CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN

The extraordinary mens blog for the modern man
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Ensure you have that WOW Factor with JOOP!’s new fragrance WOW!

Joop! Has to be up there with Ck one as one if not the most iconic and fondly remembered men’s fragrance of the 1990’s, that heady scent that you couldn’t avoid whenever you entered a bar or nightclub from Aberdeen to Abu Dhabi and Zurich to Zakinthos.

Well it’s a different century, decade and that calls for a different type of fragrance, step forward JOOP! WOW! For their new masculine signature fragrance, JOOP! take us on a journey of transformation: a journey that leads us to being powerful, confident and accomplished. In the process, JOOP! WOW! extends the JOOP! fragrance house to a more strong-willed, free-spirited man who has nothing to prove, to himself or to others.

So prepare to be surprised, like Clothes make the man so to does the scent. JOOP! WOW! provokes a surprising, fresh woody aroma. JOOP! WOW! awakens all the senses with captivating top notes of Bergamot, Cardamom and Violet-leaf… a sensitive combination of spicy effect and effervescent freshness, virile and elegant. Then leads into a blend of rich absolutes: sensual Fir Balsam, darkly masculine Tonka Bean and warming Vanilla Surabsolute fuse together in a hypnotizing blend, totally not what you were expecting from this fragrance.

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THE BUYER’S GUIDE TO SPRING 2017 – ROSS WILSON – HOUSE OF FRASER

Ross Wilson; Head of Buying for Menswear

Currently Head of Buying for menswear & childrenswear at House of Fraser, Ross Wilson has previously worked at companies including Debenhams and Marks & Spencer before joining House of Fraser in 2011. The retailer boasts over 60 stores across the country with thousands of luxury brands across the board. We asked Ross to select his key pieces for Spring 2017. He explained;

“The House of Fraser SS17 collection embraces everything that is visual with it’s offering of loud prints such as paisleys, tropical and geometric shapes. Another key trend that can be seen throughout the collection is the focus on active wear, inspired by 90’s sportswear, which has been blended with everyday clothing to created the look of ‘sports luxe’.”

 

“Turner & Sanderson’s quirky bird print shirt makes for the perfect addition to any man’s suiting wardrobe. “ Shirt by Turner & Sanderson

“Olive is key shade for SS17 and this bomber jacket is the perfect trans-seasonal cover-up.”  Jacket by Linea

“Inspired by 90’s active wear, this Diesel’s jacket is ticking both the sport and colour blocking trends.”  Jacket by  Diesel

“Add functionality to any outfit with a simple yet effective backpack for your everyday essentials.” Bag by Linea

“Busy prints lead the way for SS17, and this paisley design from Liam Gallagher’s brand Pretty Green is a definite winner! ”  Shirt by  Pretty Green

“Add to your ‘sport luxe’ wardrobe with this casual number from brand Nicce .”  Jumper by Nicce

“Pastels and repeated prints are huge for SS17, making this tropical print shirt a Summer must-have.” Shorts by Linea

“These pink shorts are the perfect length and shade for adding a hint of pink to your SS17 wardrobe.” Shorts by Label Lab

“Ideal for those cooler days, this padded bomber jacket is versatile to be dressed up or down.”  Shirt by Label Lab

“Camo doesn’t always have to be khaki, as this stylish holdall from Michael Kors proves.” Bag by  Michael Kors

“If your after a classic print this Versace shirt is sure to make you stand our for the right reasons.” Shirt by  Versace Jeans

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NotonthehighStreet.com #LoveIsReal for Valentine’s Day

We find ourselves living in a time, when like no other we need to embrace LOVE. We need to LOVE each other, our friends, our neighbours, our loved ones, everyone. Come on show the LOVE. So whilst Valentine’s Day might be a man-made invention, love isn’t. Love is beautiful and creative and thoughtful. Love is passionate and Love is real. And in today’s world, with a nation full of flat-lined feelings, we need as much of it as we can get. With this in mind our friends at notonthehighstreet.com are reminding us, encouraging us, prompting us to remember, with Valentine’s Day just over a week away #LoveIsReal and as part of this loving campaign they want you to celebrate LOVE in all its guises, with meaningful unique gifts co-created with people who care. Because, remember when a gift is made thoughtfully, it’s loved completely.

