CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN

Yes Halloween is just over a week away that time of year associated with ghosties, ghouls and all things that go bump in the night. However, a more scarier thought that might be lurking in the dark recesses of your mind like a ominous spectre, is that it’s half term !!! As part of our new section, TheStylishDad we’ve teamed up with the not so scary Marks & Spencer to offer you an indispensable guide to stop you feeling like the undead over this gruesome time.

Long before there was Halloween, or All Hallows’ Eve to give it the correct term, there was the Celtic pagan feast of Samhain (pronounced sow-inn) in honour of the solstice, communities would come together to bid farewell to the Autumn and see in the less favourable Winter months. Pope Gregory III, designated November 1 as a time to honor all Saints and martyrs; the holiday, All Saints’ Day. Over time October 31st became known as All Hallows’ Eve eventually becoming Halloween.

With economic downturns effecting Ireland over the years they spread themselves across Europe, North America and Australia. With them they too took their festivals and traditions and adapted them to their adopted homes. Jack O’ lanterns originally were made from turnips, but the more common pumpkin in North America replaced the humble turnip in acting as a symbol to warn off evil and the spirits that returned to roam the land of the living for one night before All Saints day.

Anyway, enough of the history lesson, let’s get down to some fun and what merriment we can get up to over the Spooktacular half term.

First up we have activities that will neither send YOU mad nor break the bank, but will keep your little angels from turning into lil devils. One of the benefits of using pumpkins rather than turnips is they are a lot easier and safer to crave. However, we have to stress children should NEVER attempt to do this un-supervised. Plus, you can use the flesh to make countless tasty faves including gnocchi, risotto and pumpkin pie.

Another food related task which you won’t find tasking, is making spooky inspired cakes, and don’t worry Mary Berry won’t be complaining about your soggy bottom with these. Your creations can be as simple as Rice Krispies and marshmallows covered in melted chocolate or buying a good quality of course, Chocolate brownie mix and decorating them. Remember it’s the experience rather than Michelin starred taste, that’s important. Plus, you can’t forget the fun that’s to be had with a basin of water and a spot of apple bobbing, although I would have towels at hand and make sure the kids don’t turn it into a fun game of water boarding, ahhhh childhood memories.

Lastly, you can never under estimate the fun to had making decorations, go for a Halloween colour scheme, so black, of course, orange, white, red and green all have seasonal connotations then channel your artistic side rather than maybe Linda Blair. Paper chains, paper garlands in the shape of ghosts, bats, pumpkins or skeletons and the only tools you need are paper, SAFETY scissors and sellotape.

Now if the weather stays seasonal rather than taking a turn for the worse, get out over the half term as you’ll find adventures and activities both near and far. Start off at your local library, yeah remember where it is, If you haven’t been into a library for a while then you’re in for a pleasant surprise! Gone are the days when libraries were places full of dusty books and bespectacled Librarians telling you to “Shhh” These days, they are a hotbed of fun and creativity, especially if you head to one of The children’s libraries in Redbridge, East London (2 minutes on the train from Stratford). Here the libraries are bright & noisy. We caught up with Anita Luby, Head of Library and Heritage Services for Redbridge Council, she informed us, “Redbridge prides itself on issuing the most kids books across London and puts this down to the fantastic programme of events for families it offers throughout the year. This October, kids will get the opportunity to take part in a range of Star Wars inspired craft activities and quizzes as well as to have their photo taken with their favourite characters. The half term holidays kick off with the Fabula Festival (22 & 23 Oct) which will be a celebration of arts and all that libraries have to offer. Key highlights include Korky Paul of Winnie the Witch fame and a spooktacular Monsters Ball! There will also be story and rhyme time sessions, theatre shows, balloon modelling and more! It’s the most fun you’ll have in a library and the best but is that most events are either free of very affordable, even if you are taking a few kids! “

If you are lucky enough to be going further afield, do a bit of research before you go, theme parks including Alton Towers, Harry Potter World and The Disney land parks all have a whole host of spine tingling ideas that will prove frightful but won’t keep you up all night with distressed offspring. More for grown ups or at least the teenagers you need to keep occupied are the varied and immensely entertaining Haunted Walks and Ghost Tours which you can find in pretty much every major Western city. Ones we can personally recommend are Dublin, Boston, London and Edinburgh, all incredibly fun and once again great value for money, remember don’t have nightmares.

Nearer to home Manchester is being transformed into a creepy, haunted location for Halloween, what’s new, did you say ? How dare you ! Families are invited on a mysterious adventure to crack a code to unlock and enter the secret and spellbinding world of Dr Dee, Manchester’s infamous alchemist. By following the haunting historic map to track down clues, surprising happenings and curious characters in unexpected locations. Dr Dee’s Secret Curiosity Shop takes place at various locations across the city centre from 10am, on 29th October with entry to the Curiosity Shop at a secret location throughout the day.

