Last September I had the pleasure of visiting Chatsworth House to view the latest sculture show being held in the Duke's gardens.
It was so exciting I allowed myself to enjoy it for six months before feeling I should share with you the works seen and the thoughts thought.
In honesty, I have been incredibly drunk since September and unable to upload anything other than the contents of my stomach.
Enjoy,
R. Jay Nudds
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
Monday, 28 February 2011
Sunday, 27 February 2011
The 2007 Dream Team...
Here's a good game for you and the lads - assemble a multi-international football team out of your favourite famous women.
Sounds simple,right? Not so much...
The rules state that each woman must be from a different country (by birth) AND that duplicates may not exist between players. So if I've got Sharon Corr from Ireland, my mate can't have Andrea because Ireland is mine. Not so easy now, is it?
This is my beautifully crafted team from 2007. Nowadays Kate Beckinsale, Rachel McAdams and Emma Watson might make the grade, but it serves for illustrative purposes.
Happy picking! x
Sounds simple,right? Not so much...
The rules state that each woman must be from a different country (by birth) AND that duplicates may not exist between players. So if I've got Sharon Corr from Ireland, my mate can't have Andrea because Ireland is mine. Not so easy now, is it?
This is my beautifully crafted team from 2007. Nowadays Kate Beckinsale, Rachel McAdams and Emma Watson might make the grade, but it serves for illustrative purposes.
Happy picking! x
Friday, 25 February 2011
New F1 Ace on the Blocks...
In light of Robert Kubica's recent and devastating accident (he partially severed his hand and sustained extensive fracture damage to several bones), I am hopeful that the vacant driver's seat in the upcoming F1 season will NOT in fact be filled by German ace, Nick Heidfeld, but me.
I have updated my CV to include several lies regarding my driving prowess, a photocopy of my licence and this picture of me in the Toyata F1 simulator in Paris 2009.
That was news AND a joke. Boom. x
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
I have updated my CV to include several lies regarding my driving prowess, a photocopy of my licence and this picture of me in the Toyata F1 simulator in Paris 2009.
That was news AND a joke. Boom. x
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
Thursday, 24 February 2011
On Style: Frock Coats...
The occasions on which one can wear a frock, or morning coat, are lamentably few and far between. Weddings and Aintree have been the playgrounds of this Victorian gentleman’s staple for too long!
Now, the problem is that despite its undisputed elegance and the benefits it can offer your figure, the frock coat is so outlandish an item that to wear it in anything other than an extremely formal situation is a bit too much. It is important to remember the boundaries of men’s fashion, tighter as they are than the female’s counterpart, restrict how ‘out-there’ we can be without looking like we’re off to a fancy dress party as Oscar Wilde.
Throughout the course of this series of posts I have preached the advantages of clean-cut minimalism, with personal quirks restricted to subtle variations of the norm. The frock coat is a bridge too far to qualify for such a rule, and should be worn with caution. You should own one – you can pick up amazing vintage examples for around £50 if you’re lucky enough to find one in your size (I’ve even had a 42” chest example in my collection that cost a mere fiver, but I had to pass it on to someone it fit) – but you resist the temptation to wear it at every opportunity.
I’m a fan of making a statement: oftentimes I’ve turned up to the roughest pub in Glossop – which happens to be my local and preferred drinking hole – in a full suit, pocket square and silk tie shebang, and got on rather well with it. But that’s only because people know what a suit looks like and, despite the alien location, the clothes themselves are nothing bizarre. A frock coat is bizarre in any situation other than dinner parties, the races or, regrettably, weddings.
But that’s not to say you can’t go to a fancy dress party as Oscar Wilde, Doctor Watson or Prince Albert. For that reason, it’s a necessary addition to your arsenal, albeit a one limited to freak events and lounging around your house on sick days watching Homes Under the Hammer.
Just a thought…
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
Now, the problem is that despite its undisputed elegance and the benefits it can offer your figure, the frock coat is so outlandish an item that to wear it in anything other than an extremely formal situation is a bit too much. It is important to remember the boundaries of men’s fashion, tighter as they are than the female’s counterpart, restrict how ‘out-there’ we can be without looking like we’re off to a fancy dress party as Oscar Wilde.
Throughout the course of this series of posts I have preached the advantages of clean-cut minimalism, with personal quirks restricted to subtle variations of the norm. The frock coat is a bridge too far to qualify for such a rule, and should be worn with caution. You should own one – you can pick up amazing vintage examples for around £50 if you’re lucky enough to find one in your size (I’ve even had a 42” chest example in my collection that cost a mere fiver, but I had to pass it on to someone it fit) – but you resist the temptation to wear it at every opportunity.
I’m a fan of making a statement: oftentimes I’ve turned up to the roughest pub in Glossop – which happens to be my local and preferred drinking hole – in a full suit, pocket square and silk tie shebang, and got on rather well with it. But that’s only because people know what a suit looks like and, despite the alien location, the clothes themselves are nothing bizarre. A frock coat is bizarre in any situation other than dinner parties, the races or, regrettably, weddings.
But that’s not to say you can’t go to a fancy dress party as Oscar Wilde, Doctor Watson or Prince Albert. For that reason, it’s a necessary addition to your arsenal, albeit a one limited to freak events and lounging around your house on sick days watching Homes Under the Hammer.
Just a thought…
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
Wednesday, 23 February 2011
On Style: Pea Coats...
There is one pea coat that stands above the rest. Hold onto your hats though, gents, because it isn’t cheap, but oh my God is it worth it if you have the best part of a grand (although currently on sale at the much more reasonable £500 mark – check them out at: http://www.crombie.co.uk/coats/mens.html ) to spare: the Crombie classic pea coat is the stand-out example of this timeless fashion staple.
Churchill himself wore the Crombie version, albeit a slightly longer cut in those days, and many other movie stars and political luminaries have sported the coat that screams serious style.
Given that the price tag reflects the heritage and luxury of the brand, you might be unable to afford or justify such an extravagance, but fear not: there are plenty of decent brands that offer a cheaper and perfectly acceptable alternative.
The traditional style calls for a knee-length cut, but waist-length, bomber hybrids have become popular over the last 5 years, with H&M releasing a particularly tasty number in their Paolo Maldini modelled range of 2006.
There are also a couple of nice jackets – especially the navy blue of this style – circulating from Calvin Klein Jeans; the more affordable end of the CK range. This season’s offering comes in at about £280 unless you snap-up a TK Maxx bargain for £100 as I had the opportunity to do over Christmas.
But really it’s all about Crombie. Founded in 1805, this long-standing British tailoring outfit has experienced some highs and lows, most recently sinking into a brief administration prior to a buy-out and re-float. There were fears that the new owners would attempt to ‘re-brand’ the label and move away from the company’s roots/. Fortunately, this hasn’t happened, and in a rare move for times dominated by an ability to shed ones industrial skin at the speed of a snake, Crombie have chosen to stand fast and have railed against the flippancy of lesser brands, believing in their heritage and product that has, in the past, been championed by a list of great men such as King George VI, Winston Churchill, Cary Grant, Dwight D Eisenhower and John F Kennedy, Gorbachev and the Prince of Wales.
If that’s not a roll of honour, I don’t know what is.
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
Tuesday, 22 February 2011
On Style: Trench Coats...
