Holiday Clothes

holiday to marrakech morocco

Marrakech, Morocco September 2015 – Booked! Once I booked my plane ticket there is only one thing left to do, go shopping! Packing the right clothes on holiday is about as important as remembering to book the holiday itself. What you pack will depend completely on where you’re going and what you intend on doing while you’re there. A lot of thought goes into planning a holiday and the same amount should go into planning what you’re taking along the journey.

Travel Guide For Men

Here are some questions you should be asking yourself or google;

– Hot or Cold?
– Rain or Shine?
– Swimming?
– Partying/Raving?
– Fine dining?
– Getting Muddy/Dirty?

If you’re plan is to relax by the pool and check out the markets then shorts and vests will do. However if you’re going to leave the hotel at 10am and get back for midnight, you’ll be out in the cold after sunset so might be worth bringing a jumper and/or trousers.

Going out to eat in nice restaurants? Bring along a dress shirt and some smart trousers. Want to stuff your face with kebabs and burgers on the market stalls – leave the dress shirt in your wardrobe and pack a polo or printed t-shirt in it’s place.

Raving? If you’re one of those that will be going out at night and getting messy, then you probably won’t be able to wear the same outfit again on that holiday so you better make sure you pack a few outfits. Similarly if you plan on going on a camel or quad biking through the desert, you definitely won’t be wearing that outfit again.

What I’m Taking On Holiday

Although this is supposed to be a travel guide for men, I’m going to instead take you through what I’m taking to Morocco. As it’s a hot country and to be honest quite sandy/dusty one, I’m only taking a few things. I have no intention to go to any fancy restaurants or to any events that require a shirt and tie. I don’t plan on going to the beach or going out partying. My plan is to go around the markets, haggle with some Moroccan’s, ride a camel, do some quad biking and eat loads of fresh Moroccan food. With this in mind I plan my outfit around all these things and if you’re going on holiday soon you should be thinking carefully about what you intend on doing.

Jumper/Jacket

No need for a jacket as hopefully the weather will be amazing and if it isn’t then I’ll prob buy a waterproof jacket or something while I’m there. I won’t be packing a jumper, I don’t want to waste suitcase space but I will be wearing one on the way to morocco, you just never know with UK weather.

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T shirts

The obvious and easy choice for me here is white t-shirts, I’m going to take two crisp white t-shirts from ASOS. I want people to know I’m around and no better way than blasting the sun’s ray off my t-shirt and into their eyes. There’s a natural love for a fresh white T that exists in all our hearts.

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As I’m going quad biking and will be getting acquainted with a camel I can’t always wear a white T so my next option are the wonderful printed logo t-shirts. I managed to grab two bad boy t-shirts from Primark for £3 each. I’ll also be taking my favorite UCLA T-shirt with the huge logo on the front. You always need a branded logo t-shirt wherever you go.

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primark tshirt for £3
primark t-shirt for £3

Trousers

Who needs trousers in morocco? Well strangely enough I do. I’m bringing along my Zara trousers and my grey H&M tracksuits. I’m a big track suit fan and I love lounging around in tracksuits and my H&M tracksuits are the just thin enough for me not to burn in my hotel room.

Shorts

Probably the most important part of my luggage is selecting which shorts to take. I’m going to be walking around in the hot markets and I’m not looking to get pick pocketed so 3/4 length shorts with solid pockets (zips and buttons.) Needless to say, I plan on doing a lot of swimming so I need some good shorts. I learnt from my previous experience with swimming to bring quick dry men’s 3/4 length swimming leggings. They’re amazing, you wear them under your shorts and 5 minutes after getting out the pool they’re dry. I’ll also be bringing along 2 cotton shorts to wear just to be comfy and keep my legs cool.

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3/4 length chinos casual for summer
3/4 length shorts from eBay for £6
primark shorts for £5
primark shorts for £5

Accessories

Accessories make the outfit so you better have some good ones. Well as a standard I’m bringing my smartwatch with me. However I also need a cheap waterproof watch for the days I know I’m going to be around water.

