Supreme Luggage

This British designed luggage is the very definition of hand-made luxury. I would know. For many years peeps said the grandest of luggage to travel with was Louis Vuitton, but I tell you fellas, Hackett London is giving the monogram that LV is, a run for its sterling.

A modern day classic, the Globe-Trotter case offers a uniquely strong yet lightweight functionality with a start, instantly recognisable aesthetic. Since 1897 (and we do love the brands that have stayed the distance) the brand philosophy has been a simple one – never to compromise the integrity of the craftsmanship. It’s the value that has made Globe-Trotter one of the most loved and sought after suit cases with generations past and present.

Globe-Trotter was founded in Germany. Nothing else needs to be said given the endurance brands that emerge from this detailed driven Country like BMW and Mercedes. Yet it was founded by an Englishman called David Nelkin. He moved the company to London in 1901 and  modelled the luggage on great and recognizable characteristics of Royal & British Icons. These being Queen Elizabeth 2^nd, Sir Edmund Hilary and Sir Winston Churchill.

Many 20^th century pioneers used Globe-Trotter Luggage on cruises, airlines and trains. Pilots and Flight crews for the RAF and British Airways carried Globe-Trotter cabin cases. In fact, I think my sister had one she took to school with her!

Now if you’re into craftsmanship, which shows that you value items of worth and are a sentimental man, these pieces are uniquely hand-made (which in today’s world is very rare) constructed from Vulcan fibre, ash wood frame, cloth lining and leather trim. Many of the experienced craftsman who would make your luggage piece (bespoke services are also available) have been with the company for decades. And what does this mean? That Globe-Trotter are interested in their people! We like that too. This product is delivered to you with honesty and pride. A rare commodity indeed!

The luggage collections cover the Original, the Centenary, the Safari, the Cruise, the Orient, the Limited Edition and Bespoke. While brands across the world are innovating and changing their materials and themes to attract the consumer, Globe-Trotter have remained true and authentic to their original philosophy and have not changed since 1897 in terms of design and manufacture. This is almost unheard of in the industry today.

Enjoy the selection Top Gun!

Best Jeans for Men

Distressed, ripped, tattooed or all-dark and sleek – jeans are now very OK, Monday to Friday, 9 to 5, in the office and out of it, as everyday wear in men’s clothing. They’re so ‘in’, that Yves Saint Laurent even once commented that, “I wish I had invented blue jeans. They have expression, modesty, sex appeal, simplicity – all I hope for in my clothes.”

When it comes to jeans dudes, you don’t have to go super-tight, but at the same time, don’t be afraid of going to a tighter cut than what you might normally feel comfortable in. Slim tapered jeans look great on most men, but if you’re not game, a straight leg or boot cut will function just as well.

Jeans are accentuated best by the shoes you wear (see examples in the image gallery below) and by the top you choose to match the jeans with.

In summer, a simple tee will do, and in winter, try layering – wear a white tee or singlet, a jean shirt (open) and a dark biker leather jacket also open worn over the jean shirt – HOT!

When it comes to designer jean labels, True Religion, Levi, Rock & Republic, Diesel, even JAG, all offer edgy, progressive design inspired by rock & roll and bikers with an emphasis on modern silhouettes and sleek fits. And if you hadn’t thunk it already, the denim industry is a trillion dollar heavyweight that has a finger in every fashion label – and the ad campaigns for denim go through the roof – both in originality and price, as denim marketers try to catch your attention.

Ignore the hype and look for the best deals possible: You can get great specials on jeans (particularly at the end of a season), but without a special, a really good pair can be found for around $140 or so if you shop cleverly. This is not unreasonable, a good pair of jeans should last you a long time if taken care of properly.

Here’s a breakdown of the best jeans styles around and a bit of info on what you should pick for you!

Straight and Loose Fit

Straight jeans are cut the same width from thigh to hip and seem to suit most men, especially those a little heavier all round. Straight jeans also suit the older gentleman because they tend to be more classic and traditional but please, please gents DO NOT TUCK your shirts into your jeans unless you have a waist to die for. Big tums accentuated by tucked in shirts are not flattering at all; instead try a dark, untucked shirt with a u-shaped silhouette to make you look slim.

Loose fit jeans have more room on the bottom and thigh by about an inch. They have a tapered leg but it is a bit looser than the classic cut. Loose or relaxed fit jeans are the most popular for men because they generally feel more relaxed and they allow men to move more and be active.

Boot Cut

Western jeans are a similar fit to classic jeans because they have a slim fitting bottom and thigh, but instead of a normal leg they have a boot leg cut which simply means the jeans are tighter around the bottom of the leg.

Slim

‘Slim fit’ is exactly that – slimming and tapered all the way down from thigh to heel. Suited to the slimmer and muscled man.

