1.Spotted in Armani exchange this blue and white striped pair

2. Seen at  Massimo Dutti, this printed red pair                      

3. Diesel's swimwear 2012 collection, with a really cool printed pair

4. Saving the best for the last, the colourful, trendy, made in france and available at the only Tenue de Plage in Marina bay sands 

Remember, a person is considered stylish when they display their personal style consistently, so pick the unique pair that shows of your personality and make your style statement even at the pool!

Happy reading

Suits: storing in suit bags protects it from insects and dust. Hang dry-cleaned suits on proper wooden hangers rather than wire hangers. Brushing regularly to remove lint will keep the moths away. Store out-of-season suits in air tight bags. Life expectancy: increased by 5 years

Ties: last longer when they are stored rolled rather than hanging in the wardrobe. Life expectancy: increased by 5 years

Shirts: last longer when hand ironed rather than dry-cleaned and machine pressed. Life expectancy: increased by 2 years

Shoes: when allowed to breathe and return back to original shape between wears last longer. Wear one pair not more than twice a week and use shoe trees in the hour or two after removing your shoes, this will help bring them back to original shape. Life expectancy: increased by 20 years.

Take care.

Article Resource:Esquire

Tips to take away from his style?

1. It is all about the fit.

2. If the fit is right for your body shape, you will be able to create clean lines and a sharp silhouette.

3. Details at the collars and details at the cuffs. Keep the look classic, yet introduce an interesting detail that makes it trendy.

What did Ryan wear in this popular scene?

 1. Shirts by Alain Gossuin

2. Suits, with hand stitched leather details, quality that will last for atleast 10 years(worth the price tag) designed for him by Albert Hammond Jr.

3. Chad glasses by Selima optique

4. Don't forget the accessories - a leather strap watch, stylish shoes, sunglasses...

What Ryan Gosling also does best is suits in uncommon colours like the ones below

 Personalise your style. We say its all in the details!

Have a look

 The Classic dresser. Characteristics: Traditional and timeless style. A formal looking shirt and trouser can take him through all activities in his day and even over the weekend. Accessories include classic watch, ties and good quality shoes. Wears more neutral colours - black, grey, white, beige. 

Brands: Massimo dutti, Boss, Emporio Armani, Burberry, Agnes B                  

 The Natural dresser. Characteristics: Comfortable, relaxed approach to dressing. More open to using accessories, for eg: belts in different colours, one or 2 different styles of bags and shoes. 

Brands : Diesel, Timberland, Banana republic, Prada

The Romantic dresser. Characteristics: Loves to experiment with colours, fabrics, accessories and is not afraid to show his flair of putting it all together.

Brands: Cavalli, Versace, Kenzo, Mango

 The Dramatic dresser. Characteristics: Loves to play with colour. Exaggerated styles, accessories like bracelets, scarves, oversized glasses, frequent change in hairscuts, constitutes this flamboyant style.

Brands:  Dolce and gabbana, Dsquared, John Galliano, Yohji Yamamoto

Knowing your style personality helps you make more informed choices and at the same time you can build an effective, versatile wardrobe where everything works.

Till the next time...

How long you wear your trousers, is a matter of personal preference totally. For those in slightly more creative field or following very casual level of dressing formality at work, wearing your trousers 4 inches above your shoe can be your personal style statement.

For those in the more conservative or traditional, that is to say, following business formal or business casual dressing, wearing the trouser at the right length is important for your overall balanced look.

Here is a guide:

Cuffed suit pants: should have a straight hem and should be long enough to sit on your shoe without a break. The cuff works better on tall men, on shorter  men it creates bulk at the base and makes them appear shorter. The right width of the cuff is ideally between 1.5 inches to 2 inches wide.

Uncuffed pants: should be long enough to make a small break in the front crease. The hem line is sloped, longer at the back, to reveal only an inch above the shoe sole.

Jeans: should cover the shoelace and can go as far down till it is barely touching the ground at the back. It can break a couple of times but not too much to look bulky around the ankle.

Chinos: Also known as America's official trouser, several men opt for chinos for business casual look.

