CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN

anthonymcgrath405 / 19/11/2015

Palace – The skateboard brand that’s far more than just another skateboard brand by Harry Bradbury

Over the last few years a certain Skateboarding brand has been gaining attention in all the right places, Palace Skateboards has managed to build up what can only be described as a mystical aura; similar to the hype of which Supreme has generated over the years and in turn creating a hardcore, loyal following. And recently, the brand have further established their very credible credentials by collaborating with none other than, legendary sports and lifestyle brand, Adidas.

(Key pieces from their most recent collaboration with Adidas Originals.)

What started out as a group of skateboarders, led by skater Lev Tanj, just printing a few t-shirts and gifting them to fellow Skateboarders to wear, has now turned into a global brand with collaborations with sportswear giant Adidas Originals and Reebok under their belt within the first few years of the brand starting out. With the likes of ASAP Rocky, Jay-Z and Drake all religiously wearing their printed tees and jackets, the brand has rocketted recently not just within the UK but globally.

(A$AP Rocky x Palace/Adidas collaboration shirt)

The hype around the brand now is similar to that of Supreme, with a craze surrounding anything they put out being snapped up by not only the hardcore skate followers but also by a more stylish mainstream Fashion follower. To compound this a trend we have started to see creep into the more higher end Fashion circuit is taking elements of skate wear and adapt it to their ends. In recent seasons, the catwalks of fashion capitals have started to move swiftly away from the typical skinny trouser silhouette and shapes such as wide legged trousers and workwear shapes begiving to re-appear.

Fashion houses such as Alexander McQueen, Kenzo and Acne Studios have been drawing inspiration from Streetwear for years. With McQueen opting for trousers with a wider leg and at a cropped length similar to that of a skateboarders trouser.

The highly desirable Acne Studios have additionally been inspired by Skate wear, incorporating Wide Legged trousers into their Autumn Winter collection. As well as Coach jackets which are staple in the skate culture. They’ve taken key elements of culture that is currently popular such as Skate wear, and workwear silhouettes and added a touch of class and high end aesthetic.

anthonymcgrath405 / 18/11/2015

Causing quite a storm – 6 of the best Anti Dandruff Shampoos

Dandruff it one of those unsightly problems thats can effect anyone at any age, in fact, according to research over 50% of the population experiences dandruff at some point in their life.

So what is it & what causes it ? Well according to the NHS,

“The body continually sheds dead skin cells as new cells are formed. In most cases, this is a gradual process that goes unnoticed. However, this process can speed up, producing excessive amounts of dead skin cells, which causes dandruff. It’s not always clear why this happens, but possible causes include seborrhoeic dermatitis, a common skin condition that causes oily skin.
While not directly responsible, certain things can make your dandruff worse, such as:
– overuse of hair products
– emotional stress
– washing your hair too much or too little.”

To combat this problem, we are bringing you 6 of the best Anti-Dandruff Shampoos that not only mask the condition but get to the root of the problem and will help to eliminate a range of scalp complaints such as dryness, dandruff, irritation and inflammation. So by using these products greatly improves the health of your scalp and overall look and feel of your hair.

A number of these product will contain products including such unusual ingredients as Lavender, Rosemary, Tea Tree and Juniper oil cleanse and disinfect the scalp, while Caramel and Wheat Protein further soothe and improve the health of the scalp and hair.

