CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN

Converse are the footwear brand of the moment. Leading British footwear retailer schuh revealed recently that the Converse All Star Hi was the number one bestseller of 2022 with the brand’s sister shoe, the Converse Lift Hi supporting domination in second.

Now, the popularity of Converse is undoubtedly fuelled by the fact it has the potential to work with any kind of outfit.

When it comes to men’s Converse, you’re spoilt for choice as they’re available in a host of colours and a variety of materials, so it would be kind of hard to not find a style you like. But, in case you need some inspiration, we’ve got 4 different ways to wear Converse that might give you some ideas.

Street-ready

There’s no denying that streetwear has been going from strength to strength over the last few seasons and it doesn’t look like it’s going away anytime soon. A pair of black Converse All Star Hi’s goes down well with a pair of slim or straight cut chinos rolled up to the ankle, showing off a patterned or coloured sock, and an oversized t-shirt or sweatshirt and jacket combo is enough to nail down a credible style.

Perfect in punk

Let’s face it there are just so many different ways to wear Converse, but if you’re into your all black clobber then a pair of Converse All Star Lo in black is what you’re looking for. What better way to nail the ‘all black everything’ look than with a pair of black jeans, a black graphic tee, and a cool pair of Converse.

Formal and fashionable

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, Converse go with anything. If you thought Converse were just for casual styles, then think again. On the hunt for sneakers that deliver comfort when paired with a suit but don’t compromise on class? Canvas Converse All Star Lo in white can be utilised with a colourful suit choice, be it baby blue or pink, to deliver a chic style worthy of the red carpet.

The everyday

On the hunt for something a bit more simple? You don’t get much more of a casual everyday trainer than a pair of Chucks. The Converse All Star Hi in black with a pair of skinny, light blue jeans coupled with a puffa jacket for those days you just roll right out of bed and straight into uni or work. Sorted.

Low top Converse in white are the perfect, casual sneaker. Bright in colour, contemporary, and classically designed, they are the ultimate stylish shoe. Accompany them with light trousers like white or light-wash jeans. If you’re going to opt for a dark coloured pair of jeans, consider the contracts in tones.

David Beckham, Timothée Chalamet, and Zac Efron are just some of the celebs who’ve been spotted strolling in Converse so opt for the beloved All Stars and you’ll be joining some pretty esteemed company.

There you have it – 4 quick ways for guys to style Converse successfully in 2023.

Researchers from The Gym Group have taken a deep dive into the ways in which money savvy Brits are cutting back on their spending this year, with cutting out the weekend pizza, Chinese or curry, topping a list of 35 ways Brits are saving the pennies.

One in four (22 percent) have started batch cooking, while a fifth (19 percent) have unsubscribed from apps that they don’t use.

18 percent have cancelled streaming services, while 12 percent are opting for DIY haircuts, growing their own veg (10 percent) and DIY beauty treatments (nine percent), while seven percent have reverted to taking books out of the library and making bread from scratch (six percent).

One in twenty said switching to a less expensive gym membership was on their list of cost-saving swaps. The average monthly amount currently spent by gym-goers surveyed comes to a whopping £65.30.

Cycling to work (five percent) and car sharing (four percent) were also in the list of Brit’s savvy cost saving exercises.

Ann-marie Murphy, Chief Operating Officer at The Gym Group said: “It is clear that finding ways to budget that allow us to maintain our lifestyle is so important. This research shows the spending decisions many are facing during increased cost of living, including choosing lower cost subscriptions and memberships. In fact 16 percent of new members joined us because their previous gym fees were too expensive.”

Eight in ten (80 percent) Brits say they have reviewed their finances this year, saving an average of £118 in the process.

Increased pressures on their finances (49 percent), increasing bills (47 percent), being prepared for whatever may happen in the future (37 percent) and wanting to start putting money away (31 percent) are the main reasons for analysing costs.

A third (29 percent) think they could be better at managing their money, while one in four (26 percent) want to future proof their current standard of living.

Despite wanting to save money, a third (27 percent) admit that they will miss the items that they are swapping or ditching, with three quarters (74 percent) saying it is important for them to maintain the same lifestyle.

Good for my mental health (49 percent), not wanting to change their day-to-day lifestyle (45 percent), ruining their social life (36 percent) and wanting to have new things (15 percent) are the main reasons for maintaining their standard of living.

Four in ten (40 percent) said that the detox made them feel more in control of their finances, while 39 percent felt better at managing their money and pleased with themselves (38 percent).