What's the difference between chinos and khakis? Chinos are a pair of pants and Khaki is the colour. The right length would be long enough to end in a few breaks above the shoe and should never show your socks when standing. Do keep in mind, chinos tend to give a very relaxed look and might not be suitable for all business settings.

Choosing the proper length and styles can make you look taller, shorter, lean and sharp, so do give your trousers a proper break.

Happy reading.

Here is a guide to help you:

For suit, shirt and tie -

Combine 3 plain colours: always looks sophisticated if the colour combinations are right.

Two plains and one pattern: interesting, easy and appropriate for work. Adding one pattern in place of an all plain combination, is an easy way to create an elegant and clean look.

One plain and two patterns: When combining two patterned garments, the pattern size should vary, one subtle and one a bit more obvious. For eg: a pin striped suit would coordinate best with a tie with slightly broader stripes.

Stripes and checks: Dont' be scared to mix checks with stripes, checks with checks and stripes with stripes but remember to vary the sizes and it will all work out well.

Combining 3 patterns is a tricky one, not impossible but needs a little daring.

For shoes, trousers and socks - always match your socks to your trousers and not your shoes.

For belts and shoes - match shoes and belts in color. Black shoes are an obvious option to wear with gray or navy but to add a touch of style and sophistication wear dark brown shoes with your navy or gray suits. Chocolate brown is the best colour to wear with navy suits. Black suits only go with black shoes.

Happy reading

One button suit - always buttoned when standing and unfastened when sitting and of course this holds true for every other button style suit as well.

Two- button suits - always button the top and never the bottom. Suits are designed in a manner where the bottom button is meant to be left open for proper fit and drape.

Three - button suits - button the middle. You have the option of buttoning the top if you like but never the bottom. If the lapel rolls down to the middle button, then only buttoning the middle button would be correct.

Four or more button suit - often seen on celebrities, this suit is more of a fashion statement and definitely not a suitable option for formal business environment. But, if you do ever feel overly adventurous and want to make a brazen fashion statement, remember to leave the bottom button undone.

Double breasted suits - remains buttoned at all times untill you take the jacket off. Fasten every button, except the bottom but you can choose to button this one as well, following Prince Charles style.

Jacket sleeve buttons - a mark of quality. There are traditionally 4 buttons that sit very close together, touching each other slightly, on the sleeve. You may also find 3 buttons on the jacket sleeve.  Also known as the surgeon's cuffs, the buttons should be able to unfasten and allow you to roll the sleeves up as they were originally menat to be functional and not just a detail on a suit, as it is today. But unfastening your jacket buttons might make you look like a show-off. Therefore, these buttons are best left buttoned.

Happy reading.

Besides dry-cleaning, which needs to be done only once a year, there are a few other things you can keep in mind to add longevity to your suit's life.

Hanging device, the right hanger preserves the shape of the suit. The hanger should mimic one's shoulder profile, which preserves the shape of the tailored collar and drape. The shoulders of the hanger should have a generous thickness, to ensure that jacket shoulders maintain their shape, and a strong metal hook. While hanging, hang suits few inches apart to reduce squashing it out of shape.

Cleaning device, the bristle brush is a great friend of the suit, helps to remove stuff that clings on to the fabric. Besides the bristle brush, the lint remover is a quick solution to visible fluff, pet hair and dandruff. Essential tools to have in your wardrobe.

 When worn, its best to keep out of the rain. A fused lining, a cheaper and less labour intensive option for interlining suits, will pucker and become out of shape when wet. Once this happens, no amount of ironing can bring the suit back to its original condition.

When stored, use suit bags. The bag protects it from dust, insects and from fading. The moth larvae that are invisible to the eye, can cause damage to your wool suits, as they feed on keratin, the natural protein found in the wool. Dry-cleaning before storing will get rid of these moths and the eggs. 

Rotate your suits between wears, this helps it to relax and restores its shape. 

It's totally upto you how long your suits are going to last.

Happy reading. 

Skin care is just as important for men, as it is for women. Having said this and seeing many more men's skincare brands popping up in the recent years, what has not changed is men's views on skin care. We still come across men with dry dehydrated skin, who will spend some time in finding the right clothes for their outer appearance but are totally unaware of the type of skin they have and how to take care of it.

