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Archive for June, 2012

Wrist fashion: A successful journey witnessed from a simple display of changing seconds, minutes, and hours, to days, months, and years, and then, to one of the must-have accessories in the kitty of not only men, but women too. Some I-am-so-not-a-fashion-freak people often ask me, ‘what do luxurious wrist watches have in them? I’m sure they do not show the future or something. Nor do they display a different time. How can people even think of squandering millions of dollars over something that is available in as less as $10?’ The answer is obvious. Watching time on a timeless beauty has a beauty of its own, don’t you agree? For men, it is no less than a fashion statement today. A sudden budge of the shirt’s cuff in the upward direction, and that sparkling charmer tied on your wrist, an attention-grabber that it is, enchants everybody around with its beauty. In words of Al McGuire, when a man takes off his coat, he’s not going to fight. When he takes off his watch, watch out! For men, some time-pieces from the most renowned watch brands in the world are assembled here. These wrist watches have made their place among the best watches for men, and are earnestly wanting you to grab one of them.

Top Rated Watches for Men: Striking Time-Pieces

Best Luxury Watches for Men

Fashion trends may buzz in and buzz out, cell phones may have chipped in, and time may blink over every gadget today, but time-pieces are adherent to their worth. Following is a list of the most expensive watches for men for whom, budget is no bar. The price tags may leave you awestruck for a moment, though.
Girard Perregaux Opera 3 ($5.32 million)
Roger Dubuis Excalibur EX 08 ($4.50 million)
The Emperador Temple ($3.3 million)
Omega Skeleton Central Tourbillon ($ 2.82 million)
The Tourbillon Diamants ($1.8 million) The price tags are high, but so are the looks. They leave you salivating. Nevertheless, following is a list of the best watches for men who are scared of four or more digits.

Best Watches for Men Under 1000 Dollars

A thousand bucks isn’t much of a money squander to be a proud owner of one of the best watches. Brands in this category are acknowledged all over, and have emerged as trend-setters. Much within your budget, allow me to list some of the best picks:
Baume & Mercier Classima 8485 ($999)
Tag Heuer Men’s CAH1110 ($789)
TX 650 GT Flyback ($725)
Tissot T-Touch Expert Titanium ($635)
TechnoMarine Nitrox ($479) Reasons of donning one may be different. However, you cannot escape buying time-pieces for long. The best men’s watches have surely emerged into something more than just a source of telling time. Should you look for options within a budget much lower than the above, you won’t be disappointed. Take a look at the following section.

Best Watches for Men Under 100 Dollars

Something simple, yet a head-turner. $100 is just a number when you’re talking time-pieces. The following list will tell you which are the smartest buys for your hands. A few picks mentioned below are a good buy if you’re hunting all over to pick up one of the best sports watches for men. Here they are!
Victorinox Swiss Army Men’s Watch ($99)
Kenneth Cole New York Men’s KC3784 Bracelet Watch ($92)
Invicta Men’s 8926 Pro Diver Collection ($87)
Men’s Lucien Piccard Leather Chrono Date Watch 28111ROBK ($80)
Guess Brown Leather Strap Watch ($75) Note: The above prices of all watches are approximate, and may be subject to change.

Some men are a slave to wrist watches. It is for them that designer watches gain significance. No matter how high or low you set your budget, a time-piece picked up from any of the above watch brands is worth it. Options within the best watches for men may be countless and extremely befuddling, but the above ones are a style-statement. Grab any one of them, you won’t be disappointed. Scout’s honor.

Today’s man is well dressed and has a sense of fashion. The world is becoming a smaller place and people all over are getting connected by parties, meetings, gatherings, social events and of course Facebook. There was a time when women rule the fashion industry and different types of clothes and accessories were only designed for them. Men just had one option for a party attire and that was a suit. Now, the situation is different, times have changed and so has fashion. Men’s fashion has been in demand and the new age man also known as “Metrosexual Man” has various products to suit his needs. Right from clothes, to the best fragrance for men. If you really want to stand out in a crowd of 1000 people, what do you need? New clothes, great shoes and of course a range of top perfumes especially designed according to your personality.

Top Perfumes: Men

It’s nice to smell good and get complimented for the perfume that you are wearing. Whenever you’re out attending an event, your perfume makes people want to talk to you. Believe it or not it also shows how well you maintain yourself and you have a sense of personal hygiene. Also, don’t forget the flock of ladies who would give anything to stand near a nice smelling man.