They’re in, they’re out, no need to shake them all about, because they are normally nominally waterproof…it’s the immortal trench!
For me – and this will grate on those of you with a mini-budget – there is nothing quite like a Burberry trench coat in their classic beige. I haven’t got one; I can’t afford it, but one day I will own one and wear it to death.
For all of us who can’t quite stretch to the 3-4 figure sum needed to pick-up one of the most recognisable trademarks of British fashion, they are a wealth of stylish, affordable alternatives, especially from everybody’s favourite fallback, Topman.
I have one black trench from Topman that cost me £65 the week it came out. It’s a pretty short example, with the hem only reaching the upper-middle of my thigh; it has a waist buckle to enhance the top-heavy profile that these shorter cuts frame well; its collar is compliant when instructed to stand-up (always) and smart when folded over; and it has a rudimentary ability to keep the rain out.
But it’s thin and faded fast. After a few heavy downpours, the edging went a bit grey, and despite the aesthetic qualities of the bold, thick white stripe-edged lining feels a bit tacky.
So my advice for a cheap, sub-£100 trench coat is stay away from black.
In terms of wardrobe composition, too, this is no bad move. Your heavier, woollen coats – pea coats for example – should be darker, so why not try a beige, stone, camel, fawn or whatever the hell you want to call the colour made famous by the checks of Burberry.
The lighter trench is also nice for the summer, as it can be worn for a little extra warmth and removed and folded-up to fit in a bag without any bother whatsoever.
Here’s a good example:
Get shopping
For me – and this will grate on those of you with a mini-budget – there is nothing quite like a Burberry trench coat in their classic beige. I haven’t got one; I can’t afford it, but one day I will own one and wear it to death.
For all of us who can’t quite stretch to the 3-4 figure sum needed to pick-up one of the most recognisable trademarks of British fashion, they are a wealth of stylish, affordable alternatives, especially from everybody’s favourite fallback, Topman.
I have one black trench from Topman that cost me £65 the week it came out. It’s a pretty short example, with the hem only reaching the upper-middle of my thigh; it has a waist buckle to enhance the top-heavy profile that these shorter cuts frame well; its collar is compliant when instructed to stand-up (always) and smart when folded over; and it has a rudimentary ability to keep the rain out.
But it’s thin and faded fast. After a few heavy downpours, the edging went a bit grey, and despite the aesthetic qualities of the bold, thick white stripe-edged lining feels a bit tacky.
So my advice for a cheap, sub-£100 trench coat is stay away from black.
In terms of wardrobe composition, too, this is no bad move. Your heavier, woollen coats – pea coats for example – should be darker, so why not try a beige, stone, camel, fawn or whatever the hell you want to call the colour made famous by the checks of Burberry.
The lighter trench is also nice for the summer, as it can be worn for a little extra warmth and removed and folded-up to fit in a bag without any bother whatsoever.
Here’s a good example:
Get shopping
Monday, 21 February 2011
On Style: The Puff...
Playful and effete, the Puff fold looks simple, but is tough to master. Like organised chaos it can complete or clutter your look. Practice makes perfect, my friends:
http://www.samhober.com/howtofoldpocketsquares/Puffpocketsquarefold.htm
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
Sunday, 20 February 2011
On Style: The Formal Point...
The single point is a classic, timeless look, quite at home in the office or gentleman’s club:
http://www.samhober.com/howtofoldpocketsquares/Onepointpocketsquarefold.htm
If you want something a little more extravagant, try a double or triple point, as seen below:
http://www.samhober.com/howtofoldpocketsquares/Twopointpocketsquarefold.htm
http://www.samhober.com/howtofoldpocketsquares/Threepointpocketsquarefold.htm
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
Saturday, 19 February 2011
On Style: The Winged Puff...
My favourite fold; the formation I sport at almost all occasions. It is simple to do and easy to rectify should it slip throughout the night (though stiffening the handkerchief with a business card keeps it in place just fine).
http://www.samhober.com/howtofoldpocketsquares/Wingedpuff.htm
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
Friday, 18 February 2011
On Style: The Iconic Square...
Perfect for that 1960s office look. Sleek and chic, the single band of colour can pull your whole outfit together, linking your jacket with your shirt. Stick to white for a stark contrast and learn how to fold by following the link below:
http://www.samhober.com/howtofoldpocketsquares/flatpocketsquarefold.htm
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
Thursday, 17 February 2011
On Style: Pocket Squares...
The scope of the humble pocket square should not be underestimated. An oft forgotten addition that can haul a tired suit into the limelight, the pocket square has a versatility that should not be ignored. Whether you are slaving away in the office or puffing on a cigar in the Gee Gees as Cecil tops up your glass, the pocket square, in much the same way a tie or ones watch, can say a great deal about you and, in a way the other adornments can’t, your mood.
There are few items of clothing that are so easy to modify depending on situation. Ties, short of carrying a replacement, are unchangeable in every way save the knot, and that, in all honesty, should be decided for you by the shirt collar you have chosen to wear; cufflinks and watches are personal, but benign items; belts and shoes should match, but that is as far as they go. Short of scuff marks on your new brogues being an active delineation of your fury, modifications to shoes are, if not impossible, unadvisable.
The pocket square. That small, angular slice of silk. How it is your friend! When folded in the muted office style it pulls together your outfit for the perfect masculine appearance; when puffed and bulging from your breast pocket it cries out playfulness; when folded back on itself in the winged puff variation it speaks volumes of sartorial savvy.
How will you fold yours? Over the next week I’ll showcase some of the more popular folds with links to a rather nifty website showing you how it’s done. Please explore the linked site as there are more options than I will discuss, and it is, after all, a very personal and situational thing.
As promised, this post is a repeat of the December series on Pocket Squares, back by popular demand.
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
There are few items of clothing that are so easy to modify depending on situation. Ties, short of carrying a replacement, are unchangeable in every way save the knot, and that, in all honesty, should be decided for you by the shirt collar you have chosen to wear; cufflinks and watches are personal, but benign items; belts and shoes should match, but that is as far as they go. Short of scuff marks on your new brogues being an active delineation of your fury, modifications to shoes are, if not impossible, unadvisable.
The pocket square. That small, angular slice of silk. How it is your friend! When folded in the muted office style it pulls together your outfit for the perfect masculine appearance; when puffed and bulging from your breast pocket it cries out playfulness; when folded back on itself in the winged puff variation it speaks volumes of sartorial savvy.
How will you fold yours? Over the next week I’ll showcase some of the more popular folds with links to a rather nifty website showing you how it’s done. Please explore the linked site as there are more options than I will discuss, and it is, after all, a very personal and situational thing.
As promised, this post is a repeat of the December series on Pocket Squares, back by popular demand.
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
Wednesday, 16 February 2011
On Style: Tailored Shorts
FAQ: Are tailored shorts cool or do they make me look like a foppish penis?
A: Most of the time, yeah, they do.
But not always.
Some guys will never be able to war tailored shorts and look good. Fat guys should steer clear, and so should incredibly well-built guys, who are top heavy and possess bulging quadriceps.
In short, only attempt this look if you are slim from top to bottom. They are one of the few items that look better on men with little physical presence as, in my opinion, a stacked gent in a cutaway collar, Windsor knotted tie and double breasted suit is about as masculine as you can get.
