CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN

The extraordinary mens blog for the modern man
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Never been 121 before – Rotary Father’s Day Competition

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With Father’s Day, just around the corner why not treat your dad this year and push the boat out, without even trying by entering the Clothes-Make-the-Man Rotary competition for your chance to win the latest GMT gent’s watch worth £149!!! What stylish man could refuse such a kind offer ?

2016 sees Rotary turns 121 this year, much has changed since its launch back in 1895 and to celebrate its international watch brand status Rotary has launched the GMT. The GMT allows you to tell the time in not just one Timezone but two making it ideal for that cosmopolitan, international playboy traveller. Here is how it works, the watch has a fixed bezel with a 24-hour scale, making it possible to indicate a second time zone. The GMT circular hour hand can be set independently from the other hands, so it is very easy to set the time for the time zone you are located in. Perfect gift for Father’s Day!!!

Competition Question:

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In which year was Rotary founded?

A) 1985
B) 1976
C) 1895

PLEASE SEND YOUR ANSWERS TO competition@rotarywatches.com
Terms & Conditions: 1. Only one entry per person. 2. All participants must be 18 or over. 3. The prize draw is open to all UK residents. The closing date for the prize draw is Midnight (GMT) 12th June 2016. 4. The prize is as follows: one Rotary GMT watches. 5. to enter the prize draw you will be asked to provide the answer to the question, your name and contact. 6.The winner will be randomly selected and notified by the contact details provided on the closing date above. 7. No Cash alternatives will be substituted for the prize. 8. Use of false name or address will disqualify any applicant from receiving the prize.

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Athleisure: Warming up to Premier Sportswear

Editors: Harry Bradbury and Keanu Adorable

The past few years has seen enough trends to make any man confused and unsure of what actually is ‘trendy’ there almost isn’t enough time for anything to remain ‘trendy’ until the next big thing comes along. The latest known to fashionistas and PR reps is the combination of active and casual-wear known as ‘Athleisure’. Athleisure is looking like you’re coming from or going to the gym, whether or not (let’s assume not) you actually hit the treadmill in between. Perhaps mixing a track jacket with a suit, or a pair of sweatpants with a shirt jumper and a smart pair of shoes. The element that ensures it doesn’t look as thought its all been chucked together awkwardly is the fabric and fit.

Streetwear/ sportswear mixed with high end fashion is seen all over the streets and runways this year. The latest buzzword in fashion ‘athleisure’, one of those ridiculous, made-up words that actually is perfectly descriptive. Whichever way you want to pronounce it there is no doubt that designers and retailers have been taking advantage of this sportswear prominence. Both parties have been producing clothes that fit a somewhat broad category of being appropriate for athletic or leisure pursuits, or both for that matter. Whether designers have just taken inspiration from sportswear and implemented that into their collections or created a completely new ‘athleisure’ line, its clear it’s a popular trend. This is evidenced by the sheer broad mixture of brands on websites such a ‘Mr Porter’. You’ll see a £50 Nike t shirt in the same category as a £700 Gucci track top.

The point is really that the principal pieces of a mans wardrobe being flipped, elevated and updated — to the point that, yes, it’s okay for you to wear sweats, joggers, hoodies and trainers in public. There have been a signifiicant increase in the number of brands that have taken this ‘Athleisure’ trend and incorporated it into their brand image and concept, we here are clothesmaketheman are have chosen a selective sportswear garments we think you can implement into your current wardrobe.

Ron Dorff

Paris- Stockholm based brand ‘Ron Dorff’ have created the ideal sportswear range this season mixing Swedish functionality with classic French elegance they’ve created some essential sportswear pieces of great fit and quality. They have this whole idea of clothes that perform whether worn at the gym, at home or on the street perfectly encapsulating this whole term ‘Athleisure’.

These essential items are from their latest collection available at their website www.rondorff.com.

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Lulemon

Athletic brand ‘Lulemon’ from Canada is another brand that has adopted this ‘Athleisure’ way of thinking. Their website isn’t just a place for for fancy ladies yoga pants, the brand actually has a vast amount of men’s clothes that are perfect for the gym and just about any leisure activity you can think of. Their ‘To+From’ collection contains some perfect athleisure pieces if you’re more interested in a piece that feels as comfortable as activewear but can be worn out to dinner. Take a look at this long sleeve shirt which has all the formality of a normal button-down shirt but is made with swift fabric that’s lightweight and wicks away sweat.

These are our picks from their website lululemon.co.uk 

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Kit and Ace

Kit And Ace is a Canadian brand based in Vancouver, this brands took the best principles of athletic design and applied them to clothing you can wear all day. They believe what you wear affects your day – it can hold you back or keep you moving. You need performance and functionality for every part of it, not just at the gym.

Check out their products over at kitandace.com/gb/en/

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Outdoor Voices

Another great brand that encapsulates the ‘Athleisure’ look is Outdoor Voices. It is an active lifestyle brand which believes in freeing fitness from performance and embrace activity with ease. The brand was founded on that tenet that Doing Things – moving your body and having fun with friends – outlasts a win when it comes to inspiring sustainable active lives. The brands mission is to get people out there and Doing Things together, to redefine recreation as part of everyday life.

