CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN

anthonymcgrath405 / 06/01/2016

Pack up your troubles in these great Chapman bags

“The British Rivers Collection” is the latest line from British Accessories brand Chapman bags. The collection is inspired by Chapmans Cumbrian roots but as always, is fully functional for urban life in the city.

As is the standard with Chapman this collection is made in their Cumbrian factory and stays true to their ethos of making bags that are of great quality, practical and stylish. The British Rivers Collection, is no exception and plays homage to Chapman Bags origins as a manufacturer of angling and shooting bags, with each bag being named after a great British river. This collection represents a meeting of country life and city living with bags that come in more natural earthy tones, finished with brown leather handle and detailing which is synonymous with shooting bags. Modern features that brings this collection form country to the city are that all the bags come with padded technology compartments, perfect for laptops and computers whilst featuring a more robust, sleeker design with sharper edges which fit in with the aesthetics of city life.

The British rivers collection is designed to give the feel of a country bag whilst retaining all the practicality required by a contemporary stylish man. All the bags in the new collection are specified in a British dyed and shower proofed 18oz canvas twill, feature leather handles, detailing, brushed nickel hardware and extra smooth running zips. The collection is available in two colours Olive and Khaki. Key Pieces in the Collection are the Bovey Briefcase and the Itchen iBag. The Bovey briefcase is a slimline briefcase with one padded main compartment suitable for laptops or tablets measuring up to 13”. It also has multiple slip compartments for designed for storing papers to stop them getting crushed as well as having a detachable and adjustable shoulder strap. The Itchen iBag is a compact shoulder bag perfect for carrying essentials when travelling or working. It features a rear compartment with a popper fastener which is large enough to fit in an iPad Air or a tablet of similar size.

anthonymcgrath405 / 05/01/2016

Shaving is an Artform – Essential Shaving tools

OK hands up who’s let the old shaving rituals fall be the wayside over the festive season ? Yep, thought so, me too, as much as the hipster facial hair growth is perfectly acceptable and offers a different look when the mood so takes us, a fresh clean shaven you is equally as appealing. So as the New Year is fresh and our resolutions are as yet, relatively, unbroken, let’s get back to the grindstone, off that sofa and look at the ancient art of shaving.

Stelios Nicolaou is Aveda’s Master Barber, leading the Aveda Men grooming destination with over 20 years of experience, offers us his three essential steps to remember when shaving;

Prep the Skin
Don’t shave against the grain
Invest in good blades

With this mantra fresh in our heads let’s look at some tools which can ensure each shave is the best a man can get !!!

So as Stel advises us, invest in good blades, well as the leading Market brand the Gillette Fusion ProGlide with FlexBall Technology responds to contours for maximum contact and gets virtually every hair. The razor is specifically designed with a 4-way flex for superior contact to respond to the contours of a man’s face, allowing for maximum contact on the curves.

If your after a little more luxury, then look no further than Acqua Di Parma’s Barbiere Collection which presents a well-balanced synthesis of elegant design, refined textures and stylish packaging designed with the modern man in mind.

For those not so keen on the more traditional of shaving rituals, the Braun Series 7 is a high performance shaver, designed to deliver greater comfort and efficiency due to its three-stage cutting system and fully flexible head that adapts to the individual contours of your face. The Series 7 does in one stroke what others shavers need to do in two. It delivers precision and a close shave, Braun was inspired by the quality results usually associated with wet shaving when creating the Braun Series 7. The foil shaver travels in straight lines, in keeping with the shaving habits of 80% of the world, which is not possible when using rotary shavers. The result is maximum control, precision, and less irritation.

Lab Series Electric Shave Solution Optimised for gents who prefer electric razors, this fragrance-free liquid preps skin and lifts facial hair for a clean, burn-free shave. It builds a protective layer that lessens the likelihood of nicks and is formulated with vitamin E to cool and refresh your complexion.

From personal experience Clinique for Men Post Shave Soother is a product which should be in EVERY man’s bathroom cabinet, no matter your skin type. It’s Aloe-rich formula helps soothe dryness, comforts just-shaven skin and leaves a pleasant calming feeling to the skin.

An all important and all to often forgotten step when it comes to shaving is prepping the skin before a shave to loosen up dead skin cells and soften beard hair, but also proper skin preparation will assist in preventing you from everything from razor burn to irritation, bleeding, sensitivity and ingrown hairs. NIVEA MEN Sensitive Face Wash is a specially developed, mild cleansing gel with Vitamin E. It cleans skin, removing dirt and excess oil, reduces impurities and doesn’t dry out skin or leave it feeling taut.

