Read up on menswear news and advice!

DIY Fashion - Trend That Can Save You Money

For menswear.

Halloween is usually that time of the year where we think to ourselves “I want to do something for Halloween but I don’t want to spend that much money on a costume”. That’s when one a little lamp lights up above your head saying “Let’s be creative and make some DIY costumes”. It’s interesting how we feel creative when it comes to creating our own costumes, but why should we restrict ourselves to only Halloween?

The holiday season can also be a good opportunity to exercise the right side of your brain by creating new clothes and accessories that will capture everybody’s attention. Usually during the holidays, many clothing retail stores hike up their prices in order to generate more sales during this period of the year where people spend the most. There is always a last minute gift for someone in the family to buy. But the truth is that although you feel as though you really need that new dress, is it really worth spending all your hard earned cash on it? Not only that, but sometimes we accumulate so many clothes in our closets that we have no idea that we actually have. So during this controversial time of the year, where some people claim to give more for the others and some others claim to have to buy more gifts, a good idea is to do some sort of recycling in your closet while revamping a few of you own looks.

A good and classical example is the white dress that we would all like to wear for New Years Eve. You probably have no idea about how many white clothing items you might still have in your closet. You may have bought because it was a very good deal but you’ve only end up wearing once or twice. This is the perfect example of clothing that has great potential to become your brand new NYE look. With the help of some Pinterest images for inspiration and a few embellishments and craft supplies you can make a look that will rock the New Year’s party.

What about the ugly Christmas sweater? Most retail stores are transforming the classical ugly Christmas sweater in a trendier sweater by adding a few sequins to it. This little detail makes the whole difference and brings a more festive style to the original sweater.

Why not trying to do the same while saving some money? If you master the art of sewing and quilting, this is the best time of the year to remember these skills that were perhaps forgotten in the past. You can easily find fashionable yarn that already comes with sequins so that you can have fun sewing your own DIY trendy Christmas sweater. What if you could do all that without leaving the comfort of your house during the holiday break? Isn’t it the perfect plan? You can easily shop and buy fabrics online and put your creativity to the test!

Posted in menswear | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The Hottest Trends in Hip Hop Jewelry

For menswear.

Featuring iced out watches, diamond encrusted pendants and gold chains, hip hop jewelry (or “bling”) has taken the scene by storm and can be seen everywhere from the urban streets to the red carpet to high profile music videos. Though hip hop jewelry has been around since the 1970s, these extravagant styles in this male dominated music scene became more popular after hip hop went mainstream. Today, hip hop jewelry is worn by the biggest rappers in the business, as well as their fans. Here are some of today’s hottest trends in hip hop jewelry.

Gold Chains

Gold chains have been a major part of hip hop jewelry since its inception. In the beginning, wearing multiple skinny chains was in, and then later large became the norm. Though many hip hop stars switched over to platinum in the ’90s, gold is still king when it comes to hip hop chains. Gold chains are remain a big seller in hip hop jewlery stores and are often worn by hip hop stars, such as Kanye West, Drake, T.I., Jay-Z and Chris Brown, and countless others.

Diamond Encrusted Pendants

Nowadays, hip hop jewelry is all about the bling, and you can’t have bling without a diamond encrusted pendant. And, of course, diamond pendants are the best way to customize a chain. Diamond gold and platinum pendants have become one of the biggest trends in hip hop jewelry, and they are constantly being rocked by the most famous rappers in the game. One of the most well-known diamond chains is Rick Ross’ Self Chain, which has an estimated value of $1.5 million and features custom-made gold diamond version of himself. Other famous chains include Young Jeezy’s large diamond Certified USDA chain (valued at $100,000), Sean Kingston’s Crayon Chain (valued at $500,000), and T-Pain’s extravagant BAC chain (valued at $410,000).

Iced Out Watches

The hip hop jewelry look isn’t complete without an iced out watch. Pretty much every big rapper can be seen with an iced on watch on their wrist. Whether it’s a signature diamond watch from Rolex or a custom Joe Rodeo, watches are a classic timepiece that adds swagger to any outfit. You’ll want to keep your watch in pristine condition, so consider anti-tarnish products to keep it looking brand new at all times.

