Who's for Polo? US Polo Association Range @Shoon

shoon.com

Brand new @ Shoon in late Summer by US Polo Association are three top casual shoes for dressed down and confident style. Launched very recently the range is full of clever and stylish contrasts, assured comfort and subtle American confidence.

Amadeus 4 Suede in Dark Blue - Italian Suede, American innovation - £85

The Amadeus, an exceptionally comfortable boot with nice contrasting stitching would have done well with a small hallmark, a whisper of the brand tucked under the tongue or on the sole. US Polo Association are clearly proud of their logo and by placing it, in red prominently on the outside of the boot both gives a smart colour contrast and a statement of intent: 'Show these off'. American bravado executed with Italian flair.

Dalan 3 Suede in Brown - Stars and Stripes and Suede - £69

This special relationship of old world craftsmanship and new world industry is evident in the Dalan 3 Suede and Canvas designs. Both offer similar design and could be matched with relaxed or smart jeans, trousers or chinos. I would be tempted however to wear the suede with chinos and trousers and the canvas with jeans. That suede texture would sit nicely against a flat, dark blue chino.

Dalan 3 Canvas in Bordo - Lightweight, comfort and colour - £59

The thick, cushioned rubber sole on both Dalans make for an attractive lace up shoe. Again the logo is contrasted with colour this time white on red. The shade of red is well picked and will do nicely with smart, dark blue denim.
 

Both Dalan Suede and Canvas are web-exclusive @ shoon.com

I'm certain this is a brand that will push on. There is an exceptional feel of comfort wearing the Amadeus that only comes with good quality materials and solid design. An impressive range. Go over to shoon.com and take a look gents.

Fifty Words On - The Savile Row Eye Mask - Otis Batterbee

Gents we all should know now just how crucial a decent nights kip is. The Savile Row Eye Mask by British firm Otis Batterbbe provides a achingly suave aide to good rest; put Netflix down and relax. The mask is beautifully designed with a selection of soft, deep colours obviously painstakingly chosen to prove optimal comfort. The strap is nicely firm and holds in place on the head but isn't too tight as to distract or squeeze you. I received mine as a gift and when told it was going to smell of lavender I was slightly concerned; worry that was wildly unjustified. I find that lavender can be a sickly, heavy aroma, not here. It's a gentle smell, not overpowering and genuinely relaxing. Made in the UK also gives you confidence, the workmanship is sublime and deeply impressive. Bus loads of effort has been put in to this, the gentle lavender, soft material and fine design is no fluke, there is care and passion in this mask which excites me. An excellent product that looks like it belongs in BA's First Class that you can use everyday; I've used mine plenty. Available from otisbatterbee.com and priced at £45.

otisbatterbee.com

50 Words On...Christopher Ward C5 Malvern Quartz MK II

I was given this watch as a birthday treat from the girlfriend, it was probably her subtle way of telling me to pay more attention to time, as in 'stop watching YouTube, it's nearly midday and you aren't even dressed yet!'. She certainly has achieved her goal, I can't stop looking at my wrist now! This is a classy watch, with it's quintessentially English design, the C5 Malvern Quartz is a 'bit of a looker'. You can match it with smart office attire but just as easily with jeans and a t-shirt, this really is one of the best luxury watches on the market. The C5 comes with an Italian brown leather strap, which has an easy opening butterfly clasp, the pin remains in the hole that best fits your wrist. All the mechanical movements of the watch are Swiss, they are the best engineers, so why would you want anything else?

 

 

 

 

At a very reasonable £165, you can't really go wrong with the C5 Malvern Quartz. All watches from Christopher Ward come with an owner's handbook, a certificate of authenticity (not that I would ever doubt the girlfriend!) and a washable micro fibre cleaning cloth for maintenance.

You can order your Malvern Quartz MK II today at the following link:
http://www.christopherward.co.uk/men/dress/c5qmk2/c5-q-swt-mk2.html

 

 

 

Shoe of the Day - Steptronic Aston Chelsea @ Shoon

Steptronic are all about comfort and these excellent Chelsea boots are certainly that. I've had my pair for a long time and not only do they age very very well they are by far and a way the most comfortable shoes I have ever owned. Seriously. The design is classic and unobtrusive, providing genuine versatility; you can wear these out in the evening as easily as watching the football or shopping. There's good, rich tan leather which goes great with dark jeans. Love mine. Possibly the best £115 ever spent. Available at shoon.com.

