The “Spring 2018” Han Solo

With all the excitement surrounding the release of “The Last Jedi” (which I’m seeing this weekend!) my Star Wars obsession has once again been reignited and kicked into overdrive (as often happens!) so I decided to put together a little warmer-weather look book inspired by everyone’s favourite scruffy lookin’ nerf-herder.

Han Solo is, without a doubt, my favourite character in the Star Wars universe – while a lot of my friends growing up wanted to be Luke, and most people these days think Boba Fett is the ultimate bounty hunter (for some reason) for me, Han has always been the most interesting, most human, and simply coolest character in the franchise.

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The “Menswear Edit” Thirteen

Hot off the heels of yesterdays announcement (my thoughts on which can be read here) I thought I’d do a rough and ready chuck together look book inspired by Jodie Whittaker’s thirteenth Doctor.

This look is fantastic, as I’ve said elsewhere before, and it’s androgynous enough to work for either gender, so here I’ve presented a few close enough menswear alternatives to help evoke the notion of the now iconic image of Jodie Whittaker in character for the first time.

The “Surprisingly Accurate” BoJack Horseman

‘Neigh way, Jose!’ I improvised that line. I mean, it was scripted, but I gave it the ol’ BoJack spin.

Season 4 of the absolutely astounding animated comedy ‘BoJack Horseman’ recently burst onto Netflix and after a day’s worth of heavy bingeing and more coffee and biscuits than I’d care to admit, I’ve watched it all much too soon and now I’m sad there’s no more new episodes to watch.

To placate myself and to satisfy my cravings for BoJack (the character, not the illicit in-universe drug…!) I’ve put together this shockingly effective look-book inspired by the horse-man Horseman!

Preparing to Say Goodbye to Twelve

At the time of writing there are only two episodes left for the twelfth Doctor. Tomorrow sees the finale of series 10 and then we have the Christmas special which will see Peter Capaldi exit the show by regenerating into an (as yet) unannounced actor or actress.

As I sit and type this on a breezy Friday morning, it suddenly strikes me just how unprepared I am to see the end of the twelfth Doctor’s era. Peter Capaldi has, without a shadow of a doubt, been one of the best things to happen to the show since its’ inception back in 1963. Capaldi’s performance has always been that of a true thespian; emotive, deep, layered, and complex. While other fan favourite Doctor’s only went skin deep with many of their more emotional scenes, Capaldi manages to illicit a real gut-wrenching emotional responses from the audience with the merest look.

The “Off Duty” Bill Nye

So I’ve recently discovered the brilliant Netflix produced “Bill Nye Saves the World” and I flipping love it.

Being an Englishman born and bred, I wasn’t too aware of Nye growing up, he didn’t really grace the screens over here but due to the internet I’ve become increasingly aware of him throughout the last decade or so, and what with appearances on shows like ‘The Big Bang Theory’ and Americans’ adoration of the original bow tie bad boy of science, I’d become a fan of Nye’s work by proxy, by cultural osmosis.

So when I saw that Bill Nye was back on screens in a big way this year I was really excited to delve into the show and learn all about small changes and big steps we can all make to help save the world.

In addition to being incredibly informative and entertaining, Bill Nye sports his trademark look throughout the series and it’s pretty clear that few men other than Nye can pull off a bow tie with such a louche attitude.

Combining American collegiate preppiness with a quirky professorial edge, Nye’s personal style is an absolute hallmark of geek culture and it’s a carefully put together look most men would do well to replicate, so without further ado, lets learn how to dress well, look smart, and perhaps (dare I say it) ‘Save the World!’

Doctor Who Tributes from Mrs Bow Tie

It was my birthday the other day! I had an amazing time and was spoilt rotten – aside

Yours truly giving it my best “Time Lord Hand” post at the DWE.

from going to Cardiff to visit the Doctor Who experience (which was amazing!) and getting the Wand Company Twelfth Doctor Sonic Screwdriver (which is awesome!) and having an all round brilliant time, I was lucky enough to get two brand spanking new bow ties from the wonderful Mrs Bow Tie.

The ‘Bang on Trend’ Forrest Gump

There seems to be a correlation between films by Robert Zemeckis and characters that become fashion icons; Marty McFly, Eddie Valiant, and perhaps most surprisingly of all, Forrest Gump.

The 1994 film sees Gump living his life in the most unwittingly audacious way, getting wrapped up in major historical events and meeting an entire pantheon of famous figures along the way.

Gump’s signature look has become a guerrilla cosplay for people who may not even realise that they’ve unwittingly taken inspiration from the eponymous Gump. The stone coloured suit, blue gingham shirt, and white leather Nike Cortez trainers made Forrest’s aesthetic instantly achievable by most people. In 2017, such a minimalist look with a focus on heritage trainers is at the absolute forefront of men’s fashion.

Two Watches Inspired by 007

It’s very rare on this blog that I go into too much depth in regards to accessories.

Indeed, there are so few options available to men when it comes to dressing up an outfit, that often accessories are considered an after-thought by lots of men, or an affectation by a select few.

One of the few pieces that many men are still passionate about, however, is the humble wristwatch. The wristwatch is a piece that was once an absolute necessity, but now (due to the advent of the smartphone) is becoming less and less common. Watches are terrific for adding a little flare to an outfit, without needed to go overboard or feel too dressed up.

Perhaps one of the best watch icons in fiction is Ian Fleming’s 007 – Commander Bond, as he originally appeared in Fleming’s novels, was a man of simplicity and habit and enjoyed high-quality in all aspects of his existence. Indeed, Fleming gave his fictional secret agent many of the same tastes and predilections as he himself had – including an affinity for Rolex watches.

The “Gap Year” Dr Strange

So last night I saw ‘Dr Strange’ and was absolutely blown away by it – in my opinion it’s easily the best Marvel movie in a long time – it’s fresh and exciting, while also introducing some new and interesting elements to the MCU canon. Benedict Cumberbatch is stellar in the role and the entire cast shines in a beautifully realised world of sorcery juxtaposed with the ordinary, everyday world in which we normally live.

On top of all of this, the costumes featured are absolutely stunning and Strange himself looks amazing in all of his outfits, from the slick dinner suit worn in the early movements of the picture, to the training garb he wears as he learns his mystic arts, to when he finally dons the clock of levitation and becomes the Dr Strange comic book fans know and love.

The Bespoke Experience: Three Piece Donegal Tweed

As those who follow me on Twitter will know, I’m getting married in December!

It’s all very exciting and there’s lots of odd jobs still left to do, but recently I got to tick off a big part of my personal to-do list.

Donegal tweed swatch.

The other week I collected my three piece Donegal tweed suit from my tailor in Lincoln. I originally visited Andrew J Musson Bespoke in March to choose my fabric and order the suit which is a very generous wedding present from my Dad and his wife.

My first visit was rather daunting as I only had a vague idea of the sort of thing I wanted. Originally I’d planned for a Blackwatch tartan suit in a much more classical style but, upon talking to Andrew, my fiancé, and my Dad I opted for something a bit more appropriate for a winter wedding in the country.

My partner and I looked through about seven different books of fabric samples before narrowing it down to three (very different!) fabrics, one was a heavyweight wool in navy with a classic chalk stripe, the second was a brown and beige herringbone, and the third was the beautiful Donegal tweed I eventually chose.