I’m sure if you live in the UK or rugby crazy parts of the world, then it’s hard to miss that the rugby World Cup is on at the moment. England have just been knocked out, and they’re the first host nation to get knocked out the group stage. I am not a rugby fan, but it’s really cool that Newcastle was chosen as a host city, and has 3 games at St. James’ Park. One has just taken place last weekend, and we have two more to go.
Not only is there people in the stadium, we have a fan park which was full, and apparently has been the busiest fan park in the entire country! I was out on Saturday night and they had the England game on the big screen at the Monument too…The fan park was full!
I was out and about a few days ago so I took a few photos of the city, including the fan park which has a big wheel and a real carnival kind of atmosphere 🙂
I have been writing this blog for years now, and I rarely shoot photos on locations, which I should really start doing a lot more. I live in Newcastle, it’s an amazing city, it has so many great buildings and cityscapes, there’s plenty of cool backdrops for creating some amazing images, not to mention it’s close by to a couple of beaches too!
I hope you’ve all had an amazing weekend. If you follow me on Twitter and Instagram you’ll already know this, but I have been so busy with features on the blog I forgot to post this…
I was featured in Men’s Fitness Magazine in their October issue to give some advice on my men’s grooming tips. I recommended Dover MEN+Care post shave balm, something I really like and have featured on the blog before, such as in my men’s grooming day post as well as the Dove MEN+Care review.
If you are looking for a Sunday read then you can get the magazine, if you don’t like paper you can get it on the app I believe 😉
We went out in Newcastle on Saturday night, and it was good. The rugby World Cup is on, and even though I don’t like rugby there’s a good atmosphere in Newcastle when there’s a game on. Newcastle is hosting a few games in the rugby World Cup, the first was on Saturday afternoon with South Africa and Scotland, not only that, England were playing in the evening too. So I decided to pick a bar to meet which I knew didn’t have a TV, so we went to Browns. Then discovered that they do have a TV, but the place was not too busy It was a good atmosphere in the town, with plenty of South African fans, probably more than Scottish actually, but there were a few in kilts.
We have a fan park near St. James’ Park, but I noticed signs up that said ‘at capacity’ so I imagine there were a lot of people there. We have big screen at the Monument to watch the games too, it was quite busy, the security were not letting people access Grey Street so I had to walk around.
We went to a few places, a mix from Fitzgeralds, Grey Street No.1, Alvino, The Monkey Bar, The Old George and then tried Filthy McNasty’s for the first time. It’s a late style bar which has been open a few months and took over the space which was previously Blu Bambu. It’s a fairly decent bar which has 2 guys playing guitars singing random pop rock songs live which is something different from the pop/house music which gets played at most late bars. If you’ve ever been to Blu Bambu when it was open you’ll know that all the action was downstairs, they don’t have that open and there’s only the upstairs, but maybe they will in the future.
When it comes to fashion trends, I have always loved 90’s style. It’s the decade which I grew up in, so the clothing from the decade always has fond memories for myself.
It was in the past, and was a bit retro, but then several years ago came the re-emergence of the 90’s trends, with the biggest menswear labels of the day making a comeback.
Are you looking to get some 90’s style, or create the perfect outfit? Read the guide below to know the best brands, key pieces of clothing and must have items for any 90’s style outfit.
Nudie Jeans have released their Autumn 2015 collection which includes premium selvedge denim at it’s heart. There’s several key pieces including pairs of jeans, shirts, outerwear all made from organic cotton.
Your favourite fits are back for this season, including Steady Eddy, Straight Alf, Grim Tim and Thin Finn available, so whichever fit is your style you’ll be able to get it in in the latest Autumn collection.
As you know I love my scents and smells, just head on over to my fragrance directory if you’re in any doubt! 😛 However when it comes to deodorants or antiperspirants my favourite things to use are products which are pretty much odourless or have a neutral, clean smell, like the Dove+MEN Care Clean Comfort which I wrote about on Men’s Grooming Day. The reason I prefer an odourless or natural spray is simple; I don’t want it to clash with whatever fragrance I’m wearing, and I usually wear one every day. I do occasionally use a scented spray, such as Lynx Black, or some others, depending on my mood.
I bought a Rituals set as a gift for father’s day, it was a set and a blind buy, having known Rituals do good stuff I decided to go for it, it was a nice little set so I thought why not. A few weeks ago I had to have a try of the spray to see what it smelled like…And I loved it! In fact I loved it so much I had to get myself a can, and I have! 🙂
The Rituals Samurai Cool Deo is a 24 hour antiperspirant spray, which not only works well, but smells beautiful. A lot of sprays are simply deodorants which are only made as a smell, i.e. they do nothing for sweat other than covering it up. This not only smells beautiful, it’s an antiperspirant too, which means it will stop you from sweating.
The scent is organic bamboo and cedar wood, which is incredibly fresh with a very masculine tone to it. The can is a nice blue colour, with faux wood top, and feels nice and premium. It does come at a cost, this 200ml bottle was £8, so it’s not cheap as cheap as a regular high street brand, but I do think that it’s worth a bit extra.