Our top 3 tips for Trick or Treaters

1) If you don’t want to be bothered by Trick or Treaters at Halloween, which is totally fine, each to their own, don’t display any form of Halloween paraphernalia. So no Jack O’Lanterns, decorations etc.

2) If you are up for partaking in a spot of seasonal shenanigans, invest in some decent quality treats, like the above from Marks & Spencer. You don’t wanna be subjected to any tricks.

3) Be considerate, not everyone likes the frights of Halloween and you don’t want to disrupt or upset anyone with any over enthusiastic ghoulish activities. Remember, don’t stray too far from home as you don’t know what might be lurking around that corner.

Words by Mia Riley

An area of Europe that is famed for beautiful architecture and innovative design, Scandinavian fashion has equally built quite the name for itself. With effortless style that reflects the elegant furniture design the region is so well known for. Copenhagen is in the forefront of this movement. You don’t even have to go in a store to see that everyone in Copenhagen knows how to dress.

If you find yourself in that slightly cold part of the world, these are the 4 stores you must visit.

Wood Wood

Address: Grønnegade 1, 1107 Copenhagen
Founded in Copenhagen Wood Wood is now stocked all over the world it’s even on Asos. There is no place like home though, so a trip to this store in it’s home city is definitely worth a visit, stocking some of Wood Wood’s gorgeous clothes along with some fabulous brands like Comme Des Garcons.

Won Hundred
Address: Østergade 52, 1100 Copenhagen
Founded in 2004 in Denmark this brand has an appreciation for simplicity and understated design. It’s now available all over the globe too, so if you don’t get a chance to visit the store you will still be able to get your hands on their traditional danish clothes with a modern twist. Think neat straight lines and muted colours.

Norse Store
Adress: Pilestræde 41, 1112 Copenhagen
A store that stocks a massive array of brands there is definitely going to be something that tickles your fancy. From A.P.C to Marni to Levi’s there is a massive variety of brands and designers to choose from. You Won’t be disappointed.

Henrik Vibskov
Krystalgade 6, 1172 København K,
A triple threat, a filmmaker, fashion designer and musician he is a multi talenteded Central St Martins graduated (graduated in 2001). His boutique is playful and creative housing his own collection as well as other cutting-edge designers like Comme.

One question I seem to be asked so often is, “Where can I get a great Wallet, which isn’t gonna cost the Earth?” In fact, only in the last few weeks 3 good friends have asked that very same question, two of which when I asked them what they currently had ? Revealed a tatty, shabby looking example, only to be told that I had bought them it for Christmas, many moons ago!

A brand that answers this stylish conundrum spot on is Troubadour, they use all-natural vegetable-tanned Italian leather for all its leather goods so that every piece looks better with age. After making a reputation for themselves in the luggage side of the industry they, following lots of requests, have decided to venture into the small leather goods, accessories market.

Launched after a long search for the perfect weekend bag that would see you seamlessly for any occasion from a business trip to weekend away with friends. Not beginning able to satisfy they needs, Samuel and Abel, the guys behind the brand, thought they would do it themselves.

So once again working on their brand ethos of offering smart Designs For Everyday Essentials. Troubadour’s philosophy of clean design, rooted in function and performance, have acted as an inspiration for a collection of belts and small leather goods that combines practicality and style. Clever technical construction produces streamlined silhouettes. Ingenious leather folding ensures slim yet capacious wallets.

Words by Charlie Britton

Recent years have seen the male grooming scene grow from strength so strength, with more and more men taking extra good care of themselves. From hair creams and beard oils to skin care and aftershaves, we all have one thing in common, a trip to the local barber shop.

Cut throat wet shaves to scissor cuts and skin fades, the barber shop is an undeniably British place of rest bite, comfort and relaxation. Here at Clothes-Make-The-Man, we’ve tried our fare share of barbershops across the land, so we’ve decided to give you the low down on some of the best barbers across the British isles, so you can remain doubt free in the search for optimum manliness.

Launched in 2012 in Edinburgh’s West End, Ruffians went from strength to strength, winning hairdressing awards right off the bat with their first store. Now in four locations across the UK, Ruffians is by far one of the cleanest and slickest barber shops to date. Whiskeys and coffees all round, Ruffians offers a tailored consultation, clean cut and even vacuum’s your neck to end on a high, hair free note.

Sheffield’s little gem, Savills barber shop definitely stands out from the crowd. Equipped with 9 highly skilled barbers and a vast apothecary of grooming aids, you wont regret making a trip to the oldest school barber shop in the country. The antique furnishings, reclaimed gear and traditional uniforms ensure you feel you’ve stepped back in time, although the services provided are nothing but modern and clean cut.