With all this talk of amore and that #LoveIsReal it brought me to thinking about how myself and the wonderful and long suffering Mrs Mc met. Well let me set the scene of our own Mills & Boon-esque saga. Love was well and truly in the air, my friends loved her, her friends loved me, naturally and pretty soon after we met we’d started looking at rings. I know I’m a bit of an old romantic so I’d started dreaming up scenarios to pop the question. Over the Summer we found ourselves on holiday taking in the delights of the Emerald Isle and came across the beautiful Belleek Castle in County Mayo, so I thought, OMG what a perfect moment. “Should we stay here overnight?” I found myself saying. The place was incredible, as beautiful on the inside as out and as luck would have it, they had one room free for the night, strangely enough, the honeymoon suite, I kid you not, promise.

Amanda, as she was known back then, was enthralled and took herself off exploring, to which at this point somebody asked me, “Will ye be staying for dinner tonight? I hope so.” I span around to see a chef asking me this question and I blurted out rather confusingly, “I think I’m going to ask her to marry me tonight”. “Oh Jesus”, was his response. We sat down and between myself and the chef came up with a cunning plan. He decided he would build a box of Choux pastry in which the box containing the engagement ring would seat and he would construct the desert around this.

So dinner time arrived, “You OK? You look a little pale”. “Yeah, course, what’d be wrong.” I nervously laughed. In all honesty I have no idea what I had for dinner that night, all I can remember is eating and each member of the hotel staff that visited our table or caught my eye either gave me a big thumbs up, smiled radiating positivity or mouthed to me “you OK?” In an exaggerated manner. This resulted in the whole meal uncannily resembling a sketch from a hybrid sitcom somewhere between Faulty Towers and Father Ted.

The moment had come. Desert was served, I was sweating, the staff were buzzing around and Amanda cracked open the Choux pastry box……. “What’s this?” Was her question and what did I do. Well simply, nothing, I opened my mouth, for no words to come out. I tried to get out of my chair to get down onto one knee and assume the traditional position, but no, my mind and my body had decided to render me incapable. If only I’d have had an Artisan Chocolate Heart With Hidden Valentine’s Message of Will you marry me? To help fullfil this life altering event and complete the whole moment.

Yes #LoveIsReal. And just in case you were wondering, she said yes, and we are celebrating 10 years of marriage later this year. As you can see from the image below we are blessed, or is that cursed, no blessed with two amazingly crazy children. Ohh and we loved Belleek Castle so much we booked it that night for our wedding reception and were married exactly one year later, happily ever after.
That’s why this Valentine’s Day I’ve chosen one of notonthehighstreet.com‘s thoughtful gifts from their Love is real collection to express my love to Amanda and remind her of the amazing night we had together when I asked her to marry me.

Now if you feel all warm after reading this true life love story, share with us what love means to you. Go to Twitter and tell us your story tagged with @notonthehighst and the campaign hashtag – #LoveIsReal for your chance to win £150 to spend on thoughtful, unique gifts this Valentine’s Day at nothonthehighstreet.com
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Six of the Most Romantic Hotels for Valentine’s Day

If you’re contemplating a romantic lil Valentine’s Day getaway, why not give the gift of relaxation by whisking your other half away for a romantic retreat? Forget air fares, queues and jet lag, the UK has an abundance of escapes perfect for spoiling your loved one. From London to Edinburgh, we’ve rounded up the top six hotels which offer the perfect couples’ escape.

The Arch London, London
Five-star boutique hotel The Arch London offers impeccable comfort married with unrivalled luxury. Tucked away on a calm residential street in Marylebone, this opulent Georgian hideaway is one of the capital’s best kept secrets and offers the perfect Valentines retreat. The hotel oozes British glamour at its finest, with secluded rooms including the quietly glamorous Martini Library (where guests can order drinks using an in-built button). As dusk draws in, enjoy an aperitif in Le Salon de Champagne before dining under chandeliers in Hunter 486. Redefining romance in the capital, many of the rooms at The Arch London have flat screen TVs built into the walls above the bath.

