FASHION: Label J Parka from Jacamo

Being married to BeautyqueenUK has it’s advantages – she regularly gets asked to sample things on her blog that directly benefit me (win), and that’s always a good thing. The lovely lady was asked by Jacamo to select some clothes she would like to dress me in. Rachel decided that I needed a new coat, she seemed a bit bored with the long cashmere coats I’ve been wearing for the last twelve years and told me I needed a change. Yes boss, and after taking the path of least resistance (read agreed with her) she selected the Label J Parka from Jacamo and I waited with baited breath for it to arrive, slightly uncertain as to whether it would suit me at all.

This isn’t the first time that I’ve worn clothes from Jacamo, in fact, a couple of years ago I had the chance to try a lovely blue pea coat from the Flintoff Range. In addition to this, I’ve been a regular buyer of their jeans and the selection of tees available on the site is pleasing to me, and they are top notch in terms on quality.

The Label J Parka selected costs £65 and can be found here.

The parka is described as being 'this season's must-have piece'. It features a pretty good sized hood with a faux-fur trim, plenty of pockets with on the outside and one inside, making room for an iPhone, iPod, wallet, Oyster cards and whatever else is needed. It also features a full zip from bottom to top along with press-stud front fasteners, so I’m always warmly wrapped up and the press-studs don't pop open at any point.

Now, here are further photographs of me wearing it! 

I vaguely remember Jacamo when they started up and the adverts they had on TV featuring Johnny Vegas to highlight that they stock sizes of up to 5 XL. Thinking that the entire stock was aimed at the larger chap I stupidly ignored them for years. More fool me. You’ll find a vast array of clothing for both men and women, it’s of a very high standard and best of all they have something to suit any budget (apart from a budget of zero – obvs).

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What do you think to the choice of coat? 

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House of Fraser - Men's Accessories

House of Fraser as a store sticks in my head for all the right reasons. In my early twenties (heady days before Internet shopping was a pipe dream) it was the only place that sold my favourite aftershave of all time, Bvlgari Pour Homme. When I was asked to take a look over their male accessories to see what they had to offer I didn’t have to think twice after all I could happily bankrupt myself when wandering around one of their many stores. 

Instead of looking at the usual items, such as cufflinks, ties and belts to accessorise an outfit I thought slightly outside the box and have gone for some lovely items that cut across a broad range of budgets and covers everything you need when it comes to mens accessories. 

So, what did I spot that I could see myself buying? Here’s what…

Wrist action 

A stylish update of a classic Casio design, this timepiece is built for classic and street styling. The piece features a daily alarm, 1/100th second stopwatch and illuminator backlight and is 30 metres water resistant perfect for everyday styling.

I’ll be the bag man 

Tommy Hilfiger Ethank Mini Flat Crossover Bag is described as being a small messenger bag which is perfect for London travel and again, you won't be annoying anyone on the tube in rush hour with your backpack

Wallets, and not a mothball in sight

Paul Smith London Small billfold colour flash wallet which is suitable for both cards and cash and by cash I mean notes and not change!

Did you really think I wouldn’t pick out cufflinks? 

Simon Carter Rope ball cufflinks, made from metal they are the kind of cuffinks which can be worn casually or more formally, simple in design and detail, they tick all boxes.

Bracelets 

Yes my obsession continues in this department and I have chosen The STORM Cog Leather Bracelet. It features 3 separate leather bracelets held together with a highly polished stainless steel magnetic fastening, featuring intricate cog detailing.

I spy, with my little eye 

An essential for sunny weather, these sunglasses have a classic gold-tone design of these aviator sunglasses is complemented by the simplistic detailing which makes them an ideal outfit addition whether you`re close to home or away on holiday. 

Whatever your tastes (unless you are a massive goth - nothing wrong with that) there are literally hundreds of male accessories to choose from at House of Fraser. I have to admit, when I was asked to take a peek through I expected to spend around an hour going through the site. Instead, I've spent hour after hour over the past week picking out some excellent products from reputable fashion houses and building up an online wishlist on their site for when payday comes around.

Go on, head over there and take a look, I'm 100 per cent certain you will find at least one thing you really want to buy.

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Top 3 Men's autumn fashion trends

At the recent fashion shows in London, Milan and Paris; there were a number of fashions highlighting the trends for men's Autumn/Winter 2015 clothing. 

The most popular of which, were definitely shearling jackets, checked clothing of all shapes and sizes, and all things green! The popularity of the shearling jacket may be something of a 70's revival, whatever the reasons behind it, there is no doubt that the shearling is the biggest trend for autumn/winter 2015. All the top fashion houses and designers are offering their own take on this classic jacket, and in any case stylish outerwear is probably the single most important addition to your wardrobe for autumn as the colder weather sets in. 

The shearling jacket promises warmth with style, and looks just as good over a T-shirt and jeans as it does with a button-down Oxford shirt and sweater. If you’re planning on buying a shearling jacket, don’t skimp on the price, invest in some well made outerwear with a 70's vibe. Checks are a recurring theme in men’s fashion and we see them season after season, as thanks to the versatility of this pattern, it can be both timeless and eye-catching, to all manner of designs to suit everyone. Many designers for autumn/winter 2015 have introduced checks in new and interesting ways to breathe life into suits and tailored separates from many top fashion houses. 