Hat’s are incredibly useful on holidays, especially when that baking african sun is on your head sucking the life out of you. What better opportunity to pull out a snap back. Funnily enough, I don’t own one so I went a bought a cheap one I wouldn’t mind losing in the desert or leaving by the pool.

Fanny packs, yeah I said it. No I don’t own one. Yes I will be buying one. As much as I don’t want to and I think back to how ugly my dad looked wearing one when I was a kid, they serve a purpose, a very important purpose. As much as I want to go morocco, I don’t want to stay there and likewise I don’t want my phone staying there. I’m going to be grabbing myself a cheap, thin & waterproof one from eBay to hold my passport, hotel key card and cash.

Wash bag! Don’t know what that is? It’s a small bag you keep all your wet products in. I.e your toothbrush, you’re hair gel, toothpaste, sunscreen and anything else you might need on your journey to keep you feeling at home.

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Pack Nothing

It’s important to make sure you pack a whole bunch of nothingness into your suitcase to make sure that you have space to actually bring some stuff back with you. Great thing about packing nothing, it’s free.

Metal Collar Stays

Collar stays (also known as collar stiffeners) should be a part of your life, you should be sliding them into your collars whenever you finish your ironing. They are small in size but very important, without them, even the best of shirts look cheap and battered after a few wears. Cheap shirts have “built-in” collar stays, while decent dress shirts will have removable ones. If you don’t already use them often, you need to start – now.

If however, you are among the few men who take care of their clothes and pay attention to the “silly” things most men ignore, then you probably already wear collar stays. Chances are they’re plastic, am I right? Time to step it up.

wurkin-stiffs-collar-stays

Why Should I Upgrade To Metal Collar Stays?

The same way plastic collar stays transform a normal shirt great. Metal collar stays take the shirt to another level again. There is something about a man’s clothes looking rigid and sharp that just make him look the business. Metal collar stays make the collars on your shirt look sharp and when you move around they won’t. You won’t be able to feel the difference when wearing them but take a picture with plastic collar stays vs metal collar stays and you will see the difference clearly.

How Much Are They?

Some companies can go to the extreme with their collar stays and have some £200 silver stays. Other companies are more accommodating for us normal lads with prices around £10/£15. I strongly recommend grabbing yourself a pair, you only need one since you only wear one shirt at a time (I hope.)

I wouldn’t bother getting them engraved with anything, except of course, if you’re buying them as a gift for someone.

I personally prefer the pair from Moss Bros as they are cheap but solid/quality. I’ve added a few more collar stays to my store in order to spoil you for choices. Buy one pair of collar stays that will last a life time, trust me you won’t regret this purchase.

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My Transition From Skinny To Tailored

my transition from skinny to tailored

Ask me five years ago why men wear tailored suits and I would laughed saying; “because they’re old and overweight.” Although that may have been true, I now find myself right this moment shopping for a tailored fit suit. So what’s changed?

Well for one, I’m not eighteen anymore. Being twenty-three, my lifestyle is very different to how it was five years ago. All those late night takeaways have taken its toll and my lack of enthusiasm towards playing football has made me a proud owner of a 34 inch waist. Not only that but my desire to bulk up and pump weights in the gym has given me quite broad shoulders as well. It is fair to say, I’d rip a skinny suit easily in a day or two. Unfortunately two suits that are very dear to me are destined to stay in the back of my wardrobe until I am either able to drop a waist size, or pluck up the courage to give them to a charity shop.

Different Suit Sizes & Styles

We all have many different suit sizes and styles to choose from when we’re out shopping and knowing which style best suits you is essential. You have a choice between the school boy/rocker suits – the skinny fit. Then you have the slick and streamlined suit – the slim fit. Going up the ladder and getting old in age brings you to the comfortable and kind-of slim fit – tailored fit. The last and pretty much the least desirable fit – the regular fit.

skinny suits for kids

Skinny Fit

Skinny fitted suits are the perfect suit for the young hairless man who is venturing out into the big bad world. Perfect for the stylish kid who likes to look cool, show off his dapper shoes and wear his Ray-Bans at night. Can you wear these to work? Of course! I did and they worked very well for me. If you are proud of your physique then this suit is perfect for you. Be warned, your movement may be restricted in these so watch out before jumping over that fence or chasing that bus.