I highly recommend this if you are looking for something with a beautiful smell without having to go for a bottle of aftershave or EDT, with the added bonus of being an antiperspirant too.
I did not know there was going to be a Super moon, or Super blood moon since it was all red/orange in the early hours of this morning until I stumbled across a few people talking about it. Earlier in the year in Newcastle we had a brilliant view of the Solar Eclipse, and I got some amazing shots, so I decided I had to see this rare event for myself again.
This time round however it was pitch black, and in the middle of the night…Well early hours of the morning, with it all starting at around 01:10 until around 4AM. I checked the timings and decided to go out for just before 3AM, where it was said it would be red and near the peak of the lunar eclipse. I just got out in time to see the end part of the eclipse, and them saw the super blood moon in all it’s glory. I then stayed out for an hour or so snapping pics, and taking it all in. It really is such a good sight.
The larger looking moon photos are cropped at 100%, and the others are cropped to fit the blog. The photos turned out OK, I think I should get better lenses if I am doing even more of this astronomy photography LOL 😉
For the camera geeks – These were shot on my Canon 600D with a 55-250mm lens; I used various settings, I found F5.6 (the widest the lens goes) at 100 ISO for upwards of 4 seconds was pretty decent.
Recently the guys over at Tailor4Less got in touch with me to ask if I wanted to test drive their service.
They are a retailer who offer a complete custom suit service online with a plethora of options including choice of fabrics, fit, style, size and as far as finishing touches such as embroidered detailing on the inside of the jacket.
I took them up on the challenge and got to work picking my suit.
Autumn is here which means for a lot of people back to school, college or Uni, and for those of us who are out of studying it’s a new season to get in style for. Whether you’re back at Uni or at work, the chances are you use a bag of sorts to keep your daily needs with you wherever you go. If you’re looking for a refresh, I have a few recommendations for you.
I was lucky enough to get my hands on the Little America Backpack by Herschel Supply Co. from UNDSCVRD. Herschel Supply Co. have become one of the most popular and fashionable backpack brands out there in the last few years, and it’s not hard to understand why. Their backpacks are not only stylish, but they’re really good quality, and above all, practical which is a core feature which you should be looking for when selecting a backpack.
The design is inspired from a mountaineering backpack, with leather strapping being the key to the design. The main compartment is accessed with the leather straps, which are kept closed using magnetic clasps, meaning you have easy access to get into the backpack while keeping it secure. It’s made from polyester, meaning it’s easy to keep clean and will stand up well against the elements. The front also features a small pouch pocket, perfect for small gadgets or loose coins. It’s secured by magnetic clasps again which hides the zipper compartment, once again keeping your goods secure.
The insides are the signature Herschel Supply Co. striped fabric, with a padded laptop sleeve which will support up to a 15″ laptop, it’s perfect to keep any device separated including a tablet or even a DSLR camera. One of my favourite features about this bag is the backing and the straps; If you’ve ever had a backpack on your back for long periods you’ll know it’s not always the weight which makes things uncomfortable, it’s the straps. This is addressed with custom Air Mesh straps and and Air Mesh back which gives unbelievable comfort.
You can get this from UNDSCVRD
About UNDSCVRD
As mentioned, I got this backpack from UNDSCVRD, but they do a lot more than this Little America Backpack. If you’re looking for a fashionable bag that packs a lot of style as well as your daily products, they’ll have something for you. From contemporary backpacks to messenger bags, laptop sleeves, wallets and leather goods, you’ll find them all under one roof. They have the labels you’ll already know and love, and are home to The North Face, Eastpak and Herschel Supply Co. as well as some great exclusive, boutique brands.
This includes the high end brand Porter, the main brand of Yoshida & Co. which has been around since 1962, and takes the name from a porter, who carries bags into a hotel. The Japanese brand is famous for it’s high standards, with it’s bags being exclusively being produced in Japan using high quality materials and skilled craftsman.
Crafted Goods are another brand to keep an eye on. With ethics and quality at it’s heart, their bags are designed in Switzerland and Japan while being manufactured in house at their factory in Bogotá, Columbia where they guarantee good working conditions for their workers. There bags are made to last, with their coveted Ballistic using the best quality raw materials and components.
Here’s a couple of other bags which caught my eye.
Backpacks
Crafted Goods Ballistic Kaminito | Herschel Nylon – Lawson Navy | Eastpak: Floid Black2
Messenger Bags
Sandqvist: Erik Messenger Blue | Crafted Goods: Carrerita – Black | Eastpak Claster Black
*This post was written in collaboration with UNDSCVRD
Welcome to Michael 84 – A men’s fashion blog and lifestyle guide from the UK. You’ll find the best in fashion, style, male grooming, fragrances, travel, tech and modern living.
Read about the latest fashion for men. Everything from luxury designer menswear to affordable casual clothing to keep you on trend. You’ll always look stylish with effortless fashion tips and up to date information on the latest style trends.
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