If you are slight, you will be find it easier to dress effetely in summer. Muscular or simple stocky men look good in flowing linen pants or generous cream chinos and a fitted white shirt, but shorts? Only if you’re training, boys…
For those of you, who proudly regard yourself an androgynous tiddler, team tailored shorts, cut to about an inch above the knee, with a slim-fit pastel shirt (pink or buck-egg blue look good) and a tall, side swept quiff. A cheap £3 pair of white, Primark pumps with low rise, white trainer socks keeps the focus on the shorts and image crisp. Lay back and enjoy the Pimms, boys – summer’s on the way!
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
A: Most of the time, yeah, they do.
But not always.
Some guys will never be able to war tailored shorts and look good. Fat guys should steer clear, and so should incredibly well-built guys, who are top heavy and possess bulging quadriceps.
In short, only attempt this look if you are slim from top to bottom. They are one of the few items that look better on men with little physical presence as, in my opinion, a stacked gent in a cutaway collar, Windsor knotted tie and double breasted suit is about as masculine as you can get.
If you are slight, you will be find it easier to dress effetely in summer. Muscular or simple stocky men look good in flowing linen pants or generous cream chinos and a fitted white shirt, but shorts? Only if you’re training, boys…
For those of you, who proudly regard yourself an androgynous tiddler, team tailored shorts, cut to about an inch above the knee, with a slim-fit pastel shirt (pink or buck-egg blue look good) and a tall, side swept quiff. A cheap £3 pair of white, Primark pumps with low rise, white trainer socks keeps the focus on the shorts and image crisp. Lay back and enjoy the Pimms, boys – summer’s on the way!
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
Tuesday, 15 February 2011
Four Monkeys, One Crime...
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
Monday, 14 February 2011
THE HARE PRESENTS: Carla Quinn
She made her debut in Issue 4 (December '09)- now she's back in high resolution...
...and a feisty new pose..!
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
...and a feisty new pose..!
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
Sunday, 13 February 2011
The Birdman Cometh...
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
Saturday, 12 February 2011
The Legened of Tommy...
A few years back, well, March 8th 2004 to be precise, my friends and I woke up in Bulgaria and headed to the slopes for our first day of snowboarding action.
There, waiting for us with his foot-high pink mohawk and uneven Polish grin, was Tommy - our snowboarding instructor and spiritual guru for the week that was to follow.
He showed us how to cruise the slopes and bars; carve up and card cut snow; pick up and put down girls on the go. In short, he left us changed men.
In his honour, we had this charicature done of him from an old photo we stole from one of his shag-bunnies. His words. Not ours...
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
Friday, 11 February 2011
How the HARE Comes to Life...
He sure is a slick bastard, that MR HARE. But he doesn't always look so good - O no...
For much of his life he is a pencil sketch; an ink-stained sheet of discarded notions; and a big pile of recently torn-out hair. Not Hare. Just hair...
Below is a sheet of scribbles that would have made it to the bin like so may of its papery brethren, but for the ecstatic look on MR HARE's cheeky face. Surrounding our newssheet's namesake are notes on an upcoming Basquiat-based piece of art; a tree design for the Newton Watch featured recently; a skull; and other Swatch-based scribbles.
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
Thursday, 10 February 2011
On Style: Lips...
There is something undeniably cool about awful, sun-cracked, weather-beaten, peeling lips on the cragged face of a leonine adventurer, fresh from his unearthing of lost civilisations in the desert and the rescuing of countless Egyptian Virgins (at the time of rescuing) from evil, fez-wearing shamans wearing the off-cuts of a rundown haberdashery.
But we are not Shackleton, Scott, nor Hemingway. One day, perhaps, we will be looked back upon as men of similar fastidiousness and industry; men of bravery and character; men of the big wide world they helped make smaller and more accessible.
Until that time, though, we must take care of our lips. And I know you want to know how.
Having bad lips sucks. It is also very easy to find yourself chapped, and have no bloody clue how it happened.
Too much beer, you might think. Too many cigarettes, perhaps? Not enough water? Too much kissing? Have I been sunbathing? Maybe all of these things; maybe none. Sometimes it’s just the weather running your chances of pulling. I mean, what girl in her right mind would want to kiss your horrible, flaky laughing gear?
This happens to me on at least a biannual basis – when it’s too hot in summer and – worse by far – when it’s too cold in winter.
Every year I have tried moisturisers, lip balms, tinctures and tablets, water and cucumber – anything to calm my horrible, un-kissable word flaps. Nothing worked.
But now I have the solution…
For this treatment you will need a decent (but not ludicrously expensive) medicated lip balm (Carmex (around £3.50 from boots or Topshop etc.) is good, but Lipsalve light blue (about £2.50 from Boots) is better in my opinion), a blue Vaseline (Boots, around a quid), an old toothbrush that you are NEVER to use on your teeth again, and some hot water.
Lightly wet your old toothbrush with hot water and rub it in the Vaseline (yeah, gross, but trust me). Now place the bristles of the toothbrush on your lips and scrub (very gently) the affected areas (usually the whole caboodle) in a circular motion. Replenish the goo when necessary and increase the pressure if you get used to the mild tingling/agonisingly painful twang of masticatory beautification.
When done, press your lips together like a little lost fish until they are dry(ish), then apply a LIGHT coating of medicated lip balm.
DO this maybe once a week if necessary, but once a fortnight or month is sufficient.
DO drink more water – try to get 8 glasses (2 litres) a day. That’ll help.
DO NOT use your lip balm excessively. This will make you dependent on the stuff and your lips will never get better.
DO leave me a generous stake in your will as a thank you. x
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
But we are not Shackleton, Scott, nor Hemingway. One day, perhaps, we will be looked back upon as men of similar fastidiousness and industry; men of bravery and character; men of the big wide world they helped make smaller and more accessible.
Until that time, though, we must take care of our lips. And I know you want to know how.
Having bad lips sucks. It is also very easy to find yourself chapped, and have no bloody clue how it happened.
Too much beer, you might think. Too many cigarettes, perhaps? Not enough water? Too much kissing? Have I been sunbathing? Maybe all of these things; maybe none. Sometimes it’s just the weather running your chances of pulling. I mean, what girl in her right mind would want to kiss your horrible, flaky laughing gear?
This happens to me on at least a biannual basis – when it’s too hot in summer and – worse by far – when it’s too cold in winter.
Every year I have tried moisturisers, lip balms, tinctures and tablets, water and cucumber – anything to calm my horrible, un-kissable word flaps. Nothing worked.
But now I have the solution…
For this treatment you will need a decent (but not ludicrously expensive) medicated lip balm (Carmex (around £3.50 from boots or Topshop etc.) is good, but Lipsalve light blue (about £2.50 from Boots) is better in my opinion), a blue Vaseline (Boots, around a quid), an old toothbrush that you are NEVER to use on your teeth again, and some hot water.
Lightly wet your old toothbrush with hot water and rub it in the Vaseline (yeah, gross, but trust me). Now place the bristles of the toothbrush on your lips and scrub (very gently) the affected areas (usually the whole caboodle) in a circular motion. Replenish the goo when necessary and increase the pressure if you get used to the mild tingling/agonisingly painful twang of masticatory beautification.
When done, press your lips together like a little lost fish until they are dry(ish), then apply a LIGHT coating of medicated lip balm.
DO this maybe once a week if necessary, but once a fortnight or month is sufficient.
