Beautiful Feet Photos: October 2011

Men Fashion Style to Avoid for 40+

A distinctive charm to men in their 40s lies in the fact that they know what they want. Well beyond their 20s and 30s, an age of self experimenting or so they say, men of such knows what style works for them. But does that mean you can’t stray once in a while and wear out those electric blue pants you bought on a whim that has been stashed at the back of your closet ever since?

We say, why not? For S/S 2012, menswear collection has been all about the perfect blend of maturity and that oh-so-elusive element of youth injection. Be it Milan, Paris, London or New York, designers are showcasing lines where any men in their 40s would be eager to get their hands on.

That is not to say without limitations. No man wants to look like they’re desperately grasping on to the handles of youth, would they? So here are some guidelines on what to avoid when you’re being adventurous with fashion in your 40s. Let’s start with hair. We sometimes reckoned it would be frustrating that hairstyles for men are very much constrained. But, unless you’re a rock star from the 80s or Fabio Lanzoni for that matter, steer clear of the long locks.

Ever since Kanye West appeared on stage with a printed buttoned up blouse from the Celine spring 2011 women’s runway show, the menswear world has been a-blazing with patterns ranging from floral to geometric to animalistic. This is evidently so in the London fashion week where designers such as James Long and Christopher Shannon has created garments with their own unique spin on prints.

Even with the high street brand, Topman which also presented at the recent London fashion week, we see a collection that is heavily inspired by a Moroccan-esque pattern with what can only be expressed as a Moroccan princes’ sleeping attire.

Prada S/S 2012 collection during Milan fashion week is also harping on the same note but this time around, the focus is on pants with a colourful burst of floral patterns.

So, note to men in their 40s, the Spring/Summer 2012 trend of wild patterns is not for you! It is still possible to have fun with prints but don’t go overboard with it, find instead pops of pattern in a garment that catches you by surprise.

Another dress code that should be avoided at all cost by men in their 40s is the short shorts, even if it is for leisure. A not to be missed trend during the Spring/Summer season of 2012 witnesses a spike in shorts with an ungodly length, well that is for a man whose body is somewhat past its prime state. That is not to say the trend isn’t a stroke of brilliance. Like with the Hardy Amies look shown right below, shorts gave a carefree vibe to the entire collection, giving an otherwise stuffy suit a fresh new twist. But, piece of advice to those of you in their 40s, please err on the side of caution when it comes to experimenting with shorts.

Shoes and accessories on the other hand are in a total entity of their own. It might be the only fashion garment that the concept of no holds barred is applicable. A man can be seen carrying around a tote from the Celine collection. The non forgiving fashion faux pas of wearing socks with sandals is even making a controversial comeback to the 2012 runways for men. That shows how much room for play there is when it comes to shoes and accessories. The key is to always keep it simple and suave.

5 Men Fashion Styles to Avoid in Winter 2011

With Christmas and New Year’s around the corner, you know it’s that time of the year again. No, we are not talking about presents and fireworks. It’s that dreaded onslaught of bitter winter weather and a time when even the most fashion conscious men are taking a hiatus on style. You can opt for comfort but let’s not dismiss fashion entirely shall we? Consider this a guide men fashion trends for 2011 winter you can avoid in pursuit of warmth and comfort during the frigid months ahead.

1. Patterned Chunky Knits

Over-sized chunky details on sweaters are all the rage this season, making it one of the strongest trends to hit Fall/Winter 2011 runways for women and men alike. Such knits are distressed in such a way from larger than life cabling to exaggerated ribbing, leaving wearers to think that this might just be hand-knitted. But, the look can make you look bulkier than you actually are. So, err on the side of caution with this trend, for those of you who anticipate to put on some holiday weight.

2. Oversized Coats

A well lined coat is a staple during the winter, an essential to brave the cold. We’re still seeing plenty of exquisitely tailored coats for Fall/Winter 2011. But, the oversized trend has made its mark on coats. At the Acne show, coats that are way past knee length billows behind the model as they strut their way down the runway. I ask myself, are these appropriate for the winter, especially when you’re trudging through inch deep snow.

3. Men in Black Fashion?

Hues of dark color such as black have always been a frequent element for winter. Breaking free of the shackles of traditional winter palette, designers are showing an influx of bright colors in their 2011 collection. So, ditch the black ensemble and go for an outfit with a pop of color to brighten up those gloomy winter days.

