anthonymcgrath405 / 29/10/2013

Strength in Numbers, Army & Navy – the new brand from House of Fraser

As probably, one of the best known names on the British high Street, House of Fraser has services its customers with a pleasurable department store experience nationwide for over 160 years. So for Winter 2013, the company is launching a new menswear lifestyle brand, which draws richly on this impressive pedigree.

The brand takes its name from the iconic chain of department stores founded in 1871 and established by Army & Navy officers. The brands rapid expansion across British overseas territories included emporiums in the UK as well as depots in New Delhi, Calcutta and Bombay. Renowned for stocking everything you could think of, from furniture to firearms, watches to hatpins, Army & Navy was acquired by the House of Fraser group in 1976. The original store in Victoria trades successfully to this day.

Army & Navy caters for the male who want functionality with a touch of fashion. Whether those men range from the intrepid highland explorer to the humble dog walker, the brand promises something for every modern man. Performance outerwear is a highlight of the collection. Waterproof jackets with sealed seams, concealed pockets and detachable hoods available in forest green, navy and black are inspired by traditional Army & Navy camouflage. The collection also includes; twisted yarn knitwear, and the ubiquitous checked shirt.

A capsule collection of essential accessories complement the range. Ribbed hats and scarves spun in Italian lambswool, technical hiking socks, for those dark cold winter’s days, have been cleverly crafted from three key fabrics to create the ultimate in comfort and durability. Basically something for every man whether it’s enduring the daily commute on those cold, dank, dreary days of Winter or if your more of an outdoorsy type a guy, ensuring your toasty on a weekend biking, hiking or hauling your sorry ass up the side of a mountain in the name of fun.

COMPETITION TIME

This is the Peakstorm coat, a key piece from the Army and Navy range . It’s a waterproof jacket with sealed seams, concealed pockets and a detachable hood. Fancy one, well you blinking well can, all you have to do is sign up to <Clothes-Make-the-Man.com from now until midnight (GMT) on 11th November 2013 & it could very well be.

anthonymcgrath405 / 25/10/2013

They’ll warm the cockles of your heart – 6 of the best Cable Knit sweaters

Ahhh the nights are drawing in and its getting harder and harder to get up in mornings, Winter’s on its way and if your to believe the reports of those pesky weathermen and women, Sian Lloyd I’m talking about you its gonna get mighty cold in the coming weeks (and months). Now the style of knitwear for this season is none of this fine gauge light weight nonsense, Ohhh no. Its as though the Fashion houses around the world have been looking into their meteorological crystal balls and can see Winter 2013 is one for good and heavy old fashion Jumpers !

So we at Clothes Make the Man have searched far and wide for some of the best example of THE knitwear for the season, the knitwear in question being, the ‘Aran Jumper’ otherwise known as the ‘Cable knit Sweater’. Now there is an incredibly interesting, if not macabre, story behind this type of garment. Many moons ago the fishermen of the Aran Island, off the coast of Galway, Eire would get their good lady wives and mothers to knit them, fine sturdy jumpers to keep them warm and protect against those savage Atlantic conditions. Now the ladies would knit for their men folk jumpers but would add in intrinsic cable patterns onto them. So heres the interesting bit, every family who lived on the three main Islands which make up the Aran Islands, Inishmore, Inishmaan and Inisheer would all alter their patterns, almost like having a family coat of arms. So if one of the fishermen were wash overboard, basically his body could be identified by the jumper, or more importantly, the pattern on his Aran Jumper, told you it was macabre !

So with thought still engrained on your minds check out 6 of the best examples, our finest retailers have to offer –

No Winter chills are gonna get past this bad boy from Reiss

Keeping it nice and simple , this fine example with go with pretty much anything. It by Remus Uomo from House of Fraser

Keeping it nice and simple , this fine example with go will pretty much anything. Its by Remus Uomo from House of Fraser

Colour my life, there’s no chance of going missing in the snow if you’re wearing this knit by Paul Smith from MRPORTER.com

Well you can’t get more authentic then an actual Aran Sweater which is produced on the Aran Islands themselves. This is by Inis Meain for galvinformen.com

This is a great example of a cable knit from high Street favourite Burton.