Tight & Skinny

A trend that’s been around for a while (and that doesn’t look to be going away that quickly either) is the ’skinny jean’ – a blood constricting fit, cut throughout the leg. Tight jeans are particularly popular with teenagers and young adult males. This generation is currently in the midst of a jeans revolution. Skinny jeans are a part of the younger generation’s culture and way of expressing themselves and making their own fashion standards.

Carrot Jeans

Carrot jeans are for the brave. The very, very strong and courageous. This new, and growing trend made for the trend mad youth market is suited to the daring male fashionista.  Apparently a brainchild of the Levi Corporation, the style was “inspired by the Tokyo’s underground subcultures and (is) a fresh attitude to an otherwise tired and drab denim world”. As the name suggests the jeans are baggy around the thighs – sometimes excessively roomy a la harem pants – and taper down to a narrow ankle. Not for me folks, not for me, but if you’re game, please rock the carrot by all means!

And finally, here’s a sneak peek at Mangano’s new denim for men ad campaign. HOT!

Gaspard Yurkievich who?

Gents watch out for the Fall Winter 10/11 Paris men’s fashion collection from Gaspard Yurkievich Homme.

Masculine suiting with just a little peppering of true artistic designer-wear, where the shapes are curved like the bonnet of a Ferrari. We are loving the journey from traditional suits, to new artistic shapes to the shop floor for our readers to enjoy.

Adding a slightly casual look to his range, he underlays his grey, charcoal and matte suiting with large bold French striped shirts, jumpers and wools. Later taking out the strips and adding subtly tie-died fabrics that seem to swirl around the shapes of a man like a vampress mist, giving this collection another dimension. A real WOW factor!

The shoulders in Gaspard Yurkievich ready to wear range take on a pinched look which adds flavour and confidence to the already brilliant shapes.

And if you thought that wasn’t enough, the end of his runway show brought out suiting with leather squares sewn into blazers and jackets and the length of the trouser was shortened to give a glimpse of stunning sockery. Brilliant!

Gaspard Yurkievich accompanied half his collection with accessories such as overnight bags, back packs and the ever present ‘man bag’. Very masculine and a stunning achievement for this underground designer.

The Westwood Homeless

Right so this must be the new way designers are showing off their ranges, because if you put all this stuff together for your daily outfit, you’d be looked upon as some homeless duff. Right? So, in viewing these pictures, you can see that the consumer would more than likely say, “Ok, I love the belt on that look, and maybe the shoes on this look” but all in all, is it a piece-meal collection or one peppered with utter genius?

“Last night the press release for Westwood’s menswear collection, for Milan Fashion Week, declared: “Perhaps the oddest of heroes to emerge this season, Vivienne Westwood found inspiration in the roving vagrant whose daily get-up is a battle gear for the harsh weather conditions . . . Quilted bombers and snug hoodies also work well in keeping the vagrant warm.” Yes. The homeless.

Of course, in the candy-colored world of Vivienne Westwood, homeless people are all young with great bodies, high cheekbones and flawless skin, and they all have super-styled hair and brightlycolored clothes. And sometimes they’ll walk around in big goofy hats or even teddy bear heads!

Darlings, you just can’t write about it! Well….I just did.

SO – we all know that inspiration comes to artists in various forms, but for a high level designer such as Vivienne Westwood to be inspired by the homeless means there has been a scary increase in percentage of these forgotten people. So if that is the case, and she is riding the dusty coattails of these people; then every piece sold from the collection, should have a percentage donated to the homeless. Our belief is if the influential are going to take something from the homeless who have nothing, then something should be given back. Agree?

2009; The year that was, well almost.

As you ponder NYE disasters and adorably futile resolutions…(but hey, they sounded good at the time), take a moment to reflect with the Stylemeisters on the year that was like a rabbit staring into headlights. I’d like to think that we were eating cointreau dipped carrots at the time, but I’d be lying. We’ll catch you at the gym, next week.

Life is life, as we will possibly sigh when we reflect on our personal journeys of 2009. Will next year be better? Will it be much of the same, will we get it? Or will we just move along with the tide? This year for some has been an absolute disaster and for others total bliss. But life is not without her disappointments or victories. We’re hoping there have been more victories than disappointments.

