CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN

The extraordinary mens blog for the modern man
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Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr-reat – Bulldog Grooming range

The guys behind the Bulldog grooming range like to boast, quite naturally, excuse the pun, that it’s the UK’s first and largest natural skincare brand for men. Launched, way back in 2006, out of a frustration that there were no options available for switched-on men who wanted to reduce the number of man-made chemicals in their bathrooms. Initially Simon and Rhodri got Bulldog off the ground by combining their life savings and maxing out credit cards to scrape together just under £37,000. Today the range is listed in over 7,500 stores worldwide and successfully competes and sits with leading brands on those shelves.

All Bulldog products are body friendly and don’t contain controversial man-made chemicals such as parabens, sodium laureth sulfate, artificial colours, or synthetic fragrances. Instead, Bulldog products are loaded with essential oils and other natural ingredients to deliver great skincare results. The products are not tested on animals and never contain ingredients derived from animal sources.

We asked Simon for some of his top inside grooming tips –

1) Moisture, always use a quality moisturisers that won’t overload the skin or leave an oily residue at least once a day. The award-winning Bulldog Original Moisturiser offers top quality and performance at a great price.

2) Avoid soap – regular soap will always leave your skin feeling over-dry, tight and uncomfortable. Conventional soap often contains strong fragrances and foaming agents that can irritate sensitive skin. Bulldog Original Face Wash is a brilliant facial cleanser that avoids such nasty chemicals.

3) Different Strokes – men’s skin is very different from women’s,so it’s very important that they use products that have been designed specifically for them. For a kick off, men have much oiler skin then women’s and this makes it much more prone to shininess, enlarged pores, acne and other skin imperfections. In addition, men’s skin is more acidic (with an average pH of 4.5) which means it can react very differently to products than women’s skin will. Therefore, it’s important that you buy your own products that have specially formulated for men by a proper male brand, rather than think you can borrow hers in the bathroom !

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The Original and still the best – Lacoste Original

From the first polo shirt and clothing logo to the first steel racket and tennis ball machine, these four words embody the essence of the Lacoste brand and celebrate the pioneering spirit of its founder. René Lacoste was a tenacious champion and passionate inventor, often the first in the Original sense.

Truth, serenity, wisdom and confidence. A symbol of French elegance since 1933, Lacoste has been honouring the legacy of its founder for over ninety years. Combining the traditional with the ultra-modern, this fashion-sports brand revisits its codes with creativity and inventiveness, with the iconic crocodile—a firm favourite the world over—

as its figurehead. While fragrances have long been part of the Lacoste universe, the brand is

expanding its olfactory wardrobe with an original creation that reflects its unmistakable identity and celebrates its bold, daring personality. Lacoste presents LACOSTE ORIGINAL. A subtle nod to the Lacoste Original fragrance launched in 1984, this new scent embodies both authenticity and innovation. Elegantly revealing all the brand’s iconic codes, it adds an unexpected and surprising dimension to its olfactory universe, writing the first chapter of an inspiring, untold story.

Style and movement: these two dimensions so   intertwined with Lacoste have guided Master Perfumer Anne Flipo and Perfumer Tanguy Guesnet in creating the LACOSTE ORIGINAL Eau de Parfum.

“Anne and I worked on a citrus freshness with fiery spices to convey movement in this fragrance. Zesty notes of Bergamot, combined with the liveliness of Cardamom and Pink Peppercorn, make it a highly dynamic and modern scent.” Tanguy Guesnet.

LACOSTE ORIGINAL opens with the intense, tangy freshness of Bergamot, enhanced by spicy Pink Peppercorn and Cardamom accents. These explosive top notes give way to the elegance of Lavender and Clary Sage, which form an intense aromatic heart. At the base, sensual Sandalwood and powerful Patchouli lay the foundations of a potent sillage that blends comforting Amber with addictive Tonka Bean. Dynamic, modern and addictive, LACOSTE ORIGINAL is the olfactory expression of exalted creativity, freedom of movement and French elegance, the hallmarks of all Lacoste creations.

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Penny for your thoughts – 6 of the best Penny Loafers

The Penny Loafer is a much underrated and yet highly versatile piece of footwear, equally at home with a pair of jeans as they are within a formal setting. The Penny Loafer or the “Weejuns” to give them there more correct term first become popular after the depression of the 1930’s and had the rather strange origin of being based on Norwegian diary farmers clogs. The shoe’s strap has a split design that is supposed to resemble a pair of lips. This opening in the strap was soon used as a way to add a decorative touch to the usually simple loafer and small objects, such as pennies, were often placed there, hence the name, get it ? As alway we here at Clothes Make the Man bring you 6 of the best which should appear to you no matter what your taste or budget is. Take a look;

 

Ahhhh a real British, timeless Classic, this time in the form of this great from John Lobb from MRPORTER.com

 

 

Annie are you OK, are you OK Annie ! Ahh the late, great MJ himself was fond of a Loafer and these Penny Loafers from Russell & Bromley  are a nice break from the traditional and a little trip down that retro memory lane.

