The Hatman meets…the strange clothing co.
Hello and welcome to the first in a series of what I’m calling “the Hatman meets”.
My new website is almost upon us, and it will be a fusion of all things cool about UK independent clothing brands, grooming product manufacturers and barbers!
My mission is to create a ‘movement’ in which we all start to support the smaller more personal brands and move away from the ‘big’ high street brands that are monopolising the fashion industry.
The small indie brands are all hard working, passionate, and very creative people, whether they’re designing capsule clothing collections or toiling over cauldrons of wax and oils to create that perfect blend to make exquisite beard oils, and moustache wax.
My first interview is with the designer, creator, illustrator, photographer, head of marketing, packaging and PR (he pretty much does it all!!) of the newly formed ‘street wear’ label that is strange clothing co…Patrick Currier
Firstly we need to discuss the man behind the product, then the product itself…trust me it’ll all make sense in a few minutes!
Patrick is not only all of the above for his fledgling apparel company (it was literally born in May 2014…still wet behind the ears!) but unsurprisingly for a man who oozes creativity, he’s also the frontman, guitar playing , vocalist , and songwriter for the brilliant (and somehow unsigned!?…really??) Red Crow.
In fact, if he wasn’t such an affable chap…you’d probably hate him!
From a music point of view just check out this video they shot for “City Riser” it’s just brilliant!
I defy you not to be humming along for the rest of the day!
Patrick speaks with a distinct American accent.
He explains “I was born in the UK, my mother is English and my dad was an American Airman”
At a young age he moved back to the US and spent a good 10 years in California, then Oklahoma, then Boston…and then back to the UK.
Quite a journey.
“My heart is here in the UK, my time in Cali was great, I loved being a kid there, wasn’t sure if it was Cali, or just that I loved being a kid!…and still do!”
When asked what he meant by that, he simply explained that kids have no inhibitions with their creativity, anything goes, he went on to explain that from a young age he had the desire to become a great artist.
“I guess I have no inhibitors in my brain!”
Patrick is clearly a passionate guy, his brain is whizzing and like me, sometimes he’s thinking so fast that his words can’t catch up!
When asked what he was most passionate about, his music or his clothing brand he answered quite simply “Music has it’s hooks in me,I can never let go”
Pre Red Crow his interest in music wained, he found solace in illustration.
At first he says he used to draw for himself, then after some rave reviews designed a couple of t-shirts for bands, and even did some cartoon strips and became a creative illustrator for huge brands like Dr.Pepper.
So to sum him up…he’s a brilliant singer songwriter, fantastic illustrator, creative genius (childlike genius he calls it!) and in my opinion…he’s a bloody nice bloke too!
All this at the tender age of…(now here’s the funny bit…) “My age is a closely guarded secret” he laughs…”my age is irrelevant, I find people are too quick to judge you if you’re from a certain era”….
You disliking him yet?…
He’s actually right, as stated in one of my earlier posts, age is just a number, your own style shouldn’t be defined because you are of a certain age.
What is relevant though, is that Patrick says that he gives value to any creative thought.
So you can pretty much guarantee he’ll put everything into it, he’s driven and has incredible self discipline.
“When I’m drawing a design I know how far to go with it, when the tweaking stops and I’m 100% happy with the final article.”
This can be seen below, where you will see one of his designs from start to finish, from pencil sketch, ink version, to final T-shirt.
incredible detail…and yes that really is Billy Huxley modelling it!!
What about the name “Strange Clothing Co.?
“It’s dark and ridiculous”…his sense of humour is coming through.
Dark due to the nature of some of the designs, skulls, Octopods, rams heads…a bit of gothic horror influence?
He’s certainly a fan.
Ridiculous?
Take the ‘Octopod’ design for example, Patrick explains that his influence came from late 19th/early 20th century posters about amazing creatures that nobody actually ever saw or probably ever even existed…all just from someone’s imagination!
again check out the amazing detail in the design, through to the finished article!
Actually funnily enough the first thing Patrick designed was the logo, which again has an explanation for the font and style used.
“I wanted the logo to look like the writing you’d see on the old travelling salesman carts that used to sell all kinds of crazy medicines and elixirs to the unsuspecting townsfolk in the old west”
Told you…very active imagination!
“nailed it though!”
Patrick knows where he wants the brand to go, he’s already designed the next collection, he’s introducing more products too, including accessories, hats and leggings.
The beauty of buying from a great indie clothing company like strange clothing co
Is that you probably won’t bump in to at least 10 other guys wearing the same top as you in a pub!
“All designs are limited in number, I’ll retire some them to make sure I keep the brand fresh.”
“If you order before June you even get a limited edition numbered ‘Octopod’ print”
“you’re not just buying a shirt…you’re buying art”
Love it.
Look at some of the other amazing designs on offer…
Not forgetting the ladies…
Patrick wants to create a definitive range for girls too, he’s already working on funky ‘tie dye’ t shirts and leggings…
When asked what do you want to achieve with the brand, Patrick answered…
“Loyalty, from genuine fans of the brand”
Then came his best quote yet…
“It’s not about being creative, it’s about having the vision, that’s more important”
Amen to that!
Now you’ve read about strange clothing co.
Click the link and get buying!!
Just look at the beautiful package you will get!!
Big thanks to Patrick, love the brand.
Look out for more from me over the next few months when I’ll be reviewing more amazing UK indie brands!
Until next time…
At least my beard is better!
Stay safe and keep it indie!!
High summer anyone?
Hello again folks!
I was lucky enough to be invited to view New Look’s high summer range at their press office in London.
I set off at 6am,to catch the early train to allow for missing the dreaded rush hour.
I left in thick fog,and arrived in London in glorious sunshine!
With Bob Marley’s “The sun is shining” playing in my head,I decided to take a stroll from Marylebone Station,and enjoy the weather instead of catching the tube.
To be fair,I think half of the commuters had made the same decision,as there was loads of people heading the same way as me!
Half way down Baker Street is my port of call for a nice strong coffee and a pastry to help me refuel.