This season the digital prints are being swapped for subtle checks which add interest to any outfit. The military look has been trending in menswear for some time and are firmly part of the contemporary men's wardrobe, they have been seen in everything from cold-weather outerwear to more formal looks. Grey has also been popular in recent fashion shows but green is easily the second most popular colour on the catwalks and could possibly be in the number one spot for next year. Online catalogues like Very, Jacamo and Premier Man are a great place to start looking for the latest men's fashion trends. For more information on the top UK men's catalogues visit Catalogues247.

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Bracelets for Men Wishlist

I recently picked up a bargain pair of Buckle Boots from ASOS for £35. Not wanting to waste the rest of the voucher I had another £15 to spend and made light work of spending it by picking up a bracelet to go with my watch and usually dark clothing. 

So, you can thank ASOS for this wishlist of bracelets for men, and ones I will be getting my hands on over the coming weeks as I prepare my wardrobe for the summer. If interested, I have a board on Pinterest here with hundreds of bands and bracelets for blokes that vary in cost from a couple of pounds to a small mortgage.

These are my five favourites for this year that sit firmly in the could afford bracket rather than the 'if I win the lottery' category:

Colana Double Wrap Onyx Bracelet

This baby looks the part and certainly has a price tag to match costing £137. For me it is the fact that is has quite an intricate design interspersed with Buddha heads while retaining a rather understated look. It oozes class in my view and is one I will be buying.

Alexander McQueen

To say I’m a huge fan of accessories from Alexander McQueen would be an understatement of epic proportions. The skull designs really appeal to me and go with large swathes of my casual wardrobe (I shop on the basis that if it has a skull on it I’ll wear it) but McQueen also have some amazing cufflinks and bracelets for blokes that you can pass off, even with formal wear. 

The metal skull and woven bracelet is £185, but the weave and solid look appeal to me and my inner Goth. 

Men's Spiritual Evil Eye Protection

While my first two choices are on the expensive side in my opinion and rest within the luxury category of accessories this bracelet not only looks cool, it is made with a number of semi precious stones such as Tiger's Eye, Green Imperial Jasper, Bone, Lava, Amber Murano. The evil eye charm is made from copper and finishes off the look really well. 

This one is available here at the moment for just £29.95.

Rosary Bracelet for Men

While not overly religious (I only seek divine intervention after a heavy night out), I do like religious iconography and this hand-made bracelet jumped out at me. Made with black onyx gemstones, stainless steel wire, a magnetic clasp, bronze medals and brass spacer beads it is affordable (£18.64) and looks the business. 

It would make a perfect little gift and won‘t break the bank. In fact, the seller of this bracelet has a number of other equally awesome offerings and is worth checking out. 

Black Leather and Silver tone Cuff Double Skull 

Last, but not least and by far one of the cheapest and coolest bracelets from one of my favourite online retailers, Skull Clothing. This weave of leather with silver skulls would go perfectly with my watch and my usual all black clothing. 

Currently on sale for $16.95 this is affordable, looks awesome and is one that will be in my collection by the end of the month! 

I hope you liked my choices - do you think men can pull off bracelets or is it just a step too far?

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SPONSORED: Men's online shopping catalogues

The sheer amount of merchandise you can purchase off the internet is astounding. 

This avenue has spawned shopping cultures and trends that were simply unimaginable at the turn of the century. Much has been made about the insecurities that come with choosing products online, but the truth is that shopping online is now a reality and has been for over a decade now. While a big number of shopping avenues makes it easier for customers to make choices by looking at varieties, it presents a problem; where do consumers look?

Since there are so many avenues, it is imperative that you as a male shopper have an idea of the things they offer and the places to look. To aid you to make the perfect choice in your shopping endeavours, here is a list of top 5 online men's shopping catalogues in the UK.

Joe Browns

This catalogue has attained somewhat of a cult following among male fashion enthusiasts all over the United Kingdom. The amount and types of clothes available span different ages as well as body sizes. At the website, shoppers can easily browse prices and products until they get what they want. Shopping is easy, as all you have to do is add products to a cart. There are options for making returns if products are not satisfactory. You can make payments by use of MasterCard or maestro.

The Hut

The Hut is another famous destination for men wishing to go out for the latest trends. However, it is much more than just a clothes store. It also offers products like electronics and gaming tools. In addition, men can purchase toys for their children at the hut. Making payments is never a hassle, as the store caters to customers who use MasterCard, Visa, Visa electron as well as maestro.

Next

This shopping store caters for all types of clothes as well as home wares. Apart from the UK, Next is available in over 70 other countries around the world. There is no limit to what a man can buy for himself and his family at Next. Extra products include wines, flowers and gifts. From time to time, the shop offers gifts and bonuses to its clients.

Littlewoods

At Littlewoods, shoppers have the luxury of knowing that they can always make returns if products are defective. However, there are rules for returns. They should occur within the first two weeks of purchase. If there were gift items, they should come back as part of the package. Customers can make credit payments using Visa and Maestro.

Dial a TV

There is a wide range of home wares and electronics that a man could take a pick of on this site. While the electronics are more than the rest of the items on sale, the diversity is simply amazing. At Dial a TV, there are bonuses for shoppers, even though these do not have a regular timing. If clients need clarification, they can always contact support and customer care services, as they are available around the clock.

One of the main benefits of shopping through an online catalogue is the ability to spread the cost of your purchases. Spread the cost usually allows you to pay what you owe in monthly or weekly installments. You can check out a full list of pay monthly catalogues here.

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