Our Style E-book is filled with reasons why we all need a little help with our personal style. Not all of us are born with the ability to match colours, or shapes and styles. Believe me, I’ve seen some freakin’ disasters! Our E-book is a thorough read, covering styling tips for the absolute essentials in a man’s wardrobe and is accompanied with the importance of dressing from the inside out. And we’re not talking about the ever-popular Calvin Klein’s. We’re talking about how you speak, how you sharpen your decision making, your accountability, your attitude, your self-preservation and your problem solving. Believe it or not fellas, women will be able to sniff this out like choosing the right perfume for her at the Jo Malone or Chanel counter! It is almost instant when she senses something that’s not quite right…for her. So if you’ve got love on the calendar for 2010, or you have that gorgeous gal in your sights already; best you get to our E-book www.menstylepower.com

We  at our Style HQ are passionate about searching deep within the male spirit to bring you to a profound realisation of what YOUR life is about. Men are more prone to depression, anxiety and fear these days due to the instability of the workplace, and their lack of belonging and fear of failure. We seek answers for you and have case studied people, books, situations and have talked to a lot of men and women who are at a cross road in life regarding their personal style and what they are attracting and what they’re Not.

Style is a key attraction to what you want in life, and we want the best for you! Dress sharp, feel good, brush your teeth.

Happy new year. We’ll be seeing you soon.

Vampires and their Hair

Quite unknown and obviously youthful, Kristen and Robert have exposed their real-life relationship which obviously has developed from their silver screen tension. Clearly Robert Pattinson is the heart-throb of nearly every teenage girl on the planet. And included in this group are Gen X and Baby-boomers who are happy to reminisce on such days when innocence of a first love flourished. Robbie has by-passed the Hollywood code of conduct and rule book, to draw in his co-star with chivalry, gentlemanship and respect. Wow – those are words not used nearly enough in the media these days, but the question remains…are they here to stay or are we going to have another Rihanna and Chris Brown saga?

Pattinson is to me, very uncomfortable in real life. He’s shy, awkward and with his angular face washed of the Vampire makeup of the alluring character Edward Cullen, the dangerous predator disappears and the true person remains. Feeling comfortable in your own skin must be one of the most difficult life lessons, and yet many of us blokes don’t get it until we’re starting to get that salt and pepper look on top and we give in. Oh well, youth has eluded me so I may as well just accept my look. Yes! Do that! But do it now.

The Vamprish style has always been controlled by black. Black isn’t a colour, it’s a shade. So it will sit well on anyone. Because the pupils of our eyes are complimented and the composition of this shade brings focus to the face. The timeless look of this style is in the fusion of loose fitting jeans, ties, vests and tailored jackets. Absolutely no jewellery. The best palette is charcoal, grey, deep blue, black, metallic and white. And as for the hair – that ‘just got out of bed’ look is the go.

Only the Brave

I’m sensing a magnificent movement that is about to arrive on the shores of every man’s hometown. And it’s being driven by the consumer’s heart. Now, I’m not going to go all soppy on you and fall into a blubbering mess and cry ‘it’s finally here!’, but the ‘tone of voice’ that keeps popping up when I am researching new trends is starting to form a pattern of clouds in the sky….spelling out – Chivalry.

To be honest this makes my heart pound just a little bit harder and my biceps seem to nostalgically remember a muscle memory of centuries past when I most likely held a sword and screamed a line out of BraveHeart. But what’s happening is men (and women – believe it boys!) realise that Fashion is not art, it’s porn and Style is king….literally. But we’re not talking about a physical style here. It’s spiritual and emotional. A ‘code’ of conduct that is starting to weave its way into every fibre of cloth and human matter because somewhere along the way, we’ve had enough.

I’m a big believer in entrepreneurs. They pioneer through mangroves and cut a new path that gives a boost to the economy and a livelihood to families. When these entrepreneurs have a company value system that embraces ethics and their CEO/founder lives it, we are one happy family. Renzo Russo, CEO/ Founder of Diesel, and Richard Branson (we all know who he is) are two of my favourites, because they walk the talk.

Renzo is talking about ‘only the brave’. The mantra is plastered on everything from tight T-shirts to the lobby of Diesel’s deliciously industrial corporate offices. And perhaps constantly being reminded of these three little words is exactly what keeps Rosso running. He’s investing in up and coming designers and expanding into new industries like restaurants and furniture.

Branson, well, do we need to say more? It’s a name to which we all feel we’re personally acquainted to as he’s sooooo personal himself and he cares for people. What gets him out of bed everyday is he wants to find a new way to give people a good time. A hero!

So you see….there is a change of focus. Men are moving towards five archetypes that have been lost in the dark ages for a long time now. The Hero, The Warrior, The Priest, The King and The Hunter. Why? Because as corporations fail us, and society’s greed claims us, a rise to the human spirit is what’s driving us. Men have a natural code to protect and fight for what he believes in. It’s in his blood stream. So gents, dress like you mean business, and I mean ‘business’!

The Stylemeisters talk about all 5 male archetypes in their e-book.

Let’s talk about Sex-eee-ness…

We’re never ready for that electable feeling of manliness that can creep into our groins when traipsing home from the boxing ring in sweaty Lonsdale’s and smelling not far from an abattoir. But you’re feeling good. Damn Good.

