How To Wear Denim Jeans AW18
The seeds of denim’s comeback are being sown. Thanks to Raf Simons’ Calvin Klein and his new uptight form of denim, we have a new way to see and wear it.
Left - Wrangler AW18
Bin those skinny jeans and buy yourself a denim shirt with contrasting front pockets, a roll neck and a denim jacket. This is 1970s cowboy in mid-winter.
Right - Calvin Klein AW18
The new AW18 campaign from Wrangler perfectly illustrates this. Brokeback at the top of the mountain, you could say, this all-American, retro look is all about layering relaxed shapes. Denim or corduroy jackets over jeans, check shirts and lightweight roll necks give this cowboy a romantic and wild edge. Think more North Carolina than North Acton.
Just don’t look like it’s your first time at the rodeo!
Left - Calvin Klein SS18
Below - Wrangler AW18
Get more inspiration in the video below. The video reminds me of the 1980s cult in Netflix's Wild Wild Country - here
How To Warm Your AW17 Arms (On A Budget!)
Looking online, it appears they’re a sell out. Yes, a sell out! Raf Simons’ AW17 arm-warmers, those accessorises we never knew we needed, and making us think differently about our forearms, aren’t available online anymore.
Left - Raf Simons AW17
That £250 you had burning a hole in your pocket, can be saved, thank god, with a bit of customising and working some magic on leg warmers and socks from eBay.
They do sell ‘arm-warmers’ on eBay, but they all seem a bit too short and tight, and actually designed to keep your arms warm. Duh! So, I started to look at large leg warmers, which you’ll be able to pull over your coat's arms.
It’s just trying to find a pair that is loose enough - the online pictures aren't great, but if it goes over an adult's thigh... - to fit over the arms of a coat that is key, and as seen in the Raf Simons show.
Left - Raf Simons - Knit Sleeves - £244
I went for the black 'Referee' socks, which I'm going to cut the feet out of and then loosely sew around the cut.
They cost me just over £2, including postage, and are a good way to jazz up an old coat, especially with men's fashion weeks coming up.
I think they would look best on a classic long wool coat, in a dark colour, like we saw on the catwalk. I have a perfect one from Jigsaw.
So, at just over a pound an arm, and 100 times cheaper than the originals, get covering those forearms. What have you got to lose?!
From Left - eBay - A selection of Girls/Ladies Referee Socks & Leg-Warmers from around £1.15
Right - Raf Simons AW17
How To Wear A Parka 2017
It's always this side of winter that the parka comes into its own. The default sub-zero style, the parka has become the trusted companion to many a fashionisto. But, there's a new way to wear it:
Go big and don't go home! There’s oversized and then there’s oversized and the designers, this season, have really blown-up the parka. Wear it big, wear it slouchy and if anybody asks, say "Demna made it for me!".
If you can't afford a Raf Simons, buy a generously filled high-street version a couple of sizes bigger. You can thank me later.
Left - Raf Simons - Men’s Oversized Down Quilted Jacket In Black & Yellow From LN-CC
Right - Balenciaga FW16
Left - Parka London - ‘Lever’ Oversized Fishtail Parka
Left - Vetements - Red Canada Goose Edition Down Parka From SSense
How To Find The Perfect Jacket
A man’s style can be very much dictated by body shape, but we don’t see a lot of guidance when it comes to what would look best on which body type. Women, however, get to compare themselves against hourglasses, pears and apples and discern which shape relates most to them - before receiving guidance on what would look best on each. Guys have to work it out for themselves.
However, clothing retailer Superdry has decided to put together an in depth guide around body shape and jacket style – perfect as autumn arrives and we go out to make those important investment purchases for the colder months.
You may not be familiar with the terms 'inverted triangle', 'oval' and 'slim curve' when considering your body shape, but all will become clear in the guide below. Learn what looks best with a bomber jacket, how a long trench coat can create a slim lined look and why a pea coat looks best on those who hit the shoulder press at the gym and pick out a jacket perfect for you.
Brought to you by Superdry
How To Punk (Bleach) Your Denim Jeans
If you’ve been taking notes from the latest men’s collection from Gucci, Cruise ’17 to be precise, you’ll have seen that they’ve looked to Britain and our anarchic past and created classically punked denim.
Both - Gucci Cruise '17
I’ve been tempted to bleach some jeans for a while now, ever since a splash back, while cleaning, left an interesting finish.
Below - An original skinhead
Here's how:
Take a pair of jeans that have been languishing at the back of the wardrobe. Look for something slim or tapered. Make it a pair you were going to chuck out, so you’ve got nothing to lose if you don’t like the finish.
Left - Test the bleach on a pair of unwanted jeans so you get an idea of the finish
Don’t use your favourite pair of jeans. Look for a pair where you like the fit, but not the wash or colour.