4. Need flamboyant headwear?

Novelty hats have become a thing of the runway, providing necessary theatricality that elevates the collection to another level. Note, Agnes B or Alexander Mcqueen’s Fall/Winter 2011 menswear show where pirate and military head gears are heavily accentuated. At risk of looking like you’re heading for a Halloween party, let’s keep the winter hats in check and stick with your basic ski caps, fedoras, newsboy hats and bowlers.

5. Your Favorite Suede!

For those of you who receive snow during the winter, avoid suede at all cost! Be it a badass suede jacket, suede boots or chic suede pants. It’s a known fact that suede loses its integrity when worn through damp weather, i.e. rain or snow.

What else that we have miss out? Share with us those styles that you think it should not be in during this winter.

Mens Fashion Hairstyles Trends in 2012

Looking to revamp your hairstyle but can’t make up your mind? We present to you a compilation of the hottest hairstyle trends showing on Spring/Summer 2012 runways.

Take your pick from the masculine fringe at Burberry Prorsum to the classic part shown at Dries Van Noten .

1. Side Swept Fringe Hairstyle

Keeping it short at the back and sides, the side swept fringe, also called swept bangs can be played up accordingly as you like. To truly rock this style, you will need to find the perfect length for your face shape, be it at brow length or just around the temple. But, the trend for 2012 is gravitating towards a more textured, layered cut. For some great examples, look no further than Burberry Prorsum 2012 menswear show where the fringe style truly shined.

Burberry Prorsum Spring/Summer 2012 menswear collection

Quick Tip: Suitable for those with diamond face shape.

2. Wet Fringe Textured HairstyleSlick your side swept fringe forward using a matte wax or pomade and you would have achieved this next look as seen in the Jil Sander show. This wetter than wet hairstyle is not for everyone but if you’re up for it, you can recreate this hairstyle by pulling in hair from the temples and crowning it towards the forehead.

Quick Tip: Suitable for those with diamond face shape

Jil Sander Spring/Summer 2012 menswear collection

3. Messy Hairstyle

2012 will be another year for messy hair style. If your hair is of a wavy quality, the messy fringe is definitely for you. Just run some hair products over your hair, tossle it up and BAM!, instant sex appeal.

Quick Tip: Suitable for diamond or square face shape.

Hermes Spring/Summer 2012 menswear collection

4. Classic Part

Exuding old Hollywood glamour, the classic part has always been associated with the greats such as the likes of Frank Sinatra and Cary Grant. It has become the ultimate trend setter for 2012 with a modern twist of course now that men are in pursuit of sartorial elegance.

Quick Tip: Suitable for Oblong, square or rectangle face shape

Dries Van Noten Spring/Summer 2012 menswear collection

5. Chic Bangs Hairstyle

At the Lanvin menswear collection, we see the comeback of a childhood staple-the bowl cut. In tune with a collection that shouts war and military, Lanvin’s creative director Alber Elbaz has opt for bluntly chopped Medieval-esque bangs.

Quick Tip: Suitable for square and rectangle face shape

Lanvin Spring/Summer 2012 menswear collection

6. The Slick Back

The slick back goes hand in hand with George Clooney. This Adonis of a man has single-handedly catapulted this hairstyle into one that has dominated runways for the longest time. In fact, fashion has had a standing affair with the slick back and that is not about to change, as evident in the 2012 shows from Louis Vuitton to Ermenegildo Zegna.

Quick Tip: Suitable for square or rectangle face shape

Ermenegildo Zegna Spring/Summer 2012 menswear collection

7. The Crew Hair Cut

Think crew cut and G.I Joe comes to mind. Sometime we also called this as butch cut or buzz cut. The notorious “tough guy” haircut can be suave too as demonstrated by Calvin Klein in the Spring/Summer 2012 collection.

Quick Tip: Suitable for oval or round face shape.

Calvin Klein Spring/Summer 2012 menswear collection

8. “Out of bed” look

Ah, the “out of bed” look, a hairstyle that oozes the devil may care charm. In this season, no one does it better thn Costume National Homme. Channel Robert Pattinson and you shan’t be too far off the mark.

Quick Tip: Suitable for rectangle face shape.

Costume National Homme Spring/Summer menswear collection

Hair is one of the first things that attract everyone attention, and it is just as important as the clothes and shoes you wear, so take the time to choose a hair style from 2012 trends that complements your personality and your face's shape.

5 Men Fashion Tips to Camouflage Your Beer Belly

Look down and ask yourself this question – “Do I have a beer belly?” and yes, you have to be brutally honest. If you’re above the age of 35, chances are the answer to that question is a YES especially when you’ve enjoyed the occasional pint or two. If it’s a no, well the years have been kind to you. But, fear not.

