Is it Spring yet?
It only feels like five minutes ago I was putting up a Christmas tree.
No sooner did I put up said Christmas tree, I was taking it down after the hullabaloo and craziness of the season.
Part of me was glad it was all over, (I’m not a fan) time to move on, time for a new season and a fresh outlook and with it some fresh looks too!
I’ve had a quick scout around and have found some really nice pieces for you, some are absolute wardrobe staples and others (mainly the footwear choices) are just too cool to not buy!
Fatface (again), supply most of the ideas for the clothing looks as they not only deliver as far as quality goes but also they seem to be the ‘go to’ destination for those classic pieces every dude should own.
As far as my footwear choices I’ve gone for the uber cool New Balance/Grenson collaboration, a combining of two iconic British brands, creating what I personally believe to some of the coolest shoes out there! 
The Grenson x NB 576 Welted (a thing of beauty…)
Bench-made in the UK with a traditional Goodyear welted sole, this limited edition 576 is made in the Grenson factory in Northampton UK. Dressed in beautiful leather and suede with brogue detailing, this extension of our classic 576 is a sophisticated collectible.
A snip at £405 😱
Ok so they aren’t exactly wallet friendly, but everything about them screams quality! They’re hand made in the U.K.!!
<<
other Grenson x NB 576 (this one is only £300)…but look at them!! 😍
Selections to follow, but first a bit of ‘info on the inspo’…
Fatface turn 30 years old this year…30!!
(See my previous posts about their humble beginnings)
Amazing?!?
Yeah right! It’s not that much of a shock to their CEO Anthony Thompson, he has a total belief in the product and more importantly the people representing the brand, not just the crew, but the also the customers who buy it too.
It’s testament to a Fatface’s continued success (and it is continued!) that the customer and the quality and reputation of the product are at the forefront of everything they do.
This season sees them go ‘simple’ but with a cheeky little smattering of ‘cool’ thrown in for good measure.
(I’m not actually sure if that was the idea, I’m not even sure they’d class themselves as ‘cool’!)
Nether the less…there are some ‘cool’ (there’s that word again!) pieces hidden in amongst the ‘classic’ gems that you definitely need to consider next time you pop in.
From left to right: White organic cotton t-shirt, Straight ‘selvedge’ denim jeans, Harris ‘shacket’, Star Patchwork scarf (from women’s dept!), Wittering Surf suede peak snap back. Shoes as mentioned earlier
From left to right: Mountain Hill padded jacket, Wittering surf Raglan t-shirt, Pembroke zip through hooded sweat, denim as before, hat as before
From left to right: Millford four pocket jacket (made with Millerain waxed cotton!), organic t-shirt, Snowdon check shirt, Calgary Crew neck jumper, denim as before
From left to right: Snowdon zip through hood, Terry stripe Henley t-shirt, Slim fit raw denim jeans, Jacksdale Gillet, shoes as before, (Boston hat by New Era)
From left to right: Minworth four pocket military jacket, Plain oxford shirt, Lowick hemp cotton Henley t-shirt, denim as before, New Era NY cap, Premium messenger bag, shoes as before.
The attention to detail and use of premium fabrics stand this current season apart, the introduction of Millerain waxed cotton and ‘hemp cotton’ add to the already impressive list of innovative products available at Fatface.
I hope you like this little taster into the new season, there’s a lot of exciting things on the horizon and you can be sure I’ll bring you them as soon as i hear anything!
Happy 30th Fatface, here to at least another 30!!
Check out the fantastic new product here.til next time…
Peace and Love ❤️
Hi Summer! We’ve missed you!
As the great lyricist once said…
‘Summer, summer, summertime
Time to sit back and unwind ‘
Of course, it was Will Smith and his huge hit with DJ Jazzy Jeff ‘Summertime’
Did you know, Will Smith doesn’t have to cuss in his records?…
If you are reading this in a country that quite often has long summers, prolonged periods of high temperatures and skies that are often tinged with that mystical colour we like to refer to as ‘blue’, you’ll probably be thinking “What’s the big deal?”
Firstly…bully for you!
Secondly…we Brits are subjected to grey skies for almost the whole of the year!
Thirdly…the moment the fiery ball in the sky shows…(I think you call it ‘the Sun’?) we like to expose our pasty white flesh and turn it pink as quick as possible without even a thought for our well being!
Let’s face it, you’d do the same if your weather was as unpredictable as ours!
This picture was taken on my ‘summer’ holidays last July!
☝🏼 I may have made that bit up…
Seriously though! We brits have to take full advantage of the nice weather as we never know how long we’ve got it for!
Last week was a great example…
In the early part of the week we had temperatures hitting the heady heights of the early 20’s C!?!
The latter part of the week, I was scraping ice off my car and cracking out my thermals!
I really wasn’t prepared for that…😖
Where is this going I hear you ask?
It’s simple really…
The minute the stores start to get in their Summer ranges and start showcasing bright colours and lighter weight products…the clock is ticking people!
Sure, we can go abroad and enjoy the weather, but it would just be nice to enjoy our beautiful (and it is beautiful) country.
I must admit that I’m that dude who cracks out my legs at the mere hint of the temperature reaching double figures, I’m longer in the tooth now, so I know it’s short lived and I’m gonna get the wear out of my new shorts if I have to get hyperthermia to do it!
What I think I look like…☝🏼
What I really look like! (Without the hat obviously!)☝🏼
Don’t panic though!
You guys can trust me right?
I’ve added some pics of some of my favourite summer pieces and even put them together into outfits that are great for the Summer season when it finally arrives!
All of my selected outfits are available from Fatface in stores and online here.
Outfit 1: Cotton/Linen mix shirt, Organic cotton crew t-shirt, Reef tropical leaf shorts, Acetate sunglasses and ‘Burcot’ suede flops click here
Outfit 2: 100% linen shirt, Denim shorts, Four stripe t-shirt, ‘Henley’ flip flops, acetate sunglasses 😎
☝🏼The Linen shirt is exquisite! It’s made with the finest Irish Linen produced by Baird Mcnutt, Linen producers since 1912☝🏼
Outfit 3: ‘Amble’ check shirt, Sunshine graphic t-shirt, lightweight chino shorts, ‘Henley’ flip flops, sunglasses as before.
Outfit 4: ‘Pembroke’ zip through hoodie, ‘Day of the week’ graphic tee, Coral print swim shorts, Branded flip flops.
Outfit 5: ‘Pembroke’ graphic hoodie, Indigo highlight stripe t-shirt, ‘Breakyard’ cargo shorts, sunglasses and flops as before.
Hope you enjoyed the choices!
Remember these golden rules for Summer…
- Don’t skip leg day at the gym!
- Apply sun cream even under the greyness
- If you’re a ginger (like me) stay indoors if the temperature goes above 24!
- Don’t be afraid of colour and print!
Thanks for reading, drop me a line if you have any questions.
Until next time…
Ouch!☝🏼
Peace and love.
Vernal equinox has sprung!
