NAKED palette, £27, Urban Decay

Calm yourselves ladies, because the Holy Grail of eye shadow palettes is here… The Urban Decay NAKED palette has arrived. But hurry, because this palette won’t be hanging around for long… the palette is currently exclusive to House of Fraser, and last week it flew off our shelves quicker than we ever thought possible, so you’re going to have to act quick if you want to own this magical makeup.

Everyone’s after the NAKED palette because the colour range is just perfect for every skin tone. The range of shades means you can go chic and natural or dramatic and smokey. The 24/7 eye pencil is double ended with a stunning rich chocolate shade and a classic black. The set also comes with a travel-size eyeshadow primer potion to keep your gorgeous eye makeup in place.

Click here to buy the NAKED palette

They’re back, they’re quintessentially English and if you’ve never had a bash at wearing one, then now’s the time.

Yes gents, the humble pocket square has returned to the forefront of formalwear and if you play your cards right, it’ll elevate you in the style stakes – from rough diamond to sartorial superman.

To get the look right, check out our foolproof tips, collated by our very own dapper gents about the office, Luke and Aaron…

Top tips:

Colour:

Luke: ‘One of the first things to figure out is colour. You should coordinate the hue of the pocket square with the hue of the tie, or for added sophistication try matching it with the hue of the tie pattern (rather than the background colour).’

Aaron: ‘I agree with Luke, but I think an exact match of pocket square to tie can sometimes look a bit cheap. I like the colours to complement each other but not match exactly.’

Folds:

The classic one point

Luke: ‘One of my favourite folds – and the easiest way to wear a pocket square. Made for formal occasions, you should wear a white square with a tuxedo and solid black bow tie for a striking, elegant look. Think Martini, think casino, think Brosnan – superb.’

And here’s how you do it:

1. Open up the square and fold it in half lengthways
2. Fold it again in the other direction (so you have a square)
3. Position your square in a diamond shape with the non-folded edges at the top
4. Fold the left hand corner into the centre of the square
5. Fold the right hand corner into the centre of the square to meet the other point
6. You should now have something resembling a bacon and cheese folded pastry (I’m serious!)
7. Slide this into your pocket (the square, not the pastry…)

The square

Luke: ‘Another dead easy style, the square is good for tuxedo nights, but I prefer the one point…

How to get squared:

Just follow the same steps as for the classic one point, but instead of inserting it with the point upwards, insert it so that one whole edge of your square is poking out horizontally.

The puff

Aaron: …’this is a slightly less formal fold but great for when it’s too hot to wear a tie but you still want to cut a dash around the office.’

How to perfect a puff:

1. Lay your pocket square flat
2. Pinch the centre of the square with your fingers and lift it up leaving the corners to drop down
3. Wrap your thumb and forefinger around the hanging square at its midway point.
4. Fold the hanging points up and stuff the square in – keeping the ends pocking out the top of the pocket

And, finally – don’t get your squares mixed: a pocket handkerchief is made from linen woven cloth or white cotton cloth – perfect for giving a clean, finished effect. Meanwhile, pocket squares are made from fabrics like silk, cashmere or wool for a softer feel.

To smarten up your wardrobe, check out our selection of pocket squares…

Ralph Lauren long sleeved shirt, £90

Another week, another great shirt for you to feast your eyes on.

This week’s selection is a wonderful design from Ralph Lauren.

This casual long sleeve stripe shirt is in a fresh candy pink with the essential Ralph Lauren logo embroidered to the left of the chest. Pink shirts have had a renaissance recently and this is a great chance to own a stylish version. Pink suits most skin tones and goes down well with the ladies when worn on a man. It exudes confidence.

This easy to wear shirt is perfect for wearing to work but also to your favourite bars on a Friday night. Wear it with chinos and loafers for a classic preppy look or take it casual and low key with your favourite pair of blue jeans.

 Make Friday the highlight of your week and place your order on this shirt before 3pm today and have it delivered tomorrow for only £6 when you choose next day delivery. That way you get your shirt delivered in time to wear for your big Friday or Saturday night out! Start your weekend off with a stylish pink designer shirt.

On 16^th August 2010 the giants of the fashion industry Chanel unveiled its new scent for men Bleu de Chanel, it is the first major men’s fragrance launch since 2004’s Allure Homme Sport.