Left - Stuff the legs with newspaper to control the bleach to one side of the jeans
I’ve gone for an old pair of Lee 101s which have braces attached which only adds to the skinhead look. Im taking the braces off before I start as I don’t want these splattered with bleach.
Get some standard household bleach. You can wear gloves if you prefer.
Lie the jeans out flat in the bath tub or shower tray or do outside. Stuff the legs with newspaper to control the bleach to one side.
Left - Mohicans are optional!
Pretend you're Jackson Pollock and liberally drip the bleach over the jeans.
Left - Use standard household bleach
Let the jeans dry, best left overnight, then do the same on the other side.
Right - The bleach will look a bit green, but don't worry, it's working its punk magic!
Use a bucket to rinse or throw into the washing machine.
If you want a stronger contrast you can use the bleach directly. For something more subtle you can dilute the bleach with water and apply with a sponge.
The longer you leave on the bleach the whiter/lighter it will become.
Left - Hang the jeans on the washing line to dry
It will look a bit sludgy green as though it has been attacked by Slimmer from Ghostbusters. Don’t PANIC. It gets worse before it gets better.
Left - When you've done both sides put them on a cold rinse in the washing machine
Below - Skinhead Geek! You can opt classic skinhead with a Brutus shirt or, maybe, a Fred Perry polo shirt and Dr Martens or you can take inspiration from the Gucci show above
Left - TheChicGeek practising what he preaches and making WWD's street style pictures during LCM
How To Wear A Favourite T-shirt That Is Past Its Best
Bill Richardson at online clothing retailer Kings and Dukes, shares his tips on how to wear a favourite T-shirt that is past its best
Everybody has that one favourite T-shirt, and no matter how old, faded, and ill-fitting it becomes, we can’t bear to part from it. Whether it holds fond memories or we just love the way it looks, we can become incredibly sentimental about our favourite top, even if it has become a shadow of its former self. Whether it’s a football top, a band tee, or a just a shirt you love the look of, here’s how you can breathe new life into it.
An old tee that looks like it has a past to it can make a great focal point for any outfit and effortlessly set you apart from the crowd. Wearing clothes with a story behind them is a fashion statement in its own right in the disposable age that we live in. Your favourite old tee will be a great conversation starter too, as well as the perfect way of expressing yourself through what you choose to wear.
Contrast the nostalgia of a faded replica football top or band tee with the clean and crisp lines of a new pair of jeans and a jacket to make a bold statement. Alternatively, blend it seemlessly with a pair of jeans in a relaxed fit and a pair of well-worn trainers for a cohesive look.
If your favourite top becomes worn to the point you don’t feel its appropriate even for the most casual of situations, then don’t despair — you can always use it as pyjamas. If you don’t feel like retiring it quite yet, then you could use it as a gym top instead. However, you may not want to go this route if you’re incredibly sentimental about the top, as it will quickly deteriorate and have to go the journey.
If you’re still holding on to a much-loved and well-worn T-shirt, then keep these tips in mind so you can keep it as an integral part of your wardrobe for years to come.
More...
How To Choose The Perfect Watch
Burns Jewellers offers TheChicGeek some advice on choosing the best watch for you
Watches are an accessory that can really finish off an outfit, and while wearing an expensive time-piece is a real power move, it is important to consider your lifestyle and which type of watch would be the most appropriate for you. If you are generally quite active you may not get much use out of a designer watch, for example, whereas those who like to socialise in the evenings would have no use for a sports watch.
To ensure you pick a watch that can be worn regularly and proudly, it is important to follow the advice offered by the experts. Reading over this ensures you will understand exactly what the many different types of watches offer throughout your buying journey.
What makes you tick?
There are several different types of methods and mechanisms to make a watch function:
An automatic calibre works using kinetic energy — regular movement from the wearer winds the mainspring, which allows the hands to keep moving. Automatics can be spotted by the second hand floating around the face of your watch, as opposed to ticking.
Quartz timepieces use ready-made calibres and are battery powered, which means they can last a lot longer and are more accurate, but are not as interesting. These are looked down upon by watch snobs, but are actually a far more reliable watch. The second hand ticks. While the battery does have a long life, it will eventually need to be replaced.
What is your style?
An age-old idiom is that ‘the least important thing a watch does is tell the time’, and high-end watch distributors would tend to agree with this. Watch expert Burns Jewellers identifies three distinctive styles of watches, and categorises them based on appearance and the materials used in the watch’s construction.
A dress watch is identified by its plain, thin case and its large hands. These formal watches usually feature a leather strap and have gold bezels, mineral glass, and perhaps even titanium casing. These watches are great for evening events or formal occasions — a classy and elegant option.