I got to Oxford Street around 9am,there wasn’t many people around,but then there also weren’t any stores open yet!
On to New Look’s head quarters,in the fashion district at the back of Oxford Street.
The press room looked fantastic yet again!
This time it was like a blast of colour,one,I definitely heard “Club Tropicana” by Wham…at least I don’t think it was just in my head!
The colour palettes and prints were stunning,they reminded me of tropical holidays,ice cream sorbets,and there was a bit of animal print in there too…pretty much something for everyone.
see what I mean about tropical holidays!
Awesome printed shorts
it’s clear that the buying teams really have worked together to offer the complete package,footwear and accessories that compliment every trend/colour palette
amazing embellished sandals
ocean shades,from Caribbean to Pacific,
every shape and colour under the sun!
Now for my favourite pieces on the day…
‘Skorts’ in sorbet shades…
It would probably take a few more blogs to show you everything,but then I’d also like to leave you with some surprises!
I think you’ll agree though,there are some stunning pieces on their way!
Excited?…you should be!
Well done New Look
Until next time…
Enjoy the sun!
New Look’s ‘Discover Denim’ press event
Hello again,
I was recently invited to London by New Look’s social media guys for their ‘Discover Denim’ day.
Organising a press event at any time can be hard work.
Add in a tube strike and some of the worst weather in British history and you’ve got one of the worst possible combinations to keep people from coming!
But come they did!
New Look’s ‘Ugly Betty-esque’ head quarters are situated on Mortimer Street,right in the heart of the hustle and bustle.
The press team did a great job!
The press room was completely transformed into a Denim haven,big screens showing ways to wear,DJ’s,blue drinks,blue popcorn,and even blue candy floss!
Everything was blue except the mood in the room!
As the day went on,more and more bloggers braved the tornados and filed in to the safety of the denim room.
I had a good look at the new products that New Look were showcasing and have to say that their denim buyers have pretty much got everything and everyone covered!
Fabrics are luxurious,colours are sumptuous and the variety of fit,washes and garments on offer is mind boggling!
My personal favourite products on show were the ‘platinum denim’ range.
These were just stunning,the fabric is the softest denim I’ve felt,and the colour washes and finishing details on them look high end…and they only retail at £29.99!! What!?
Yep,you read it right!
New Look are synonymous for their great value,their new denim ranges don’t disappoint,in fact,I’m gonna stick my neck out and say that they’re pretty much the best on the high street right now.
Don’t just take my word for it though,get yourself down to their stores and see for yourself!
Blue popcorn!!
Now as far as fits go,you can pretty much get everything under one roof,you can go from Skinny to Supersoft super skinny,flares (yes they’re back!,and if they’re good enough for Victoria Beckham and Kim K,then they’re good enough for you!), then there’s the ‘Mom’ jeans,these are superb,a real throw back to the 80’s,a perfect retro fit,team them up with a soft blazer or boxy blouse,and a great pair of brogues and you’re ready for Spring! (When it arrives!…they really don’t look too great with flippers!)
the hatman attacking a poor defenceless denim jacket with a cheese grater..or ‘customising’ as it’s known!
As the day progressed,soft drinks turned to cocktails (blue in colour of course),fish and chips were served along side the very popular blue candy floss.
More and more bloggers and press arrived,the room took on a different atmosphere,it was more like a party now than a press event!
New Look’s social media guys were Tweeting,instagraming,facebooking,hash tagging anything and everything that was going on,in all it was a very enjoyable day.
Following on from the day New Look have also toured the country with their ‘Discover Denim’ bus,giving great advice and free jeans away in some of the big cities,check it’s progress on the website www.newlook.com
So there you have it,if it’s a great denim product you want or great advice,hit New Look online or in store,they’ve got something for everyone!
Hey and it’s even cool to do double denim,it’s official!!
Just don’t do this…
Denim overkill!
Until next time…
Stay safe.
New Look SS14 Press day…
Hey there good people of blogsville…
I was recently lucky enough to be invited down to London to preview New Look’s SS14 (that’s Spring/Summer for the lay folk out there!) trends.
For over 40 years New Look have been a part of the great British high street,and have recently gone from strength to strength on the international market and e-commerce too.
They relaunched their brand this year,and have really started to make waves on what was becoming a pretty stagnant high street,they are giving some of their competitors a real run for their money,and if the SS14 trend preview is anything to go by,then watch this space…
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‘Yesterday’s Tomorrow’
it’s all about creating signature prints,this monochrome floral with a hint of pastel pink is simply stunning
What’s noticeable straight away is that New Look’s buying teams are all on the same page,every department has delivered to make it easy for the customer to buy everything she wants under one roof…at affordable prices too!
Fabric detailing,embellishment and some new shapes are also on show in abundance,the product looks more premium than ever.
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‘Neon Bloom’
Romantic,feminine,elegant and luxurious are just some of the words that could describe this next trend.
Here again,are some excellent examples of fabric detail,prints and some very expensive looking embellished tops,skirts and dresses…that scream ‘high end’ fashion.
perfect for that warm Spring evening,worn with a nice soft skirt or some skinny jeans…versatility personified.
This trend has some neon brights injected into it towards high summer,to bring us out of the softer pastels.
Again…I defy you to not find the matching bag and shoes ladies!
(Think I’ll be broke when my good lady sees this post!)
One of the more casual trends is ‘California Dreaming’
(You’re humming the Mama’s and Papa’s song right now aren’t you!)
With two totally different colour palettes on offer to take you from Spring to Summer (see below) this trend has more of a ‘boho’ feel to it.
From the soft floaty fabrics to the more quirky tribal prints,and the amazing quilted ‘bed jackets’,this was my personal favourite.
brilliant fabric detail,and animal prints are back with a bang!
Aztec influences,embellished/beaded detail and elements of lace,make this trend appeal to a wider audience…something for everyone
Another casual trend was ‘Seattle Grunge’.
‘Grunge’ seems to have been around forever (at least since the birth of the music genre that spawned the whole look!…early 90’s…cough…cough)
It’s almost a staple part of every day fashion,it’s timeless!