Davidoff Hot Water
You’ve guessed it right. Davidoff Hot Water is the exact opposite of Davidoff Cool Water. It’s perfect for an evening outing and acts like a lucky charm on the first date. It’s derived from an Indo Malayan shrub and it’s warm scent is patchouli which is beautifully blended with basil and pimento. It’s one of the best perfumes for men and leaves an impression of your masculinity.

Geranium Pour Monsieur
If you are someone that likes to be special and unique wherever he goes, then Geranium Pour Monsieur is the perfume for you. Counted as the best fragrance for men by many perfume critics, this scent is made by world renowned perfumer Frederic Malle. The main ingredient is geranium which keeps you clean and fresh for long.

Hugo Energise
If being adventurous is one of your main traits, then Hugo Energise is the bottle which you should get your hands on. The perfume is known to reach its destination quite fast. It has a woody background and its main ingredients are apples, melons, strawberry and sandalwood. Energise is one of the best colognes for young men and helps you break the regular routine.

Creed
A favorite among old school gentlemen, Creed is for surely the best men’s cologne. It’s one of the most vintage perfumes and a favorite among the royal families of England. Creed is a great mixture of tangy citrus notes which are orange flower, lemons, grapefruit, bergamot, pettigrain with sandalwood and ambergris.

Black Code
No list of best fragrance for men can be completed without the mention of Black Code by Giorgio Armani. It’s an elite man’s choice and is great for everyday wear. It’s notes are Mediterranean scents, lemons, bergamot, guaiac wood and tonka bean.

Italian Cypress
Now that you’ve returned from a long holiday, going to work seems a difficult task. Italian Cypress puts you back in the exotic Mediterranean islands with its exotic warm and woody fragrance and notes of mandarin and calabrian bergamot are well blended Moroccan spearmint and patchouli. Italian Cypress is truly one of the best colognes ever.

Top 10 Best Cologne for Men

If nothing from above suits your taste, then don’t panic, here are some more names which are the best cologne for men that women love.
Sean John Unforgivable
Aqva Pour Homme by Bvlgari
David Beckham
Lacoste homme
JOOP! For Men
Light Blue by Dolce & Gabbana
Soul by Hugo Boss
Terre d’Hermes by Harrods and Hermes
Eternity by Calvin Klein
HM by Hanae Mori Hope this article on best fragrance for men was an interesting read. Not just buying, it’s also very important to know how to apply cologne. I know you must have chosen your favorite brand of cologne from the above given choices, so go ahead wear your favorite scent and be outstanding.

The best situation is of course, for a woman to ask YOU out, but that presents a different set of challenges than those around how you’re going to -get up the nerve,- whether or not she is already with someone else, or any other manner of concerns you may have that prevent you form what comes natural – what you were meant to do.

That is of course, the best of all – when being a man, doing what men do, and a woman responds as women have done for all time, closer to you, receptive to the touch you didn’t even know you’d already made, all after first having been your natural self, one mysterious to her, compelling and curious to her, a cause for several questions in her mind, and then dozens more, hundreds eventually, and only one of which she manages to say in words- because now she is self-aware, and self-conscious.

But just a bit.

Women enjoy sex as much as you do, and yet they are more likely than you to insist that sex be paired with knowing you well, friendship with you, not just desire, and that at the very very least, sex must be -special- with you, and in your experience of her, or she will not even consider it.

The point of this is that even in approaching her, you have already telegraphed that you want to sleep with her or you wouldn’t even be trying. You know it, and she knows it, so you’d might as well get over it now.

Take a breath. Now you know something incredibly powerful. It’s that if she does not take an interest in your conversation after you approach her, it does not necessarily mean that she doesn’t want to sleep with you. It may mean that she feels unattractive. It may mean that she doesn’t know yet what you would be like, whether it would be special, or whether you would be the type to -love her and leave her- or not. It may mean that she has a boyfriend, or if not, that she still is not sure she is interested.

But if she DOES respond to your approach with interest, does tolerate your touch, smile back at your friendliness, or after all this, responds to your first few words of the sentence where you will set up a time and place to meet again with keen interest and constant eye contact- you can be assured she has already imagined sleeping with you and likes the fantasy.

Which is all it is at this point. But it’s very, very possible.