Slim Fit

Slim fit is probably by far the best fit and if I hope I can slim down enough to get back into them. Slim fitted suits look and feel amazing. You can breathe and stretch freely in these suits without worrying that lifting your leg too high will cause your trousers to rip at the crotch. Yes that has happened to me, on more than three occasions. I wouldn’t advise running for a bus though. Want a suit fitted for all formal and casual events/days the slim fit looks fantastic and feels equally the same.

Tailored Fit

Want comfort without losing style? Tailored fit my friend. This suit will go in at the waist and your calfs allowing you space in your chest and thighs (the big parts of us real men.) Worrying about your ripping your suit is the thing of the past. You can look at the tailored fit suit as the dad of the family. Old and wise enough to know how to last a long time while still keeping it’s owner comfy and looking sharp. Feel free to run and jump in these as you wish.

james bond running in a suit

Regular Fit

Regular fitted suits are by far my least favourite. This is for the men who want to wear a suit and don’t really care what others think. Style is out the window on this one and comfort was the one who kicked it out. You’ll never have to worry about durability as these suits will last you a lifetime. I have read that many people buy a regular suit from a retail store for cheap and get the suit cut and chopped to fit them perfectly – food for thought maybe?

How Often Should Men Shave? – Grooming Routine

grooming kit

Everyone talks about having a good suit, a crisp shirt, a pair of well polished shoes etc etc. These things are great and we understand their importance but we also know looking after our hair (all of it) is equally as important. I have already written about “How often should men get a haircut?”. If we exclude the hair on our head, there is still a lot of hair elsewhere, leaving a few unanswered questions.

– How to shave?
– When to shave?
– What to shave?
– Should men shave at all?

should men shave

Grooming Routine

The answers are different depending on you, some of us men grow hair at crazy speeds and some of us grow an inch every 18 months. Having a routine, no matter the duration, is imperative as there are somethings that as men, we just can not afford to let happen. I can’t afford to let my mustache grow for more than four days without shaving it. I literally look like a homeless bum with my unshaven mustache. Selecting a day and having a set routine that you go through each time will guarantee you constantly look your best. People will notice if you stop grooming yourself and they will be quick to tell you about it.

Unanswered Questions

How to shave?

Shaving is not the easiest thing to do, trust me I cut myself often. However, saying that, I have improved massively over time. The best advice I can give; practice makes perfect and while you are on your way to perfection, I have some tips that will help you out.

1. Wash whatever you are shaving with hot water. Hot water opens up your pours, meaning you will get a closer shave and you are less likely to cut yourself. If you do manage to nick yourself, splash your face with cold water once you are done as this causes your skin’s pores to close and the blood will also move away from the surface of your skin.

2. Get a cutthroat blade. They look scary but they are perfect. Once you get past the first couple times, you will realize that you can now shave everything with ease. The normal razors are really easy to use and not to mention, they are a lot safer. None the less the cutthroat blade trumps them all. You can get one for really cheap on eBay, I added it into my store – click here.

3. Use shaving foam or some sort of soap/oil. There is nothing worse than shaving somewhere on your body or your face and it feeling like its on fire and about to explode. I use shaving foam, I buy mine for around 30 pence from Tesco and it stops me from removing the top layer of my skin when shaving. This means I get a better shave and I don’t get a super red mustache (eww).

What to shave?/Should men shave at all?

Should men shave? Of course, how often? Depends how hairy you are. Me – I’m quite hairy so I shave a lot. Never shave his legs or arms, everything else is open for you. I personally shave all my pubic hair, my underarm hair, my back, the back of my neck and I trim my mustache. I hear you asking, what about my chest? Yes I do grow hair on my chest and stomach and I do get rid of the hair there. How? Hair removal cream my friend. It works wonders and when the hair grows back, it doesn’t itch at all.

beard science

Grooming is important and how ever you choose to groom yourself, just make sure that you get into a routine and do it often. My routine is every Friday without fail. Don’t forget to cut your nails as well. Cleanliness is part of being a gent, so get used to it.