Toni & Guy Anti Dandruff Shampoo

REDKEN Scalp Relief Dandruff Control Shampoo

Ruffians Anti-Dandruff Shampoo & Conditioner

Therapeutic Scalp Shampoo by Murdock London

Vichy Dercos Anti-Dandruff Shampoo Sensitive2 in 1 Anti-Dandruff Shampoo & Conditioner by Head & Shoulders

anthonymcgrath405 / 17/11/2015

6 of the best winter coats by Harry Bradbury and Keanu Adorable

It’s time once again to start wearing warm and cosy winter coats and hang those light jackets back up the wardrobe. Now some people may have been dreading the cold weather, but if you’re anything like us over here at Clothes Make The Man, we have been waiting all year to bust out our winter coats. However if like some people aren’t prepared for the cold, or have had your winter coat too long and want a change or simply need an update, we are going to show you 6 of the best on the high street this season.
Our first pick is this wonderful cashmere/ wool blend overcoat from Uniqlo in collaboration with Lemaire. With a shawl collar and in a dark green shade this is a great alternative to a traditional overcoat.

Our next pick is this Wool Pea Coat from Joules. This classic style is a great addition to any mans wardrobe pair this with a plain polar neck or t shirt and you’re good to go.

Next up is this felted Wool blend overcoat from H&M from the Modern Essentials selected by David Beckham. In this great Camel shade pair it with a crisp white shirt and black jumper and you’re good for a smarter event or just a white t shirt for a more casual look.

A more modern and alternative option is this Dropped Shoulder Wool Overcoat in black from COS. Because of the dropped shoulder it does feature a more relaxed fit. With overcoats do try and keep the rest of the outfit fairly minimal and simple, pair this with a white shirt black jeans and some white trainers for a clean look. Slightly more but the price can be justified because of the higher quality COS provides.

Another great option is this grey Wool overcoat from Topman. This particular shade of grey is very popular this season along with the camel colour and looks great with most things. With a concealed front placket (buttons concealed) and a slim fit this would work great as a smart addition to a suit or just a shirt and jumper. Its a decent price for the coat you’re getting.

Last but by no means least, is this beautiful overcoat from Zara’s new Zara studios collection. This is a harder coat to pull off due the nature of the print and cut however executed correctly this coat could be a great addition to a winter wardrobe. Keeping it minimal underneath is key here. A black or white polar neck or white shirt black trousers and shoes would look great with this piece. Its a great price given the nature of the material blend, which includes Wool, Mohair and Alpaca.

anthonymcgrath405 / 16/11/2015

Bringing fine dining to new heights – TĪNG Restaurant by Amanda Lewis

The shard has intrinsically changed London’s skyline forever. As you head South East the sun glints off the sharp, unique profile and my stomach always lurches as I look up, up and ever higher. Subtly nestled within the Shard is the 5* Shangri-la Hotel, bringing the hotel groups luxe Asian hotel concept to London Bridge, overseen by executive chef Emil Minev. A lift, literally, elevates you in an instant to the 34th floor where you are welcomed to TĪNG restaurant, which blends an elegant and contemporary setting of Chinoiserie design. The food is a blend of modern European with subtle Asian influences, with locally-sourced ingredients, easy when you’re that close to Borough market and its incredible fresh artisan produce.

All this is almost secondary – you go for the view, its GOB smacking, jaw dropping! Planes and helicopters are on the same level as you. The artfully located mirrors reflect back the skyline. We were blessed with clear skies, incredible peachy sunset and a table that was well placed for my guest and I to both stare out the window, resulting in the fact that we barley spoke for the first course.

I know it was lovely, hand dived Scottish scallops cooked a la plancha and served with carrot, ginger, yuzu and grape seed oil dressing. This was followed with organic Welsh lamb from Rhug Estate, glazed with mirin, sake and soy sauce and served with root vegetables and Kentish apples.

By this time, the food was starting to win me over, I was paying more attention and it was a well accomplished dish, my guest chose the steak, frites and spinach side which was perfectly cooked. Outstanding was the accompanying pinot noir from Oregon in the US, No that isn’t a typo, it was sublime. To her credit the very knowledgeable sommelier recommended it and it was exceedingly memorable as was the whole evening.