If you simply hold back the details of what you’re all about, yet convey a competence at being in the world, an interest in it, and in her, and a pleasant emotional tone – one that’s warm, and yet strong, like that of her father, directive but respectful too – you will find that somewhere between your shared interests and commonalities, and the witty banter of the differences and disagreement that you both boldly acknowledge, your eyes will meet, and it won’t matter who makes the suggestion:

One or the other of you will say, -We need to do that together,- whatever THAT is.

And then you will know there is no such thing as -ASKING a woman out.- There is only the statement that recognizes there is a small destiny in what place and what words you will share next – a statement, a recognition not a request, neither a favor nor a demand.

A story between you has started, and nothing had to be forced, except that you had to dare to both be yourself, and be the assertive force in desiring to know another person and be known.

They saw it coming a mile away. That white sock peeking out from beneath the cuff of the black trousers that were too short on you. Alright Ill give you the benefit of the doubt and assume your style missteps are less obvious than that. Maybe your necktie is missing a dimple. Still with me?

Its scientifically proven that others assess their impression of you subliminally and in a matter of seconds. Once youve been sized up, it will take a lot longer to repair any unfavorable opinions that have already formed. Even if you feel youre versed in the dos and donts of mens style and incapable of committing the sins of our fathers, read on – you might just pick up a tip or two that will take your game to the next level.

Famed architect Mies Van Der Rhoe once said, God is in the details, and boy was he right! Its the subtleties that matter most and even a minor adjustment can make all the difference between a great impression, or one that will have you banished to the corner, a fashion dunce in a belt and suspenders, resting your baggy bottom on a high stool

Which brings us to our first blunder wear clothes that fit! You like your clothes roomy, dont you? You like to be comfortable. Of course you do, but unless your new hip-hop single is moving up the charts, dont overdo it. Formless, unstructured clothes will make you look sloppy. Your ultimate objective is to appear put together. Avoid the other extreme as well you dont want to wear anything that is too tight on you. You goal is a fit that will highlight your attributes and flatter you every place else. A good tailor is worth his weight in gold. Get acquainted with one.

Are you well heeled? A beat up pair of sneakers has its place, which isnt with a pair of designer jeans and a sharp looking shirt. Everyone notices your shoes. This is such an understatment that investing more in your footwear than any other aspect of your wardrobe would be one savvy move. Keep them clean, shined, and in good repair. Mix it up! Dont wear the same shoes on consecutive days. Match your selection to the appropriate occasion.

And speaking of matching, heres a tip thats both easy and free

Color coordinate your belt and your shoes. Dont bungle this one, or youll never be forgiven. If youre wearing brown shoes, loop on a brown belt. Black shoes require a black belt. This same principle applies to socks. They should always match the color of the suit youre wearing, i.e. navy suit… navy socks.

Do you telegraph designer labels? Unless youre collecting residual checks from Ed Hardy or Tommy Hilfigger, ditch their name splashed across your chest, back or sleeve. This isnt a refined look. Keep your approach to fashion understated and simple.

Im seeing a pattern men of shorter stature wearing horizontal stripes and tall, gangly men wearing vertical stripes. Never mind. I was just remembering Tim Burtons remake of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Knowing your body type is key. Aside from actual fit, one of the best ways to enhance your appearance is to choose patterns that compliment you. Vertical stripes create the illusion of height and horizontal do the opposite, which is the perfect choice for guys who are on the lanky side. Just remember to avoid clashing lines for instance, opt for a solid shirt to wear with that pin-striped suit.

Speaking of which, its time to suit up. Its unavoidable. Your wardrobe is not complete without at least two suits a navy and a gray pinstripe are de rigeur. A perfect fit is mandatory. If you dont have it custom made to begin with, spend more to get your off-the-rack suit properly tailored. The positioning of the buttons, width of the lapels, and placement of the vents on the jacket are all dictated by your unique form. A good tailor will instinctively know how to make you look razor sharp.

However…

The best fitting, Savile Row suit isnt worth the fabric its cut from if you dont know how to wear it properly. Never button the bottom button of your suit jacket ever. On a two button jacket, only fasten the top button. On a three button jacket, you may fasten the top and middle.

Never weigh down your pockets this will ruin the line of your suit. Cellphones, keys, and coins, will also wear down the lining of your pockets. Store your necessities and odds and ends in your briefcase. Always keep your back pockets empty carry your wallet in your breast pocket where it will have the least impact on the silhouette of your suit.