A designer watch is more lavish than a dress watch, and the wearer is usually looking to make a statement by wearing one. Designer watches cannot be described generally, as they are individual to that particular brand’s trademark styling. However, they usually feature a gold or other precious metal strap, with a vibrant-coloured face for maximum visual impact.
A sports watch is hard-wearing and usually water resistant, so is made from a combination of stainless steel, rubber, and scratch-proof glass. The face usually features thick, clear numbers and is usually fitted with a compass or another cool gadget.
Hopefully, by knowing exactly the type of watch you’re looking for, you’ll find choosing the perfect piece much easier and more enjoyable.
How To Wear A Top Hat
Oliver Brown, owner, Kristian Robson, offers TheChicGeek some expert advice on buying and wearing a top hat
CG - What should you look for in a top hat?
KR - Black antique silk top hats are considered the height of beauty and elegance because of their impressive shine, shape and lightness, which is second to none. The modern versions, such as a fur felt in black and grey are bulkier than the antique style, though they do last very well. The 'Ascot Top Hat' and its taller counterpart the 'Hetherington Ascot Top Hat' are the closest alternative to an original silk top hat, but finished with ‘melusine’ fabric, they don't have the same impressive shine, look and lightness as an antique silk top hat.
Antique silk top hats are largely found in black, but can also be brown or grey which is often referred to as ‘white’ even though they are in fact grey. Whilst black is sometimes thought of as more formal, any colour can be worn to finish a morning suit or tails, and worn to all occasions.
If you’re looking for Royal Ascot top hats and have access to the Royal Enclosure, the dress code requires gentlemen to wear black or grey top hats without adornments such as coloured ribbons. The dress code is less restrictive within the Queen Anne and Windsor enclosures, however you’re welcome to adhere to the Royal Enclosure dress codes if you so wish.
CG- What’s the best way to get your correct size?
KR - We would always recommend a fitting with a top hat specialist. It’s very important to get the fit perfect so that the hat is secure enough that it’s not going to move or fall off, but not too tight that it leaves a mark when you take it off. The top hat should sit flat on your hear, not titled forward or backwards and sit ½ an inch above the ear.
CG - Is there any advice on proportions/height of the hat for the wearer?
KR - The shape and height of antique silk top hats evolved somewhat over the years, with the crowns gradually becoming taller in height and the brims narrower. The most common shape of antique silk top hats is the ‘bell-shape’ which has slightly curved sides, but there are also examples such as the ‘stove-pipe’ which has straight sides and is particularly tall. The shape you opt for is a personal choice, for example if you have a smaller head you may want to opt for a crown that’s lower in height to keep everything in proportion.
CG - Anything else in regards to style tips, maintenance etc.?
KR - The top hat must sit flat on your head, not tilted forwards or backwards.
To clean your hat, any dust on an antique or modern top hat can removed by lightly brushing it with a pure bristle brush; when dusting an antique silk top hat it’s important to brush in the direction of the nap to keep it smooth. You can treat it with steam if needed or bring it into the shop to have it cleaned.
Antique silk top hats were designed to be buffed and this will need to be carried out from time to time to keep their polished appearance. Using a velvet pad, sweep over the surface in the direction of the nap a few times until the hat’s deep, glossy shine is reinstated.
If you need to dry your top hat, for example because you were caught in the rain, it’s important you let the hat dry in a naturally warm and airy environment - never over direct heat such as a radiator which could distort the shape of the hat.
With a view to storage, we recommend you keep your top hat in a box, away from moths, and cover the whole hat in silk to protect it. The hat should fit comfortably in the bucket or box so it doesn’t move around too much during transportation, but must also be tall enough so the edges of the hat do not rub and cause wear to the crown.
How To Do Flower Power SS16
This isn't flower-power in the traditional hippie sense. This is flower-power in the Jared-Leto-at-the-Oscars way. Oversized corsages worn with confidence and a modern masculinity. We've got the all new singing and dancing Gucci to thank for these floral flourishes. For SS16, things are bold and colourful. These are perfect for something different for a prom or an evening wear look. Wear where a bow-tie or neck tie would be, or add in your button hole. Who said menswear wasn't fun?!
Left - Jared Leto in Gucci at the 2016 Oscars
Left - The peacock male, Gucci's SS16 advertising campaign
Below - The corsage on the Gucci SS16 catwalk
How to make your own flower-power corsage:
1. Look for a large silk headed flower. I found some good ones in the local pound shop. Go for a dark colour, if you want masculine, or bright, fuchsia pink, if you really want to stand out.
2. Use pliers to snip off the flower head from the wire stem.
3. Find a piece of ribbon, long enough to tie around your neck. Use a ribbon from a carrier bag, if you can find one, or buy a small length.