DO drink more water – try to get 8 glasses (2 litres) a day. That’ll help.
DO NOT use your lip balm excessively. This will make you dependent on the stuff and your lips will never get better.
DO leave me a generous stake in your will as a thank you. x
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
Wednesday, 9 February 2011
On Style: Brooches...
Although this may not appear chronologically as the last of these posts (and no doubt I’ll repost it at a later date, because I love to do that), this is actually the final On Style post for this season. And it just so happens to be on the subject I hold closest to my heart.
I love brooches. I get so much shit for wearing them and their closely related pin-badge cousins, I could go into the fertiliser trade. But do I care? Do I bollocks! Nothing says confidence and aesthetic awareness like a metal brooch pinned to your lapel. Who would dare wear such a frivolity? The man who knows, that’s who.
This whole series has been about the creation of an outfit that hangs together as a fully conceptualised whole. It has centred mainly on suits, as they are, let’s be honest, the best thing a man can wear if he wants to look his best. I’ve talked about fitting the right knot to the right collar, the right shirt to the right somatotype, the right suit to the right occasion and the right shoes to the right watch to the right belt. Pocket squares were covered as a means to tie the colour of your shirt to your jacket, tightening the scheme of the look.
And finally, the brooch, pinned daringly to your lapel, of both coat and jacket, can continue your choice of metal right up to your clavicle, rather than consigning it to below the waist (buckle, watch and cufflinks all hang down there, you know).
The only other accessory that can perform the same function as a brooch in this capacity is the tie tack/slide, and since I would always advise a plain strip of metal and steering clear of ‘novelty’, for your tie slide, the brooch allows you to go ‘out there’ a little more.
I like animal brooches or pin badges. I have a Victorian stag in pewter, a pair of owls on a branch in gold, a silver and pyrite frog with ruby eyes, a jockey riding a leaping horse (the logo of the Gee Gees club, of which I am co-founder) and many more that I rotate at will.
A brooch can be a real insight to its wearer’s personality. Not just their stylistic tastes, but also their strength of character. It’s an effeminate thing to wear, which is just why it looks so good; so powerful, when pinned to the lapel of a double breasted suit being worn by a bearded man in the prime of his life.
So here are a couple of rules:
Go vintage! In this case, quirkiness is the key. Brooches are an awesome conversation starter with the feminine members of our society, and since most of us dress to attract the opposite, or like-minded same sex, our intended partners will be as interested in this addition as they could be in you.
Don’t clutter! It’s okay to wear a tie slide and a brooch together as long as it is a plain slide as described above. If you want the focus to be on your tie (if, for example, you’re wearing a waistcoat and no jacket) then consider pinning one of your small brooches to your shirt through your tie. This works particularly well for symmetrical brooches and ones of a small size.
For the last time: BE BOLD! You can do an awful lot with very little if you are prepared to experiment. Find your look and refine it until it becomes something on its own. Then tweak and twiddle it as fashions and trends fly by. You will always have a solid base that you feel comfortable with and that will enable you to go outside the box with gusto and success whenever you please.
For now, it’s over and out. I hope you’ve enjoyed these posts, but be warned, I will be back with more!
Until then, happy dressing, and stay ON STYLE!
Friday, February 18, 2011
On Style: The Iconic Square...
Perfect for that 1960s office look. Sleek and chic, the single band of colour can pull your whole outfit together, linking your jacket with your shirt. Stick to white for a stark contrast and learn how to fold by following the link below:
http://www.samhober.com/howtofoldpocketsquares/flatpocketsquarefold.htm
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces
I love brooches. I get so much shit for wearing them and their closely related pin-badge cousins, I could go into the fertiliser trade. But do I care? Do I bollocks! Nothing says confidence and aesthetic awareness like a metal brooch pinned to your lapel. Who would dare wear such a frivolity? The man who knows, that’s who.
This whole series has been about the creation of an outfit that hangs together as a fully conceptualised whole. It has centred mainly on suits, as they are, let’s be honest, the best thing a man can wear if he wants to look his best. I’ve talked about fitting the right knot to the right collar, the right shirt to the right somatotype, the right suit to the right occasion and the right shoes to the right watch to the right belt. Pocket squares were covered as a means to tie the colour of your shirt to your jacket, tightening the scheme of the look.
And finally, the brooch, pinned daringly to your lapel, of both coat and jacket, can continue your choice of metal right up to your clavicle, rather than consigning it to below the waist (buckle, watch and cufflinks all hang down there, you know).
The only other accessory that can perform the same function as a brooch in this capacity is the tie tack/slide, and since I would always advise a plain strip of metal and steering clear of ‘novelty’, for your tie slide, the brooch allows you to go ‘out there’ a little more.
I like animal brooches or pin badges. I have a Victorian stag in pewter, a pair of owls on a branch in gold, a silver and pyrite frog with ruby eyes, a jockey riding a leaping horse (the logo of the Gee Gees club, of which I am co-founder) and many more that I rotate at will.
A brooch can be a real insight to its wearer’s personality. Not just their stylistic tastes, but also their strength of character. It’s an effeminate thing to wear, which is just why it looks so good; so powerful, when pinned to the lapel of a double breasted suit being worn by a bearded man in the prime of his life.
So here are a couple of rules:
Go vintage! In this case, quirkiness is the key. Brooches are an awesome conversation starter with the feminine members of our society, and since most of us dress to attract the opposite, or like-minded same sex, our intended partners will be as interested in this addition as they could be in you.
Don’t clutter! It’s okay to wear a tie slide and a brooch together as long as it is a plain slide as described above. If you want the focus to be on your tie (if, for example, you’re wearing a waistcoat and no jacket) then consider pinning one of your small brooches to your shirt through your tie. This works particularly well for symmetrical brooches and ones of a small size.
For the last time: BE BOLD! You can do an awful lot with very little if you are prepared to experiment. Find your look and refine it until it becomes something on its own. Then tweak and twiddle it as fashions and trends fly by. You will always have a solid base that you feel comfortable with and that will enable you to go outside the box with gusto and success whenever you please.
For now, it’s over and out. I hope you’ve enjoyed these posts, but be warned, I will be back with more!
Until then, happy dressing, and stay ON STYLE!
Friday, February 18, 2011
On Style: The Iconic Square...
Perfect for that 1960s office look. Sleek and chic, the single band of colour can pull your whole outfit together, linking your jacket with your shirt. Stick to white for a stark contrast and learn how to fold by following the link below:
http://www.samhober.com/howtofoldpocketsquares/flatpocketsquarefold.htm
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces
Tuesday, 8 February 2011
Hamilton Ventura
The Ventura is Hamilton. Elvis helped springboard the brand to international recognition by wearing a classic version while starring in his succesful movies. It's a cool watch: bold, brash, uncompromising - everthing the American Male should be.
It comes in a lady size too, and in several different variations. The best is the classic version seen above, but you can pay a little more and get a chronograph version as well. The watch retails at around £500 - about the most you'd want to pay for a quartz movement. It is a statement though. No one can put a price on that!
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
Monday, 7 February 2011
Superbowl Review...
Super Bowl XLV
Recap…
Well, it actually happened; the Lombardi trophy is on its way home. Aaron Rodgers and the Packers fulfilled my dual predictions of champ and MVP and Hines Ward, a one-time Super Bowl MVP himself, performed admirably by snaring me another betting success by being the first Pittsburgh player to score a Touchdown.