Hello again,
The title above is just a smart ass way of saying ‘vernal’ (spring) and ‘equinox’ from the Latin equi or ‘equal’ and nox or ‘night’ meaning literally ‘equal night’ (as we now have 12 hours of day and 12 hours of night)
It means in plain English that ‘Spring has finally arrived!’
Spring in all its glory…daffodils and spring lambs awwwwwww
What does it mean for us in the fashion industry, or indeed for the everyday dudes out there?
Depends how you look at it…
Fashion retailers love Spring!
It’s when we’ve finally shook off the the remnants of Sale and heavier, darker colours and fabrics, we’re no longer going to work in the dark and coming home in the dark, we’ve had new brighter, lighter products arrive…heck, our whole mood is lifted!
Average Joe…might not even notice the change!
Honestly?!
The average customer ( you ladies aren’t included in this) will suddenly realise he has a major wardrobe change on the horizon, as he’s going to have to invest in some ‘newness’ to take him through to the summer months…
The female shopper is already five steps ahead here, she’s already grabbed several bargains in the Sale for next year, now she’s done her research online and is wearing her Springier (if there is such a word!) garments while her other half won’t let go of his trusty ‘goes with everything 80% wool sweater…
Sound familiar?
I really have no words for this ⬆️
Guys!
Trust me when I tell you, you need to buy several ‘key’ pieces in Spring that will easily take your wardrobe forward towards Summer, you can wear the following pieces equally day or night (see what I did there?) and you won’t have to break the bank.
Plus, if you know me, you know you’ll look cool with it!
My choices are as follows…
From left to right: Cotton/Linen Blazer, ‘Harrison’ Gingham Shirt, ‘Stanhope’ plain shirt and ‘Westville’ Utility Check shirt…all Fatface available here.
Left to right: ‘Fat Head’ graphic print t-shirt, Organic stub crew neck and Classic organic cotton polo shirt…all Fatface available here.
The ‘you never know what the weather is gonna do‘ section…
Left to right: Lightweight Chino shorts, ‘Cove’ flat front shorts, ‘Otterden’ Jacket, ‘Nick’ vintage sunglasses in black and tortoiseshell and ‘Southwick’ 100% linen crew neck sweater…all Fatface available here.
Next…the denim you should already have in your wardrobe (especially if you read my last post!)
again…both styles are from Fatface
Within that selection ⬆️, there are some very versatile pieces, (if you remember last time, I said that the key to creating a good wardrobe is to ensure you buy ‘classic’ garments that won’t date and that you can easily mix and match with)
So with that in mind here are the outfits I’ve selected.
In each case, you will see in the first picture the ‘day‘ outfit, (utilising some of the pieces from this post and my last) and in the second picture, I’ve tweaked the selection to make it a more appropriate ‘night‘ outfit… ‘Equinox‘
Day 🌞
Night…🌛
get the idea? In this case, I’ve simply added the cotton/linen blazer and a pair of brogues. The shirt in the first pic, would be worn completely unbuttoned, whereas for the evening, it would be fastened…
Sorry, I know…Granny is sucking eggs…
I love ❤️ the graphic t-shirt with the retro logo!!
You need this blazer in your life!!
And last but not least (featuring that blazer…again)
Obviously we’d all love to have every item featured in this post at our disposal (what’s stopping you?!)
I’m simply showing you, that with a couple of savvy purchases, you’re going to be set for vernal equinox and heading into Summer well prepared and looking sharp!
Hope you enjoyed this post.
Until next time…
Peace and love.
Behold! The capsule wardrobe…
You may recall that in my last post I wrote about showing how I pull together a capsule wardrobe…
So here goes…
I’ve gone with less than 20 clothing items, but added several accessories and 1 (yes 1!) pair of boots!
Don’t panic!
I clearly have wayyyy more than one pair of shoes (more than 50 to be precise!)
I am simply demonstrating that the items selected are super versatile, you could quite easily swap the boots for a more seasonal pair as and when required, the clothing items however, could easily last you months.
How?!
Simple really, by mixing and matching the pieces I’ve selected you can come up with hundreds of different outfit ideas that will carry you right through spring and in to Summer.
You will need to have an idea on how you want to create your own personal look, using key pieces throughout and ‘classics‘ that pretty much don’t date, you should find it easy to achieve.
So, firstly I’d like to show you the options I have chosen, followed by a small selection of outfits (I literally could’ve filled this whole post with outfit ideas!)
The bottom options were easy…from left to right Slim fit ‘selvedge‘ denim, Portland chinos in navy blue and (the most exciting!) ‘Two year two washes’ stretch slim fit denim all by Fatface available here.
If you know me, you will know that I’m passionate and slightly obsessed with 2 things…Coffee (don’t do instant or cheap) and Denim (usually Japanese, always selvedge!)
Why selvedge?
What is selvedge?
This explains it…
Initially known as ‘self-edge’, the selvedge is the narrow, tightly woven band on both edges of the denim fabric. A selvedge end prevents the edge of the denim from unravelling and shows a clean, finished look. Old shuttle looms produce denim where selvedges are closed.
Having purchased a couple of pairs of expensive selvedge jeans (both Japanese) I went through the pain barrier of only washing them twice in 12 months (storing them in the freezer to self clean) and spent over £250 for the pleasure!
Good denim isn’t cheap and cheap denim isn’t good!
How impressed was I then, when I spot the two styles of denim above both available without the ridiculous price tag, both incredible pieces that fit and look superb!
The Portland Chino is an absolute classic, I personally would wear them rolled up above the ankles, to pay homage to the effortless ‘coolness’ demonstrated by Japanese and Scandinavian street styles.
(See my last post ‘Find you own groove‘)
From left to right: Denim Jacket, Heysham popover hoody, graduated stripe crew neck, Roseville Jacket, Contrast ringer stripe t-shirt, light indigo stripe crew, indigo Breton crew neck, organic cotton t-shirt in ‘dark ink’ and Phillimore Utility denim shirt.
All items apart from the denim jacket are available from Fatface here
From left to right: Contrast ringer stripe t-shirt, Clachan fine stripe shirt in Japanese blue, Plain Oxford shirt in Redwood, Plain Oxford shirt in white and Stripe Oxford shirt.
All available from Fatface here.
last but not least…
from left to right: Military Overshirt/Jacket, Navy beanie, Organic t-shirt white, Textured scarf in Olive and Gold (actually ladies!), Burgundy beanie, Leather stitch detail belt and canvas belt.
All available from Fatface (apart from the boots!)
As the weather improves, replace the scarves and beanies with more seasonal relevant products.
The outfit builds…
Styling tips…
It’s personal preference, but I prefer my shirts buttoned to the top, unless I’m layering with a striped t-shirt (see image 7)
Remember to roll up those jeans to show off the selvedge details, you can do double denim, just make sure you layer it and choose different washes!
As for the accessories, I often wear a nice scarf, quite often a ladies scarf at that!