A third (35 percent) felt more motivated to get more value out of their spending, with one in three (34 percent) admitting they were more conscious of what comes out of their bank account.

Price (79 percent) is top priority when considering signing up to a new provider, followed by quality of service (47 percent), convenience (34 percent) and availability (25 percent).

Two thirds (63 percent) don’t do a financial detox every year because they’ve not needed one before (44 percent). A sixth (21 percent) want to build better financial habits, while one in ten (12 percent) want to save for a large purchase like a holiday, car or a house deposit.

One in four (25 percent) will continue to do one every six months, while a third (30 percent) will undertake a review once a year.

TOP 35 WAYS BRITS ARE SAVING CASH 

1. Ditching takeaways      43%
2. Shopping around for discounts     38%
3. Reducing meals out/pub trips     37%
4. Turning the thermostat down     37%
5. Turning off appliances at the plug    34%
6. Sticking to a meal plan and shopping list    29%
7. Swapping premium brands for supermarket own  28%
8. Ditching shop bought coffees     25%
9. Cutting down alcohol      22%
10. Batch cooking        22%
11. Using loyalty cards      22%
12. Buying food in bulk      19%
13. Eating less meat      19%
14. Unsubscribing from apps     19%
15. Thrift shopping       18%
16. Cancelling streaming subscriptions    18%
17. Avoiding top up shops      18%
18. Buying from second hand websites    17%
19. Ditching ready meals      17%
20. Swapping lunch out for a packed lunch    16%
21. Negotiating prices with providers    15%
22. DIY haircuts        12%
23. Installing a smart meter      11%
24. Growing my own veg      10%
25. DIY beauty treatments      9%
26. DIY home projects      9%
27. Swapping car journeys for public transport   8%
28. Travelling at off-peak times     7%
29. Taking books out of the library     7%
30. Making bread       6%
31. Walking the children to school     6%
32. Cycling to work       5%
33. Switching to a lower cost gym membership   5%
34. Going into the office to save hearing at home   5%
35. Car sharing       4%

George Clooney has been crowned the world’s sexiest grey, according to new research. The 61-year-old film star has been rocking his famous grey locks since 2009, when he joked that he was shocked to see his silver mane on screen.

Coming in second place is British actress, Helen Mirren, who decided to embrace her natural colour after playing her role as Queen Charlotte in The Madness of King George.

Other stars who have embraced their silver streaks, include American actress Jamie Lee Curtis, Richard Gere, Idris Elba, and Meryl Streep.

Also featuring in list, compiled by insights agency, Perspectus Global, was Salma Hayek who recently revealed her silver streaks in a Instagram beach shot along with the caption ‘Proud of my white hair’.

And it seems Brits are accepting the move towards embracing their greys, with a third (28 percent) of over 40s admitting that natural grey hair is SEXIER than dyed locks. 

One in four (22 percent) reckon grey hair looks mature and sophisticated, while a quarter (28 percent) say they are embracing their silver because they are worried about the condition of their hair from constant colouring. 

Other names to feature in the sexy silver list include Harrison Ford, Barack Obama, Colin Firth, Sarah Jessica Parker and former Friends star, Matt LeBlanc.

One in ten (nine percent) have stopped colouring their hair to save both time and money.

Of those that are still dying their hair, a fifth (21 percent) are going to embrace their greys one day, with a tenth (10 percent) tempted to make the transition sooner rather than later.

One in ten (10 percent) admit to being inspired by social media accounts and celebrities to stop colouring their hair.

Harriet Scott, CEO of Perspectus Global commented, “The survey findings suggest Brits believe silver is sexy, and it is great to see how many are now ditching the hair dye and embracing their natural colour. 

“It is also great to see George Clooney come top in the poll, along with so many other gorgeous grey stars.”

More than half (51 percent) of those polled agreed that as a result of celebrities embracing their grey hair more, people are letting their natural hair grow through.

One in three (36 percent) believe it is now more acceptable to go grey and that there is less stigma about not covering up them up (36 percent).

A third (35 percent) love how their natural hair looks, while a further one in three (32 percent) believe it looks really cool.

 A quarter (28 percent) think the times are changing and less men and women will colour their hair in future to hide the greys.

This shift could be down to the lockdown when one in four (28 percent) started to embrace their greys and stop colouring their hair.