Create The Illusion You Have More Suits Than You Actually Do

headlights

Many people used to ask me how I have so many suits and how they all look so new – not a question I’m asked much these days. Unfortunately I have outgrown most of my suits and I need to spend some well needed time in the gym. Shopping was easier when I was slim, I would buy a new suit every three to five months. Finding off the rack suits that fit me perfectly was a piece of apple pie. Nowadays I have to spend a lot more money and look a lot harder to get that perfect fit. I’ve come up with a trick to create the illusion I have more outfits than I actually do and it also saves me a lot of cash as well.

shirt and trousers no tie

We all love change and wearing different outfits will definitely make you stand out amongst the others. Suits are expensive so we can’t always afford to buy a suit regularly, I simply buy nice trousers and forget all about the blazer. Trousers usually cost a third of the price of the suit, so if you buy two different trousers you’re still in pocket.

Combine your new trousers with a good quality shirt and people won’t notice your suit jacket missing from the back of your chair. Usually when I do this I end up with a enough compliments about my shirt to make my head explode.

Warning: don’t cheap out on badly made trousers. Leaving the suit jacket puts more attention on your trousers so you better make sure they are quality.

Not only does having more options when you get dressed in the morning help you look great, it increases the lifespan of your outfits, since you’re not wearing that suit you love three times a week anymore.

Gucci, Armani, 1 Million Or YSL?

1 million aftershave

What aftershave is the best? I’ve seen it asked in so many different ways so many times, whether it’s men asking each other what they wear or what their preference is, or if it’s a woman on a forum asking what aftershave she should buy for her husband/dad/brother/boyfriend. Considering there are millions of different fragrances to choose from and so many different types of aftershaves (sprays, roll-ons etc), there is no way I’m going to go through a huge list.

I like brands, I like people knowing that my suit is from their favourite brand or being told that my Louis Vuitton belt looks great. Obviously I also enjoy people asking me where I got something from but when you mention an unknown brand it kind of kills the conversation. When I wear my one million aftershave – no one needs to ask what I’m wearing, they know already and I can see on their face that they like it. Yes to confirm – my favourite aftershave is one million.

Females

Sometimes the easiest thing to do if you’re a woman and want to buy a man in your life perfume – just buy him one he already has. If you want to go one step above that then you could buy him an aftershave that he has recently finished, chances are; if it’s finished the aftershave, he likes it.

What Aftershave Is The Best?

There isn’t one. It’s completely down to the individual and what they prefer. I know that answer sucks but it’s the truth. So to help you out, I found this amazing info-graphic and decided to put it to the test with a couple of my friends. I sent it out to a few friends and it worked wonders.

Gucci armani 1 million or ysl which aftershave is best

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Blazer Outer Pockets – Side Pockets & Ticket Pockets

blazer outer pockets cover photo

A pet peeve of mine is seeing things, like a sandwich, stuffed into the outer pockets of a man’s blazer. I feel like just slapping them on the spot. If you do this please stop, leave the pockets alone. Some blazers now come with fake outer pockets, where there’s just a pocket flap. However, most blazers have real outer pockets that are usually tacked together with a bit of thread but can easily be pulled open.

blazer outer pockets

The question then arises what do you use them for and in fact, should you use the pockets at all? Well there isn’t really a right or wrong way – it’s completely a matter of opinion. The way I see it, pockets are functional and are meant to be used. There is however a right and wrong way to use them – putting a sandwich in them is definitely a wrong way.