Be brave in your choices and dress to impress…yourself!
Hope you liked it!
Until next time…
Peace and love.
Find your own groove…
Greetings friends…
Now that I am in my 46th year of existence/existing on this beautiful planet, I’ve been thinking a lot about my legacy…(don’t worry, I’m not planning on going anywhere just yet!)
I’ve pretty much been doing the same type of job for over 25 years (yikes!) and in that time have seen many businesses go under, two recessions and still find the energy and passion to keep doing what I’m doing.
What drives me on?
Good question.
Thanks 🙂
Back in the late 80’s (probably before most of you were even born!), I fell in to the fashion industry.
As a young man, I’d joined the armed forces hoping to follow in my father’s footsteps, it all came to an abrupt end through injury, I got into retail as a stopgap.
That’s one looooonnnngggg stopgap!
I’m actually a big fan of khaki, just not all over!
There has been several occasions when I almost quit the industry, the aforementioned recessions (the first one was a lot worse and I don’t mean the one in the 1930’s!), then there was the time when shops first decided to open on a Sunday (yes, I really am that old, that I remember the days before Sunday opening!) and there has been times when I felt that I was probably ‘doing it all wrong’ because I cared too much about colleagues and customers.
In fact, I wasn’t doing it wrong, I was just working for people who really couldn’t care less as long as they made profit
I took a sabbatical, after 25 years, I took myself away from it and tried to find my own groove.
I loved fashion, style, shopping, writing, and prior to my epiphany had worked very closely with buyers and press teams to advise and showcase products.
I appeared on live ‘Google hangouts’ about men’s style and also wrote online magazine articles about the same, I’d really made a big impact with one of the high streets big players.
That said, it was also becoming quite apparent that despite all of my extra curricular effort, at store level things weren’t great.
Product quality was suffering and the cost saving exercise was really affecting the morale of my people.
Two years down the line and the very same company have announced a fall in Sales and profits, blaming lower footfall and excessive discounting on the high street (a bit of a cheek when you consider that they are one of the worst for constantly discounting and running offers!)
I have always been really interested in fashion, men’s style in particular has always intrigued me. Especially when you consider that in most cases, it’s menswear that has the biggest growth potential.
In the olden days there were no such words as ‘metrosexual’ or ‘hipsters’, guys definitely didn’t care about their skincare regime and bought clothes when the holes in their pants became obscene!
It’s interesting then to fast forward 20 years, and men’s skincare has gone from half a shelf to a whole aisle in your local pharmacy, and barbershops are popping up everywhere!
Dudes are really starting to think more about their appearance, whether it’s the way we dress or how we groom ourselves.
This guy has never even heard of Nivea for men!👆🏿
Now, you’ve probably guessed that I take my style quite seriously, or more that I’m serious about what I consider style.
I’m not a sheep.
I don’t follow fickle fashion fads (try saying that with a mouthful of wine gums!), I dress how I like, I’m not trying to impress, I’m not obsessed and to an extent don’t really care what people think about the way I dress (trust me, I get comments!)
So, where is this going?
I’ll tell you…
My style comes from loving what I do, it comes from years of experience, it comes from trial and error (yes, I even had a pair of boot cut jeans!), but mostly it comes from being comfortable with who I am and how I look.
Joking apart, I don’t have too many hang ups, we all have bad moustache days right?
Our ideas of what is ‘fashionable’ is primarily dictated by advertising and labels, the high street is awash with fad fashion, trends come and go in a flash, what was considered cool one week, is soooo ‘last week’ the next.
Charity shop chic? Wrong! This was taken at one of the high street behemoths prime locations! Seriously! Look at the outfits?!
Ok, some folk might consider the above image cool, horses for courses right?
Not for me…
My wardrobe is made up of items that I can wear year after year, ‘classics’.
I’ve also invested well too, I have bought a few ‘key’ items that can make your wardrobe versatile ( I’ll go into that more at a later date 😉)
What am I wearing?
I’m a big fan of Japanese denim and Japanese style, and also love the simplistic style of the Scandinavians ( I am a Norseman after all!)
You don’t have to break the bank and buy overpriced labels either, I’ll show you in my next blog how to achieve cool looks on a budget, I’ll also show you how to create a capsule wardrobe that will take you through a whole season!
Until next time…
Peace and love.
Washed in happiness…
The title for this edition, comes straight from the strap line of one of the UK’s most trusted and established brands.
I am talking about FatFace of course (if you didn’t already know it!)
Established in the late 80’s by 2 young entrepreneurs wanting to extend their ski holiday in ‘La Face’ (we’ll come on to that in a minute), they had the fantastic idea to knock up some slogan tees to sell out of the back of their camper van to make a quick buck (or Francs as it were then!)
With one eye on also funding future holidays to the same region, being avid skiers and with their penchant for hitting black or ‘fat’ runs (you can see where this is going…) the brand was born.
History lesson over.
La Face…not that fat
Jump forward almost 30 years and the brand is going from strength to strength, coming through 2 recessions, and Brexit, (many companies went into liquidation) and its still managed continual growth has over 200 stores in the UK and Ireland and even has 3 stores in the US!
It’s not all been easy.
How have they managed to survive?
Several reasons…
Firstly, they aren’t stupid, they have grown and expanded sensibly.
In their chief Anthony Thompson they have one of the most inspirational leaders/orators out there. He is a remarkable character who is almost single handily trying to rescue the high street from almost certain death through constant discounting and Sales.
He’s taking on the big boys too…
Anthony will not discount the FatFace Product, it devalues it and says to the customer “We don’t believe in our products enough to sell them to you full price” (powerful words indeed)
In fact, as I write this blog, Fatface have just released an audacious ‘Price promise’, one that will start its competitors twitching!
When the rest of the world went ‘Black Friday’ crazy, Fatface didn’t take part in the ‘fad’, instead they donated money to local charities, to the tune of over £200k!!
Fighting fellow shoppers to save 50% off a TV you don’t need…
The most important reason that they have such a rich heritage is simply that their product is excellent and the brand is trusted and they actually ‘care‘.
Product
Ethically sourced, superb quality and classically styled (always in fashion), customers seem to love it!
They call their garments ‘wardrobe heroes’
The wonderful ‘Washed in Happiness’ really does sum up the brand, they have a great attitude towards work/life, they are fun and they are about to embark on some exciting new challenges…watch this space!
As for the product itself…take a look!www.fatface.com
I visited stores in Birmingham and Rugby for the above images
My faves at the minute…
The ‘new’ classic, ‘Broadsands’ poacher jacket.
Love the detailing and fabric, this piece is reminiscent of classic hunting coats, waxed water resistant fabric, large ‘poacher’ pockets, removable borg collar, corduroy trim and it comes in a new modern shorter length.
This jacket (like so many other Fatface products) will age really well too!
Internal detail with the soft brushed check lining and the smartphone pocket are just two of the many cool features. (Pic below)
Buy it here
Wear it with these bad boys…
This is a really timeless but cool ‘Utility’ look, the khaki cotton shirt is a beautiful ‘peach’ finish, it can be worn buttoned up or as an overshirt, worn open with a t-shirt for layering.