shoon.com

Shoe of the Day - Jeffery - West's Bonham 'Kashmir Suede Chukka Boot Cirera Red

A stunning Red Suede Chukka Boot from a 'Fifty Words On' favourate Jeffery-West is our shoe pick for today and what a boot the Bonham is. All the class and design of any Jeffery-West shoes is here in buckets and the well shaped and finely cut composition synonymous with this superb British brand is clearly evident in these casual boots perfect for Spring and Summer. Some simple punched detail is used well here, sitting nicely against the texture of the suede. We love the subtle blue contrasting laces and trim against the excellent 'Cirera Red' which will provide a classy, British made flash of colour wherever you wear them. Available at jeffery-west.co.uk and priced at £245.

jefferey-west.co.uk

Shoe of the Day - M&S Best of British Monk Strap

Marks and Spencer's Best of British range includes some corking men's footwear and the Monk Strap is no exception. Handcrafted by Joseph Cheaney & Sons is a good start to proceedings bringing that classic British design and production to M&S; an impressive and exciting collaboration. £285 is quite a startling sum of money to buy a pair of shoes from M&S but it demonstrates their commitment to bringing genuine quality to their collection. These are excellent shoes, well proportioned and cut. The monk strap is very much on trend at the moment and these are some of the best. Nicely coloured with superb punched design. Available at marksandspencer.com and priced at £285.

marksandspencer.com

British Fashion Fundamentals - Spring Casuals

Our second in our series of British Fashion Fundamentals showcases three casual British pieces that are ideal for Spring.

Despite Spring being imminent, remember we are still in the United Kingdom and will be susceptible to rain, hail, cloud, any type of weather imaginable to human consciousness and known science. Versatile pieces for Spring therefore are utterly essential as you'll look unprepared in shorts and flip flops when the rain comes.

These items have been chosen not only because they are made in the UK but because they offer understated, casual style and should be staples in any gentleman's wardrobe.


Here's our three top picks;



Hengrave Bomber Jacket - lavenhamjackets.com - £315


This outstanding bomber jacket from Suffolk firm Lavenham is an easy choice. Contemporary and very stylish, the Hengrave is everything you could want in a jacket for Spring. Great design, cleanly cut and with excellent choice of colour, the Hengrave can easily be thrown on over t-shirts when the sun vanishes and the clouds appear. An excellent choice of blue keeps the jacket understated whilst some red trim adds some nicely contrasting red. Leather and wool have been combined masterfully to add texture to this complete package. A must buy.

lavenhamjackets.com

Red and White Block Stripe T-Shirt - leithclothing.com - £30

A really great T-shirt chaps is so important to any wardrobe in any season, Spring is no exception. You need a t-shirt that can hold it's own and anchor an outfit by itself with shorts, and look great under an open jacket too. This is a fine example. Nicely spaced and sized stripes are complimented with a great deep red and clean, crisp white. Wear with just about anything and well worth £30 of anyone's money.

leithclothing.com

Blue Hemp Jeans - cockandbullmenswear.co.uk - £120

A Fifty Words On favourite, we've featured Cock and Bull Menswear's superb boxer shorts and the same attention to detail and passion for sustainability are evident in these fantastic  blue hemp jeans. Jeans should be well cut, shaped and of course comfortable; these fit the bill perfectly. British made jeans are an exciting prospect and these are remarkably well priced for British production and quality. Clearly made with a passion for design and a commendable philosophy, these are a great choice for Spring with a t-shirt or relaxed button up shirt.

cockandbullmenswear.co.uk

Shoe of the Day - Clark's Desert Rustler, Ox-blood

Clarks shoes have decades of retail know-how and design to draw from and they have done exceptionally well in doing so with the Desert Rustlers. Under the 'Men's Originals' umbrella, Clarks are aiming to use every bit of that experience in producing some timeless men's shoes for the modern market. The Desert Rustler in Ox-Blood is a perfect example of this well thought and interesting collection. Deep, simple leather is contrasted nicely with a prominent wedge. Understated and something a little different for that Spring dressed down look. A web exclusive at clarks.co.uk and priced at £99.

clarks.co.uk

50 Words On...Gary Clark Jr

From Austin, Texas, Gary Clark Jr has been described as the future sound of blues. With his distinctive fuzzy guitar and effortlessly smooth vocals, his latest offering 'Blak and Blu' has won the Texan numerous awards, including a Grammy for the song 'Ain't Messing Around'. At just 30 years old, there is plenty more to come from this man; we here at 50 Words suggest you check him out when he pops over this summer on his very brief UK tour. We will be at his London gig, so stay tuned for a full live review.

