CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN

Next Friday, yes thats right, Friday 13th, its Christmas Jumper day where by you paying £1 for the “privilege” you can wear a Christmas jumper of your very own choice. Now to assist you in making the right selection and ensuring your participation in partaking in this worthwhile cause, we’ve done the detective work so you don’t have to. Just so you know Christmas Jumpers are big business these days with many retailers recording sales in record numbers with, many styles ALREADY sold out ! Take a little look at the below gallery which should have something for everyone’s taste, maybe.

I’ve gone with this to kick us off, from the highly questionable, but a lot of fun, funkychristmasjumpers.co.uk. Yes you can wear matching Christmas jumpers, if you so wish. This unbelievably successful website, stocks both his and hers, so come the big day you can be totally co-ordinating !!!!

We’ve turned the dial round a bit and toned it down with this knit from Superdry available from House of Fraser. A Fairisle jumper isn’t just for Christmas and you won’t feel out of place wearing it at any point during the year.

Whether your spending the Yuletide in Aspen or Ardwick, this Ralph Lauren Seasonal knit will have you looking your best, whether your on the slopes or slopping off for a little cat nap to escape the eating, drinking and making merry.

This fine piece of festive knitwear must surely win the prize of most Christmassay of Christmas Jumpers ! And the winning brand is………. (drum roll please). None other then blinking New Look, for the love of old St Nick.

Another tasteful lil number and from another American stylish Powerhouse, this time Tommy Hilfiger but exclusively for a very British Retailer in John Lewis.

Keeping in the vein of tasteful is this example from Banana Republic, which strikes the perfect balance of Festive without being OTT and ensures this knit won’t be languishing in the back of your wardrobe for another 364 more days.

Right so lets turn that dial up to 10 on the Christmas Richter Scale. You’ll get the point with this Holly Jumper from River Island so make sure your not being prickly come the season to be jolly.

Some might say I’m finishing on a bit of a Turkey, but hell not me ! This Turkey of a jumper, in the best possible way, by Joules, needs no trimmings.

It is no surprise that giving a watch as a gift is popular due to its sentimentality and thankfully watches are never outdated. It is a perfect present for a man who has no idea what he wants or if the inevitable situation of not knowing what to buy arises.

The Enter Price

Casio are an extremely large business who have dipped their feet into making a variety of different products, from calculators to musical instruments. Their watches, however, are a famous part of the Casio company. It is gold tone steel and features a stopwatch, alarm, auto-calendar and a backlight. It is also water resistant up to 50 metres.

Non-expensive gift

Bulova are a prestigious watch-making brand that makes watches that sell for over £1,000. This watch, however, is under £150 yet looks very expensive and as luxurious as more expensive watches. It has a two-toned gold and steel bracelet that is highly in fashion now and also, like the Raymond Weil watch, has a ‘clous de Paris’ centre on the black dial with the date at the 3 mark. The gold crown, hands and markers make it even more special for that loved one.

Slightly expensive gift:

Dreyfuss & Co watches are both elegant and timeless and so unique that each piece is numbered on the case back. What also makes this watch unique is the amazing skeleton dial that shows the majority of the watches movements.

Dreyfuss & Co are also renowned for their extreme water resistance which they call the Seafarer Standard. This standard means it can be used for any activity or sport involving water- whether it’s diving or having a hot bath.

Expensive gift

The Raymond Weil ‘Freelancer’ Automatic is extremely elegant and attractive. At the 12 mark is a dial that allows the observation of the balance wheel, a magnificent display. Uniquely, it also has ‘clous de Paris’ decoration in the centre of the black dial which gives the watch a rebellious and modern look.

When it comes to purchasing a watch as a gift, the box it comes in also has an importance as you want it to look attractive for the person opening the present. The Raymond Weil box is black and white- simple, smart and presentable. It folds out with ease displaying the watch on a black cushion

To put it mildly, Dad’s often get the short end of the stick when is comes to Christmas Presents. All to often a lot is expected from Dad’s, when it comes to gifts sat under the tree, but when it come to dear ole Pop, the feeling isn’t always reciprocated. Father’s are often met, come Christmas Day with an underwhelming token of our appreciation, whether is be socks, booze or after shave, by the way, nothing wrong with any of the aforementioned gifting categories as long as it isn’t from Primark’s finest selection pack, a bottle of Morinov (yes Morrisons own Vodka Brand) or that ole favourite and often recycled, a Hai Karate gift set !