Here is the truth - grooming is important and skin care is an important part of it, besides haircare, nails and teeth.

Benefits of adopting a basic skin care routine

1. healthy skin = younger looking skin
2. less inflammation and irritation during shaving
3. less breakouts, oily spots or dry flaky skin = more attractive appearance
4. looking good = boosted confidence

What is a basic routine?

Cleansing- get a liquid facial cleanser that is suitable for your skin type, instead of a normal soap

Moisturising- shaving dehydrates your skin. Use a moisturiser, right after your shower, when the skin is soft and avoid using aftershaves that contain alcohol, that dry out your skin. If you spend most of your time in an air conditioned room, moisturising will keep your skin from getting dehydrated and in the long run this will keep away the lines and the wrinkles.

Sunscreen- use a sunscreen, it is an important protection that your skin needs. Use sunscreen after the moisturiser and apply to face, neck, including the back of the neck and ears.

In the evening cleanse, moisturise and treat. Treat your skin with a retinoid cream which will help reverse sun damage, rebuild collagen and help to give your skin a smooth appearance. Retinoid creams can be obtained from dermatologists. 

Keep your regimen simple and short and soon it will become a part of your grooming routine and yes, women do notice the difference.

Thanks for reading.

You don't need more than 5 pairs of good quality shoes to take you through your weekday and weekends.

If you have invested in good quality shoes for your work wear or casual wear, it will pay. Your shoes can last you a very long time, but only with proper care.

This is how

1. Shoe tree: shoe trees are essential to maintaining the shape of your shoes. The important thing to note is that you don't need to have one for every pair, because you only need to have them in your shoe for an hour or two of taking off your shoes. Shoe tree helps to draw out moisture, i.e. sweat, out of your shoe and your shoe lasts much longer. The less fancy, unvarnished shoe trees are definitely more effective than the pretty looking varnished ones. The best ones would be the unvarnished, cedar with a split toe and fully shaped heel.

2.Mending your shoes: Leather soles need to be resoled to not only prevent them from being slippery but also to give the sole a long life. Make sure once the sole is nearly worn out, you get them resoled and reheeled as soon as possible and before it is totally necessary.

3.Wet and smelly shoes: Stuff wet shoes with newspaper and dry them out. When almost dry, put in the cedar shoe tree to bring them back to shape. If your shoes are smelly, you need to give them a break and use that shoe tree to deodarize them. Rotate your shoes, wearing the same shoe everyday will cause them to wear out really fast. Changing the insole at some point helps too.

4.Suede: Suede shoes need a suede rubber to rub of any marks and then brush them with the special suede brush to restore the look.

To keep your leather shoes shining, use Kiwi wax based polish, lint free cotton or linen and horse hair brush.

Put a little time and effort into taking care of your quality pairs and they will take care of you.

 Thanks for reading.

 A suit is a must-have in every man's wardrobe and bespoke is the way to go because...

1. Perfect fit: For a well-dressed appearance, a perfect fit is of utmost importance. Mass produced suits follow general parameters to fit into numerical sizes. If your body shape does not conform to any of these cuts, you will end up with an ill-fitting suit! Even the top brands follow certain cuts that might not be the one that suits your body shape best. An experienced tailor, on the other hand, will measure and cut the suit to fit your body proportions exactly.

2. Style over fashion: While an off-the-rack suit usually follows the current fashion, a bespoke suit will allow you to customise everything from the fabric to the cut and all the detailing. You can choose between a wide variety of fabrics, to the number of vents, number of buttons, lapel buttonhole, to the style of the pockets and the inner lining too. Integrating style elements that suit your personality adds originality to this important component of your wardrobe.

3.Quality over quantity: Above all, a bespoke suit will last a man a decade or more with proper care, whereas a store-bought suit will barely give you five years of wear and because it never fits well, it tends to cause more wear and tear on the fabric and seams.

To conclude, a well-fitted suit is the centrepiece of a well-dressed man's appearance and is a style investment worth every penny.