MOST ATTRACTIVE SILVER HAIRED CELEBRITIES ACCORDING TO BRITS:

1. George Clooney   28%
2. Helen Mirren    21%
3. Jamie Lee Curtis  16%
4. Richard Gere   16%
5. Idris Elba   15%
6. Meryl Streep   14%
7. Salma Hayek   14%
8. Pierce Brosnan   14%
9. Tom Hanks   13%
10. Harrison Ford   12%
11. Jodie Foster   12%
12. Barack Obama   11%
13. Colin Firth   11%
14. Sarah Jessica Parker  10%
15. Jane Fonda   10%
16. Matt Leblanc   9%
17. Jon Bon Jovi   9%
18. Diane Keaton    8%
19. Antonio Banderas  7%
20. Andie MacDowell  6%

There’s plenty you can teach yourself about fitness, and doing so is not only useful for beginners. Even if you’re experienced with working out, learning more about exercise can improve your routine to see results faster or even fix any bad habits that you may have picked up. However, it can sometimes feel like there’s so much you need to know that you don’t know where to begin. 

Fortunately, sports nutrition experts Bulk have conducted research to discover the most Googled questions about workouts and provided their insight to help you reach your fitness goals. 

“What to eat before a workout?” takes the top spot as the most searched for question around fitness. 

It’s recommended to eat around 2-3 hours before exercising, particularly if you plan on completing a long workout. Eating a meal with protein before a workout can increase muscle protein synthesis, where your cells produce protein; foods like poached eggs and chicken breast are high in this nutrient.  

Carbohydrates in particular give your body the fuel it needs to exercise, especially for high intensity exercises, so opt for including whole grain pasta or whole-wheat toast in your pre-workout meal. However, it’s not always practical to eat 2-3 hours before exercising, for example if you like to have an early morning session in the gym before work, so a small portion of Greek yoghurt with whole grain cereal will give your body both protein and carbs without leaving you feeling sluggish. 

“What does pre workout do?” and “What is pre workout?” take the second and third spots, respectively. 

Pre-workout is a supplement usually taken by strength and endurance athletes to boost energy, improve workout performance and promote muscle growth. Common ingredients include caffeine, carbohydrates, creatine monohydrate, and it can be taken as pills, powders to mix with a drink, or even be combined with protein supplements.  

Pre-workout should be consumed between 30-60 minutes before you workout – doing so will give you more energy to exercise harder and longer, and it can help to build your muscles. 

“What to eat after a workout” is the fourth most Googled search term around working out. 

Protein is the most important nutrient to consume after a workout to increase muscle mass; particularly if your workouts consist of lots of heavy lifting and strength training. Your body needs lots of protein to build and repair tissues in order to continue to grow them. For optimal results, try to consume a protein supplement or high-protein foods between 15 minutes to an hour after your workout, which is known to be the anabolic window (the short time after exercise when your body is repairing and recovering).  

 It’s also important to keep in mind that 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight is the daily recommended amount of the nutrient to gain muscle. Consuming carbohydrates with protein after working out will also help to speed up recovery and replenish the muscle glycogen that you burned during exercise. 

“How many exercises per workout?” takes the fifth spot for most searched questions regarding fitness. 

The recommended number of exercises per workout ranges between 4-8 with each exercise consisting of 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps, but there are circumstances that can determine how many you do. For example, if you are training both upper and lower body on the same day, you may complete four exercises for each muscle group equating to eight in total, but if you are just focusing on legs it may be four overall.  

It is also worth considering that fewer reps with a high weight are better for building strength and muscle mass while more reps of a lower weight are suggested for muscle endurance.  

“How many times a week should I workout?” places sixth on the list of the most Googled questions about fitness. 

A minimum of 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity is recommended to stay in good health, with that being spread over four to five days or even every day. However, it ultimately comes down to your fitness goals and what exercises you plan on doing. For example, if you wish to train both upper and lower body as well as doing cardio, you may find yourself working out every day and doing several hours of exercise each week.  

You should ideally train each muscle group between two and three days a week and wait at least 48 hours before training the same area again, and it’s important to remember that it isn’t advised to focus on the same muscle group every day as it could result in exhaustion, soreness, and injury. 

A spokesperson from Bulk has commented: “Working out goes so much further than just showing up at the gym. If you’re eager to reach your fitness goals, it’s important to know everything from nutrition to the suggested exercise duration, but it’s understandable that it can seem overwhelming. Given the time of year, many people may have only recently joined a gym as part of a New Year’s resolution, so it’s crucial to try to educate yourself on the ins and outs so that each workout is successful.”