New Look however,have updated it and then shook it on it’s fuzzy ‘Nirvana’ filled head and thrown in some serious prints!
Again as before this trend has two very different colour palettes,from the more muted Spring shades,it then tantalises with hints of neon,and wait for it…tropical prints!
(High summer becomes ‘Seattle Surf’)
Mr Cobain would be very happy…possibly…
the soft pleated midi skirt is sure to be a winner
“Club tropicana drinks are free”…Stunning tropical themed prints for high summer
Spring/Summer knitwear is amazing! Check out the neon brights!
Excited?…you should be!!
There was so much to see and so much that exceeded my expectations,it would probably take several posts to capture it all!
If you’re like me (and there’s not many that are!) you’ll like more visual stimulation,so below are some piccies of some of the other products showcased on the day,it’s a shame you ladies have got to wait until SS14 to get your mits on them!
(Patience my pretties…patience…)
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“I’d just like to firstly congratulate New Look on their fantastic new ranges,and also thank them for their hospitality and for giving me the opportunity to preview SS14”
I’m off now to get a second job to pay for all of the things my good lady will be wanting from New Look…sigh
Until next time
Stay safe.
Autumn style for girls…Grunge time!
the hatman
As promised to my dear friend Ellis,I’ve written this post about some of the key looks for the girlies for Autumn (Fall) here in good ole Blighty.
You can actually break it down into 3 key looks this year,3 quite different looks…
Today I’m just going to preview my “Grunge” looks…hope you like them!
“Smells like teen spirit” all items available at www.topshop.com
“About a girl” all items available from www.topshop.com
“Grunge” is an easy look to achieve,above you will see that I’ve chosen a tea dress in the second look,and a skater dress in the first look,teamed with cardigans,boyfriend coats and boots…and voila!
New Look do “Grunge”..
“Heart shaped box”…www.newlook.com
“Lithium”…all items available from www.newlook.com
So there you go kids!
If you’re old enough to remember ‘grunge’ and the early nineties (ahem…I can remember the early eighties!!)
You’ll know that some of the bands around at the time were iconic,no more than Nirvana.
The late great Kurt Cobain was a very complex character but a great front man and song writer.
‘Grunge’ style was and still is a really cool look,which is easy to achieve,follow the links above to start searching for your next purchases…hey, enjoy the ride!
Until next time…
“I’d rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not.”
― Kurt Cobain
Pop art colour explosion!
‘The Hatman’ all ‘pop arted’ up!
Pop Art was huge in the 50’s and 60’s and it spawned a new breed of artist.
Roy Lichtenstein,Andy Warhol and David Hockney to name a few.
What you got with Pop Art was an explosion of colour,and graphic design like never seen before.
There were great debates in the art world,as to whether it should be classed as ‘art’ at all.
As this is a style/fashion blog though,I’m not going to go into that anymore,suffice to say that the only reason I’m even talking about Pop Art is to link it not so subtly to the following outfits I’ve thrown together for your viewing pleasure!
You may have guessed then,that the whole theme of today’s blog is…colour
Colour is everywhere at London Fashion week,it’s not for the faint hearted though,you’ve got to be brave!
Marilyn Monroe by Andy Warhol
“Sleeping girl” by Roy Lichtenstein
As for my Pop Art outfits…
Dress,Blazer and shoes all by www.newlook.com
Bag by www.topshop.com
“BLAM!!
Blazer,skirt and bag all www.topshop.com
Top by www.riverisland.com
Shoes by www.newlook.com
KABOOM!!
Blazer and shoes New Look
Bag and Top by Topshop
Disco pants by River Island
BOOM!!
Bag,Blazer and dress all Topshop
Shoes available at www.newlook.com
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Some ideas straight off the catwalks of London Fashionweek…
So there you have it!
Be brave and embrace the fabulous colours available to you,let out that inner peacock!!
Until next time…
Stay safe,dress bright!
Movie style,iconic looks from the silver screen
Greetings followers!
Over the next few days (and because the Oscars are imminent!) I have decided to bring you ‘style from the movies!’
So pretty much straight forward then,I’m picking some of the most iconic stars and characters from some classic movies,I’ve pulled together the outfits and given them a modern twist!
my first movie star and all round ‘king of cool’,is no other than Steve McQueen
Steve McQueen wasn’t just hailed as an anti hero (yes he was arrested on several occasions!),he was a great actor and for the purpose of this blog,a very cool and stylish man.
I’ve chosen two outfits from two of his most memorable roles.
Firstly Captain Virgil Hilts from 1963’s ‘The Great Escape’
“Hilts!! Cooler!!”
Suede jacket £65 River Island
Short sleeved knit £26 and Chinos £34 both Topman
Boots £65 and sunglasses £14 both by River Island
Holdall £38 by Topman
My next movie choice is the 1968 movie “Bullitt”,perhaps more famous for the car chases and the awesome Ford Mustang than its style influence,but as the leading man was the aforementioned Steve McQueen you know that the main character would be considered uber stylish!
I wasn’t able to source the shoulder holster anywhere!
The rest of the outfit is as follows…
grey Donegal blazer £80 and Brushed skinny trousers £34 both by Topman
black roll neck £52 by the Kooples
Holdall by Peter Werth £95available from Topman online
No sixties cool look could be complete without a pair of Chelsea boots,these ones are Topman £50
All of the above items are available now from www.thekooples.com
www.riverisland.com
www.topman.com
So that concludes my first post on ‘Movie Style’,but before I go I’d like to just share these fantastic feature wall murals I found in the GQ directory.
As I’ve been bleating on about Steve McQueen I’ve decided to feature one with him on!
There are hundreds of designs,for all rooms in your house!
Check them out at www.jwwalls.com
aaahhh! I want this in my lounge!!
Until next time…
stay safe.
And now for something completely different…
I’ve always been a big fan of the ‘Python’s’
I’m not about to write a blog about the madcap humour of ‘Monty Python’ (although that would be pretty cool!),but there is a link in the title!
I am writing a fashion/style blog,so there does have to be an element of consistency here!
