleece‑lined, magnet‑fastened bellow pockets, and a cut that shields you from draughts. It’s no surprise it graced the pages of Papapreneur’s style guide:

“Tweed with a twist… urban country chic… contemporary styling”

What distinguishes Maude & Fox isn’t just material or design—it’s the soul behind the seams. Each piece is hand‑cut and sewn from start to finish by a single craftsperson, ensuring consistency in quality and a uniquely British eccentric charm  .

Brand founder Sue Longmore, a former landscape architect, launched the label after noticing a gap in the country‑wear market—a lack of flair, individuality, and pride of place. Despite a terrifying stock‑theft early on, the brand emerged stronger, supported by loyal customers and their own brand of British resilience.

Style Guide: Wearing the Maude & Fox THEIR  Way

1. Layer tweed hoodies under cropped coats—smart turns relaxed.

2. Pop a shooting jacket over a shirt and jeans for weekend shoots or Sunday roasts.

3. Gilets? Perfect over shirting, brilliant under heavier outerwear.

4. Don’t forget colour: Maude & Fox’s signature greens, blues, and overchecks nod to nature while modern accents keep the look fresh.

If Clothes Make the Man celebrates clothes as character, Maude & Fox wear that truth on their sleeves. Born in Britain, built in craftsmanship, and designed with that rare mix of tradition and contemporary ease—this is a brand that proves tweed is anything but stuffy. It’s bold, it’s lived-in, it’s alive.

When we hear “community action”, we often think of village halls, parish councils and tight-knit rural groups. When you think about it, there are so many more examples of communities. Take students, for example; In recent years, the UK’s student population has hit as high as 2.90 million in higher education. There are entire neighbourhoods of student apartments in London, Bristol, Manchester and more, forming pockets of tight-knit, environmentally aware micro-communities. Collectively, communities, like these are a huge, country-wide demographic in its own right.

This leads to an important question: what can groups do, as a community, to help the environment? One surprisingly powerful area of change may be hidden away in their wardrobes. Or floordrobes, we’re not here to judge.

Sadly, the global fashion industry is a hefty polluter, contributing roughly 10% of global carbon emissions and 20% of wastewater. Given that it produces more greenhouse gases than international flights and maritime shipping combined, it’s no surprise that the fashion industry is under growing pressure to clean up its act. This information may come as a shock, but for style-savvy this serves as a wake-up call – and a chance to make better choices when it comes to what we wear.

Sustainable fashion isn’t a fringe movement any more, but a status symbol and badge of honour. Being stylish and sustainable is the new gold standard, and whether you’re dressing for clubbing or chilling at home, here are some practical tips for building a wardrobe that’s both chic and climate-conscious.

Most of us have fallen into the trap of buying an outfit for a single occasion – only for it to vanish into the depths of our wardrobe, rarely (if ever) worn again. The truth is, special occasions don’t always call for permanent purchases. Platforms like HURR, By Rotation, and My Wardrobe HQ offer individuals access to high-end looks, without the financial or environmental costs.

These services operate on a circular fashion model, which helps reduce demand for new garments and extend the lifecycle of existing ones. With curated designer options and next-day delivery, the rental economy makes it easier than ever to wear the brands you love – sustainably.

Some people love the thrill of a charity shop rummage. Others? Not so much. But the truth is, vintage, or new to you, and second-hand fashion outlets are a treasure trove for statement pieces and individuality. Whether you’re after 90s denim or a classic Burberry trench, platforms like Vestiaire Collective, Depop, and Vinted offer access to luxury fashion with significantly lower environmental impact.

Buying second-hand keeps clothes out of landfill, slashes emissions, and gives you something no one else on is likely to have. A win-win-win!

Fast fashion might feel like the cheaper option upfront, but long term, it’s not doing your wallet — or the environment — any favours. Instead, invest in timeless wardrobe staples that will actually last – think neutral cashmere knits, well-tailored trousers, or an iconic coat that will last across seasons.

Luxury brands are increasingly leading this shift. For instance, Stella McCartney’s Fall/Winter 2023 collection was made with 92% responsible materials, including grape and mushroom-based leathers – both cutting-edge innovations in sustainable textiles.

Sustainability has become a bit of a buzzword in recent years, but sadly, not all “sustainable” claims are created equally. Look for independently verified certifications like GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard), which ensures organic fibres and fair labour. OEKO-TEX Standard 100 guarantees your fabrics have been tested for harmful substances, while a B Corp accreditation indicates a brand meets rigorous standards for social and environmental impact.

Stylish brands like Patagonia are setting new benchmarks for eco-conscious luxury – and it’s worth knowing what the values are of the brands you’re buying from.

We’ve only covered a few of the certifications that you might see while you’re out in the Wild West of Wardrobes, but a little research will help you support the causes you care about.

Some designers are completely rethinking what fashion can – and perhaps should – be seen as. For example, PANGAIA (which translates from Greek to “all the Earth”) conducts research and development of sustainable materials in Florence, Italy. They’re perhaps best known for their use of materials like plant-based denim and grape leather.

VEJA, on the other hand, offers stylish trainers made from organic cotton, natural rubber and recycled plastic bottles. Mara Hoffman prioritises regenerative organic cotton, which improves soil health and carbon drawdown, while Reformation produces limited-run fashion with transparency on water use and carbon emissions.

These brands, and many more, combine innovation, transparency, and timeless design – making them firm favourites among those who care as much about the planet as their presentation. They don’t just make clothes that look good – they’re doing good at the same time.

Remember, there’s something kind of cool about being able to tell someone your outfit used to be a bottle of your favourite soft drink – it’s certainly a strong conversation-starter!

In many ways, your wardrobe is its own little ecosystem. If something no longer sparks joy (or just doesn’t fit), move it on before bringing new pieces in. It’s better than hoarding – and definitely better than binning items altogether. We’ve already mentioned platforms like Vinted and Depop as great places to buy clothes, but as you’d expect, they’re also ideal for reselling.

You can also organise swap parties with workmates or friends- not only is this good for the environment, but it could be great for your social life too!

If you’re feeling a little more charitable, you can donate items to charity shops that support textile recycling, or even use apps like Nuw, which promote clothes-swapping and community sustainability.

When clothes shopping, an item’s fit and feel may be the main concerns you have, but if you want to start a more eco-friendly wardrobe, it starts with a few simple questions.

Before your next purchase, ask yourself the following:

• Can I rent this instead of buying it?
• Is this made to last?
• Does the brand meet certified ethical standards?
• Am I supporting a designer committed to change?
• Would I be willing and able to sell, swap or donate this if I no longer needed it?

If you find yourself saying no more than yes… maybe find something else.

At its heart, sustainable fashion is a celebration of creativity, consciousness, and forward thinking. More than that, it’s about doing better – for yourself, for the planet, and for the people making your clothes. Shopping with the environment in mind is creative, expressive, and empowering, and for students juggling budgets, big dreams, and busy calendars  it’s proof that elegance, style and bold statement outfits doesn’t have to cost an arm, leg or indeed, the earth.