And we’re never expecting the moment when you’ve fully serviced yourself in the shower, sung few tunes of Sinatra or T.I. in the foggy mirror before towelling yourself off like you’re whipping numchucks around your body like your 5pm Ninjitsu class. You hear that Dolce and Gabanna suit calling your name in the next room so you mince on in, as if it’s to be greeted by the girl of your dreams cascading down your pillows. But once dressed, you feel like a garbage bag of beer bottles.

So what is it!

Blame hair loss, even bad lighting – nothing can prepare you for this cruel dichotomy. And what’s even crueller is – Men who possess an innate manliness tend to do the least worrying about how they measure up to the very mystery of sexiness.

So let’s firstly establish one thing – Sexiness has nothing to do with Sex. It’s inextricably linked to sex as a concept but totally separate from the act. Yes fellas, we’ve all head it before, feeling sexy is a state of mind and sex starts in the brain. If you can get into her head – it’s done and dusted. But let’s get back to you.

Despite the preoccupation with sexiness; it gracefully transcends age. You may be feeling threatened by those Gen-Y’s with their uber-cool ‘off the clock’ magnetic pull of every 25 year old kitten that you’ve got your eyes on, but fear not my friend, sexiness has a lot to do with posture, voice intonations, dress code, smell, dimensions of your ‘Guns’ and owning yourself, more than you think. It’s about being at home in your skin and having a healthy dose of Ego (not one that you park in your garage every night).

So, if you’re wanting to hear more about sexiness, how to attract a women through your style, your dress, your tone of voice; we’ve got the e-book for you!

Brace Yourself!

Nothing is amusing or frivolous when it comes to Style. Fashion on the other hand, being a very different concept, allows the ‘fashionistas’ to frolic and dance through materials, designs, carrot top jeans, fluros and more (while I’m somewhat snickering on my sleeve over being told by a trend setter that carrot top jeans were here to stay – not!) but back to Style; no, there’s nothing amusing. It’s a serious business fellas. Because it is the outward and very public expression of YOU.

Now, if you’re in a panic during this financial crisis over the cost of designer and high quality items, then fear not. Because focusing on Style allows you to stand quite still, while Fashion creates a drunken mess, Style cleans up on integrity and class.

So accessories. Braces to the Brits, suspenders to the Americans and Caps to the Aussies…we all have a very distinct signature piece per country. The Stylemeisters suggest that you have a good look at the signature piece that you want to bring into your Style. For example -  John Galliano is very ‘pirate orientated’ and Karl Lagerfeld holds his trusting fan. You cannot separate the one from the other. So gents, start your engine in this crisis and lend an ear to what is comfortable and familiar and like second skin to YOU.

In the meantime, we’re loving the reintroduction of braces. It was considered a while ago that braces were unnecessary and outdated, but thanks to a few savvy designers, they are back. And they’re looking good.
The braces are no longer humbly a mere functional item concealed behind a jacket or blazer. They are bolder and more eye-brow raising than ever. And we like it that way. Braces may have been closely associated with clowns but they were never seen on fools. Braces these days have changed shape as you’ll see in our image. Non-conforming and loud, they do not whisper timidly anymore. So when buying a savvy pair, avoid one thing – Donald Duck figures and the Disney family.

You don’t need to be Royalty to have a Tailor!

It’s downright unseemly to have a tear in the crotch of your trousers right? So where do you go to mend this? Is there a service where someone can stop by your place to give you what you want in terms of fashion attire? And not just any attire; we’re talking custom made suiting and tailoring.

In Miami, USA, an absolute veteran has moved into his own field of providing custom made suiting and tailoring right in the comfort of your own retreat.
He knew he could lower the price of custom made suits by eliminating the retail overheads and use his contacts to access fabric mills in various countries. The Stylemeisters like him already!

The masked hero, sends out an army of his highly trained reps to men’s doorsteps to measure shoulder widths, arms lengths, torsos, waist size and more, to tailor up a magnificent suite for your body. He then ships your specs to meticulous tailors in Hong Kong who make your power suit within weeks. So who is this genius? We’re talking about Enzo Sartori.

Enzo is a perfectionist when it comes to fitting the right suit to your body shape and size. He’s also passionate about the right fabric for your attire. The secret mills that he sources his product from also make suites for Calvin Klein and Valentino, so you are getting a super deal!

The Stylemeisters are very pleased to see the return of the suit. It seems that disposable fashion is starting to wane and the nostalgic days of old are returning with chivalry. You don’t need to be part of the Royal lineage to have a tailor, all you need is a mobile phone to call Enzo and sit back with a cognac and cigar for your perfect suit to arrive.