The chinos (another classic must have!) are in a heavy weight cotton, modern slimmer silhouette which can be worn smart in the office or more casual with trainers/boots.
I’m loving the zip thru reverse loop sweat top, it has a real ‘washed’ worn in feel, is really soft and fits well too.
As for the desert boot (yes, it’s still here!) they’ve put a different twist on the usual suede option (which they also have by the way!) and have instead opted for a nice ‘oiled’ leather, great feel and finish…oh and a bit more resilient too.
You’ll be happy to know fellas, that Fatface don’t go for super skinny fits, that pretty much style most of us out of their market (like a lot of the high street!), instead they opt for true ‘heritage’ fits in classic shapes and colours.
That’s not to say that their products aren’t cool, they are ‘classics’, timeless pieces that will have far more longevity than most of the men’s fashion stores out there!
Tune in next time for more exciting news and further product reviews from Fatface, trust me when I say…I’ve seen the future…and its bright!
Until next time…
Peace and love.
The Hatman meets…Percycute clothing.
Hello again and welcome to the second in the series of ‘The Hatman meets’
This time it’s the turn of Percycute Clothing yet another UK independent clothing brand fighting for its place amongst the big corporations, who are flooding our high streets with substandard product.
Click on this link Percycute clothing and you will see a website of true imagination with some quite brilliant graphic designs.
The design genius ( I use that term loosely !…only joking) is not what you’d expect from this ‘street style’ indie brand.
In fact, this man (who shall remain nameless!) has managed to create a brilliant alter ego, he is faceless, he is the ‘Charlie’ to the angels, he is almost as elusive as one of his main influences ‘Banksy‘…until he decided to make contact with myself that is…
To add to the enigma that is Mr Percycute I will not be referring to him by name, nor will I post a picture of the man behind one of the most exciting brands out there.
No, it will be a closely guarded secret to myself and his family, of course.
“I like the idea that people think I’m the guy in all the pictures on the website” he says.
He fooled me.
You see, we can judge far too quickly at whom we think represents a brand or what they should look like. Something I feel the high street does all too often.
“My designs are worn by all sorts of people, men, women, and all ages too…we shouldn’t ‘pigeonhole’ people”
Very true Mr Percycute…very true.
You intrigued?
I met Mr P, in his home city of Leicester.
We were both easy to spot each other as we were both wearing one of his designs (there’s something very satisfying about not seeing anyone else in the same top as me!) so no need to wear a flower!
It wasn’t that type of meeting anyway!
The interview began…
Where does the name Percycute come from?
“It’s a play on words…to persecute is to oppress, I’ve been oppressed in my work for years, oppressed that I couldn’t do what I love to do…design”
Ok, with us so far?
“I’ve always been a doodler, it’s my way of expression, clearing my thoughts, I used to draw for myself, not really thinking about an end product”
“My drawings used to lie around the office, and people would pick them up and ask me if they could have them!”
So what led to the clothing range?
“I had sketches everywhere, then someone said, that the designs would make great t-shirts”…lightbulb moment.
How can someone go from doodling to creating brilliant graphic designs…simple, you go to college and get a diploma in graphic design, then further your knowledge by learning the latest design techniques on Photoshop…easy eh?
Technique is one thing, having the creative mind to keep reinventing and churning out exceptional images is completely different.
This guy does both in abundance.
So what are his influences…I see David Hockney, Banksy, graffiti art, street art…
“One of my biggest influences is actually Salvador Dali (never saw that coming!) and I love all the religious art from the renaissance”
Dali?
Actually yes, look at the below design…tell me you can’t see a bit of Salvador in there!
‘Madness’ yet to be released…sneak preview for you!
So how do you conjure up these designs…
Mr P smiles…
“I think of a word, then visualise the image…then start to draw”
That’s sounds easy doesn’t it?
He then shows me his phone ‘notes’ pages…
Mr P writes down potential titles for designs, so they don’t disappear out of his mind!
I have the same issue. I have to write what is in my head, otherwise it’s gone!
That’s the creative mind for you!
Like me, Mr P finds himself waking at silly o’clock to sketch or write down at least a few words to prompt his creative juices!
Looking at some of the designs I wanted to find out what they meant, or represented…
Again Mr P smiles…
“I like people to make their own minds up on what the design represents…I know, sometimes I’m influenced by current affairs, sometimes it’s as simple as a song I listened to whilst doodling…and then, my best work has been done during my toughest times”
He’s deep too!
‘Dag Nab it’ influenced by a ‘Rizzle Kicks’ song!
“I sent a picture of the t-shirt to the ‘Rizzle Kicks’ on twitter…they loved it, re-tweeted it and my twitter account went mad!!”
“That’s when I realised that there was an appeal for my designs!”
‘Dirty Cash’ born from the song of the same title, but influenced more by the corruption in banking, the design pictures a banker in chains
One of my favourites…
‘Spaceman’ I’d had a heavy night…my mate walked in and said I looked like a spaceman!…the design was born!
‘Urban Hoodlam another design influenced by current affairs, the London riots to be precise…the image shows a face with a gag…don’t say this, don’t do that, the arrows resembling an Indian headdress represent the paths you could take…wow
A typical creative, he’s self critical, and keeps tinkering with designs.
“Sometimes I overwork a design and ruin it. So I take pictures now at different stages!”
The designs are all limited editions, again you aren’t just buying an item of clothing, you’re buying a piece of art.
He retires designs, in fact, he reworks them and releases newer versions of them.
“I like to keep reinventing myself and my designs”
As with a lot of our wonderful UK indie brands, Percycute is a real labour of love, they rely on sales to further the production and growth of the brand.
“I have at least 500 designs and ideas I want to get out there, it would be great financially to be in high street stores, but I’d lose my identity, I want my brand to be loved for what it represents, creativity is more important”
He doesn’t want to stop at just clothing either, he has plans to go in to different accessories too.
Trust me when I say that having spoken to the man and seeing some of his as yet unreleased designs, this is a brand going places.
“I’ve been trading for about 15 months, it’s going well, I just need the next big push…”
As with every indie brand, there is passion, belief and a really great attitude towards his customers.
Check out these unreleased designs…exciting times ahead!
Top to bottom ‘Devilish’ ‘Resurrection’ and ‘Tsunami’
I love them all!
Please visit the website Percycute buy some stuff, so that the new designs can get produced!
Big thanks to the creative mind of Mr Percycute for letting me in to his ‘headspace’ (one of his designs!) and allowing me to share his vision.
Is this Mr Percycute?….I’m not saying.
Until next time…
Peace and love.
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!!
New Look Menswear AW14 collection.
Hello again friends
So once again I find myself fortunate to have been invited to yet another New Look press event.
This time is was all about their new AW14 collection.
As per usual whilst down in London I took the opportunity to go to Murdock of London for a nice beard trim!