Have a browse through their collections over at outdoorvoices.com

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Adidas Stan Smith – A Fine Bromance

WORDS BY MIA RILEY

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Stan The Man

imageArguably,  Stan Smith trainers are one of the most popular sneaker around, in fact I.D Magazine labelled it ‘The Ultimate Fashion Shoe’ back in 2015. Worn as the outfit for the effortlessly cool people, who have ‘I was too busy to think about what to wear today’ look.

In 2014 with the rise of the normcore trend and the relaunch of the shoe, where Adidas sent personalised Stan’s to celebrities, where drawings of the celebrity faces replaced Stan Smith’s, the sneaker was named Shoe Of The Year by Footwear News. So how is Stan Smith so relevant when he retired in 1985 and who is the man behind this so beloved shoe?

Stan Smith is a former American number 1 tennis player. Born in 1946 he shot to fame during the early 70s, even winning Wimbledon in 1972. Smith was also made famous by creating one of the most famous double teams with his partner Bob Lutz.

imageThe shoe itself was born in 1963, but it was never originally called Stan Smith, the original name was Halliet after the French tennis player Robert Halliet. Adidas asked Smith to endorse the ‘Halliet’ shoe in 1971, (this was before the shoe looked like the classic white and green sneaker we know and love.) It was in the late 1970s that the shoe was officially renamed Stan Smith and his famous caricature logo was put on the tongue with the mint green detail.

Since the 1980s the shoe has been the uniform of many fashion creatives, such as Marc Jacobs in 2004 sporting them on the runway. The various collaborations that many fight hard to get a hold of and will pay crazy money for has made the Shoe become the leader of the sneaker pack, with many companies doing fakes or incredibly similar trainers, sorry homages too.

imageI personally, like many,  own more than one pair, there is something about the round, crisp, white shape of the sneaker that is incredibly satisfying to look at, and I am sure that the actual style of this classic shoe has a big part to play in it’s long history of remaining a current wardrobe must-have.

Although now ‘not recommended’ for tennis players, the shoe is worn by millions despite it being 53 years old and many of the wearers unaware of the tennis pro legend that is Stan Smith.

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In the Driving seat – THE JAMES HUNT 40TH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION by BELSTAFF

imageForget your David Beckhams and your Jensen Buttons when it comes to International, playboy, sporting Superstars nobody comes close to the legend that was James Hunt.

He lived his life, in the same way he drove his Formula 1 cars, FAST. Hunt hit Formula One and, with his good looks, bad-boy image and winning ways, became a fan favorite. His off-track exploits became perhaps better known than his racing successes, and his personality always seemed to overshadow his racing.

In 1976 at the Japanese Grand Prix in Fuji, Hunt finally snatched the champion and overtook longtime rival and fellow racing hero Niki Lauda by one dramatic point and became the champion of his sport.

To mark this sporting legend, luxury British lifestyle brand, Belstaff wanted to commemorate such an incredible moment in racing history by unveiling the James Hunt 40th anniversary capsule collection – created in collaboration with his sons Tom and Freddie – celebrating their father’s legacy and indomitable spirit.

The capsule comprises six exclusive pieces referencing Belstaff’s historical outerwear pieces and Hunt’s iconic red race suit with the white horizontal stitching, while also influenced by the racing colours of Hunt’s iconic Hesketh car.

In hand-waxed leather there are two key styles: a four-pocket belted jacket with quilting details on the shoulder and a second shorter shape with two chest pockets. Both formats are lined in the style of Hunt’s iconic race suit, being red with white vertical stitching.

A new soya wax cotton has been introduced on a short café-racer blouson, making it an easy-to-wear everyday style. To accompany the outerwear there is a polo and T-shirt in pop colours with a racer strip on the former, while both carry reproductions of Hunt’s signature. To complete the look, there are also straight-legged black denim jeans.

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The Ultimate Man ! – YSL L’Homme Ultime

imageAsk anybody to name a Fashion house and it up it won’t be long before, even the most un-Fashion savvy of folk, utter three little words which mean ohhhh so much, Yves Saint Laurent or YSL. A house with more History than the Tudors and more interesting than the Ewings.

The epitome of French fashion brands unveils the new fragrance for men – L’HOMME ULTIME – promising to be a tribute to freedom and modern elegance.

imageThis scent features a powerful woody-aromatic composition uniting the freshness of Damask Rose with the sensuality of Clary Sage. The purpose of this new scent is to embody the magnetism and confidence of modern day masculinity.

The opening is aromatic, woody and deeply compelling. An uplifting essence of grapefruit grabs you, punctured by Ginger and Cardamom Seed. Rippling through the centre, a shot of energetic Damask Rose lifts you, exquisitely contrasted with the sobriety of Geranium and the raw sensuality of Clary Sage. A base of Cedar Oil and Vetiver form the interminable trail of the blend, lending a sense of unquestionable authority. The darkly sensual impact of woody notes provides a constant thread for the L’Homme trinity of scents L’Homme, L’Homme L’Intense and now, L’Homme Ultime. With a careful blend of aromatic woods and fresh notes, each edition of L’Homme comes with its own unique intensity and depth of impact. These magical scent were dreamed up by the trinity of Master Perfumers Anne Flipo, Dominique Ropion and Juliette Karagueuzoglou.

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