I am writing of course about standing out a bit from the crowd,taking a style risk every now and then,and wearing what I call a ‘conversation piece’.
This isn’t without it’s pitfalls though.
If,for example,you live in a sleepy little town like me,or work in a city where the track suit is considered ‘high fashion’,you will be subjected to the ‘two heads double take’ or actual verbal abuse from said track suit wearing *numpties!
*assholes,uneducated,unclean,chav,trailer trash…
So you may remember an earlier blog about being an individual…(if not,go back and read it!) in which I was talking about individual style and not becoming a style sheep.
This post is taking it one bit further…
I’ve pulled together my outfit for today,and being a bit more adventurous than most here in sleepy town,will probably attract some interesting comments.
I don’t do it to get a reaction,I don’t do it to attract attention, I do it because I like to feel like an individual.
In a recent e-mail conversation to the editor of Skindeep magazine www.skindeep.co.uk,we were talking about individualism,and he said that he would draw the line at yellow trousers,but then went on to tell me that he was a fan of printed spandex trousers?! (That’s pretty adventurous!)
I’m also a believer that style and fashion are most definitely demographic.
I could walk around London dressed like I always do and people wouldn’t bat an eyelid…( in fact there are far more individual stylish folk walking round the streets there to divert the attention!)
On a recent trip to Leicester though,and sporting a fetching bowler hat,I encountered verbal abuse from a bunch of sportswear clad,acne ridden teen muppets,it didn’t bother me,in fact I just pointed at them and laughed!
Please can someone out there let me know why the aforementioned little oiks,always stand with their hands down the front of their track suit bottoms,since when has public ball juggling become acceptable?!
So…my outfit for today consists of…
1: Camo jacket from Newlook
2: Destroyed washed denim jacket from Topman
3: grey printed ‘voodoo garage’ t shirt from Newlook
4: Grey super skinny jeans from Topman
5: (the conversation piece) green suede boots (model’s own!)
6: knitted hat and aviators to accessorise!
I think I look pretty cool!
The good lady’s not so sure!!
and my beautiful shoes (bright green socks are optional!)
Rule of thumb here then is that there are no rules!
Be brave and challenge the mundane,throw some colour in there every now and then!
You will probably have to develop a thick skin or like me an acid tongue and sharp wit!
Until next time…
Stay safe.
Monochrome…it’s all black and white to me!
Hey there people!
I’m back with another piece of fashion/style advice for you…whether you want it or not!
As I’m British,I can’t help to mention that the weather is still shocking!
(Try it,just try having a conversation with another Brit without mentioning the weather!)
The high street is awash with monochrome at the minute (that’s black and white for the layman out there!)
The trick is,is how to wear it and how to make what effectively aren’t colours (artists call black and white shades,not colour?!) look cool.
Again as I’ve nothing better to do in my life (that sounds totally pathetic!) I have been trawling through the best on the high street to showcase for you viewing pleasure!
Before I show you the fashion goodies let me first explain something to you all.
Some of you may be wondering why a 40+,tattooed,skinhead is so interested in style and fashion…
I’ll tell you.
Lets just drop the stereotyping here,
1: I’m not gay (trust me,my good lady can vouch for that!)
2: I once read that we have ‘male’ and ‘female’ sides of the brain,to break it down for you,my ‘male’ brain likes beer,UFC,tattoos and football,whilst my ‘female’ brain likes to match shoes and bags,colour co-ordination,shoe shopping,but also makes reverse parking almost impossible!! (only joking ladies)
It’s actually your spacial awareness under development that causes you to struggle with any type of parking…
it’s basically because 25 long years ago I fell in to a fashion retail job,and was totally hooked!
all items available at www.topman.com
all items available at www.newlook.com
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And for the ladies…
all items available at www.topshop.com
all items available at www.newlook.com
So that’s your lot for this blog!
My male brain is ready for a nice cold beer,ready to watch the cage fighting and plan my next tattoo…
My female brain is too excited to do any of the above because I’ve got to colour block my wardrobe!
( that’s probably more my OCD kicking in!)
Until next time…
Stay safe.
Spring fashion,blizzards!!
that’s why they call me the Hatman!
Greetings from a cold,snowy,and miserable (unless you’re 5 years old and don’t have to worry about anything other than going sledging!) Old Blighty!
Firstly I would just like to clear up a few points…
Why can’t this little island of ours take a leaf out of the Norwegian’s/Icelandic book and deal with the bloody snow properly!
I mean seriously?!
This whole country grinds to a halt when the first snowflake lands!!
Trains stop running,buses go missing,traffic gets ridiculous,and schools were shutting before the snow even started?!
It’s not like we haven’t got a crack team of meteorologists working round the clock to look out for weather patterns or anything!
It’s not just some ‘old wives’ licking their fingers and holding them out the window…
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“Looks like it could snow Beryl”
we’ve come a long way since this picture was taken
So why then do we all freak out when snow hits!
“SNOWWWW!!!”
There’s panic buying in the supermarkets,(seriously,try and buy a loaf of bread or bottled water when the first flake hits!)car accidents galore,and to top it all off you can’t buy a pair of gloves ,a scarf or nice warm coat because the clothes shops are all selling bikinis and vests?!
(I’d just like to add that it’s not the retailers fault here,we just supply,the consumer demands.)
As a retailer (and fellow retailers will recognise this) you don’t really see seasons,or know what the date is,instead you go by what product you’re putting on display!
I used to laugh at the jokers who’d come into the supermarket on Christmas Eve kicking off ‘cos he forgot to buy his Christmas crackers and we’d subsequently sold out!
“what do you mean you’ve sold out?!”
Me: “yeah totally gone absolutely cleaned out”
“so you’ve got none out the back?”
Me:”nothing at all,really sorry”
“that’s it! You’ve ruined my Christmas!! That’s just ridiculous!”
actually mate,what’s ridiculous is you trying to buy said product the day before you need it,when in fact we’ve had Christmas stock on sale since September!