Having a staple jumper in your wardrobe is essential, and we love this one from Marks & Spencer‘s Best of British range, made from pure cashmere, spun in Scotland. Furthermore, the characteristic Scottish handle of this jumper is a result of drawing soft water from the local well. Tactile and warm, choose from an array of rainbow colours to brighten up dreary winter days; fibre-dyed yarns promise a more lustrous and even colour for your jumper. Go on you know it makes sense !

Ahhh Pyjamas, the inimitable and rather unsung Father’s Christmas Gift, never in this case as these are from the King of the Traditional American Christmas himself, No not Nat King Cole ! Mr Ralph Lauren, of course. Look every regal in this traditional jammies. In fact, have a holly, jolly Christmas and have the whole family in matching one ! Maybe not.

Always a winner, help Dad’s stay warm these Holidays with a pair of gloves courtesy of Banana Republic. These great examples of leather gloves not alone look the part but won’t have dear ole Dad hiding his hands away, shoved into his jacket pockets.

Now if you have some making up to do with your Dad or if he’s been a particular Star this year then make him feel super special come 25th with this Longines Avigation Oversize Crown Watch. Its Scratch and Water resistant, is self winding and has a tres chic Black Alligator strap. You’ll be the apple of his eye once more and all for the right reasons.

This is a real investment piece by Louis Vuitton and something your Dad will have for many years to come, which will always remind him of you whenever he wears it. This is no ordinary run of the mill scarf, yes it keeps you warm but its a real statement and shows Dad, he’s one in a million.

There are certain fragrances that are unmistakably Father Fragrances, the sort tat when you smell them you are transported back to years gone by, watching your Dad shave and wishing you could too. Aramis is the Daddy of all mens Fragrances and this excellent gift set offers not only great value but everything that a Dad could possibly want from a grooming range.

This beauitful gift box contains a week’s supply of Hamilton & Hare tailored boxer shorts. Each boxer is individually embroidered with each day of the week. Savile Row expertise go into each pair ensuring a more flattering and comfortable fit. The finest two ply twill cotton, mother of pearl buttons and a silk lined fly, all go into these superior underwear.

Well it’s nearly upon us, The Most Wonderful time of the Year ! And even though you may have the hangover from Christmas Past come back and haunt you, come December 25th you want to ensure you’ve dropped enough hints, discretely of course, so that you get the right presents. But more importantly you give the right, meaning best-est, presents so that you guarantee your place as Golden boy for the next 365 days, whether thats with your Girlfriend, Parents, mates or even the Outlaws.

We at Clothes Make the Man have literally worked in collaboration with the good man, yes him of the Red Hat, a fondness for a cheeky sherry, a mince pie and a ho ho ho to find the great and the good of Christmas Present Gift ideas to assure you get it right. First up today, is Grooming Gift ideas, think more Acqua Di Parma then Blue Stratos.

“Fine grooming is the mark of a modern gentleman. It is the way a man presents the best version of himself to the world.”—Tom Ford
Well said Mr Ford, Ford believes that any man can achieve a handsome and impeccable look with a straightforward and effective grooming regimen. Inspired by this philosophy and by his personal grooming ritual, he developed TOM FORD FOR MEN, a collection of essential tools a man needs to look his very best.

Make sure you look as sharp after the twelve days of Christmas as you did when you started. The secret of this breakthrough innovation is Braun’s pioneering Thermo-Electric-Cooling technology, usually employed in the construction of spacecrafts and satellites. While most electric shavers allow heat to build up uncomfortably in the head of the shaver, the °CoolTec’s integrated aluminium cooling bar actively transports heat away from skin to minimise the shaving-induced increase in skin temperature.

This newly customised set for men from Creme de la Mer from urbanretreat.co.uk containing a complete regime to cleanse, treat and moisturise the skin. Products work together to renew the look of skin, improving the look of tone and texture. Particularly helpful in the season to be Joy, when I say Joy, I kinda mean overdoing it on the fun front & burning the candle at both ends. Oh but do remember after years of us sneaking a use of the girlfriend’s potions and lotions, with this lil bundle, she might be returning the “Favour”, if you know what I mean ;).