And lastly, we come to the enigmatic tie dimple. A properly knotted tie has a dimple beneath the knot. Simply press your index finger just beneath the knot as it forms. While you cinch the knot, pinch the necktie between your thumb and middle finger and pull downward. This will achieve the desired result. Keep in mind the knot must hide the collar button, and it is essential for the tie to reache your beltline.

If your prospective employer notices that dimple just like the one on his tie, you may have just landed yourself a new job. After all, its the subtlest details that get noticed, and convey the fact you possess the grace and knowledge to dress appropriately for any situation life throws your way. In short, youre ahead of the pack.

Gawd, can we please put the Fedora back in the 40′s where they belong? The odds are very much against your looking sexy in one of these. They come in a ton of styles, and maybe 2 look good – and I’m not telling you which, cos I don’t want to encourage you to run out and get one!

The truth is, 99% of all white men look ridiculous in these. And I do mean ridiculous. We’re talking the equivalent sex appeal of maybe Ed Norton from The Honeymooners. Sorry, I’m not trying to be racist, or anything, they just usually don’t look right on whitey.

They sometimes look good on black men, but only those who can really pull off the well-dressed gangster look, or old blues musicians. And the men these look the best on – Cubans and other Latinos – don’t always look sexy in them, either. Take a look at the following Hollywood celebs and tell me if you really think these hats look good!

Most people regard Jude Law as being extremely good looking. I’ve always found him a bit feminine for my taste, but I certainly see the appeal. Except for when he’s wearing one of those ridiculous hats. For starters, it’s too far back on his head, and makes him look very geeky. Also, notice the shape of his shoulders – they aren’t straight across, but rather a bit angled. Now look at the brim of his hat; almost perfectly horizontal. This isn’t something you would consciously notice while looking at him, but the odd contrast will affect your perception, even if only subconsciously. Now look at the picture below, where the man really does look sexy, hawt and masculine. Do you think he’d still look that good if he was wearing that silly hat?

Justin Timberlake is not my type either, but sometimes he looks pretty hot. The rest of the time he looks like a teenager. Take that photo of him in that hat, there. He looks like some suburban kid from the 80′s, trying hard to make like Run DMC. This hat has the same problems as the one Jude Law’s wearing. It’s just not sexy, and the contrasting rim color just makes it stand out even more. There is nothing mature or sexy about this style, and if I didn’t know better, I’d guess he was about 17 years old. Now look at that pic below. That’s a sexy, mature looking young man. (I have to say “young man” cos he’s too babyfaced to pass for a man, yet!) But he looks fantastic in that photo. How do you think he’d look with that silly hat on?

Do you even recognize Colin Farrell in that photo with the hat? Hard to believe it’s him. He looks about 20 years older than he really is, and also looks like he belongs in a detective agency somewhere. It’s the gray, really. Gray is the color of the beta male. Nothing masculine there, folks. The hat style itself isn’t so bad, but there it’s a little too high – an inch or two less would be much better. But even so, there is nothing sexy with this look! Now look at the pic below.. that’s a sexy pic, right? How sexy do you think he’d be if you put that hat on him, hmm? I’d guess not very!

A Sexy Exception

Ok, I don’t know who this man is, but he looks damned fine in his little hat. I’m also not sure if he’s hispanic or not. If he’s white, he’s an exception! Notice he, too, has slanted shoulders – but the hat is also angled and almost matches the slant? This makes your subconscious reckon it’s a good match. And, it is. Also notice the material; straw with a nice stylish (but not overdone) design. And the rim is perfect, the way it covers just enough of his face to give him an edge, but not so severely he looks like a mobster. Also notice his shirt goes with this – its a summer look, you wouldn’t wear this in the winter. This is the stuff Cuban men look so fine in. Most white men wearing these are likely to look they belong on a shuffleboard deck! Of course, if you do hang out on the suffleboard deck, these will probably look alright.

The Blues Brothers

Now, Jake and Elwood looked cool in their hats. They still do. But this does not mean they looked sexy. This is a look a lot of white blues and jazz musicians try to pull off – honestly, I would seriously not want to share a stage with anyone trying that hard to look cool. I guess the idea came from The Blues Brothers movie.. but even if it was cool during those days.. those days were half a century ago! Wear the hat if you must, just don’t expect to the chicks to flock stageside!

Honestly, I know a lot of men equate these hats with manliness. Sometimes they help in that regard – but usually not. If you do get one of these, try on several styles and take your woman with you for advice.

xx Isabella