It’s exactly the same in the fashion industry,we’ve moved on ( even if the weather hasn’t!),we are displaying all the lovely colours and styles for spring,and it’s minus three outside!
So to beat away those winter blues I’d like to share a few of the nice pieces out there on the high street at the mo.
As ever all stores seem to follow suit with products and colours so I’ve picked some outfits for you from the top stores,hope you like them.
Great gear for boys and girls,I’ve layered them up for the current climate,you can remove some of the layers as it warms up a bit!
all items available at www.topman.com
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Not forgetting the girls…
All items available at www.topshop.com
New Look has some fantastic spring goodies in for both men and women,here are some examples!
New Look’s menswear range has improved massively and is very competitively priced
all items available at www.newlook.com
River Island rarely disappoint,here are my spring selections from,well,their spring collection!
River Island ladies…
all items available at www.riverisland.com
So whatever you’re doing,trudging through the snow/sludge,making snow angels,having snow ball fights,just remember…it’ll soon be spring and you’ll be able to enjoy the lovely…
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Rain 😦
Until next time…
Stay safe.
Inked for fashion
Hey happy new year to you all!!
Would just like to start by saying a big thanks to everyone and anyone who read my blogs in 2012.
Today’s blog (as you may have guessed by the title!) is about tattoo influenced clothing.
A subject very close to my heart as you may have seen from some of my earlier blogs.
There has never been a better time to be one of the ‘inked’ masses than right now.
It seems that everyone and anyone is either getting inked (let’s face it,it’s not an exclusive club!) or are displaying tattoo designs in a different way through their style.
Having been tattooed now for some years I find it quite refreshing to see more people going under the needle,in fact I would go as far to say that it is harder to spot people without tattoos than it is with!
Which kind of brings me to the whole point of this blog!
don’t worry,I’m getting there!
I will state though,that for those of you that think Ed Hardy is just a brand of clothing,that sadly no longer has the exclusivity that it once had (you can thank the chav’s for murdering yet another brand!) need to read up on the great man himself Don Ed Hardy, as he is considered as the godfather of modern tattooing.
Most ‘celebrity’ tattooists (a term that most of them hate!) have clothing lines at the minute, Kat Von D even has her own make up range!
Those ranges do come at a price though!
I’ve been researching/scouring the online shops and have put together what I think are some of the best pieces out there at the mo’.
You don’t have to go under the needle to look cool…but just do it! What are you scared or somethin’!
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so here goes…
all items from Newlook available at www.newlook.com
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Now for Topman…
available at www.topman.com
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River Island’s turn…
available at www.riverisland.com
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and now for the pro’s…
all designs available at www.lowbrowartcompany.com
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And my personal favourites…
fantastic designs by a tattoo artist and a member of bonafide rock band (Bullet for my Valentine)and based in the UK, I found them in www.skindeep.co.uk
they are INKBRED and are available at www.inkbred.com
They cater for boys and girls and have more designs available…so what are you waiting for?!
So wear your ink with style or your style with ink!
just don’t go too far…
Until next time…
Stay safe.
For those about to rock,we salute you!
Deborah Harry original ‘Rock chick’
You don’t have to like rock music,or wear black top to toe to appreciate the key look that seems to be all over the British high street right now.
The ‘rebel’ ‘rock chic’ ‘grunge girl’ look is all over the place,in every one of the top stores, fantastic collections are available at Newlook,Topshop and River Island.
Joan Jett ahead of her time on the fashion front?
following are some great examples of how you ladies can ‘rock out’ by mix and matching some of the high streets best pieces…
Rebel yell!
Rebel Rebel!!
Rock chick chic!
Rock ‘n’ Roll baby!
Rebel without a cause
Joan Jett…esque
Rock chick footwear…
Rock leggings…
Rock diva knitwear…
Rock print t-shirts…
So just a selection of the wide variety available!
Remember to mix prints,and colours,try not to go too black or you may end up looking a bit scary…
catch my drift?!
Until next time…
Peace out bitches!
Viva la revolution!!
the iconic Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara,revolutionist,freedom fighter,khaki wearing Argentinian doctor
Mr Guevara actually rocked the khaki,military look pretty well…
In fact he would’ve been right at home on the British high street in the fashion stakes right now if it weren’t for the fact that
And
I am going somewhere with this!
You don’t have to be a dead revolutionist to look cool in khaki and rock that military look…
In fact you don’t really have to be a revolutionist at all
(although strictly speaking being alive is a prerequisite for looking cool!)
“errm…Fidel,it is Tuesday and I believe that we agreed that I would wear the revolutionist beret on a Tuesday…”
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Enough of the revolutionist jokes already!
The whole reason for this blog is to highlight some of the fantastic military trends available in store and online at the minute for boy and girl revolutionists (there’s that word again!)
Here goes…
“soldier of fortune”
“freedom fighter”
some more examples below…
“military madness”
“khaki kool”
All of the above items are available from…
www.newlook.comwww.riverisland.comwww.topman.com
and now for you girlies!
yes ma’am!!
girl power!
“attention boys!!”
“listen very carefully…”
Again all items are available from Newlook,Riverisland and Topshop
There are literally thousands of options and I could’ve filled several blogs with just outfit ideas!!
If anyone wants to drop me a line for ideas or general enquiries then feel free to do so…
Until then…
Peace out hombre!
Summer brights!
Hey there fashion fans!
sorry for the lack of blogs lately but real life gets in the way of my escapism!!
So,despite the fact that here in Blighty we’ve had one of the wettest April’s in history (there are still droughts?!) the high street is brimming with Summer brights for boys and girls,and the beachwear is readily available for those lucky enough to be going to warmer climates!!
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Are you daring enough to wear the bright colours?…
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Here are some outfit examples for you…
all items available at River Island
ditto…
ok so not exactly bright,but daring all the same!
Available atBen Sherman Chinos from River Island
Ben Sherman is a part of British heritage,I love the whole Mod vibe!!
loving the red Harrington and deck chair stripe shirt from River!!
check out the 50’s Americana polo shirt! Looks great with the denim jacket and bright shorts(River) and loafers from Ben Sherman!