Never tried a scrum and alway use a foam or cream, well think again, a large number of foams and cream can be soap based which can result in drying out of your skin. Plus, a face full of lather may look great, but is it really helping, or is it just hiding your stubble ? Aesop’s neroli-infused serum has a low-foaming texture that facilitates the perfect shave. Formulated with a blend of gentle hydrating botanicals, this product allows razor-close precision without assaulting or aggravating skin.

Lastly, if this is something you want to take a little more seriously, this makes a perfect gift either for someone or yourself even. This is a comprehensive kit from specialist grooming company Pankhurst London who has your whole routine covered. After cleansing, use the perfectly weighted brush to apply the shaving cream and finish with the soothing Ice Gel for a confident start to the day.

anthonymcgrath405 / 04/01/2016

Lumo – The Cycling brand that wants you to be ride with style by Keanu Adorable

The popularity of cycling has skyrocketed the past few years, more and more people are opting to choose pedal power to commute to work rather than being crushed by the rush hour trains and buses. And with the popularity also comes the issue of road safety, and one brand that’s trying to keep cyclists safe but also look stylish, is Lumo. The brand was started out in 2014 after a Kickstarter campaign created by Doug Bairner. The brands aim is “to encourage more people from around the world to enjoy the freedom of their city on two wheels.”

The British lifestyle brand LUMO has just launched its debut collection of jackets and bags designed to make city cyclists safer on their bikes and more stylish off them. The launch range, The London Collective, features jackets and bags that increases cyclists’ visibility, but can be turned off whenever you’re not on a bike. LUMO take design inspiration from classic British outer-garments and bags and integrate wearable technology with cycling firmly in mind. The London Collective jackets and bags are made with LUMO Glow LED lights that increase your visibility to traffic, yet are completely concealed until switched on. Using fabrics that wouldn’t look out of place in an aspirational designer clothes store yet come straight from a science lab, you will look and feel as good riding a bike as you will walking into a bar.

Take a look at their new website and browse though their products.

anthonymcgrath405 / 24/12/2015

Merry Christmas from Clothes-Make-the-Man.com

anthonymcgrath405 / 18/12/2015

Celebrity Top Tips for a Stress free Christmas

And so we’ve reached not only our last official post of 2015, but also our last post of our 12 Posts of Christmas with House of Fraser. It’s been a blast and I hope you’ve enjoyed it as much as we have. To send us off on our Merry way to enjoy all what the Festivities have in store for us over the coming weeks we thought we’d speak to a couple of our friends and ask their learned opinion about taking the stress out of Christmas so we can enjoy it for all its worth 24/7 and eat, drink and make merriment over the Yuletide. Enjoy these lil pearls of wisdom and see you back here on 4th January 2016 for all you need to know to keep you ahead in the style stakes.

Take Care, Thank you and Merry Christmas

A.M.

Olympian, Tom Daley
My big tip would be to write lists way in advance of what you need to get. For example a present list of the people you need to buy for and what you get them and check it off as you go. Same for Xmas dinner.

Designer and raconteur Sir Paul Smith

“Keep it simple and don’t try to be too ambitious. A single thoughtful gift is better than a sack-load of things that someone doesn’t want. And if it all gets too much, escape to a desert island on your own to escape any drama!”

Actor Phillip Rhys, who over the Yuletide can be caught on the Doctor Who Christmas Special and new E4 show called ‘Tripped’
“Keep travel to a minimum. Surround yourself with your favorite people, a good bottle of wine and The Doctor Who Christmas Special.”

Presenter and Sportsman Freddie Flintoff
“A tip on having a stress free Christmas is going away! Go away for Christmas, or book a restaurant. I know everyone likes Christmas at home, but you can open up your presents, spend time at home and play around with all the presents, go out and get something to eat and come back home, or else you’ll be washing up all afternoon.”

The First Lady of Breakfast Television – Lorraine Kelly
“Think of Christmas as simply as Sunday lunchthat’s grown a bit big for its boots. Also delegate as much as you can. If friends and family are coming over then assign them tasks.
Someone can bring the starter, another can make the trifle and others can supply Christmas crackers, games to play, DVDs to watch and sweeties to eat. X”

Rapper, MC & Prsenter of Lip Sync Battle in 2016 – Professor Green
“Go on holiday, alone.”

DJ, Presenter and Funhouse Master of Ceremonies – Pat Sharp

“For a relatively stress-free time on Christmas Day. Wrap some spare presents with no labels and then when unexpected guests turn up over the festive period, hey presto, you have that gift you had always planned to give them !”

Chef, TV Host and all round good guy – Dean Edwards

“My biggest stress busting tip would be to share the load at Christmas lunch. Coming from a large family we all bring something to the table, this year I’m roasting off a beautiful rib of beef, some fresh cranberry sauce and a lovely cider gravy. If everyone chips in it lessens the load on one person having to shop and cook for everyone.”

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