Hidden away on the streets of Angel, Gents of London provides an authentic service like no other. Traditional theme with a modern service, this old school London barber shop can tailor each cut to every client, ensuring nothing but pure satisfaction is produced from some of the best barbers in town. Mod haircuts to skin fades and scissor cuts, this barber shop can offer something for every gentleman, and we guarantee you’ll feel right at home.

On the sunny streets of Exeter, the original Sandyman Chop Shop sits not so quietly, attending to the needs of gentlemen and lads alike. The tatted’ up guys at the Sandyman Chop Shop don’t look like your usual traditional barbers, but fear not, these guys know a thing or two about cut throat razors. Unwind with a beer or a glass of rum, and let the guys at the Chop Shop do their thing.

Dublin’s man cave, Cut & Sew, which started as a 1 man pop up, is a barber shop with a serious amount of style. Situated in two locations across Dublin, Cut & Sew provides a slick service with a smile. The original Cut & Sew is located underneath an old school record store, so you can sit back with a drink and enjoy the music, or even browse the apparel that they have to offer while you wait.

So there you have it, a few favourites of ours across Britain, keeping the men of today clean, crisp and ready to go. As the saying goes, ‘You’re only as good as your last haircut‘, so we can rest easy here at Clothes-Make-The-Man knowing you have the tools to find a cut above the rest.

As a child growing up in the small Swedish town of Olofström, Martin Andersson was inspired by iconic British Fashion Magazines such as I-D and The Face, “I wanted to create the style and look I was seeing in British magazines, but couldn’t buy anything right in Sweden so began sketching my own designs”. Martin’s passion for both British style and fashion design was only heightened by attending the preigious Fashion College Central St Martin’s in London. Where after graduating he was snapped up by classic British brand Hackett London; whilst here Andersson launched his own signature line. The label was greeted with an extremely warm welcome by the Fashion community and media and continued to grow organically in a global market.

After a period at, another classic British brand, Aquascutum, Martin was offered a position which would blend his passion for British Fashion with his Swedish sensibilities and heritage as Head of Menswear Design at COS. The Swedish retailer who pride themselves on offering good quality, understated classics and wardrobe essentials at affordable prices. Since it’s launch in London in 2007 COS (Collection of Style) are now located in over 30 countries throughout Europe, North Amercia, The Middle East and Asia Pacific.

For Autumn Martin was inspired by the work of Berlin based artist Lev Khesin (see below), the emphasis on Khesin’s work is reflected in both the collection’s rich colour palette and layered silhouette.

Best piece of advise you’ve ever been given and by whom?
“ God is in the detail” by German-born architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, This wasn’t a piece of advice that was given to me directly but it is something which I have lived by throughout my career, to always pay attention to the finer details.

What track would always get you on the dance floor?
Good question, it would have to be “no one gets the prize” by Dianna Ross but it must be the 12 inch version.

What are you most excited about at the moment?
I am super excited to be travelling to New York this week for the opening of the Agnes Martin retrospective at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, COS is sponsoring the retrospective. Martin’s work is a continual source of inspiration for COS so it will be a memorable and honorable moment.

Best present you’ve ever received ?
I am obsessed by the book “The Hyena & Other Men” by Pieter Hugo and one year for my birthday I received a photographic print of one of the images taken from the book, it is one of my most treasured possessions.

If you could collaborate with one brand who would it be ?
I would ask Helmut Lang to come out of retirement and start designing again that way we could collaborate .

Favourite hotel in the world?
I once stayed in the Ammankila resort on the East coast of Bali; it was the most understated, serene place overlooking the sea, everything from the food to the service, it was simply paradise.

If you could live anywhere where would it be?
To be honest it would be London, it really is one of the greatest cities in the world. The infusion of different cultures and the juxtaposition between the old and new creates such an eclectic city.

If you could give your teenage self advice, what would it be?
I would have perhaps told myself to experiment with style more, have fun with it and don’t be afraid to try new things.

Who would your ideal dinner guests ?
If I had to choose a mix of people I would start with Donald Judd after visiting his house in New York I have so many questions that I would want to ask him, Franz Klien I would want to know how his first figurative paintings from the 40’s later provoked the abstract expression movement. Thirdly, Cormac McCarthy to pick at his literary brain and lastly to inject some fun ( and hula hopping) Grace Jones to provide some entertainment to finish the evening.

What piece of clothing should everyman have in his wardrobe?
A white shirt, it is one of the most versatile garments; it transcends age, dress sense and occasion.

What piece of style advice do you live by?
A very common one but very personal to me “less is more”.

Who is your style icon?
It’s not so much an icon but more an admiration for Colin Firth in “A Single Man” the sharp, sleek suiting really honors the craft of tailoring.

What’s your favourite piece of clothing?
I have a wool trench coat from our AW09 collection; it’s the first coat I reach for when the autumn chill comes. It’s a timeless piece which will always remain in my wardrobe.