The event started at 12pm and was running until 8pm, so even with the added joy that yet another tube strike brought, I was sure that I would be able to hit the shops, and still head over to the event with plenty of time to see everything.
Carnaby Street was once the centre of British fashion…
Among the British heritage brands like Ben Sherman, Fred Perry, Dr Martens and Lyle & Scot you will also find super brands like The Kooples, Evisu, True Religion and more…
Back in the 60’s though it was a different matter, instead of the big monopoly brands, you would’ve had one off little boutiques selling the latest in ‘mod clothing’ that every respecting guy in the swinging 60’s needed to be seen in.
It hasn’t lost it’s identity or it’s appeal though, you just need to venture off the beaten track a little and see that the new breed of British ‘street wear’ brands are moving in.
Abandon Ship and Drop Dead Clothing offer great graphic print products, accessories, and quirky pieces that you won’t find in the high street giants.
Then at one end you have one of the most iconic buildings in London…Liberty’s of London
At the event then…
I have to say that, I walked in to New Look’s press room and almost had to pinch myself!
Not only did the press room look like a high end boutique, they had one of
London’s premier DJ’s playing some incredible tunes (Joy Division , Stone Roses and pretty much the rest of my iTunes playlist!) but, and this is the best bit…the product looked absolutely amazing!
New Look menswear have been on a journey…two years ago,it’s fair to say that their range was a bit uninspiring, pretty basic and not at the pinnacle of fashion.
Back to now…
I can’t really put in to words how far they have come, how good their product is and what their new buyers have brought to the table.
Instead there follows a lot of pictures of their new collection.
I challenge you not to like anything, not to look at it and think “Is that really New Look?”
I was truly in awe of it all, seriously I could’ve blown thousands!
You can see influences from Tiger of Sweden, the Kooples, Prada, Grenson, Christian Laboutin…to name but a few!
Enjoy
some seriously good footwear coming your way!
Everything from the exceptional Double Monk strap shoes, to the sumptuous leather oxfords with the contrast lining, there really is something for every man
Accessories…they’ve got it covered!
Favourite pieces here were the waxed hold alls, the ‘Kooples-esque’ black tote, and even moustache wax!!
It’s only Rock ‘n’ Roll, but I like it!…ok maybe it’s a bit more grunge inspired, but the product here was amazing, a very well put together look
A bit of Sports Lux, and some of the brilliant digital print t-shirts…and the ‘new’ sweatpants
A bit of ‘nautical’ inspiration here, check out the brushed viscose sweater, and the fantastic denim!
My favourite pieces on the day…
I can’t believe that this is PU!?
Contrast sole Desert boot
New Look or Tiger of Sweden?
Look at the colour of this fabulous mac!
That tote bag! ,those slip on tassel loafers! ,those leather double Monk shoes!…aaaarrrggghhhh!
I pretty much got blown away by the whole event and more so the amazing product.
On what I’ve seen, New Look Menswear will give everyone a run for their money!
Oh, and to top it all off, they’ve got Billy Huxley to model it all for them!…oh how they’ve progressed!
I’ll finish off by firstly thanking New Look for their hospitality and the chance to view AW14, but also to say that you deserve massive kudos for what is probably the best collection you have ever produced!
Until next time…
Peace and love x
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!
50 shades of grey…
Don’t worry I’m not about to start writing about that book.
Nor am I about to write a blog all about grey clothes.
Hello again,
The 50 shades of grey I’m referring to is actually our skies for the last 50 days (and more) in good old ‘Blighty’.
It’s very easy to get stuck in a rut when the weather is awful,you just want to wrap up,keeping warm and dry take priority over how you look (well I still try and look cool!)
After weeks of terrible rain,and strong wind,the sun finally made an appearance,in fact,it did more than that!
Temperatures at the weekend broke all records,and with the sun,comes the bright spring fashion and even makes us want to crack out our pasty British legs!!
(Unless of course some of you boys visit the local tanning shop!)
I’ve pulled some great products together for you,and created some cool Spring outfits ready for the forthcoming sunshine.
First up… every man needs this shirt in their wardrobe!…or one similar
The floral shirt has got to be one of your first purchases this season,wear it with jeans or shorts (when the weather gets a bit warmer!),it really is a pretty versatile piece.
Next up… I’ve chosen several tee shirt options.
Again,you’ll notice a floral element in there. Floral is massive this season for men,don’t worry guys it’s perfectly ok for you to wear it,we’ll all be wearing it!
Shorts anyone?
Awesome range,wouldn’t you agree?
Pretty much something for everyone above.
From the bright floral skater shorts,to the red paisley print chino shorts,to the more conservative plain slim chino shorts…all happy!
Accessories…
Layering pieces…you never know what the weather will bring!
I’ve featured the above floral bomber in another post,it had previously sold out…but it’s back in stock…and awesome!
Here’s some ideas for you,hope you like them!
I was a bit sneaky there!
I threw in a couple of other pieces not mentioned earlier!
However,I think you’ll agree,that they compliment the Spring look’s really well.
In each outfit you have your conversation piece,new trend pieces and good accessories too (if I may say so myself!)
So you’re pretty much set for the coming season,now is the time to start experimenting with colour,be brave!
All products featured are available in store or online at www.newlook.com
Thanks for reading!
Until next time…
Stay safe,go floral!
Classic pieces for every blokes wardrobe…
Greetings fellow style fans!
Today’s post is a simple guide to the ‘classic’ pieces every self respecting stylish bloke should have in his wardrobe.
The weather here in the UK has been shocking of late,we’ve had torrential rain and gale force winds,so much so that I was considering building myself an Ark!
It feels like Spring is on it’s way though,and with it comes the newness into our stores ( in fact,Spring/summer stock has been in stores since January!!), I’ve picked some great products that you can mix and match all of them are extremely versatile and as stated earlier absolute classic pieces that won’t date.
First up…the classic mac
The above double breasted belted mac,is a great example.
I always go on about fit and this one fits like a dream!
It’s a great item,well finished with a self coloured lining,it’s a must for our unpredictable weather.
I’ve bought this one in the stone colour,it’s also available in Navy blue too!
(I may have to purchase that one as well!)
Damn you New Look!!
Next…the gingham shirt…
This has to be one of the most versatile shirts in my wardrobe,it look great worn casually with my jeans,or under one of my nice tweed numbers!
I just love a great fitting gingham shirt,New Look have got an absolute cracker out right now,available in 3 great colours (yeah thanks then…I’m gonna buy all 3 now!),and at £14.99 it’s ridiculously good value too!
Staying with shirts…the oxford has been a British Classic ever since Ben Sherman made them popular way back in 1963.
You don’t need to pay over the odds for a decent Oxford shirt though…the following are available in short or long sleeve,and in 3 colours you’ll probably want them all!
On to knitwear,and hopefully we won’t be needing to layer up too much in Spring,but as this is England you can’t guarantee that it won’t snow!