The Witchery by the Castle, Edinburgh
The stunning interiors and delectable dishes at The Witchery by the Castle combine to create a desirable Scottish Valentine’s escape. The Witchery’s lavishly decorated dining room boasts a baroque setting with original oak-panelled walls and gothic style furniture. After dinner, retreat to one of the nine theatrical suits featuring romantic quirks such as four-poster beds and roll top baths for two.

King Street Townhouse, Manchester
Cosy up in the romantic setting of King Street Townhouse – an impressive Italian renaissance building, located in Manchester city centre. Housing only 40 bedrooms and suites, the hotel offers a stay with optimal service and a personal touch. Enjoy afternoon tea in one of the cosy lounges before heading to the hotel’s south facing terrace which boasts spectacular views of Manchester’s Town Hall.

The Club Hotel & Spa, Jersey
Situated within walking distance from some of the island’s most breathtaking beaches, The Club Hotel & Spa boasts a sought after St Helier location. Enjoy long romantic strolls on the beach before indulging in Michelin-starred dining at Bohemia Restaurant & Bar. The glorious Roof Garden Cocktail Bar is the perfect location to enjoy a pre-dinner drink whilst admiring the ocean views. Why not treat your other half to a couples’ treatment at the luxurious Club Spa before diving into the outdoor heated pool?

Limewood Hotel, Hampshire
Lime Wood hotel, in the heart of the New Forest, is perfect for those seeking a unique romantic getaway. From yoga sessions on the roof, to double-space treatment rooms for couples wishing to unwind and revive together, Lime Wood offers a romance-infused well-being break. Enjoy some down time with your Valentine in the sauna which boasts enchanting forest views.

Alexander House Hotel & Utopia Spa, Sussex
Set within 120 acres of glorious Sussex countryside, Alexander House is a luxury manor house with beautiful vistas, a choice of restaurants, an award-winning Utopia Spa and rooms designed for absolute comfort. It’s not just the hotel’s connections to Percy Shelley – one of the most famous English Romantic poets of our time – that makes Alexander House an exceptional place to spend this Valentine’s. The venue also presents cosy corners where guests can relax with chilled Champagne, a light aperitif or warming digestive, as well as a hot tub in the Zen garden.

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Fade to Grey – Aveda Grey Blending

On a recent trip back up North to the Motherland, my ever caring, sharing, loving sisters made an observation to my appearance, in that way that only a family member can get away with, “aren’t you going grey !” Picture a monkey carefully preening a fellow colony member, that sort of thing.

In all honesty the thought hadn’t ever entered my head, yes the thought of losing my hair is a constant worry, but going grey hasn’t really worried me. My Mum is snowy white and always seems to have been from my memory. My Dad had a fine head of dark hair with scattered salt and pepper, only greying round the temples and sides. So greying hasn’t really been on my grooming radar, until now.

Now we know men have different needs and expectations when it comes to getting their hair coloured. We don’t want to spend a lot of time in hair salons and we have reservations about getting a hair colour service at all. The wonderful Aveda have introduced the 5-minute Natural Grey Blending. This is a professional service that quickly and discreetly blends away grey, with a natural finish, with low commitment results that lasts up to 4 weeks.

This formula is a 95% naturally derived and is infused with a plant oil blend including organic sunflower, castor and jojoba to help keep hair looking healthy and is designed to speedily blend away greys.

Now greying is one thing but thinning hair continues to be one of the biggest grooming concerns for men and the fear that products could potentially make hair appear even thinner, particularly when it comes from pastes and waxes. Aveda’s Men Pure-Formance Thickening Paste, uses the thickening agent Alma, to instantly expand each strand of hair. Alma helps to plump each strand from root to ends, to make the hair look and feel thicker.