Bringing a touch of suave roguish charm, the undeniably handsome French actor Gaspard Ulliel (star of 2007’s Hannibal Rising) is the new face of Bleu de Chanel. Director extraordinaire Martin Scorsese has also been brought on board to direct a film especially for the launch. The film will make its debut September 2010.

So, there’s an attractive man as the face of the fragrance, but what does it smell like we here you cry?!

Well, we’re glad you asked… the scent is concocted by the company’s in-house master perfumer Jacques Polge. It has top notes of grapefruit, peppermint, pink pepper, nutmeg and ginger; and a heart of dry cedar and jasmine, the dry down is a combination of vetiver, patchouli and frankincense. The overall scent, is clean, fresh and modern, and perfect scent for day or night.

But wait that’s not all…

Bleu de Chanel is in fact an innovative formula that not only makes you smell gorgeous but also refreshes your skin and helps tightens pores; leaving you with sensually scented, soft-to-the-touch skin. What more could you possibly want?

We predict Bleu de Chanel becoming a cult classic.

Click here to find your nearest stockist:

 http://www.houseoffraser.co.uk/store+locations/M098_STORE_LOCATIONS,default,pg.html

The journey in to work is never going to be the most amazing of trips but recently I have seen something that I found truly shocking…

 As I endure my daily commute, my eyes have been drawn to something so terrible that I find it hard to retell…

On more than one occasion I have had the dismay of witnessing an average businessman wearing his well-made well-tailored suit accessorised with nothing other a shabby backpack.

Wearing a backpack when you are not hiking or in fulltime education is bad enough but to put so much effort into making yourself look professional and smart, and then to go and ruin it with a backpack is just baffling.

It is not only a crime against fashion, but does it really send out the best message? When a promotion is on the table it could just be the difference between you and Dave from accounts with the dapper briefcase.

Ok, so perhaps I am getting carried away, but detail is important both in outfitting and at work. ‘What can I use instead?’ I hear you cry, well, the obvious and most traditional bag for men of the working world has always been the briefcase. The briefcase has recently been enjoying a renaissance and all the top designers now offer their update on the menswear accessory classic.

But then there is also the satchel with a shoulder strap that makes it both incredibly stylish and practical. Then, of course there is the modern ‘man bag’, in fact there’s a wealth of stylish yet practical options for us chaps to choose from for work. There is really no excuse.

I personally like to match my bag with the rest of my leathers of that day, so for example; if I’m wearing brown leather loafers, my belt and watch will be in the same shade along with my bag for the day. It makes a subtle but confident statement. But for your first transition from backpack to grown ups bag, just a stylish bag is enough.

So men of the city I appeal to you to please bin your backpacks and invest in a new bag that you can carry off with style, let the backpack wear you no more and show Dave in accounts just who’s boss.

Here are some of my favourite men’s bags perfect for work:

Vintage rose prom dress, £130, Linea

You’ve worked very hard this week, and you deserve a little treat so check out this divine piece of fashion engineering, which has cheered us up no end.

You will be forgiven for thinking that you may have spotted this little number before… but where? It was of course in Vogue magazine, this gorgeous dress is set to be the ‘It’ dress of the season, it’s already appeared in Vogue and Stylist as well as a few other glossies.

Why is the fashion world going crazy for this fabulous rose print dress? Well, it’s because it’s beautiful, flattering, perfectly on trend and will look amazing with a pair of peep toe heels in sultry black or postbox red… make Stepford Wives meets Courtney Love as your inspiration and work this look with a touch of rock star attitude.

Don’t forget if you live within the M25, Milton Keynes or selected areas within Birmingham you qualify for same day delivery, so you can order before 12pm today and get it this evening in time for the weekend… what a treat!

Click here to buy

J Lindeberg Long Sleeve Tartan Shirt, £65

Yet again, it’s that great time of the week! The Famous Friday Shirt is here!

What better way to reward yourself for making it through the week than with a wonderful new shirt!?

This week’s selection is a wee tartan beauty.

Tartan is a classic pattern that never leaves the fashion scene and this J Lindeberg long sleeve tartan shirt is a great example.

A wonderful variation on the ever popular check shirt, this tartan shirt will be a welcome addition to your weekend outfits. Easily worn with jeans and trainers or chinos and loafers.

For a more relaxed look that’s perfect for warmer weathers why not roll up the sleeves for a casual finish.