Not all men are are as modern in their interpretation of shaving. A lot of guys prefer the traditional approach and while this isn’t quite a cut throat razor is it the height of old school Luxury. Acqua di Parma has formulated everything necessary to interpret this fundamental moment of grooming and elegance. A shaving product must prepare the skin for shaving leaving it soft and supple. The Barbiere Collection comprises three different products: Soft brush shaving cream, Soft brushless shaving cream and Shaving Oil. These three extraordinary formulas are rich in eudermic oils and advanced active principles; they are easy to use products that facilitate the smooth, precise gliding of the razor for an impeccable shave and they leave a soothing feeling of freshness and well-being afterwards.

Another great shaving gift idea is this, Guinot – Grooming Tied Up set available from urbanretreat.co.uk. Designed for men who aren’t afraid of taking care of their appearance, the indulget christmas gift set makes for a perfect shaving and skincare ritual.

No matter how easy going we are theres always a product in a gift set that we aren’t so keen on, no matter how great it is. Well those boffins in white coats over at Lab Series have listened to our moans and like all good scientific solutions have only blinking well gone and answered it ! You can select up to three of their best selling products from their CLEAN, SHAVE, TREAT and HAIR/BODY range. The perfect package of High-Tech, High Performance products will come gift wrapped, FLIPPING FREE just for you, ahhhh.

The Oral-B Limited Edition 5000 is the must have gift for the discerning man. The black handle with silver trim and bold blue lighting, wouldn’t look out of place on a high-performance sports care. It includes six, yes six, modes for a more personalised brushing experience. It has a SmartGuide wireless technology that acts like a SATNAV for your mouth, giving you while you brush feedback to help you brush more effectively. Plus, did you know that the computer power on the 5000 is 20 times higher in performance compared to NASA’s Apoolo Guidance Computer that managed the calculations for the moon landing. So small step for man, one giant leap for your mouth.

Pretty much every grooming brand, pulls it out of the hat with gift sets for the Christmas Market, with most being GREAT value for money. These two from Clinique for MEN and ClarinsMEN are prime examples, where for the cost of one or two products you get LOTS of added extras plus a great wash bag, which we all know we need, whether we like it or not.

Whatever good came out of the 1970’s ? Well, for starters an amazing era in music, with Disco, Soft Rock, Motown and Funk all emerging round about this time. Let’s not forget incredibly iconic film such as Star Wars, The Godfather, Rocky, Jaws, Superman and The Exorcist. Plus, The Sweeney, Raising Damp, The Six Million Dollar Man, The Love Boat and if we weren’t watching TV we were playing such groundbreaking computer games on our Atari consoles as Space Invaders, Asteroids, Snake, Pong or Breakout. Which brightened our days during the Cold War, The Oil Crisis and the Power cuts. But nothing compared to the fashion, oh yes who can forget the fashion of the 70’s ? We had such enduring style icons as Burt Reynolds, Tom Jones and John Travolta and two things dominated Fashion Hair and lots of it and Denim, in all shapes, cuts, and washes.

One brand during this era were renowned for their daring denim and impossible styles, BRUTUS ! The Brutus legacy first started in 1971 with a 4 patch pocket flared brushed jean. With pioneering new techniques in denim production, Brutus were the first UK brand to buy Japanese denim and produce selvage; this created huge demand and worldwide publicity. At their height, Brutus were selling 5 million pairs of jeans a year outselling both Levi’s and Wrangler. Their campaigns were photographed by David Bailey and they even had a number 1 hit with their TV advert song; ‘Get your jeans on’.

During the mid 70’s, the brand reached cult status with their award winning Ad campaigns, produced by the infamous ‘Saatchi and Saatchi’. The brand is currently featured in the prestigious V&A museum for its iconic relevance to British culture.

So after the successful revival of their iconic ‘Trimfit’ shirts, this for Winter13, Brutus follows by re-launching the very thing that rose the brand to fame 40 years ago; DENIM. Staying true to their roots, Brutus deliver an impressive new denim collection alongside 20 new tartan checked shirts, inspired by their 1970’s archive pieces.

CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN

All I want for Christmas – The Best of the best Christmas Jumpers

Watches to suit any budget by Charlotte Adams

Make him feel Wanted this Yuletide – Ideal Christmas Gift ideas for Dads

Ensuring you look and smell your best come the BIG day – The Grooming Gift Guide

Get your Jeans on – The Return of Brutus Denim

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