Channel your inner country gent in this wonderful Polo Ralph Lauren jumper from Matchesfashion.com

anthonymcgrath405 / 19/08/2013

Whatever the Weather – Six of the best Trench Coats

The weather at the moment is as reliable as a TfL train schedule, don’t get me started. You wake in the morning it seems a bit dull and overcast, by the time to get to work the sun is cracking the stones, you fly out to grab some lunch and it pours down and by the time you’ve arrived back to the office the sun has dried you off via its natural radiation, or it can be any of the mixed up aforementioned scenarios, literally four season in one day.

To combat this infuriating conundrum and make your life a little easier we’ve selected six of the best, of a piece of outerwear that EVERY man should possess, the Trench. Thin enough for the transitional period, thick enough to tackle most things Mother Nature can hurl at you, essentially enough to see you through whatever the weather and still having you looking sharper then sixpence, whatever that means ????

OK lets start with something a little left field and not your traditional Trench, from Belstaff @ Harrods.com

This is a classic in every sense of the word and if you look after it, it should return the favour. Jaeger @ House of Fraser

This trench is a must for the season and is from Marks & Spencer’s Autograph Collection so you can be assured of quality and price

Within Trench coat history there is an on going argument as to who first invented the Trench, with Aquascutum claiming they did.

Within Trench coat history there is an on going argument as to who first invented the Trench first, with Aquascutum claiming they did.

Whereas the other contender to this title, also holds the Royal Warrant. It is of Course Burberry, this example of the classic is from Burberry Brit at MrPorter.com

Fancy something a little more contemporary but that won’t go out of fashion ? Go for this Trench from Reiss available from JohnLewis.com

anthonymcgrath405 / 23/07/2013

Come Aboard – Six of the best Boast Shoes

Love em or Loathe em you can’t escape Boat Shoes this season, no matter if a shop or brand remotely dabbles in footwear they will carry a boat shoe in some way, shape or form. Now to save you stress of having to scour the high street looking for a pair you might like, we at Clothes-Make-the-Man as always have saved you the hassle and selected six of the best from the traditional to something a little different –

Saint Laurent @ Harrods.com

Swims @ MrPorter.com

Romain Kremer for Camper

Sebago Dockside @ OiPoloi.com

Ted Baker @ House of Fraser

Tommy Hilfiger

anthonymcgrath405 / 11/07/2013

Make a splash – Six of the best swim shorts

Its been a LONG, cold winter, where we’ve been wrapped up like the remains of a turkey on Boxing Day. But as we keep on saying, Summer is finally here, almost as though if we keep on saying it, the good weather will stay a while longer. The men of not only the UK but across many countries, their poor legs haven’t seen day light now for almost a year, never mind go swimming !

Well, as you would have it, Clothes-Make-the-Man like to make life a little easier for our readers and so we’ve surfed the information superhighway from start to finish looking for some of the best swim shorts around, shhhh some might be on sale, so even better value, wink, wink ! Listen enough from me enjoy and get shopping, lets get out of recession, I’m sick of it !

These shorts from Kenzo @ Farfetch.com ensure it won’t be a tight fit with this jungle print

Say Aloha to these hibiscus print swim shorts. But maybe think twice about wearing them with one of the Hawaiian shorts we posting last week OVERKILL

Say Aloha to these hibiscus print swim shorts by Hackett @ House of Fraser. But maybe think twice about wearing them with one of the Hawaiian shorts we posting last week OVERKILL

These Swim shorts will flatter pretty much any guy so before you fly off to you holiday destination, maybe invest in these from Paul Smith @ mrporter.com

A nice take the the camo trend in these elephant print camouflage swim shorts from Vilebrequin

Keeping it Classically British, not not union Jack shorts but these Spitfire, Made in Britain, shorts by Harry Elliot

These Flamingo print swim shorts by Howick @ House of Fraser are cool as long British Summer

COMPETITION TIME

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