I’ve picked a nice lightweight crew neck,in 3 versatile colours (3 is the magic number after all!) they’re great for layering,or worn with just a shirt they look great.
and priced at just £14.99,you can get it in all 3 colours too!
Denim is a must!
I’ve picked the clean Skinny jean,as it looks smarter and pretty much suits most guys,the colours below offer more versatility and allow you to outfit build with the rest of the products I’ve selected with ease…
a nice grey pair to add something different 🙂
Footwear…one of my favourite subjects!
Every man should own a pair of Brogues,a pair of Desert boots and the navy blue option gives you something different instead of the usual tan or black options.
You don’t need to go for the Grenson’s or Loakes or even Clark’s Originals for that matter,New Look do a great version of all 3 styles for just £24.99 a pair?!
If you are regular followers of my blog,you will know that I’m a bit of a sucker for blazers…tweed ones in particular…below are two awesome blazers,in two different colours I wouldn’t normally chose,except they really are that good!
at £54.99,they also represent amazing value too!
As for my next item,the classic stone chino…pretty straight forward,but a wardrobe staple none the less,the ones below are only £14.99!?
Now let’s build some outfits!
Enough to get your teeth in to?
There’s so many outfits you can build with the classic items I’ve selected,they’re all great products,that fit well,and they won’t damage your bank balance too much either!!
All products featured are available in store or online at www.newlook.com ,menswear has never been so good!
Until next time…
Stay classic.
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.
Menswear preview…get your ‘geek’ on!
Hello again readers!
I’ve decided to continue with my menswear focus for this post,as it seems that us blokes don’t do style too well!
I guess that there is a minority (and I would like to include myself in here!) that almost certainly know what style is and how to dress.
It’s evident by the way guys shop and by how most menswear departments or stores are set up that,the majority of us fellas need a bit of guidance.
It’s also fair to say that most guys out there don’t read men’s style mags, (several high profile publications have even stopped printing because of this) so where do they get inspiration from?,do they even care?
Retailers in the UK are realising that the answer to the last question is actually a resounding “yes”
A lot of guys are really taking an interest in appearance,high street retailers are starting to come away from boring departmentalised stores and are creating exciting,innovative departments that showcase their products better,and offer something for both the ‘clued up’ and the ‘clueless’!
Nowhere more so than New Look,as previously mentioned in my last post,these guys have really stepped up to the plate recently,and are trying to create a real menswear package that has both style and affordability…I for one think they’ve nailed it!
My post this time is all about getting your ‘geek’ on!! (the title may have given that away!!)
What exactly does that mean?
It doesn’t mean you should crack out your favourite superhero t-shirt,or that you should wear some seriously bad shirts/tank top combos like the boys on ‘Big bang theory’ (although they do have cult status!)
Sheldon rocks the geek look,effortlessly!
Instead,getting your ‘geek’ on is more about being a bit quirky,and mixing it up a little.
Tinie Tempah,Pharrell Williams and Labrinth are style gurus among men,they also know how to rock the ‘geek’ look…
See below
Now here’s my version of the look,courtesy again from New Look’s awesome SS14 range…
from left to right…yellow and navy fisherman jacket,blue fine stripe shirt,grey knitted hat,pale blue skinny jeans,brown brogue boots and to finish off, the all important bow tie…you can pick up this whole look for under £120!!
Denim & navy contrast sleeve baseball jacket,pink contrast collar smart shirt,acid wash skinny jeans,burgundy heart stitch sweater,burgundy polka dot bow tie,and grey/navy running shoe ,all for under £125!!
For my final outfit I’ve gone for the ‘preppy/geek’ look,in this case as with the other outfits,it’s all about how you’d style the looks and not just the clothes you wear…
For example,with the denim in all cases,roll them up above the ankle and flash your ‘nerdy’ white socks or better still go without socks (frost permitting of course!) to create that geeky coolness!
Shirts are always done up to the top button,this look is all about smart and clean…
no self respecting preppy look is complete without the baseball jacket,teamed with navy blue skinny jeans,striped smart shirt,navy chunky knit cardigan,striped tie,desert boots and a great pair of clear lens preppy glasses to complete the look…all for under £130!!
So there you have it my nerdy friends!
You can find all of the above products in store or at www.newlook.com have fun shopping in between playing ‘minecraft’ or ‘magic the gathering’ or whatever it is you geeks like to do in your spare time!
(Only joking! Geek is the new cool,so keep doing whatever you’re doing!)
Until next time…
Stay safe.
Menswear Spring preview…’American Freshman meets the Zephyr boys’
Greetings readers,Happy New Year to you all!
We’re all probably fed up of Turkey,cranberry sauce,baubles and presents (well maybe not presents!!),and already sick of the sales…right?
Hopefully you all agree!
I’ve decided to start my first blog of 2014 and focus on menswear,highlighting one of the key trends coming out of the UK for Spring/Summer,which is an amalgamation of American collegiate fashion,and the skate board look.
I’ve scoured the interweb thingy and found some great examples to back this up.
I was pleasantly surprised when I visited one website in particular,not only did it have excellent products (pretty much bang on the mark for the looks I wanted!),but it also seems to be selling key fashion pieces at ridiculous value for money!?
New Look has long been synonymous with great value for money fashion for you ladies out there (40+ years in fact!!),they started dabbling in men’s fashion around ten years ago,and it would be fair to say they really have come on leaps and bounds since then.
The buyers seem to have got it right this season,not only does the product look good,it fits great too!
The denim range has definitely improved,and they are now offering a brilliant ‘acid wash’ skinny jean to rival the best on the high street for just £24.99?! What?!
There has been a conscious effort to make the range more ‘fashion focused’ for the cool kids out there ( I include myself in that of course!),and they also cater for the less adventurous ‘safe’ bloke too!
My first look…
From left to right… Red Seattle burnout sweatshirt,Navy ‘fisherman’ hat,Grey Acid wash Skinny jeans,Double pocket denim shirt,and awesome denim trainers!
Look no.2…
From left to right…blue New York burnout t-shirt,baseball jacket,grey ‘super skinny jeans,contrast sole brogues and a burgundy fold over beanie hat to complete the look 🙂
Look no.3…
From left to right…Black quilted jacket,black beanie hat,blue acid wash skinny jeans,printed baseball t-shirt,and a fantastic pair on contrast sole brogue boots to finish off!
My final look,brings together a bit of ‘sports lux’,the printed jacket below isn’t going to suit everyone,if you’re a bit ‘edgy’ you’ll be able to pull it off no problem!
It really goes to show you just how far New Look have come in developing their menswear package,massive kudos to the buying team,who have given some of their competitors a run for their money this season!
Printed floral jacket,black football jersey,super skinny jeans,black beanie and burgundy baseball shoe…is this really New Look?
Check out the website for my choices and more fantastic buys at www.newlook.com…happy hunting!
Until next time…
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.
Today I’ll be mostly wearing…new mod!
The Hatman with his winter coat…
Hello again!