Here are some men fashion tips that we think can help to camouflage that beer belly so you can walk out in confidence.

1. “Maternity” wear

Now, before you think we are out of our mind and actually suggesting you put on pregnancy clothing, hear us out first. Maternity wear are generally tighter on the upper body and flare out at the mid section. So, what we are advocating here is a menswear equivalent of such cut. Believe it or not, many designers are slowly warming up to this style. Most notably, coats that are cinched at the waist hence, creating a silhouette that is forgiving on the beer belly.

2. Single Breasted Suit

There are many contradicting opinions in the fashion world with regards to the type of suit a man with, shall we say ample girth should wear. A double breasted suit with its double row of buttons is said to draw attention to the mid section thus creating a wider illusion. However, some other style experts claimed that double breasted suits tend to“cuts away thickness” in the eye of the viewer. Ultimately, what matters is a well tailored suit. If all else fails, you can always fall back on a good ol’ pinstriped suit that is sure to elongate the body.

3. Avoid Light Colors

In the world of women’s fashion, there is a reason why the LBD or little black dress is of such timeless appeal. Muted, dark colors such as your shades of black and brown virtually slims out all traces of belly fat, muffin tops and love handles. You might end up with a closet deem fitting for creatures of the night but until you lose that beer belly, you’ll just have to bear with it. While we’re at the topic of colours, also try to avoid the colour blocking trend. Instead, keep your outfit as monotonous as possible.

4. Low Rise Pants?

The last thing you want if you do have beer belly syndrome is to have your gut spilling out over your pants. Keep them in check with pants that are at least at belly button level. Do avoid the low rise pants trend that has infiltrated pop culture, a staple in hip-hop music. Zac Efron might be able to pull it off but have you seen his abs?

5. Body Sculpting Undergarments

Just like what Spanx have done for women, there are now undergarments designed to mould men’s figure into a deceivingly fit one. If you hadn’t disclose that you’re wearing body shaping trunks underneath, no women will be any the wiser. Forgive the unappealing photo above, but we just had to make sure we get our message across. :)

In short, we always advocate wear what makes you feel comfortable, rather than following trends. However, we are pretty sure you don't like to show your beer belly either.

Two-Tone Braces from Steve & Co

Braces are among the coolest accessory for this fall-winter 2011/2012 and Steve & Co., a Made in Italy brand about cool and dandy men, suggests a complete collection, full of style.

For this Autumn, Steve & Co. adds to their collection original two-tone braces, can give a truly unique and special touch to any outfit.

You can find these designs from their e-shop at €37.00.

Good Bye: Steve Jobs

You will always in our hearts.

Men Fashion Tips : 7 Essentials When Buy Men Dress Shirts

Are you looking for brand new dress shirt to fill up your wardrobe? Being for your formal office attire or smart casual outing. You got to know what are the basic rules. Firstly, you need to know is your size, we wouldn't be surprise that most of you are not sure about your size. Yes. Most of men dress shirt sizes have two numbers: neck size, and sleeve length.

Choose the comfortable and well-fitting one, so make sure you've measured yourself to get an exact fit.

So let us go through these 7 simple tips to consider while buying a dress shirt:

1. Consider which style you want: Athletic, also called slim fitted, regular or full. Regular is a little looser than the athletic fit and full is the loosest of all dress shirts fits. All these have different fitting and should be chosen as per person's own stature and physique.

2. Stripes, Solids or Prints: If you are confused with so many options available in the color of mens shirt, go with a color or pattern that is trendy. Before you start buying every color of dress shirt available, it is better to take idea from others around you to distinguish what would be suitable. Try to avoid brightly color shirts if everyone is donning for white, blue or black dress shirts.

3. Material: Beside cotton or polyester, you may want to consider wrinkle free fabrics. Being wrinkle free definitely does not mean that these shirts do not get wrinkles at all. It just means that you can achieve the fresh and up to date look for a longer period.

4. Collars Straight-point: The most familiar and trendy style is the V-shaped points of a straight-point collar and they look great on any wearer.

5. Button-down: Not as much formal as other dressing shirt collars, the button-down collar is usually tailored of a softer fabric and pressed with less starch.

6. Cuffs Barrel: There are barrel cuffs, also known as a button cuff, as they close with at least one button, and possibly more than one. If there are several buttons, these can be used to adjust the fit. Other is French or double cuffs that have fabric that is long and folds back. These are closed with a cufflink or silk knot. Many people prefer French cuffs as they are more formal than a barrel cuff. And other is convertible that can be closed with buttons or cufflinks.