Black Diamonds

Along with the traditional white diamond, rappers are icing out their jewelry in black diamonds. Though black diamonds don’t have the same sparkle and sheen as white diamonds do, they give jewelry a bold, stunning and unique contrast. Natural black diamonds are real diamonds that are extremely rare. These precious stones get their black color from the inclusion of graphite that occurs in the crystalline structure during its formation. Along with their color and the inclusion of graphite, black diamonds differ from other diamonds in that they are completely opaque. But, like classic white diamonds, black diamonds look stunning on all kinds of jewelry, including iced out pendants, stud earrings and bracelets. Tons of celebrities can be seen rocking black diamonds, with well-known pieces including Just Blazer’s black diamond encrusted PlayStation 3 controller chain and Nas’ “N” chain made of 50 carats of black and white diamonds.

These are some of the biggest trends in today’s hip hop jewelry scene. While hip hop jewelry trends have evolved over the years, what they represent has remained unchanged— a rapper’s presence, prestige and accomplishments.

Posted in menswear | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

How to Be Suave with a Beard!

For menswear.

Pulling off the bearded look doesn’t come as easily as one might think and it actually requires a lot of effort to ensure it adds to your appearance. You will need to invest in some handy products that are easy to get hold of such as wax and oil to help to keep the hair under control and healthy. One of the best ways to find good quality items to help you to stay well-groomed is to shop online and you can find products for men’s grooming by Penhaligons by conducting a quick online search. Modern men are spending more time than ever before maintaining their appearance and this doesn’t mean you have to be freshly shaven, as you can also look suave and handsome with a well-maintained beard.

One man that can certainly pull off the bearded look is everyone’s favourite secret agent: James Bond. However, we still haven’t seen a bearded Bond on the big screen despite beards becoming one of the most popular trends of 2015. With many actors playing Bond over the years, it’s hard to believe that the only time Bond has been spotted with facial hair was for a brief moment when Pierce Brosnan played the famous spy.

It does take time and effort to maintain a beard and here are a few items that every beard-lover will need to have in their bathroom cabinet:

  • Beard oil
  • Moustache wax
  • Good quality razor
  • Shaving cream
  • After shave balm or gel

You will need to keep the hair around the beard looking neat and tidy, which is why a good quality razor will come in handy. Products like those listed above are simple to shop for online by searching for men’s grooming by Penhaligons and similar retailers, and it is also easy to get hold of affordable deals on beauty products when you shop online.

Pulling off the suave and handsome look with a beard isn’t always easy and you will need to invest some time and effort in order to maintain this modern look.

Here are some tips on how to maintain healthy facial hair:

  • Wash it often with specialist scrub
  • Trim it regularly to stop it from growing too wild
  • Change the shape from a duck beard to a full face beard from time to time

There are lots of different styles of beards you can grow and while looking suave with a beard comes easy for someone like Sean Connery - who is arguably the most famous face ever to play James Bond – it doesn’t come so naturally to us mere mortals.

Many modern men are dedicating more time to their personal beauty regimes and if you have a beard, then you will need to make sure that you buy some good quality products to help you with your beard maintenance routine. From Roger Moore to Daniel Craig, if you want to look as handsome as Bond but with an edgy beard then the most important tip is to remember to take good care of it from trimming stray strands to washing it.

Posted in menswear | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Review of SoftScience Terrain Ultra Lyte Boot

For menswear.

When you are looking for a boot that will take you from a stroll around the streets of NYC to visit your favorite stores and restaurants to a hike through wooded trails, you will want to take a look at the Terrain Ultra Lyte Boot by SoftScience. At SoftScience, they have managed to create a stylish boot for men and women that gives you the comfort to power through all that makes up your day.

The upper material of the Terrain Ultra Lyte high-cut boot is constructed of your choice of a washed cotton canvas or crackled polyurethane, which helps to keep the silhouette like your favorite men’s sneaker. However, the proprietary difference in this boot lies in the Trileon insole.

This removable insole was developed by Scott Seamans, as an exclusive item for SoftScience’s men’s shoes section and consists of a closed-cell polymer that is able to make the insole cushioned, stable, and lightweight. This material is also used in the rugged outsole of the Terrain, which makes it able to keep the boot lightweight. Most of the boots that you will try on are so heavy after a while that wearing them becomes a chore, not a pleasure. In addition to the material construction of the Terrain Ultra Lyte, SoftScience makes sure that the fit is generous in both the length and the width to keep the comfort level high. Nothing is worse that a boot that squeezes your feet or rubs in all the wrong places.