 

Tickets available at Ticketmaster today - http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/Gary-Clark-Jr-tickets/artist/1583670

 

Just to give you a little taster of what Gary Clark sounds like live, here's a performance of 'Bright Lights' from the Crossroads Guitar Festival 2010.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_ZeDn-hHGE

 

Shoe of the Day - John White's Dublin Black Calf

A clever new design from John White Shoes, the Dublin Black Calf is a superb smart brogue, perfect for Spring either for the office or out and about. I like the superb punched detail all the way round the shoe, it gives some great texture to the nice black calf leather. The contrasting brown striped heel provides some further distinction and clearly a lot of well thought out and considered design has gone in to this attractive and affordable brogue. Available at johnwhiteshoes.com and priced at £130.

johnwhiteshoes.com

50 Words On.... Infamous Second Son

We were big fans of the first two installments of 'infamous' so we were keen to see what the next - gen console could do for the game. It didn't disappoint. Right from the start it utilizes every feature of the controller including it's built in speaker. The graphics are superb as you would expect and the game-play is nicely interactive. A strong 8/10 from FWO. Available from Tesco for £47. Played on PS4. 

Shoe of the Day - Timberland's @ Shoon Classic 2 Eye Boat Shoe, Rootbeer Smooth

The  Classic 2 Eye Boat shoe from Timberland @ Shoon is a dressed down Spring and Summer must buy. Timberland are renowned for durability and comfort and whilst these classic boat shoes have both, they also look great. I like the lighter stitching around the toe, it adds some nice contrast and brightens up what would otherwise be a very dark shoe. The colour, 'Rootbeer Smooth' is rich, dark and stylish and these will effortlessly go with most of your Spring and Summer shorts and chinos. Classic design and will match with anything, get them in for the warmer weather. Available at shoon.com - £99.

shoon.com

Shoe of the Day - Base London 'Jackpot' Waxy Tan Boot

Today we have hit the Jackpot - quite literally! Base London have created a sleek, simplistic design for this tan boot and all priced at a reasonable £69.99. Pair with suit trousers to look effortlessly cool in the office or a pair of dark navy, straight legged jeans for a night on the town. A truly comfortable wear as well, the soft leather is designed to mould around the wearers foot.

 

Pick up a pair today @ http://www.baselondon.com/product/NZ03240/JACKPOT+WAXY+TAN

 

British Essentials For A Day At The Cricket

Little else is as exciting as the start of the Cricket season here in the UK. It foreshadows long summer days and evenings lazily spent in shorts, hats and sunglasses. With the season starting in just under four weeks, it's about time to get some new gear in which to have a few beers with your mates whilst taking in a local, county or country game. Now unless you're donning fancy dress, you'll need some comfortable and good looking clobber, whether you're in the stands, picnicking next to the boundary or in the champagne tent.  

Hemmy Pocket T-Shrt, Navy White - albamclothing.com - £45

Look and keep cool in this 100% cotton striped jersey from Nottingham - based outfit Albam Clothing. The Hemmy is super casual and looks great. Well spaced striped design and a handy pocket both make for excellent cricket - watching attire. I love the spacing on the stripes and the colours are timeless and stylish. Perfect for relaxing in the sunshine. 

albamclothing.com

SunGod Custom Classics Sunglasses - sungod.co/shop - £35

Insanely lightweight and durable SunGod's sunglasses are made to last and are extremely good value for money. I ordered my pair last year and it is almost impossible to describe just how light they are. The emphasis with these glasses is comfort and customization; you're in control of the colour of the lenses, frames and fronts which gives you a great opportunity to custom-build your glasses to your personality. Very useful watching the cricket and they look great.

sungod.co

Dartmoor Shorts, Yellow - commonpeopleclothing.co.uk - £90



Edinburgh firm Common People Clothing's Dartmoor Shorts in Yellow are the perfect accompaniment to a day's cricket. Well cut and designed, these Manchester-made shorts are smart and understated with a superb summer yellow colour. The shorts are linen and cotton made so they will breathe nicely stopping you from overheating in the sun the way denim perhaps would. Great statement shorts.

commonpeopleclothing.co.uk

Keeping Your Technology Safe With British Style

If you are anything like us you will have had a terrible experience of dropping and possibly breaking a very expensive piece of technology. Whilst the possibility of having your ipad knocked out of your hands by some wandering drunken harlequin is very real, (including regrettable instances when you are the harlequin) measures can be taken to protect your treasured gear.