BOOM!! Not forgetting the girlies…colour explosion from River Island…again!!
Wow!! Now that’s some serious colour!!
BLAMMO!!…colour and print clash from River and Blazer from Topshop
Hope your eyes aren’t hurting after that!!
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One final thought…this goes out to my biggest blog fan “the crazy haired Barista” who will no longer be making my coffee as she’s moving on to better things…GOOD LUCK!!
You will be missed
Until next time…
Peace out.
What a difference a week makes!
The image above shows that ‘British summertime’ is officially over!!
So, this time last week I was enjoying a lovely ice cream at Warwickshire’s best ice cream shop ‘Scoopz’ in 23 degrees!
This week it’s 3 degrees and fortunately for me ‘Scoopz’ also sell the best baked potatoes in Warwickshire too!!
the Siamese twins pictured before their successful operation to remove the annoying ‘middle’ head who was the most disagreeable of them all…
or as we know them ‘the 3 degrees’
What’s going on with this bloody weather?!
It’s causing me no end of strife with my wardrobe selection!
My good lady decided to pack away all of our winter clothes and unpack all of our summer clothes…oops!
I know that feeling!
As mentioned earlier it was only 3 degrees today and I really had to think about my outfit, I can’t believe the temperature!
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Maybe I’ve been in a coma for 7 months and just woke up in November?!
If so…it’s my birthday!!
Hang on,hang on…nope it’s definitely April!
Just goes to show that you really cannot dress according to season in jolly old blightey,it’s crazy to think that we invented sports like cricket and tennis both of which are pretty reliant on good weather,and we get rain for 363 days of the year!!
Andy and Jamie Murray on their way to training!
In one way though it’s pretty good,because as per usual we had a couple of weeks without rain and the government are talking about droughts!!
You’ll hear lots of people saying “it’s good for the gardens” and “we needed a bit of rain”
Fabulously British attitude,we love talking about the weather and we’re never happy no matter what it’s doing!
I feel sorry for the High Street though at the minute,sales will be plummeting as people will be looking for heavier layers instead of brightly coloured vest tops and Bermuda shorts!
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Last weeks look…
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This weeks look!…
I even had my gloves on today!!!
Heat wave predicted next week…I hope!
Until next time…
Peace out.
Never judge a book by its cover…
fantastic book by Sgt Rory Miller
You might be thinking “where is the hatman going with this?”
I wouldn’t blame you for thinking that my normally light,humorous,blogging about style and fashion has been replaced by a more hard hitting somber blog about violence and fighting…
(It hasn’t trust me)
If you thought that then you’ve just made the same mistake that my boss made when he saw me reading the book in the picture…
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You have just judged a book by its cover!
If Sgt Rory Miller’s book had pictures of fluffy bunnies on it (it would be very odd!!) would it make it more acceptable to everybody else’s viewing,or would it in fact be a complete lie…
I was pulled into an office to discuss people’s perception of me!
“who me?!
So, he says “people are a little concerned with the fact that you sit on your own and read that book”
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“what?!”
“you know the one about violence,and they know that you do martial arts…”
So long story short,I was blown away by the comments,
Firstly that book is awesome,title apart there is very little mention of violence,instead it’s a fantastic book that is all about the psychology of confrontation and how what you learn as a martial artist doesn’t count for much if you can’t conquer fear,the author is a serving correctional officer,he is a longtime martial artist and has seen his fair share of serious confrontation.
My reply was basically that we should never prejudge anyone,especially by look alone,just because I have a shaved head and tattoos,I’m no thug.
The same principle applies when we look at style,don’t be too quick to cast aspersions,individual style should be commended not ridiculed,have confidence in your own style and enjoy creating looks that suit your personality.
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lecture over…
So…my good lady and I went out for drinks and pizza last night with my friend the ice cream man and his lady,
We talked about a lot of things,ice cream,clothes,beer,style and how much would you pay for that one fantastic fitting piece of cloth?
Good fitting clothes are priceless,but don’t worry,you can get great fitting clothes without bankrupting yourself!
Blazer from Gieves &Hawkes £800
pink dress shirt £150 also from Gieves & Hawkes
cotton chino £150 also G&H
pink anchor print silk pocket square £65 from…you guessed it G&H!
anchor print silk tie £85 from G&H
brown suede loafer £325 from G&H
And finally…
keeping in theme,anchor cuff links £225 (enamel rhodium plated sterling silver) from G&H
Ok,ok so they’re not cheap!,but as I said “good fitting clothes are priceless!”
I would skip down to ‘No.1 Savile Row’ and purchase the above goodies safe in the knowledge that I’d just made a great investment!
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…or you could buy this little lot!
Blazer £295 @ Jack Wills,shirt £34.99 @ River island,jeans £39.99 @ River Island,loafers from Topman,pocket square £6.99 @ Topman
Until next time…
Peace out,
It’s officially british summertime! Time for ice cream!!
would a flake be too much?…
So at 1:00am on Sunday the 25th March came British springtime!!(or was it summertime?!)
If it was summertime,where was spring?
If it was springtime why do people say the start of summertime?
I’m confused…?!?
Anyway today I was out in the beautiful sunshine,we had temperatures of 22 degrees today!!
it was warmer than Spain?!
Now you know me,I love a nice coffee whilst I blog,but today was different,today I’m going to the best ice cream shop in Warwickshire.
It’s a great little place called ‘Scoopz”
So as I tucked in to my double scoop with chocolate and rhubarb crumble,I looked at the lovely ice cream colours,and the decor in the quaint little shop and it got me thinking…
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Why not create outfits based on ice cream flavours!!
Now you can see how my goofball mind works!!
So here goes…one scoop or two!!
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Mint choc chip…
for us dudes…
for the girlies!
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Tutti frutti
for the boys
…and for the girls
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Strawberries and cream
for the guys
…and the dolls
Next are further examples of my ice cream outfits…
See if you can guess the flavours!!
mystery flavour 1
mystery flavour 2
mystery flavour 3
mystery flavour 4
Have fun guessing! Let me know your answers and I’ll tell you if you’re right!!