On the fashion end of the Terrain Ultra Lyte Boots, they are an urban-style, lace-up boot that will look great with a pair of jeans in the winter or a pairs of khaki cargo shorts in the spring. Its wrap around outsole will keep your feet dry when you are trekking through wet leaves or shallow puddles on the ground. For the style-conscious guys, there is the choice of the cracked polyurethane that will give you a great textured look or the always popular camo print that will add some interest to the darker wardrobe colors of winter.

The Skinny:

SoftScience Terrain Ultra Lyte Boot
A pair of stylish and functional men's boots great for urban living.
Brand: SoftScience
Posted in menswear | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Review of SoftScience Terrain Ultra Lyte Boot

Review of Hex Tie Black

With the necktie being one of men’s most-worn accessories, it is not hard to believe that its origin dates back to the Croatian Vallerists during the 30 Year War. The decorative cloths worn around their necks made it easy to distinguish the officers, who wore silk wraps around their necks and the, while the regular soldiers wore less luxurious materials. The necktie actually waxed and waned in fashion throughout history and came back into the spotlight with the popularity of The Beatles in the 1960’s.

For today’s man, there are many different choices in the world of neckties, but there are four main types: The bowtie; the 4-in-hand necktie; the clip-on, and the 7 fold tie. Each has its own characteristics and can be made out of materials like silk, cashmere wool, polyester, and cotton. However, at Hex Tie, the necktie has been transformed into a space-age accessory for the modern man.

hextie

For-going the conventional fabrics for necktie manufacturing, Enrique Alejandro Peral decided to create a necktie that was totally different. Hence, the Hex Tie was born. Enrique constructed a necktie that was made out of acrylic shapes that laid flat against the body and had an intrinsic flexibility with the adjoining fabric. Every tie is assembled by hand to give each customer a unique item and one that is definitely a conversation piece. The Hex Tie comes in different designs, according to the shapes that make up the construction. There are ties that are made out of acrylic slices of rectangles, which resemble a version of their striped counterparts, honeycomb pieces, and even triangle ones. The prices range from $99 in the black acrylic to $1898 for the golden chrome edition. The entire collection of Hex Ties can be found at their online tie store.

The concept of using a polymer to create a necktie may be an unusual idea for some traditional men, but they may be intrigued by the contemporary look of the Hex Tie and the lack of need to visit the dry cleaners. The Hex Tie has the ability to be wiped clean without ever having to see the laundry room, which is a much easier to care for than most of the items in your closet.

The Skinny:

Hex Tie Black
The Hex Black tie is a bold new take on the classic men's accessory by making their ties from a polymer instead of silk.
Brand: Hex
Posted in menswear, reviews | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Review of Hex Tie Black

Review of Shielo Restoration Oil & Conditioner

For menswear.

Hair products by and large fit into 3 categories: cosmetic, health-promoting, and pointless - hey, just speaking the truth here! Fortunately, Shielo is never guilty of making the latter: the sustainability and vegan-heralding company produces products that are both healthy AND help make your hair look fabulous. The success of their products is undoubtedly due to the quality natural ingredients they use as well as the data they gather from intense hair care research to augment their designs. As they put it themselves, “[W]e have committed to developing naturally-based formulas infused with organic botanicals harvested from plants grown without the use of synthetic pesticides or chemicals.” Words to stand by!

Let’s take a closer look at the products themselves, starting with the Shielo Shine Restoration Oil. The shine restoration oil leaves your hair soft without being greasy. Bringing out the natural color and shine of your hairs’ highlights. Within a few days your hairs texture becomes silky and feels noticeably softer and more nourished. Unlike other oils, this gives your hair the nourishment it needs and doesn’t compromise its body. Not to mention it smells amazing!

Now, consider the Shielo Color Protect Reflecting Conditioner. The conditioner lives up to its name by not only deep conditioning but also adding shine and intensifying your hairs natural colors. After one use your hair is noticeably softer and stronger. Even after using heat on my hair, it was feeling nourished and not dried out. Wise investments all around!

Posted in menswear | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Review of Shielo Restoration Oil & Conditioner