The breast pocket on the blazer is obviously for pocket squares in order to decorate the outfit. The other outer pockets – the side pockets and ticket pockets are intended to carry small flat items that do not create a bulge in the pockets. Anything ranging from receipts, cinema tickets, shopping list & other notes to your favourite brand of tea bag.

kennedy-nixon-suits

I have seen pictures of some celebrities with their hands in their side pockets, using them for the purpose of keeping their hands warm. Notably you’ll see pictures of JFK with his hands always stuck in his pockets – I actually looked into it and turns out he used to use them as ashtrays.

The stitching used to keep the pockets sewn together are put there to stop potential customers trying on the jacket in the store and sticking their hands in the pockets and ruining the shape. When you buy a new suit you should ideally remove the stitching so you can use the pockets but if you’re the type of guy that will stick bulky things in them – it’s best you leave them closed.

blazer outer pockets

Size 8? Go For Size 7! – Loafer Sizes

mens loafers fashion blog

It’s fair to say it’s supposed to be summer now and even though the weathers not amazing, it is still loafer season. In the spirit of loafer season a couple weeks ago I bought some loafers from Zara and last Thursday I wanted to wear them to work with my blue pin stripe trousers. I took seven or eight steps out my door and realized my foot was flipping out the back of the loafer like sandals. Then it hit me, I bought the wrong size.

blue loafers cover photo

I’m a size 8 in every shoe and trainer except loafers. It’s important when buying anything that you try on a small size first to see if you can wear that size comfortably. If you can without feeling like you’re about to burst out your clothes and shoes, then go for it.

Everything looks better a size smaller and that is definitely true when it comes to loafers. Don’t ask me why, it’s just how it is. Size 10 shoes look better than size 11.

Next time you go shopping online or in-store, try goes a size down, if it doesn’t fit well you can always return it.

Continue reading if you want to hear how my returning experience went this weekend. I took my loafers back to return them and found that they were now £39.99 down from £59.99. Good news, to swap a size 8 for a size 7, I had to return the size 8’s for a full refund and then buy the size 7’s. I’m now £20 richer.

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Shirts Ripping At The Elbow

why do all my shirts rip mad men

Why Do My Shirts Rip At The Elbow?

I’m a proud owner of some beautiful TM Lewin shirts. So proud I’ve ordered some for others and told ample amounts of people to get them. Then out of nowhere – my shirt ripped right above my elbow, the fabric just decided to split and tear. I was so shocked I thought maybe I put on one of my old cheap shirts by mistake. I always thought only cheap shirts rip and quality/luxury shirts last a lifetime. In all my previous jobs I was always out & about and now working 9-5 on a desk, I’m a victim.

If this has not happened to you, then I’m guessing you probably don’t have an office/desk job.

Why Do My Shirts Rip At The elbow

Why?

You may be asking – Why Do My Shirts Rip At The Elbow? Does This Mean My Shirts Are Low Quality?

Why Do My Shirts Rip At The elbow

Why they rip is pretty easy to answer, the area under your elbow will be the most worn out part of any shirt. Every time you bend your elbow, you stretch all the fabric and the shirt will get more worn out as the day goes on. On top of this constant flexing, everyone that sits at a desk puts their elbows on the desk. Using a mouse or typing on your keyboard requires some movement which will slowly ruin the elbow area of your shirt.

To answer the second question, does this mean your shirt is low quality? – it’s a bit more complicated. I find TM Lewin to be among the best quality shirts on the high street and still my shirt ripped. The problem isn’t the quality, it is how thick the material of the shirt is. All fabrics rip after some time, unless it’s some indestructible military fabric. Thin fabrics will rip and tear faster than thicker fabrics – that’s just the way the cookie crumbles.

How To Stop It?

It’s too late for my beautiful blue shirt but it doesn’t need to be too late for yours. Preventing your shirts from ripping at the elbow is not too difficult, you just need to be conscious of the fact this can and will happen to you if you sit at a desk or table often.

Blazer or Jacket – Easiest way to stop it is to keep your blazer on, your blazer will be able to handle a beating much better than your shirt will.

Elbows off – Keeping your elbows/forearms off of the table/desk is a sure fire way to stop them for tearing. All you have to do is adjust your chair and keyboard/mouse so they are on the edge of the surface and your forearms are in the air.