We didn’t have room for desert but are already plotting an excuse for afternoon for tea, suggestions welcome.

anthonymcgrath405 / 13/11/2015

More than a brief Encounter – St Pancras International Sponsored post

If someone said to you, “Hey let’s go to St Pancras, shopping?” It’s fair to say your reaction would be less than ecstatic. However, if someone said, “Hey, fancy going to Paris?” Your reaction would be slightly different. Well, this is exactly the situation I recently found myself in. Myself and the long suffering Mrs Mc are celebrating 10 years of togetherness, feel free to insert any number of, you get less for murder jokes here, I’ve a list as long as your arm. And me being the old romantic I am, booked us a little jaunt to Paris, the city of romance, yes La Ville Lumière, to sample the sites, the sounds, the joie de vivre of the French Capital.

Now here’s where the fun starts, no the reveal of this little surprise evoked the right emotional reaction, but when we are stood outside our Cab at St Pancras and I experience that heart sinking moment when I say, “Did you grab that bag on the stairs on your way out Darling?” And you get the answer you most certainly were not looking for, “Errr no I thought you had picked it up Sweetheart.” So how do we play this one out, do we;

Turn around and explain how were you expected to pick up a bag when you were already laden down with every other piece of luggage we posess, including a bag between your teeth. In rather raised tones, which would result in the ruining of the entire weekend and there being very little love in the city of Amour. Or
Do I take a very deep breathe swallow it up and say, “never mind, at least we have all your clothes my Darling. I’m sure I can pick up something along the way.”

We all know what followed next, yes, anything for an easy life, number 2 all the way. So it starts, my mind racing, thinking, Ohhh dear God, please let there be at least an M&S clothes store at St Pancras all I need is something like a black shirt and obviously the essentials needed for an outfit when your luggage is currently languishing at the top of your staircase several postcodes away.

So imagine my shock, delight, surprise when I’m confronted on entering the automatic doors of St Pancras International station. Encased in a Uber modern terminal originally designed by, William Barlow, St Pancras International originally opened in 1868 and for its time was seen as an engineering marvel – it was the largest enclosed space in the world and provided the grandest entrance into London.

However, nowadays, the engineering marvel is still very much present but the station itself has now become a destination in its own right, boasting more shops than any other railway station, its own fresh produce market, the longest Champagne Bar in Europe and a Gastro Pub. Of course we see the traditional names you may expect M&S, WHSmith and Boots, thank goodness, but these are joined by the likes of Whistles, Joules, Thomas Pink, Oliver Bonas, Dune and Gant to name but a few.

Greeted with this very welcome prospect, what else is one to do, plus with time to kill, drop Mrs Mc off at Fortnum & Mason, yes you did read that correctly, St Pancras boosts its own branch of said luxury retailer, for a relaxing Cuppa, while I de-stress with a spot of retail therapy. OK the course of action is to assemble the versatile essentials to get me through a weekend where all I have is the outfit I’m stood in, some underwear, a deodorant and an electric toothbrush. First stop, one of our favourite retailers Whistles. I mean this is a no brainer, I need directional, stylish, versatile menswear and as always I’m spoilt for choice. After much deliberating I went for this great Navy sweatshirt design knit, smart enough to wear over a shirt if the weather takes a decidedly frosty turn or worn on its own with my trusty jeans.Then onto Dune, do you go for Brogues, can’t go wrong, Oxfords, the old faithfuls, a Monk Strap, can be worn with anything, ohhhh the Penny Loafer, they look equally great in a formal or casual setting.
Feeling the stress leave me, almost like an exorcism, I’m drawn to Thomas Pink, I need a formal shirt, of course where else would you go ? Covering the entire spectrum of shirting from Gingham to Stripes, from Paisley to Houndstooth, what do I go for ? With the help of the super skilled and knowledgeable staff the choice was simple.

One last stop, better collect the better half so we don’t miss our Eurostar and next stop Paris. International crisis averted. Stress levels back to manageable levels and divorce lawyers not needed, what was all the worry and fuss all about. Sorry, more Champagne you say ?

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