4. Snip, using a pair of scissors, a small hole in the middle of the ribbon.
5. Push the stem of the flower through and, using a glue gun, generously secure the end to the ribbon.
Voila! You're red carpet ready!
Left - One TheChicGeek made earlier!
See how TheChicGeek styles his here
Left - dunhill SS16
Right - Bally SS16
How to Detox
Sometimes you need reminding about the basics of keeping your skin healthy. Rita Strazinska, beauty expert and founder of Bio2You, answers some of the most frequently asked questions on how to detox skin and bring back the healthy glow before the Christmas season.
Q: What is a cheap and easy way to detox the skin?
A: Drink more water – It sounds simple and is simple, however, not many people drink the recommended six to eight glasses of water a day. Drinking water helps flush out toxins, cleanse the liver and your skin benefits from the hydration.
Q: How do I get my skin looking instantly better after over-indulging during party season?
A: Get up and glow – by using a facial scrub to effortlessly sweep away dead skin cells and residue. The result is cleaner, fresher more radiant and younger looking skin.
Q: Do anti-ageing products help with skin detoxing, even if I’m not concerned about wrinkles?
A: It’s never too early to start thinking about anti-ageing as prevention is always better than cure. We are surrounded by and consume free-radicals from the moment we are born so investing in a good anti-ageing cream will provide long-lasting moisture, nourishment, protection and rejuvenation for tired looking skin.
Q: What’s all the fuss about detoxing with organic products?
A: Organic products are free from hidden nasties and unnecessary ingredients and not only are they better for your health but are also kinder to the environment. So you can treat yourself and do your bit for the world at the same time.
Q: What are the best ingredients to look for when detoxing the skin?
A: Be greedy with your ingredients – Just because a product has a high street name doesn’t mean it has high grade ingredients. Look for products that contain active ingredients from a natural source for the best results.
Making your way through the minefield of superfruits and foods is often very confusing so the best way to look to the future sometimes is to look to the past. Seabuckthorn has been used in therapies for skin complaints for many years due to its amazing nutritional properties and can be used for a multitude of skin conditions including revitalising and improving skin elasticity, renewing skin cells and nourishing the epidermis.
Q: Are good skin products enough for detoxing or do I need to change my lifestyle?
A: An easy way to give your skin a boost is to get a good night’s sleep - not only does this help you function better the next day but it also helps reduce puffiness in the eyelids and face. So go to bed an hour earlier and see the difference the very next day.
How to 'look better tonight'
Grooming brand Alford & Hoff's favourite phrase is 'look better tonight'.
Barry Alford tells us how How to 'look better tonight'
Apply the Alford & Hoff Microdermabrasion cream for one minute. This exfoliates the skin with diamond shaped magnesium oxide crystals that are uniform in size and shape unlike other exfoliators which can look like shrapnel under a microscope and can be bad for your skin leading to tears and cuts.
Wash this off. When you wash and shave, you strip your face, so it is good to replace with our serum. A thin veil of this lightweight cream should massaged over the face and allowed to absorbed.
Then follow up with a moisturiser, we do one for the day with SPF 15 and one for the night.
Alford & Hoff is a new, luxury men's skin-care brand from America that uses sirtuin technology to reduce the signs of ageing. Sirtuins are the proteins that prevent cells from dying. The ingredients inside their products stimulate the sirtuins in men's skin.
How to Protect Your Skin from the Sun
Clinique's Executive Director for Research and Development, Dr Tom Mammone
How to Protect Your Skin from the Sun
"Start simply. Clean off the dirt from your skin with a great soap.
Exfoliate, you'd never a paint a wall without prepping it first.
Enhance - put something on your skin that is protective.
Always use something that has a UV protector. Use a product that has a broad range with UVA -these are the penetrating rays that cause more sagging and deeper skin damage- and UVB -these give you wrinkles - protection. Both cause cancer but UVB rays cause damage to the skin's DNA.
When it comes to sun tan lotions and creams it isn't so much about the factor number -though choose one according to your skin type - as it is about application. Always use in quantity and evenness.
Protect all the spots: tops of feet, ears etc.
Reapply ever two hours regardless of factor number as some can breakdown after two hours and it is not worth taking the risk. Sweat can also dissolve the cream on the skin.
Some products are specifically formulated to protect the face because it is so exposed and to help protect regions that are thin like around the eyes.
Facial creams will have a lot more antioxidants and super defence so it worth buying a cream just for your face.
Reduce processed sugars in your diet. A sugary diet and sun damage combined can seriously damage the skin."
Clinique for Men was launched in 1976 and continues to be the No. 1 prestige grooming range in the UK. All products are allergy tested, 100% fragrance free, non-acnegenic and clinically formulated.