Another wonderful example to add a splash of colour to a look, comes this time from Clarks

Now for something just a little bit special, these objects of beauty come from the Italian luxury house Tods to produce this vintage looking Penny Loafer

You can’t go wrong with this Italian Classic interpretation of the Loafer from Brunello Cucinelli‘s designs are backed by meticulous Italian craftsmanship, evident in the quality materials and precise, hand-stitched finishes

 

Ahhh the original and many say the best by GH Bass the pride of Maine.

 

 

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The Jacket that never goes out of Fashion – The Denim Jacket

M apparel 7The origins of the Denim Jacket are not only very humble but very simple, originally created for the workplace; it formed part of the overall denim uniform that was rugged and durable for the manual worker of the 18th Century. In the late 1800s, it began to become more of a part of general clothing and it became a serious part of fashion attire thanks to companies like Levi Strauss. The company began seeing success with denim jackets in the early 1900’s and never looked back.

However, although not really changing a great deal over time regarding its overall design, the denim jacket is a cultural icon and has played a key role in the overall look of many sub cultures since its conception. Whether it be the western cowboy look which is never-endingly begin interpreted and reinterpreted by brands as a source of inspiration. The British Skinhead following of the 1970’s or the Hell’s Angels Rock inspired movement. The Americana image of the 1950’s Double denim rebel made famous by James Dean in “Rebel Without a Cause” or staying with the American influence of their Redneck brethren.

Screen Shot 2013-08-21 at 11.15.16Virtually every brand on the planet today gives their take on this piece of clothing from TOPSHOP and GAP, to the daddy of Denim Levi’s and Wrangler, right the way through to Ralph Lauren and of course Calvin Klein. Many of these brands have produced unforgettable and zeitgeist advertising campaigns including Nick Kamen taking off his 501’s in the laundrette, Leigh Bowery asking, “Where’s Pepe ?” Lee’s “Jeans that built America”. But my personal favourite has to be a beautiful and rather young Brooke Shields, pondering,”You want to know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing.” This not only sent people running out to buy denim in their droves but it made Jeans SEXY !

Since this moment Calvin Klein Jeans have been knocking it out of the ball park when it comes to marketing denim, not only using Brooke Shields, but Marky Mark Wahlberg accompanied by an early appearance by Ms Kate Moss. Jamie Dornan, pre his Serial Killer tendencies in “The Fall” or even being a little too controversial and having their Ad campaign banned altogether, which only added fuel to the fire of their desirability.

Calvin Klein Jeans continue to rework the sense of structure to their traditional denim jacket and shirts. The garment’s authentic details and aesthetic features with a mixture of shapes and colours.

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These Boots are, literally, made for walking. The Desert Boot

Screen Shot 2013-09-09 at 19.23.17The Desert Boot has to be one, if not the, most versatile and comfortable styles of footwear. Its design is simple an ankle-length boots with two or three pairs of eyelets for lacing, which were originally worn by the British Armed forces in the Western Desert Campaign of World War II. The soldiers had discovered that these boots were not only hard-wearing and durable, but also light weight and unbelievably comfortable, hence their name. The feature the boot is most famous for is there crepe rubber sole, which ensure their comfort fit and blister free enjoyment.

The Desert boot firmly cemented its place in modern day popular culture by being key within several fundamental sub culture looks. Principally the Beatnik movement of the 1950’s and early 60’s who adopted the easy footwear and the Mods, who showed the versatility of the boot by wearing them stylishly, both in a causal and formal manner. Plus, along with their quintessential scooters became essential to finishing this much loved look.

Screen Shot 2013-09-09 at 19.20.08Over the years such influential dapper figures as Bob Dylan, Steve McQueen, Paul Weller and Liam Gallagher have all been known as lovers of the crepe soled wonders and even figures within state Parliament and Royal establishments have been known to partake in the wearing of them.

If you’re looking for a pair for those long cold Winter months and not sure of colour or style take a look at desertboots.com They are the leading online retailer of suede and leather desert boots and shoes.  Having been established since 1985,  their range is one of the most diverse available and boasts a huge selection of desert boots to cater for every style and taste.

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