Crowing aside, this really was a magnificent contest. The Packers, who were the more electric and protective of the two, capitalised on back-to-back Touchdowns in the first quarter, to leap out to a 14 point lead that had burgeoned to 18 midway through the second quarter.
The Steelers’ vaunted 2 minute offence worked wonders at the end of the first half, and added a touchdown to their earlier field goal to close the gap to 11. Going into halftime with the momentum in their favour, Steelers fans could have been forgiven for thinking they were about to mount a comeback to top their last-gasp victory over Arizona in Super Bowl XLIII.
I too – a man who called the Packers on August 22nd last year – was, for the first time, doubtful. More than that, I was positively sure Pittsburgh would win the second half, and just prayed that the Packers had at least a 7 point lead if Pittsburgh had the ball within the final two minutes.
They didn’t.
By the time the two minute warning came around, the Steelers – having, at one point, been within 3 – were back within 6: one touchdown needed for the win. The Steelers looked like they meant business as they trotted onto the field, led by Big Ben Roethlisberger – dubbed this week by the press as an unpopular winner (unpopular to all outside of Pittsburgh, maybe). Ben had been patchy all night and in the postgame interview, placed the blame for his team’s loss on his own shoulders. That said, the two-time Super Bowl winner, was not awful, but did throw two costly interceptions – one in the first quarter that went first to Nick Collins and secondly to the endzone for 7, and another that the Packers offence turned into 7 thanks to one of Greg Jennings two touchdowns.
Aside from those mistakes, Ben had a good game, with two TD tosses and 264 yards to boot. But it was the turnover battle that sealed the win for the Packers: in addition to the two picks, the Packers got the ball back on a Rashard Mendenhall fumble, which was a cruel mistake for the young running back, whose solid groundwork gave the Steelers constant hope.
Most notably for me, this Super Bowl was an aerial affair. Together, the teams racked up a puny 150 yards rushing (90 to the normally run-first Steelers, and an almost unbelievably slim 60 to the high-fling men from Wisconsin). It has been, for many years, a common mantra of those in the know that to win championships a team needs to take a strong defence and a reliable running game into the playoffs. But no longer does this seem to be the case.
In a sport that thrives on the analysis of trends, this is perhaps one of the most telling of the modern game. The NFL is an ever evolving, intransient beast, with few styles and schemes transcending the ages.
Passing is more attractive (when it works), but it is risky and prone to failure in certain whether conditions. In fact, it is the likelihood of encountering inclement weather in the postseason that has made the running game so essential, so why, and how is it that passing has come to the fore?
Prior to the revolutionary passing systems of Don Coryell’s chargers in the 1970s, the NFL and all other strata of football were heavily dominated by great running plays and great running backs. Coryell changed the face of pro-football to such an extent, his continued exclusion from the Hall of Fame has been labelled a disgrace by many and confusing by most everyone else.
‘Air Coryell’, as those Chargers were dubbed, were popular because of the excitement generated by a passing attack, and the rapidity with which scores could come, even from apparently broken plays. But aesthetics aside, pass-heavy strategies worked well against bunched defensive fronts stacked up against the run, leaving the receiver (the man in the know) in a favourable match-up with his defensive counterpart.
Here’s the rub, though: the Chargers never won a Super Bowl, because the passing system didn’t work in the post season quite as well as it did through the autumn.
Nowadays, though, the quality of NFL stadia is such that the ground underfoot remains solid (an absolute necessity for sharp cuts) and many arenas are either permanently roofed or possess a retractable option that can be called upon should the weather impact the ‘quality’ of the game.
Although I am a pass-fiend, I would side with purists, who lament the league’s favorance of throwing at the expense of old school, smash mouth football, but that only from a nostalgic point of view. In every other way the new-look NFL is better. Having its roots in Rugby and Soccer, football’s evolution over the years has made it decidedly different, but never more so than today.
With the two forward pass rule in place and the evermore complex offence and defensive strategies, we are experiencing a golden age of the game, and there are no better champions and ambassadors for the sport than the modern day incarnation of the team whose coach will forever be remembered in the naming of the NFL’s greatest prize, the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Well done Packers!
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
Recap…
Well, it actually happened; the Lombardi trophy is on its way home. Aaron Rodgers and the Packers fulfilled my dual predictions of champ and MVP and Hines Ward, a one-time Super Bowl MVP himself, performed admirably by snaring me another betting success by being the first Pittsburgh player to score a Touchdown.
Crowing aside, this really was a magnificent contest. The Packers, who were the more electric and protective of the two, capitalised on back-to-back Touchdowns in the first quarter, to leap out to a 14 point lead that had burgeoned to 18 midway through the second quarter.
The Steelers’ vaunted 2 minute offence worked wonders at the end of the first half, and added a touchdown to their earlier field goal to close the gap to 11. Going into halftime with the momentum in their favour, Steelers fans could have been forgiven for thinking they were about to mount a comeback to top their last-gasp victory over Arizona in Super Bowl XLIII.
I too – a man who called the Packers on August 22nd last year – was, for the first time, doubtful. More than that, I was positively sure Pittsburgh would win the second half, and just prayed that the Packers had at least a 7 point lead if Pittsburgh had the ball within the final two minutes.
They didn’t.
By the time the two minute warning came around, the Steelers – having, at one point, been within 3 – were back within 6: one touchdown needed for the win. The Steelers looked like they meant business as they trotted onto the field, led by Big Ben Roethlisberger – dubbed this week by the press as an unpopular winner (unpopular to all outside of Pittsburgh, maybe). Ben had been patchy all night and in the postgame interview, placed the blame for his team’s loss on his own shoulders. That said, the two-time Super Bowl winner, was not awful, but did throw two costly interceptions – one in the first quarter that went first to Nick Collins and secondly to the endzone for 7, and another that the Packers offence turned into 7 thanks to one of Greg Jennings two touchdowns.
Aside from those mistakes, Ben had a good game, with two TD tosses and 264 yards to boot. But it was the turnover battle that sealed the win for the Packers: in addition to the two picks, the Packers got the ball back on a Rashard Mendenhall fumble, which was a cruel mistake for the young running back, whose solid groundwork gave the Steelers constant hope.
Most notably for me, this Super Bowl was an aerial affair. Together, the teams racked up a puny 150 yards rushing (90 to the normally run-first Steelers, and an almost unbelievably slim 60 to the high-fling men from Wisconsin). It has been, for many years, a common mantra of those in the know that to win championships a team needs to take a strong defence and a reliable running game into the playoffs. But no longer does this seem to be the case.
In a sport that thrives on the analysis of trends, this is perhaps one of the most telling of the modern game. The NFL is an ever evolving, intransient beast, with few styles and schemes transcending the ages.
Passing is more attractive (when it works), but it is risky and prone to failure in certain whether conditions. In fact, it is the likelihood of encountering inclement weather in the postseason that has made the running game so essential, so why, and how is it that passing has come to the fore?
Prior to the revolutionary passing systems of Don Coryell’s chargers in the 1970s, the NFL and all other strata of football were heavily dominated by great running plays and great running backs. Coryell changed the face of pro-football to such an extent, his continued exclusion from the Hall of Fame has been labelled a disgrace by many and confusing by most everyone else.