The assured British gentleman will seek to make a style statement with everything he does, wears and buys. We've picked some of the finest British made tech - accessories that are as much chic as shields.


iPhone 5/5S/5C Leather Case, Tan, Bukcase Cote - bukcase.com - £25


The Bukcase iPhone case is from popular British firm Bukcase is the ideal companion to your iPhone. Hand stitched in England, the case is secure and practical. Available in two classic colours, tan and black, we've plumped for tan although the choice is yours. What is impressive about the Cote however is a separate unobtrusive sleeve, splendidly convenient for bank cards and ideal for when stepping out lightly. Perfect for summer festivals, sporting events and nights out. Looks great too.

bukcase.com

Nappali for iPdad, Black, Covert Accessories - covertaccessories.com - £65


Super stylish and lightweight, the Nappali case for the ipad is one of the best looking we've seen. Very assured and understated the Nappali is a top pick for keeping your iPad safe and sound whilst oozing class. The key property of this well cut and stylish case is that great looking leather, you can be confident that it will mature and age perfectly with use. Available in either black or a rich tan, the Nappali is also secure and functional. An outstanding iPad case and a worthy purchase for any confident chap. Nappali phone cases are also available to fit a wide selection of phones. A snip at £65 too.

covertaccessories.com

Grafton Laptop Briefcase in Sundance Floodlight Leather, tusting.com - £599


The Aston Martin of British made briefcases the Grafton by Tusting is a fantastic blend of functionality, high fashion and design containing a perfectly sized compartment for your laptop. Of course the colour is excellent as is the shape and size; effortless and refined British class. Of course this kind of design does not come cheaply but should you be looking to protect an expensive piece of technology, crucial to business and pleasure then this is a solid investment. An adjustable shoulder strap allows both freedom and security whilst you're on the move and there's ample space for paper documents too. A revelation.

tusting.com

Shoe of the Day - Sanders & Sanders Dylan, Blue

The Dylan by Sanders & Sanders is a creative and impressive take on the double monk strap that is so bang on trend. Effortlessly cool and inventive, the Dylan combines excellent British design and craftsmanship to create something really quite special. The navy on the Dylan is a fine, dark and rich shade and sits perfectly well with the texture of the suede. A red sole adds some good contrast and the buckles are well spaced and sized. A great pick for Spring and Summer and would do well with some good chinos on a warm Spring evening in the pub garden. Visionary. Available at sanders-uk.com and priced at £225.

sanders-uk.com

Spring/Summer Wardrobe Starter Kit Essentials

There has been hints, we're almost 100% sure, of a decent spring on the way. Either way we're scrubbing down the BBQ and switching to cider supping season. Neither of these can be done properly in jeans and jumpers, it's time to break out the summer wardrobe. Check out our very reasonable summer essentials..

 

The Shorts

ASOS are the byword on great service and value, and their own range turns out some great items too. These dapper Chino shorts will look the part whatever you get up to in the sun. At just £25 delivered order yourself three pairs, spill beer on them, cover them in grass stains from the outfield, charge full tilt into the surf, just don't worry about them!! Maximise your summer, order now from http://www.asos.com

 

 

The Glasses - Smoked Phantoms

Manufactured in Britain, these aviator style sunnies are the all-time summer stalwart. Offering 100% UVA+B protection, these little crackers are on sale at just £20. Please support our British brands, order a couple of pairs for those days where it's unlikely your designer pair will make it home in one piece, order now at http://www.sportinghares.com

 

The Shoes - Navy Portland

This super-soft, super-stylish suede boat shoe will see you through long summer days in comfort. The classic moccasin construction can transcend any summer activity where sandals may leave you red faced and barefoot.  Available from the Chatham website for a very reasonable £55 http://www.chatham.co.uk/portland-navy

 

Shoe of the Day - Grenson's Archie, Blue

A superb Grenson shoe was our very first 'Shoe of the Day' and it would be easily justifiable to for us to write only about Grenson's sublime British footwear. The 'Archie' in blue is of course, tremendous. You will see similar designs on the high street, you may notice blue shoes this Spring but none will be comparable to 'Archie'. The cut and design is everything you'd expect from Grenson, stylish and smart, comfortable and contemporary. Above all however, is the quality and craftsmanship you are assured with Grenson. Available at grenson.co.uk and priced at £235.

grenson.co.uk

Aftershave of the Week - Ralph Lauren Polo Red

Many of you would have seen the advertising campaign for this fragrance last year, featuring polo player Nacho Figueras driving around, looking cool in a Lamborghini. The bottle design is flawless and just oozes style, the smell, unsurprisingly, is fitting of the red theme. The top notes of red grapefruit, cranberry and Italian lemon mix beautifully with the middle notes of saffron and lavender. The base notes of wood and hot amber complete the scent, it's an energising fragrance best for casual everyday wear.

 

Shoe Of The Day - Chatham Marine Orwell Desert Boot, Indigo

We continue our picks for Spring with these excellent Desert Boots from Chatham Marine. Colour is the key with these super relaxed boots and whilst they come in a variety of colours, Indigo for me is the stand out design, it's rich and offers that welcomed flash of colour on a Spring day. There's some defined stitching here too, not obstructively so however and the cut of the boot and that splendid Indigo is allowed to take centre stage. Available at chatham.co.uk and priced at just £59.

chatham.co.uk