Roll your sleeves – I always roll my sleeves up, mainly because the people I work with live in the 1800’s and haven’t discovered air conditioning yet. Rolling up your sleeves will mean that your skin is free to rub against that table as much as you want it too. Just make sure you have your sleeves rolled up high enough.

Why Do My Shirts Rip At The elbow

How To Fix It?

Easy answer will be take it to the tailor and they’ll get it stitched over, it won’t look perfect but it’s better than having a hole in your shirt. You could also get your shirt converted into a short sleeve shirt but I don’t see why you would! Or you could be like me and attempt to stitch it yourself, however, I strongly advise you don’t unless you know what you’re doing. I did a horrible job stitching mine up and tomorrow I’m taking it to the tailor. (Lesson Learnt – I can’t stitch.)

I found a great article from this blogger, Eileen, on how to fix your shirt – properly! Click Here.

Why Do My Shirts Rip At The elbow

Twill Shirts

I’m a massive fan of TM Lewin as I’ve mentioned a million times and I’ve decided to order myself some more of their Twill shirts. My blue shirt that ripped was a Poplin shirt which like their Twill shirts it’s made from 100% cotton. The difference however is Poplin shirts are great for summer as they are thin and light. The Twill shirts are a lot thicker which is great for me as I know they’ll last a lot longer. Considering my blue Poplin shirt only lasted me five months, I’m hoping to get a good eighteen months out of my Twill shirts. Only time will tell.

Fitted Blue Poplin Double Cuff Shirt
Fitted Plain Blue Sky Fine Luxury Twill Shirt

How To Tuck In Your Shirt

how to tuck in your shirt - military underwear tuck

This is a strange tip because everyone knows how to tuck in their shirt, we have been doing it since we were kids. I guess the right title for this tip is; how to properly tuck in your shirt. You might be thinking what exactly do I mean by properly and who can say which way is the correct way. The correct and most proper way of tucking in your shirt is the way that looks the best and smoothest.

So here we go;

Tuck In Your Shirt | Avoid The Muffin

Let me make this clear; muffins are amazing but looking like one is horrible. When your shirt puffs out and kind of hangs over your belt you look like a muffin. This must be avoided at all costs, but how?

This usually happens for two reasons, which are both easily fixable. Usually because your shirt is too baggy and loose fitting or you are wearing a t-shirt underneath your shirt which is causing your shirt to puff out, making you look like a muffin.

Oversized or Loose Fit Shirts – Military Tuck

Whatever you want to call it, a baggy shirt simply isn’t pleasing to the eye. If like me you have a bulging belly sometimes you still need to wear a well fitted shirt, even if it means you got to cut down on dessert after lunch. If you currently can not afford to purchase some new slim fitted shirts then you can use the military tuck.

This, simply put is an easy way to tuck in your shirt by grabbing and pinching the sides of your shirt and folding them over and tucking your shirt in. It’s really simple and works like a charm, just follow the image below.

The Military Tuck
The Military Tuck

Wearing A T-Shirt Underneath – Underwear Tuck

Even if you have a well fitted shirt, if you wear a baggy or loose undershirt, it will cause your shirt to look messy and if the undershirt is not long enough in length you will get the muffin look. You have two options; wear a very thin, well fitted and long undershirt or do the underwear tuck.

Undershirts are amazing but finding a quality one is quite difficult. I prefer something light with a v-neck cut so if I wanted to wear my shirt without a tie, the undershirt wouldn’t be shown. Wearing one that can’t be seen underneath and is so soft and comfortable you can’t even feel it – is a real gem. I own and recommend this uniqlo undershirt.

The underwear tuck is fabulous, when getting dressed in the morning simply tuck your undershirt into your boxers/briefs. It might feel a little weird at first but trust me it works like a charm. As the day goes on you’ll get used to it and you’ll realise your undershirt hasn’t moved place.

I hope this has helped, these are the techniques I use and if you have any of your own feel free to drop me a comment below or send me over an email. Good luck with the military and underwear tuck.