‘Air Coryell’, as those Chargers were dubbed, were popular because of the excitement generated by a passing attack, and the rapidity with which scores could come, even from apparently broken plays. But aesthetics aside, pass-heavy strategies worked well against bunched defensive fronts stacked up against the run, leaving the receiver (the man in the know) in a favourable match-up with his defensive counterpart.
Here’s the rub, though: the Chargers never won a Super Bowl, because the passing system didn’t work in the post season quite as well as it did through the autumn.
Nowadays, though, the quality of NFL stadia is such that the ground underfoot remains solid (an absolute necessity for sharp cuts) and many arenas are either permanently roofed or possess a retractable option that can be called upon should the weather impact the ‘quality’ of the game.
Although I am a pass-fiend, I would side with purists, who lament the league’s favorance of throwing at the expense of old school, smash mouth football, but that only from a nostalgic point of view. In every other way the new-look NFL is better. Having its roots in Rugby and Soccer, football’s evolution over the years has made it decidedly different, but never more so than today.
With the two forward pass rule in place and the evermore complex offence and defensive strategies, we are experiencing a golden age of the game, and there are no better champions and ambassadors for the sport than the modern day incarnation of the team whose coach will forever be remembered in the naming of the NFL’s greatest prize, the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Well done Packers!
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
Sunday, 6 February 2011
Superbowl Preview...
Super Bowl XLV
Pittsburgh Steelers (AFC) Vs. Green Bay Packers (NFC)
The Story…
These two teams epitomise the blue collar roots of the National Football League: they are tough, gritty, resourceful teams, each with an army of fans that would be the envy of many newer, less storied franchises.
Between them they have amassed a glorious nine Lombardi Trophies, with the Packers winning Super Bowls I and II (before the title was given to what was then the NFC, AFC championship game), and the Steelers have a league-best six, winning back-to-back Super Bowls twice (1974/75 and 1978/79), and two of the last five (2005 and 2008).
Most of the Steelers players have at least one ring, some have two. Only one Packer can boast such an accolade and, ironically enough, John Kuhn won his ring as a member of the Steelers when signed to their practice squad. He has since become something of a cult figure in Wisconsin and hopes his team will help him level the score with his former club mates.
The Packers franchise is so steeped in NFL history, the trophy being contested on Sunday is named after their coach; the Steelers have twice as many Super Bowls as their opponents and hail from a city that takes football more seriously than most.
There are no booby teams in this year’s big game; no surprise runs or first time appearance as we’ve seen in the past two Super Bowls with the Cardinals and Saints making it to the last day of the season.
This is a classic match-up, between two classic teams.
A game for the ages if ever there was one…
Prediction…
Although coming into this contest as the bookies’ underdog, the Steelers have enjoyed too much success in the Super Bowl too recently for them to be considered outsiders. The Packers have not been to the big game since ’97, when Brett Favre led his team over the Patriots for their third crown. I backed the Pack at the start of the season, but this Pittsburgh team’s composure has given me some food for thought.
The way I see it, the defences are relatively even, with Green Bay edging it on takeaways, and Pittsburgh winning the yardage battle. Green Bay’s offence is superior…when it clicks. On occasion, against tough defensive units, their finesse style of play has not been able to flourish, which means we could be in for a low-scoring affair. That said, the defence’s opportunism does leave them open to the big play and it is quite possible we could have a shootout on our hands if the Packers offense clicks and their young, vital D gets the bends.
So in spite of my belief this could be one of two very different games, I’m going to plump for what we all want to see: a shootout with both teams coming close to thirty points in a very quick game that sees power running and precision passing from Pittsburgh, and gaudy numbers for Green Bay’s Rodgers and a TD for their D.
Final score:
Green Bay 38 – 30 Pittsburgh
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
Pittsburgh Steelers (AFC) Vs. Green Bay Packers (NFC)
The Story…
These two teams epitomise the blue collar roots of the National Football League: they are tough, gritty, resourceful teams, each with an army of fans that would be the envy of many newer, less storied franchises.
Between them they have amassed a glorious nine Lombardi Trophies, with the Packers winning Super Bowls I and II (before the title was given to what was then the NFC, AFC championship game), and the Steelers have a league-best six, winning back-to-back Super Bowls twice (1974/75 and 1978/79), and two of the last five (2005 and 2008).
Most of the Steelers players have at least one ring, some have two. Only one Packer can boast such an accolade and, ironically enough, John Kuhn won his ring as a member of the Steelers when signed to their practice squad. He has since become something of a cult figure in Wisconsin and hopes his team will help him level the score with his former club mates.
The Packers franchise is so steeped in NFL history, the trophy being contested on Sunday is named after their coach; the Steelers have twice as many Super Bowls as their opponents and hail from a city that takes football more seriously than most.
There are no booby teams in this year’s big game; no surprise runs or first time appearance as we’ve seen in the past two Super Bowls with the Cardinals and Saints making it to the last day of the season.
This is a classic match-up, between two classic teams.
A game for the ages if ever there was one…
Prediction…
Although coming into this contest as the bookies’ underdog, the Steelers have enjoyed too much success in the Super Bowl too recently for them to be considered outsiders. The Packers have not been to the big game since ’97, when Brett Favre led his team over the Patriots for their third crown. I backed the Pack at the start of the season, but this Pittsburgh team’s composure has given me some food for thought.
The way I see it, the defences are relatively even, with Green Bay edging it on takeaways, and Pittsburgh winning the yardage battle. Green Bay’s offence is superior…when it clicks. On occasion, against tough defensive units, their finesse style of play has not been able to flourish, which means we could be in for a low-scoring affair. That said, the defence’s opportunism does leave them open to the big play and it is quite possible we could have a shootout on our hands if the Packers offense clicks and their young, vital D gets the bends.
So in spite of my belief this could be one of two very different games, I’m going to plump for what we all want to see: a shootout with both teams coming close to thirty points in a very quick game that sees power running and precision passing from Pittsburgh, and gaudy numbers for Green Bay’s Rodgers and a TD for their D.
Final score:
Green Bay 38 – 30 Pittsburgh
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
Saturday, 5 February 2011
On Style: Umbrellas...
The question of how many umbrellas you need may seem like a totally frivolous one and is entirely dependant on how seriously you take form, function and fashion.
I would say that two is the bare minimum: one small, collapsible umbrella to stash in your bag when you think it might rain and a large, full-length, hook-handled umbrella for posh, dressier occasions.
You really do only need one small umbrella – Fulton is a decent make, but the activation spring does tend to give-out after a couple of years of abuse. I’d still fight their corner, though, and at around £20 from Debenhams in a variety of styles, they are a solid, stylish mid-range umbrella that you can rely on.
With the two staples in place you can start to ask yourself whether further additions to your sleet-slaying arsenal are necessary or desired.
Your considerations should run thusly: are you concerned about matching the colour of the ferrule with your belt buckle and watch case? If the answer is yes then you should purchase two ‘dress’ umbrellas, one with gold and one with silver. I’ve never yet seen a rose gold variety, but there may be one out there. Even if there’s no such thing available, you might be able to go the old plating route as discussed previously, but that is an extremity to which I am yet to travel.