7. Pockets Placement: Check out where pockets are placed. If you are looking for more formal shirts, then do not consider mens shirts with two chest pockets. A single chest pocket gives more formal look and the most common for official wear.

Lastly, in addition to style, material and color, you should pay attention to details. Most of us consider the color and overlook at the big picture. Most of the time, it's the details that define its style as well. Make sure you appropriately check the style of the collar, cuffs and pocket of a dress shirt before you purchase it. You'll most likely find that there are shirt details you prefer over others.

New Balance Act: Eco-Friendly Sneaker

Everyone know New Balance, but not sure whether you know their environmental theme? Based their initiative with the three R's: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, the company is introducing a fleece-like lace-up constructed from 95 percent post-consumer recycled plastic bottles. The newSky, the shoe is part of New Balance's effort to incorporate sustainable practices into their long-term goals. It'll be available come October, with a streamlined design that yields minimal waste.

Because the recycled fabric behaved differently from typical footwear material, New Balance designers Christine Hall and Drew Spieth had to make adjustments to accommodate the material’s distinctive features. Besides whittling away any extraneous components, Hall and Spieth also borrowed elements from the NB Minimus by using the same pared-down outsole and last. “For the design intent of the upper, the same philosophies are applied—minimizing the amount of materials used so you’re not over-building the shoe, but making it as comfortable as possible,” Spieth says. By the way, it take about an average of eight recycled plastic bottles goes into each pair of newSky sneakers.

The recycled fabric, known commercially as Eco-fi, replaced parts of the shoe that previously utilized foam, leather, or virgin plastic, including the entire upper. Instead for conventional reinforcements such as plastic or leather, Hall and Spieth braced the heel with heavier-weight fabric and strategic stitching along the back seam. “The heel is where most of the reinforcing happens,” Hall says. “But when we doubled-up the material, you don’t need any reinforcement because the material is doing it itself.”

By exploiting the fabric’s unique characteristics through heating, molding, and pressing, the duo was able to strip away many traditional, non-recycled materials. The result is not only a shoe that’s gentler on the planet but also one that looks and feels good. “It was a big goal to keep it functional and looking stylish,” Spieth says. “At the end of the day, it looks like an interesting shoe and also looks great on the foot.”

Men Skin Care Tips for Fall

With new products launch everyday, it is no doubt that you can easy to get confused about what products suit you best. We from Man Fashion have think these men skin care tips that can serve you well, let try out these for one month to see the results.

Exfoliate

Exfoliation is scrubbing off the top layer of dead cells from your skin to reveal a healthy-looking glow. Men have bigger pores and hairier skin than women, meaning they collect more dirt, so it's important to exfoliate your back, chest and face regularly with products made especially just for us, men rather than lady products.

Rule of thumb: you should exfoliate at least once and not more than three times a week. Doing it every day could prove too harsh for your skin.

What to do

1. Wet your skin then massage a blob of exfoliating cleanser such with face scrub function into your face. For a more effective scrub, use a sponge or exfoliating gloves to massage the cleanser into your face.

2. Rinse your face with cold water and pat dry with a towel.

3. In the bath or shower, massage a body scrub into your chest and back. A loofah will help you get to those hard-to-reach places.

4. Get out of the bath or shower and pat yourself dry.

5. Then moisturise.

Moisturise

Moisturising is an inexpensive way to look younger instantly. And using one that contains SPF is one of the best things you can do to prevent further premature ageing. You can moisturise your whole body, but the bits that are exposed to the elements probably need it most often.

Clean your face

Every few weeks, put aside 10 minutes to really clean your face. A deep cleanse gets rid of all the oil and dirt that's been lurking deep in your pores since the last time you played a game of rugby or changed a wheel. It also reduces oil build-up and improves your skin's tone and texture.

What to do

1. Wash your face carefully with a cleanser. Make sure you massage it into your whole face, your neck and behind your ears, then rinse thoroughly.

2. Apply a face mask – to damp skin, avoiding the delicate eye area. Leave it on for as long as the pack tells you. Try relaxing in front of the TV while it works then rinse off and dry your face.

3. You can now apply an anti-ageing serum as it contain anti-ageing ingredients that reduce further damage and boost the skin's elasticity.

4. Finish off with a moisturiser. One of the best ways to prevent premature ageing is to use sunscreen so check your moisturiser contains SPF.