Until next time…
Peace out.
Oops!! Nearly forgot to mention all items available from Topshop and River Island!
Beware the ‘beige’ brigade!
Beige…not just for old people!
So there is a myth…
You shouldn’t wear just one colour.
TRUE/FALSE ?
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FALSE
But there are rules!
1: DO NOT wear beige if you are over 50!
(The picture above should justify that statement!)
2: if you do wear one colour,wear different shades of the chosen colour
3: choose good accessories!
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Like this…
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And this…
mmmmm the delectable Miss Perry!
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And this…
Kat Von D rocking all grey!
Buy definitely NOT this…
seriously?!…
think they were bad!,then check this guy out!
(see what I mean!!)
WOW!!
Even beige can look good all in one go,but for god’s sake remember skin tone,hair colour,accessories!!
Kate Hudson looking good in beige…
Pippa Middleton also looking good in…beige!
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Brad Pitt…blah,blah,blah!
I was out today with my good lady,it was a beautiful day,sunshine,temperatures in the 20’s (that’s positively tropical for the UK at this time of year!!),we went for a coffee (no shock there!)
There was a table of ‘older folk’ and every one of them was wearing beige!!
(does this just happen in the UK?)
At what age do we stop wearing colour?
When do we give up on style?
Why do older people wear a colour that blends in with their skin!!
Oh,
and why,when we get to the twilight of our lives do we go for the safe colours of Navy blue,Burgundy,and of course…BEIGE!!
Answers on a postcard to the usual address.
the ‘one colour’ outfit from my wardrobe…
Another example…
“I’m blue,dabba dee”…clothing available from Topman and River Island
Until next time…
Peace out.
Ahoy there sailor!
“hello sailor” now if all naval personnel looked like this,I’d definitely join up!
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It’s just a shame this happened…
what!!…just remember “you are beautiful no matter what they say…”
Ok,so I might have been a bit harsh there but Xtina has let herself go a bit,don’t you think?
Anywhoo, enough about Ms Aguilera,today as promised I am bringing you a Nautical extravaganza for you girlies!
The following outfits are all available from River Island and Topshop.(I got so involved in outfit building that I totally forgot where half the clothes were from!)…my bad 😖
Anyway,let me know what you think of my choices…
Outfit 1: “ahoy there”
Outfit 2: “pieces of eight!”
Outfit 3: “hoist the main sail!”
Outfit 4: “Land ahoy!”
Outfit 5: “Klingons on the starboard bow!”…wait that’s not right?!
So drop me anchor,I mean a line and give me feedback on what you think!
Until next time…
Peace out “you savvy?”
“I am sailing,I am sailing,home again”
Mr Stewart sporting his trademark leopard prints…proof that it isn’t always cool!
Don’t worry I’m not going to start singing Rod Stewart hits!
I am merely going to use his song title as inspiration for my nautically themed blog!
Popeye always rocks the nautical look!
Here are a few looks I’ve created with some of the high streets finest!
ahoy there!!
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Blazer by Ralph Lauren
Shorts,belt,shoes and vest all available at Topman
land ahoy!!
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Knitwear and chinos from H&M
Belt and shoes from Topman
my personal favourite…
the Kooples blazer (models own!)
All other items available at Topman.com!!
Just a few ideas to save you trawling (excuse the pun!) through the shops to find nautical goodies.
I’ll post some girly bits next time!
hang on that came out wrong!!…
I’ll be posting nautically inspired looks for you chicks next time !!
So until then…
“Yarrrr!!”
Insane in the membrane,crazy insane you got no brain!
Today I am sporting an angry face!!
As I’ve gotten older,I’ve started to forget things and do stupid things!
Take today for example…I got ready,put my nice red chinos on and a nice black and white polo shirt (it’s sunny outside feels like spring again!)shoes on,all important hat on,pick up my keys,ooh there’s an answer machine message.
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Play: “you have 1 new message…message received at 16:20…
This is the annoying part…it’s some crazy Dutch lady on my phone!
I don’t speak Dutch,why would I be getting calls from a Dutch lady?
From the gist of it,it appears to be some sort of competition line…
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“P’ah!!”
I slam the phone down muttering…
I’m flustered now,I pick up the 2 letters I’m going to mail and open my front door,feels nice outside,cool but sunny.
I shut the door and go to my car and…
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“Aaaaaaahhhh!!”
I’ve left my frickin’ keys on the stairs,shut the door behind me and locked myself out…again!!
Yes you read it right…again!
I’ve done this before,it was the winds fault last time blowing the door shut behind me,this time it was a bloody Dutch competition line!!
So,now I have to send the good lady a text message explaining that I’m a dumbass and that I’ve gone and shut myself out again…
The worst part is (pay attention here girls…) I know that she will keep bringing this up for the next 10 years telling me how irresponsible I am and that she couldn’t trust me with this and that…
the female brain
I really don’t know how you ladies do it,you can remember the tiniest details about all the stupid things us blokes have done,and slip them in to conversations decades later!!
I struggle to remember what I did last week!!
You girls can remember what you were wearing,what music was playing and what the weather was like in outer Mongolia on your first dates!!
Blokes can’t remember what we ate for breakfast that morning!
Now that I am feeling utterly embarrassed and angry at the door,the Dutch competition lady,the bird in the tree watching me sat like a fool in my car,the neighbour who keeps looking out her window at me wondering why I’m sat in my car not going anywhere, I have a moment of clarity…I’m a DUMBASS!!
What a complete waste of my time…still it enabled me to write this blog and show the world that I have early senile dementia,or I am just a dumbass!!
My good lady is gonna dine out on this for weeks…
this explains everything…
Until next time…
“WILMA!!”
Today’s blog was brought to you by the words ‘dumb’ and ‘ass’
Insane in the membrane,crazy insane you got no brain!
Today I am sporting an angry face!!
As I’ve gotten older,I’ve started to forget things and do stupid things!
Take today for example…I got ready,put my nice red chinos on and a nice black and white polo shirt (it’s sunny outside feels like spring again!)shoes on,all important hat on,pick up my keys,ooh there’s an answer machine message.