Furthermore, you might want to consider the colour of the hook handle. Brown, matt walnut is a nice finish, but varnished black looks better with a really smart business suit. If you find it essential to cover every possibility (with the exception of the elusive rose gold) you will need four dress umbrellas and one fold-away, making a total of five.
Excessive? Of course. Desirable? Definitely. Justifiable? Good luck.
Friday, February 18, 2011
On Style: The Iconic Square...
Perfect for that 1960s office look. Sleek and chic, the single band of colour can pull your whole outfit together, linking your jacket with your shirt. Stick to white for a stark contrast and learn how to fold by following the link below:
http://www.samhober.com/howtofoldpocketsquares/flatpocketsquarefold.htm
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
I would say that two is the bare minimum: one small, collapsible umbrella to stash in your bag when you think it might rain and a large, full-length, hook-handled umbrella for posh, dressier occasions.
You really do only need one small umbrella – Fulton is a decent make, but the activation spring does tend to give-out after a couple of years of abuse. I’d still fight their corner, though, and at around £20 from Debenhams in a variety of styles, they are a solid, stylish mid-range umbrella that you can rely on.
With the two staples in place you can start to ask yourself whether further additions to your sleet-slaying arsenal are necessary or desired.
Your considerations should run thusly: are you concerned about matching the colour of the ferrule with your belt buckle and watch case? If the answer is yes then you should purchase two ‘dress’ umbrellas, one with gold and one with silver. I’ve never yet seen a rose gold variety, but there may be one out there. Even if there’s no such thing available, you might be able to go the old plating route as discussed previously, but that is an extremity to which I am yet to travel.
Furthermore, you might want to consider the colour of the hook handle. Brown, matt walnut is a nice finish, but varnished black looks better with a really smart business suit. If you find it essential to cover every possibility (with the exception of the elusive rose gold) you will need four dress umbrellas and one fold-away, making a total of five.
Excessive? Of course. Desirable? Definitely. Justifiable? Good luck.
Friday, February 18, 2011
On Style: The Iconic Square...
Perfect for that 1960s office look. Sleek and chic, the single band of colour can pull your whole outfit together, linking your jacket with your shirt. Stick to white for a stark contrast and learn how to fold by following the link below:
http://www.samhober.com/howtofoldpocketsquares/flatpocketsquarefold.htm
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
Friday, 4 February 2011
Super Bowl XLV Preview 4.2: Steelers Defence…
The Steelers may be the underdogs in this game, despite finishing second in the AFC and with 3 more wins than sixth seeded Green Bay, but they are comfortable with the tag.
For the record-holding, six-time champions of the National Football League, it takes some of the pressure off and heaps it onto a younger, far greener team (only former Steelers’ practice squad member, John Kuhn, has a ring for the Green & Gold).
This is odd because the Steelers genuinely boast one of the best defensive units ever seen in the NFL. It isn’t so much their single-season dominance, but their consistency, which, in all honesty, is bordering on the dynastic fantastic.
Some of their players are too good to be true, most notably strong safety, Troy Polamalu. The long haired, hard-hitting dynamo has just been selected as defensive player of the year, edging Green Bay’s Clay Matthews for the honour in the final round of voting. With two Super Bowls under his belt with the Steelers already, Polamalu – a living legend – is a lock for the Hall of Fame whenever he chooses to retire. Number 43 may well call it quits after Lombardi number 3, having stated in the past he wants to get away from football and spend time with his dear family.
But don’t count on it.
Polamalu won’t be happy until his mantelpiece is bowed with Tiffany’s knickknacks. Winning this year is a definite possibility for a Steelers defence that topped the defensive rankings, allowing a league-low 207.5 yards per game (the Packers finished third, with 282.3 yards) in the postseason – much better than their 276.8 and 309.1 marks for the regular season (despite finishing in second and fifth respectively overall).
In terms of turnovers, the Steelers’ secondary has taken-away 21 errant passes and returned 3 for touchdowns, trailing second placed Green Bay, who have 24 INTs and 3 TDs for the regular season.
Tackles can’t really be used as a measure of a defences skill due to the fact that more will be made by virtue of a bad offence rather than a good D. To cement this fact, just look at the top of the table: the Buffalo Bills rank first in the league. The Steelers are in 13th and the Packers below them in 23rd. Rest assured though, when these teams hit, they hit hard. It is no coincidence one member of either unit finished in the top two players of the year on this, perhaps the side of the ball that will decide Super Bowl XLV.
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
For the record-holding, six-time champions of the National Football League, it takes some of the pressure off and heaps it onto a younger, far greener team (only former Steelers’ practice squad member, John Kuhn, has a ring for the Green & Gold).
This is odd because the Steelers genuinely boast one of the best defensive units ever seen in the NFL. It isn’t so much their single-season dominance, but their consistency, which, in all honesty, is bordering on the dynastic fantastic.
Some of their players are too good to be true, most notably strong safety, Troy Polamalu. The long haired, hard-hitting dynamo has just been selected as defensive player of the year, edging Green Bay’s Clay Matthews for the honour in the final round of voting. With two Super Bowls under his belt with the Steelers already, Polamalu – a living legend – is a lock for the Hall of Fame whenever he chooses to retire. Number 43 may well call it quits after Lombardi number 3, having stated in the past he wants to get away from football and spend time with his dear family.
But don’t count on it.
Polamalu won’t be happy until his mantelpiece is bowed with Tiffany’s knickknacks. Winning this year is a definite possibility for a Steelers defence that topped the defensive rankings, allowing a league-low 207.5 yards per game (the Packers finished third, with 282.3 yards) in the postseason – much better than their 276.8 and 309.1 marks for the regular season (despite finishing in second and fifth respectively overall).
In terms of turnovers, the Steelers’ secondary has taken-away 21 errant passes and returned 3 for touchdowns, trailing second placed Green Bay, who have 24 INTs and 3 TDs for the regular season.
Tackles can’t really be used as a measure of a defences skill due to the fact that more will be made by virtue of a bad offence rather than a good D. To cement this fact, just look at the top of the table: the Buffalo Bills rank first in the league. The Steelers are in 13th and the Packers below them in 23rd. Rest assured though, when these teams hit, they hit hard. It is no coincidence one member of either unit finished in the top two players of the year on this, perhaps the side of the ball that will decide Super Bowl XLV.
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
Thursday, 3 February 2011
Super Bowl XLV Preview 4.1: Packers Defence…
For a few seasons now, the Green Bay Packers’ defence has received some high praise for its fast-pace, opportunistic style of play. Most recently, veteran Corner Back Charles Woodson has garnered acclaim for his league-dominating performances, assurances of victory and generally superlative outings. Young guns, Clay Matthews and AJ Hawk haven’t been in the league long, but they’ve become the core of this unit and play with maturity beyond their years. Up front the Pack play the enormous BJ Raji, whose surprise pick six against the Bears proved the difference-maker.
And its up-front the Packers cause the greatest stir. They have taken to the 3-4 defence like no other team in the league. Theirs is a perfect example of how to use this increasingly popular system to devastating effect. To exploit the main benefits of the 3-4, a team needs an abundance of athletic players, capable of quick-reads and fast footwork. To get the best out of the scheme, you really need to have at least two guys capable of playing Middle Linebacker in a Tampa 2 D. Hawk and Matthews can rush, drop and hit like the best. Can they stop the Steelers? Well, I don’t know about keeping them out of the endzone, but they can sure as hell slow them down. With such power in the middle, the Pack can jam the run and, by utilising Hawk and Matthew’s speed, limit the short yardage gained by tough-nosed receiver Hines Ward.