Make Friday the highlight of your week and place your order on this shirt before 3pm today and have it delivered tomorrow for only £6 when you choose next day delivery. That way you get your shirt delivered in time to wear for your big Friday or Saturday night out! Is there a better way to start the weekend than with a brand spanking new trendy shirt? No, we don’t think so.

There’s something afoot in the world of men’s fashion – thanks to the phenomenon of ‘3D denim’, the humble jeans are no longer humble…Enter the latest denim offering from the boffins at G-Star – the ‘Arc Pant’…

Following hot on the heels of their earlier 3D successes, (the Ellwood and A Crotch styles), G-Star have developed the Arc’s tapered leg and unique 3D shape using mind-bogglingly complex techniques.

The highly architectural cut of the Arc features a low-crotch, straight-hip and asymmetric tapered leg that “turns”, thanks to its twisted seams. The result? A highly wearable, unique silhouette, that’s set to become a cult favourite.

Our advice? Bag a pair of these ultra cool denims now while they’re still on the down-low – they’ll be global before you know it!

Shop The Arc

This weekend has been all about vintage, if you haven’t seen the news or picked up a magazine or newspaper then you may be excused for missing the event of the summer. Vintage at Goodwood kicked off, it is the first year for this fabulous festival dedicated to all things vintage from fashion to music, and it has been an incredible if not wet retro extravaganza.

We were there checking it out and getting our boots a little muddy. Yes it’s been raining, yes we were cold, but no that didn’t dampen our spirits… perhaps it was the war time victory curls or perhaps just plain excitement but we stayed elated all weekend long. The festival continues until tomorrow night, so if you still fancy going you’ve still got tomorrow, and rumour has it that there are still tickets available!

It is so much fun, from a fairground to a roller disco there’s something for everyone. The whole area is separated into sections, there’s the 1940s war time chic complete with allotments and a Tanqueray music hall, then there’s a 1980s inspired skate park and warehouse clubbing area, as well as a rock theatre, a leisure dome, a Butlins for the little ones and lots and lots of shopping.

There’s also workshops that cater for everyone from pros to complete beginners, so you can learn how to make a mini dress or even a clutch bag. We decided to try our hand at a spot of knitting (for beginners) this turned out to be mighty hard although strangely addictive and has already become the hobby of the weekend, although it’s unlikely that anything more than a coaster will be knitted from our clumsy hands.

Being serious fashion lovers we couldn’t help drop into a few catwalk shows, The Chap fashion show was a fab satrirical take on fashion through the ages. Patti Boyd also held an interesting peek into her wardrobe and favourite music tracks. It really is all about the fashion, with revellers showing off their best vintage looks. There were 1940s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and even 90s, from Nu-rave grandmothers to 70s boho babes almost everyone dressed up and looked fabulous. Even the children looked sublime in their Just William-esque regalia.

As well as the fashion there were numerous impromptu performances, as well as the big acts including Faces and The Noisettes. Sandi Shaw performed an amazing set whilst world acclaimed burlesque performer Kitten Von Mews worked her wartime charm.

But when you tire of all that music and vintage shopping – there really is loads of shopping from high street retailers like Cath Kidston to a whole marketplace packed full of vintage buys – you could drop by the salon. For just £15 anyone could have their hair and makeup done in whichever era they fancy. We went for 1940s to compliment our Edge of Love ensembles, that meant big eyes, saucy red lips and victory curls to match, it looked so good that we’re wondering about sporting it forever more.

It really has been action packed, and a weekend to remember, bring on next year! Stay tuned for more pics and some video clips…

It’s that time of the week and boy, what a week it’s been!

What has happened to the summer?! The way the weather’s been you have to grab those picnics and beer garden weather days when you can. Why is it that it’s always wet on a weekend but sunny and scorching on a work day?

Never mind. Here is this week’s selection for the famous Friday Shirt.

G-Star Western short sleeve gingham shirt

Checks are one of the hottest trends in menswear and gingham is the perfect pattern for this season. Easy to wear, eye-catching and classically stylish, this gingham shirt is a great choice for wearing to those barbeques and beer garden sunny afternoons (come rain or shine)!

Order yours before 3pm today and for only £6 (next day delivery charge); you’ll be wearing it tomorrow! Or as this shirt is  over £50 it will qualify you for free standard delivery (in which it will arrive 3-5 days later). What more could you want?