-
Play: “you have 1 new message…message received at 16:20…
This is the annoying part…it’s some crazy Dutch lady on my phone!
I don’t speak Dutch,why would I be getting calls from a Dutch lady?
From the gist of it,it appears to be some sort of competition line…
-
“P’ah!!”
I slam the phone down muttering…
I’m flustered now,I pick up the 2 letters I’m going to mail and open my front door,feels nice outside,cool but sunny.
I shut the door and go to my car and…
-
“Aaaaaaahhhh!!”
I’ve left my frickin’ keys on the stairs,shut the door behind me and locked myself out…again!!
Yes you read it right…again!
I’ve done this before,it was the winds fault last time blowing the door shut behind me,this time it was a bloody Dutch competition line!!
So,now I have to send the good lady a text message explaining that I’m a dumbass and that I’ve gone and shut myself out again…
The worst part is (pay attention here girls…) I know that she will keep bringing this up for the next 10 years telling me how irresponsible I am and that she couldn’t trust me with this and that…
the female brain
I really don’t know how you ladies do it,you can remember the tiniest details about all the stupid things us blokes have done,and slip them in to conversations decades later!!
I struggle to remember what I did last week!!
You girls can remember what you were wearing,what music was playing and what the weather was like in outer Mongolia on your first dates!!
Blokes can’t remember what we ate for breakfast that morning!
Now that I am feeling utterly embarrassed and angry at the door,the Dutch competition lady,the bird in the tree watching me sat like a fool in my car,the neighbour who keeps looking out her window at me wondering why I’m sat in my car not going anywhere, I have a moment of clarity…I’m a DUMBASS!!
What a complete waste of my time…still it enabled me to write this blog and show the world that I have early senile dementia,or I am just a dumbass!!
My good lady is gonna dine out on this for weeks…
this explains everything…
Until next time…
“WILMA!!”
Today’s blog was brought to you by the words ‘dumb’ and ‘ass’
When I get older losin’ my hair,many years from now…”
the hatman in 30 years!
So the guy above goes into a high street store to buy a shirt,he goes in and picks a nice shirt and takes it to the cash register.
The cashier says “hello sir that’s a lovely shirt,are you buying it for your grandson?”
The old man looks at the cashier and says”no actually its for me”
“oh,but you are way too old to shop here,you don’t fit in to our target market we don’t want your money,you are brand damaging!”
Ok so maybe they wouldn’t exactly say that last bit,but they may be thinking it.
Maybe I’m being a bit sceptical,and I know from personal experience that you are surprised when someone of the older generation comes in to your store,with it’s brightly lit feature walls and loud music (that’s the type of places I worked in!).
They may already feel uncomfortable,and a bit overwhelmed,so it really makes them feel a lot worse when the assistants pay them no attention.
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Is it right that we have target markets in our high street stores?
Stan was horrified when he was told his skinny jeans did nothing for his street cred!
I’m a little worried and confused (could be my age!),in the current financial climate is it not suicide that certain stores still seem to target limited customer profiles?
Every pound/euro/dollar should be welcomed no matter who’s spending or how old they are…
ever felt like this?!
Hey that happens!…
It’s happened to me recently!
I was in a well known store a couple of months ago,my good lady was looking at ladieswear,I was looking everywhere for her and one of the assistants said”have you lost your daughter?!”
(I must of looked pretty tired that day!)
My wife is 6 years my younger,but daughter! come on!?
I was horrified!
Heed my words,if you work in a hip and trendy fashion store or boutique,you can’t turn away any potential customer just because they don’t fit the profile…that’s money in your cash register that pays you!
I am 40 (hence the name hatman 40)
Compared to a lot of chaps my age I wear ‘on trend’ clothing,pretty much look after myself,and like to shop in cool stores that sell products I like to wear,I don’t mind loud music,I love bright colours and perhaps dress young for my age…it upsets me to think that now I’ve reached a certain age I should be expected to dress in sensible older guy stuff?!
it really isn’t me…
don’t let society dictate how you should look or where you should shop!
Herbert was shocked that he got the call from Abercrombie to be the face of their new ad campaign !
So, all the grannies and grandpas out there,if you want to look cool and wear the latest styles…do it,if it makes you happy!
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Rant over!!
Until next time…
Peace out.
I’m lookin’ at the man in the mirror…’
Hey there folks!
Back again with yet another fashion/style blog.
My work has kind of got in the way recently,it pays the bills so I shouldn’t complain!
Do you find it easy dressing stylishly?
Is it a chore to pull together something cool to wear?
Have you got your comfort piece you turn to in moments of crisis?
Do you have that one item you can wear with almost anything?
Do you have ‘ugly days’ when you can’t face your public?
(I’m not on my own then!)
So if you type ‘super stylish’ on google images (there’s no pictures of me…hahaha) then the Beckhams appear!
You may love or hate them,but there’s no denying it,they rarely look scruffy or unstylish…as I said in an earlier blog Mr Beckham can look cool in a t-shirt and jog pants!
It’s how you wear them!
So,it really doesn’t take too much effort to dress well,we’ve all got a ‘look’ we like,or people we admire,and comfort clothes we go to when we don’t feel great.(it’s not just a girl thing,we blokes have fat days too you know!)
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My comfort clothes…
You can’t beat a nice pair of versatile chinos,a polo shirt,the super flexible denim jacket,my Kooples scarf,and of course I wouldn’t be known as ‘the hatman‘ without a hat!
I love my denim jacket! It only cost me £29.99 and it goes with almost everything,it really is my most versatile piece in my capsule wardrobe.
Here are some examples…
so just a few examples of the looks you can achieve…
yes you did see double denim!!
except…
this double denim isn’t a disaster,using 2 different washes actually works,adding layers and colour also helps.
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Just don’t do this!!
early signs of Britney’s craziness…poor JT!
So there you have it,style should be easy,almost second nature,people with real style do it effortlessly,or at least they appear to!
Until next time.
Peace out.
The style Viking 