The Packer’s stinginess in the middle of the field, may force Big Ben to throw deep to Ward or Wallace more often than the Steelers would like. Tomlin can probably evade the eager hands of Tramon Williams and Charles Woodson if he has his wide men cut back into the deep middle on a post route, but he risks throwing into the territory of Nick Collins, who has been on fine form this year, being selected for the Pro Bowl and notching up 70 tackles and 4 INTs.
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
And its up-front the Packers cause the greatest stir. They have taken to the 3-4 defence like no other team in the league. Theirs is a perfect example of how to use this increasingly popular system to devastating effect. To exploit the main benefits of the 3-4, a team needs an abundance of athletic players, capable of quick-reads and fast footwork. To get the best out of the scheme, you really need to have at least two guys capable of playing Middle Linebacker in a Tampa 2 D. Hawk and Matthews can rush, drop and hit like the best. Can they stop the Steelers? Well, I don’t know about keeping them out of the endzone, but they can sure as hell slow them down. With such power in the middle, the Pack can jam the run and, by utilising Hawk and Matthew’s speed, limit the short yardage gained by tough-nosed receiver Hines Ward.
The Packer’s stinginess in the middle of the field, may force Big Ben to throw deep to Ward or Wallace more often than the Steelers would like. Tomlin can probably evade the eager hands of Tramon Williams and Charles Woodson if he has his wide men cut back into the deep middle on a post route, but he risks throwing into the territory of Nick Collins, who has been on fine form this year, being selected for the Pro Bowl and notching up 70 tackles and 4 INTs.
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
Wednesday, 2 February 2011
Super Bowl XLV Preview 3: Running backs…
James Starks’ sudden emergence in the Postseason has baffled more than a few commentators of the game. His presence is essential, and his role as the Packers’ feature-back elect will be bolstered by a good performance. Starks could, in fact, be a bit of a lynchpin for the Packers – if they can utilise him early and disrupt the Steelers’ Defence, they should be able to generate some space for their talented receiving duo, both of whom are capable of leveraging some separation and gashing the secondary for a job-lot of yards. Failure to establish the run on the Packers’ part could mean embarrassment at the hands of a glue-like Steelers secondary.
In the case of the Steelers, it is a matter of running over the D and not letting-up the pace until the ball breaks the plane. Mendenhall is an exceptional young player, who has been able to shoulder the weight of a team, whose expectations in regards to the run game are higher than most.
Heath Miller’s versatile presence aids the Steelers in every possible way. Not only can he catch and block, he can create a diversion for the offence: are they going to run? Are they going to pass? Miller will force the Packers to dedicate men to watching him, possibly leaving the pass out to the side open, or space for a runner sweeping in the other direction.
Big Ben himself is mobile enough to cause problems for the Packers, who too possess one of the more mobile QBs in the game. Having a QB who can move on his feet adds an extra dimension to the running game in the same way a good Tight End can – pitches, tosses and fakes are all useful and Big Ben is one at the best at executing any of these helpful additions.
Who has the edge in this category? With Mendenhall’s performances this season, and the backup running of Mewelde Moore, I give this to the Steelers over a Packers corps that although good, lacks the mileage covered by the Black and Gold pair.
Who knows, though…those fresher legs may prove advantageous…
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
In the case of the Steelers, it is a matter of running over the D and not letting-up the pace until the ball breaks the plane. Mendenhall is an exceptional young player, who has been able to shoulder the weight of a team, whose expectations in regards to the run game are higher than most.
Heath Miller’s versatile presence aids the Steelers in every possible way. Not only can he catch and block, he can create a diversion for the offence: are they going to run? Are they going to pass? Miller will force the Packers to dedicate men to watching him, possibly leaving the pass out to the side open, or space for a runner sweeping in the other direction.
Big Ben himself is mobile enough to cause problems for the Packers, who too possess one of the more mobile QBs in the game. Having a QB who can move on his feet adds an extra dimension to the running game in the same way a good Tight End can – pitches, tosses and fakes are all useful and Big Ben is one at the best at executing any of these helpful additions.
Who has the edge in this category? With Mendenhall’s performances this season, and the backup running of Mewelde Moore, I give this to the Steelers over a Packers corps that although good, lacks the mileage covered by the Black and Gold pair.
Who knows, though…those fresher legs may prove advantageous…
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
Tuesday, 1 February 2011
Murray Burned in Final.
Andy Murray - the Dunblaine Destroyer (that's one of mine, thanks) - fell one game short in the Australien Open, losing to Serbian friend and training partner, Novak Djokovich.
If you want a serious account of this game, check out my Allvoices web page:
On this blog, right here, right now, I'd like to talk to you about rape in sport. Not actual rape, but the sound thrashing adminsitered by one player to another that is sometimes referred to as 'a raping'.
Andy Murray was 'raped' on Sunday. It was painful to watch, and probably more painful to endure. Tough for the Scot, too, because he's been raped before, in front of the same audience, no less. You'd think he'd pull his trousers up.
Last year, on the same court, Roger Federer thoroughly 'raped' Andy Murray as he has comprehensively 'raped' many before him. But here's the thing: Federer has plenty of 'rapes' to his name, far more than Djokovich, but his style of 'rapage' is more of a Victorian Husband kind of 'rape', as in you don't want it to happen, but you kind of feel it's your duty so you don't kick up too much of a fuss. What Djokovich did to Murray was a darkened alleyway, broken bottle to the back of the head, knife to your throat kind of 'rape'. It was brutal, and made all the worse by Murray wriggling around trying to get out of it.
Murray hit winner after winner after winner. And each one came back at him from impossible positions - nicking baselines, ducking inside the trams and generally making him look defiled.
Congrats to Djokovic - his brtuality, tenacity on every shot and general likability make him a great champion.
I just wish Andy had worn a belt...
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
If you want a serious account of this game, check out my Allvoices web page:
On this blog, right here, right now, I'd like to talk to you about rape in sport. Not actual rape, but the sound thrashing adminsitered by one player to another that is sometimes referred to as 'a raping'.
Andy Murray was 'raped' on Sunday. It was painful to watch, and probably more painful to endure. Tough for the Scot, too, because he's been raped before, in front of the same audience, no less. You'd think he'd pull his trousers up.
Last year, on the same court, Roger Federer thoroughly 'raped' Andy Murray as he has comprehensively 'raped' many before him. But here's the thing: Federer has plenty of 'rapes' to his name, far more than Djokovich, but his style of 'rapage' is more of a Victorian Husband kind of 'rape', as in you don't want it to happen, but you kind of feel it's your duty so you don't kick up too much of a fuss. What Djokovich did to Murray was a darkened alleyway, broken bottle to the back of the head, knife to your throat kind of 'rape'. It was brutal, and made all the worse by Murray wriggling around trying to get out of it.
Murray hit winner after winner after winner. And each one came back at him from impossible positions - nicking baselines, ducking inside the trams and generally making him look defiled.
Congrats to Djokovic - his brtuality, tenacity on every shot and general likability make him a great champion.
I just wish Andy had worn a belt...
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day, Bar Centro, Font or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre, or the Oakwood in Glossop.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
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