Today is just a quick post to show you what I’m wearing right now!
I’ve gone back to my roots a bit today, and have gone all ‘Old Skool’ on you.
You may have seen from my profile picture or indeed from previous posts that I like to dress a bit ‘mod’ (and sometimes a bit mad!)
I love my Cherry red Doc Martens!
They are an absolute classic shoe,they just don’t date at all…
They are today’s inspiration.
I also saw this shirt in Topman…
and had to have it!!£28…bargain!
Then I thought about how to wear it…buttoned to the top of course!
Add 1 pair of grey skinny jeans from www.riverisland.com also £28
Throw on a superb lightweight parka jacket from www.newlook.com at just £34.99
Simmer slightly,before bringing to the boil and adding the obligatory headwear…
And hey presto!
The look is complete!
Hope you like it!
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
People of Britain don’t panic!
the lesser spotted bearded hatman
Don’t panic,the world isn’t about to end,the Mayans got it wrong,as did Nostradamus…
That fiery ball in the sky is the sun!
And doesn’t it change everything?!
I don’t know about you but,when the suns out,I feel a lot happier,I certainly wear more colour,and I actually…(wait for it!) sometimes even forego my obligatory headwear!
(That’s going without a hat for you lay folk out there!)
I can hear the gasps all over the world right now!
I love it when the sun finally decides to show up,so too does my friend the ice cream man!
I’m sitting writing in his wonderful shop he has 30+ flavours and they’re all amazeballs!!
As you can imagine they’re queuing out the door!!
a bit of shameless advertising here but,this is the best ice cream shop in the midlands!! that’s my opinion,and as this is my blog I’m more than entitled to it!!
So it’s a balmy 14.5 degrees outside,and British men everywhere have been forced by their good ladies to crack out their pasty white legs and put on a pair of shorts!
You see this is where I can’t help but wonder why we have such a bad rep for our sartorial style…
There isn’t anything wrong with socks shorts and dirty old trainers…is there?!
As we reach a certain age we start to like clothing that has dual purpose or hidden pockets (what can a man in his late 60’s possibly want to hide? His Werthers originals?!)
I really don’t understand what makes a man think that buying a pair of cargo trousers that zip off at the knee to turn them into a pair of shorts is a good idea…furthermore why wear a t shirt and then wear one of those awful multi pocketed gilets on top!?
again…do you need that many pockets?
why,why,why, do blokes feel the need to pop their collars up on polo shirts?!
It looks awful,it’s not big and it’s not clever!
wrong on sooooo many levels!
why?…
I don’t want everyone to dress the same,or like me (that would be a bit freaky!),but men of Britain,think!
I’ve put a list of wardrobe must haves below,some are personal to me,others a staple pieces every man should own.
For the record,there will be no onesies in there,nor will there be any sportswear of any description…just NO!
From left to right…
Beige Mac (River Island),Slim fit chinos by Topman,classic white t shirt,Tan military polo shirt (River Island),classic white polo shirt (Fred Perry) and striped shirt (Jack Wills)
Short sleeved shirts, one denim one coloured Oxford,navy blue chino shorts,navy blue Harrington jacket,light blue Chambray blazer…all by River Island
Tan tassel loafer and beige suede driving shoe both by River Island,and suede shoe by Ben Sherman.
please no trainers,and definitely no socks!
So there you have it!
A nice spring capsule wardrobe you can mix and match to your hearts content!
Just remember to add splashes of colour,don’t do the whole beige thing or you’ll look like a pensioner!
Find all the items at www.bensherman.com
www.riverisland.com
www.topman.com
Until next time…
Stay safe.
Oh what a circus…London part two
Hello again readers!
I’m writing this post en route to London,using Chiltern railways free wifi!
(Which is great,except its slower than a fat lad running a marathon in lead wellies!)
The purpose of my visit is work. It’s not all bad though because ‘work’ today consists of looking at new ranges and consulting with buyers over their prospective products.
Oh!..and afterwards I get to see my brother again for beers!
I can let you into a little secret though and tell you that this coming Spring/Summer season ‘clothing’ is going to be huge…I don’t mean the sizing!,I mean that wearing clothing is going to be huge!
(See I know my stuff!)
At least the sun is shining this time,which will make the whole experience a lot more tolerable.
Deep breaths as I head towards the joy that is the tube…
you can always tell the people that don’t use the tube that often…they’re the ones not scrambling or pushing to get on,or they’re the ones who actually understand what personal space is?!
London is definitely a ‘dog eat dog’ kind of city.
You either become the Rottweiler and bully your way through everything or you become the Chihuahua and do a lot of yapping,but ultimately someone soon is going to tread on you!
Pascal wouldn’t last 2 minutes on the Bakerloo line…
Two trains later and I’m on route to ‘Oxford Circus’,even at 8am with no stores open its busy…
My company’s main office is just off Oxford Street,so I head over with about half an hour to kill and go for my first caffeine hit of the day (god knows I need one after getting up at 5:30am!!)
Mortimer’s Cafe is the coffee shop of choice,it’s busy,lots of regulars drinking here (first name terms with the staff and all!) which is always a good sign.
Service was excellent and the coffee even better.
Then something odd occurred…I’m sat minding my own on a small table in the corner,checking in on Facebook,when two young ladies virtually sit with me.
Now it’s not a problem except that the place is half empty…they just chose to sit on my table,put their bags on the floor (right by my feet! I actually had to step over them to get out!),and continued to chat like it was normal?!
I came to the conclusion that…
A: they fancied me (not likely)
B: they’re so used to moving down the train to use up any available space,that they naturally do it where ever they can?!
C: and the most likely answer…I was sat in their favourite seat!
After my meeting ended,I strolled down Regents Street towards Piccadilly.
Most people visit London and hit Oxford Street for shopping…big mistake!
Oxford Street is not the best that London has to offer,apart from Selfridges,Topshop,and maybe Uniqlo it’s full of run of the mill stores you can find in most UK towns (just busier and messier than most UK towns!)
Regents Street and Carnaby Street just off it are far nicer places to shop.
Carnaby Street has a vibe all of its own,since the days of the ‘swinging sixties’ and the ‘Mod’ era it has been synonymous with style.
There are some very cool shops down here.
Where else could stand alone shops like ‘Ben Sherman,Doc Martens,and Puma (to name but a few!) look so right and thrive like they do…
It’s not just about the big brands down here though,go down some of the little side alleys and you’ll find some amazing little vintage boutiques,selling retro mod fashions!
(I mentally spent thousands down there!)
Carnaby Street also seems to be home to some of the coolest and quirkiest people too.
Most of the guys and girls in the stores look awesome,they are sooo on trend,or have a unique style that you could only do in London,and probably only do on Carnaby Street!
I sat with my brother (pint in hand) and people watched as we talked and put the world to rights!
“I’d love to work here,on this street,it’s so cool” I said.
“yeah it’s cool,but then you’ve got to think that,you look cool,you work in a cool shop that probably doesn’t pay that well,then you’ll go back to your shitty little shared bedsit in some cruddy crime ridden London suburb and barely scrape enough money to afford your tube ticket,let alone your next meal!”
way to go little bro,ever the optimist!😣
All I heard was “you’ll look cool”!!…
I headed back to sleepy town with the London dirt and smells still up my nostrils (nice image 😁) and thought about how great it would be to work in such a ‘happening’ place,then I remembered my little brothers words and came crashing back down to earth!
Don’t you just hate reality checks?!
Anyway,this is what I wore to London…
I’ve gone for the ‘Mod/casual geezer’ look…
A style tip here is to roll your skinnies above the ankles,wear some eye catching socks,always fasten your shirt to the top,and your hat at a ‘jaunty‘ angle!
Until next time…
Yap! Yap! Yap!
Stay safe
Happy Birthday Ben!!
Hello again!
In what is about to be the direct follow on from my last post,I am today writing about and wishing one of Britain’s iconic brands ‘Happy 50th Birthday!’…step forward Ben Sherman
I’m not about to regurgitate the history of this great brand in my post (if you want to know more about their history you can visit www.bensherman.com)
Instead,I’m writing to celebrate their half century of being able to reinvent itself many times,and to raise a glass to toast it becoming a British Classic!
When Ben Sherman first hit the clothes pegs in 1963, England was well in to the ‘swinging sixties’.
Ben Sherman were the shirts of choice for pop stars,film stars,footballers,but more importantly ‘Joe Public’ as they were also very affordable.
50 years on,still with the classic features that stood Ben Sherman apart from the others (the box pleat,the loop on the back,and the centre button at the back of the collar), the brand goes from strength to strength.
With stand alone stores in some of the best retail locations in Britain,and stores in New York (check the YouTube video of the store opening in Soho NY)
Ben Sherman has survived longer than many of its competitors.
How did they do it?
They moved with the times,but stayed true to their classic styling,you will see from the following looks,that they’ve moved on massively,it’s not just about shirts anymore!…they do a lot more besides!
They have diversified well,with the introduction of the ‘Plectrum’ range,the ‘Duke Street foundry’ and not to mention that their amazing ‘shirt bar’ with the four different fits,have all aided their transition from their humble beginnings.
And I’m a big fan!! (you may have noticed!)
So,’many happy returns Ben!’
Keep doing what you’re doing,fly that flag for the great British brands,from the humble ‘Oxford’ shirt to the new ‘made in England’ range, our ‘Ben’ will hopefully be around for another 50 years!!
Remember keep our heritage brands alive!!
Until next time…
Stay safe…and check out www.bensherman.com
This is England…this is style
Greetings from a murky,drizzly ‘Old Blighty’
Earlier in the week we witnessed spring in all it’s glory,the sun was shining,the birds were singing,the temperature was a ‘balmy’ 12 degrees!
That’s what I call spring
The nice weather has a profound effect on consumer spending too,sales of spring fashion and accessories definitely improved…
Then later in the week sales of umbrellas increased!
Unpredictable,that’s what British weather is!!
That’s more like it!!
So this week I ventured from ‘sleepy town’ and went down to our capital city…’Old smoke’ or London (pronounced Larndan by the locals!)
I didn’t go to London to see the queen,nor did I go for a shopping trip (although I could’ve spent thousands!)
I was actually there with my job,but took full advantage of an early finish to do a bit of window shopping,and have a couple of beers with my brother who is now a bonafide Landaner.
Not only was the weather appalling but the tube in rush hour was a real treat?!
I hit Oxford Street,then made my way over to the less crowded Carnaby Street.
Love the vibe down there,it epitomises all that is cool about ‘British style’.
I travelled down to ‘Embankment’ with the intention of heading over to the Tate modern to see the Lichtenstein exhibition…I never made it!
I got kind of lost (easily done in London!) and distracted by spotting Will Smith and his good lady boarding a boat on the Thames.
(I could never be a paparazzi,as by the time I switched my camera on my phone on,they’d taken off and headed in the opposite direction!!)
So from there I shot back over to Covent Garden and then the window shopping commenced…
Londoners have a cool style that you could only really get away with in the big city…I myself was rocking a classic blazer,my trilby,a bright yellow v-neck sweater,burgundy skinny jeans,a nice pair of brogues and a pair of floral socks (which caused a bit of a stir!)
I’m a massive fan of the film (and later TV series) ‘This is England’
If you’ve not seen either I strongly recommend you check them out.
It is funny,violent,sometimes deeply moving but always poignant.
A real masterpiece,cleverly written,with an amazing cast of characters.
I’m more of a fan of the style worn by the characters in the movie.
They represented England around the eighties,when the ‘Skins’ and ‘suede heads’ ruled!
Doc Martens,Fred Perry,& Ben Sherman were the labels of choice.
Which is where i’d like to go next with this post…
the same three labels are still going strong,in fact they are probably stronger than ever!
They have re-invented themselves,and have become ‘staples’ of great British style.
The ‘classics’ are still my favourite,make sure if you visit London,you go into Ben Sherman,Dr martens or Fred Perry…you won’t leave empty handed!
and now the looks…
Jeans,Trilby,and Knitwear all by www.bensherman.com
and Boots and bag by www.drmartens.com
Polo shirt by Raf Simons for www.fredperry.com and Jeans by Ben Sherman,’Tattoo ‘ boots and bag by Dr Martens
Blazer and Trilby both Ben Sherman
Brogue boots by Dr.Martens Super Skinny jeans by www.topman.com
Shirt by Fred Perry
Retro sweater by Fred Perry
boots from Dr.Martens ‘made in England’ range
shirt from Ben Sherman’s ‘made in England’ range
chinos by Ben Sherman
bag by Dr Martens
Knitwear and jeans by Ben Sherman
Flat cap by Fred Perry
Boots by Doc Martens
Hope you like my choices…I’m back in London again soon to check out yet more of our capitals finest shops,next time I’ll be heading over to Savile Row to stare longingly at the beautiful creations I most definitely can’t afford!
Until next time…
Stay safe.
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!
Today’s new purchases…
Greetings followers…
In an attempt to smarten up my image the good lady and I took a shopping trip to our local town.
Whilst there is little there in the way of good shops there are your usual high street suspects.
Our aim was actually to buy some clothes for our ‘little man’ (who’s due in June!),not to be treating ourselves!
that didn’t really go to plan!
As the good lady is quite pregnant right now she’s struggling to fit into conventional clothing,so has to settle for the appalling maternity ranges out there at the minute.
Someone really needs to design some better pregnant lady clothes!!
My purchases were…
Grey jersey blazer £60 from River Island
Grey v-neck sweater £18 from River Island
Brown tortoiseshell aviators £10 River Island
this is how they’ll look as an outfit!
teamed with a classic white Oxford shirt,blue ripped skinny jeans and my beloved brogues!
A great smart casual look for the spring!
If we actually get one!!
Until next time…
Stay safe.
The style Viking 