Five of the Best: Men's Sunglasses

We are not exactly having a classic summer here in Britain but who needs constant sunshine to don a fabulous pair of shades?

A good pair of shades can transform a person from so-so to so hot and there are so many great ones available at the moment I felt I needed to do one of my five of the best features. 

The wayfarer and the aviator are still big and coloured lenses seem extremely popular - think greys and olives though rather than garish Elton John esque monstrosities. Here is my Five of the Best.....

3. The Budget Breaker

I have been dreaming about these Tom Ford 'Henri' glasses for a while now (they will be mine, they will be mine) and I just love the shape of them and the signature Tom Ford metal detailing at the temples. In fact I could have featured a dozen of his glasses, particularly the 'Pablo'! With the 'Henri' I would definitely go for the black pair as they are classy and understated and very very cool. Oh and expensive. $360 NeimanMarcus.com.

2. The Chic Italian

You can't go wrong with a pair of Persol sunglasses. This chic Italian brand has been famously worn by the likes of Steve McQueen and ignores trends and fads to produce classic shades that can be worn for years. These 0649's just ooze class. £168 Sunglasssave.com.

1. The Retro

Topman are always a good bet for sunglasses, particularly if you want to go for a style that you fear might not look quite so hot in a couple of seasons, as they are reasonably priced and a decent quality. These Tortoiseshell 50's sunglasses are perfect for tortoisshell virgins, with just a smattering to give that retro edge, and are a bargain at £45. Topman.com. 

4. The Sporty

I never thought I would like a pair of white sunglasses but these Lacoste 'Tolouse' sunglasses are just fabulous. Perfect for wearing during a game of tennis on a summers day, or when doing anything vaguely sporty. Reduced to $99 Sportsshadesonline.com

5. The Colourful

If you want to stand out from the crowd, in a good way, then you might fancy these colourful matt yellow sunglasses from Sunpocket, which fold in half for easy storage. They are reasonably priced too at just £50, from Urban Outfitters.

So there we have it, five pairs of fabulous shades that are so cool they don't even require sun. Let me know what you think of them. Also, check out my other 'Five of the Best' features ...  man bags, swim shorts and hi-tops.

Five of the Best: Men's Swim Shorts

The sun is out and it's time to get those legs out. Okay, it's actually raining as I write this so that might be a slight exaggeration but one can only hope...

I am jetting of on a brief holiday later this week so my attention has turned to swim wear - no budgie smugglers for me but neither those horrid long board shorts. For me it needs to be a nice mid-to-short length pair of swim shorts. 

So here are the top five swim shorts I came across on my search this week.... who cares if we don't look like the Aussie Bum models above.

1. The Simplistic: This black pair from J Lindeberg is simplistic but stylish with a tiny JL logo on the back and a contrasting white drawstring and the perfect length for catching some sun on those pasty legs without being too revealing. Available from House of Fraser. £60.

2. The Retro: I love these retro inspired Tricolor shorts from D&G. I am not usually a massive fan of this brand (far too ostentatious for me generally) but this pair is classy and the coloured side stripes add a sporty feel. Find them at the brilliant FashionBeans for £105.

3. The Lifeguard: These 'Pup' shorts from hot swim wear brand Orlebar Brown are perfect for those who have been working out and who want to show a little more leg, or those who want to don them with a yellow t-shirt for that 'life-guard chic' look. Check out the Orlebar Brown website. £85.

4. The Floral: I do love a pair of floral shorts. It is possible to go horribly wrong with patterned shorts so I always turn to Paul Smith to ensure I stay on the right side of tasteful. These 'Slim Classic' shorts can be found on the Paul Smith website and cost £75.

5. I always turn to Topman for something stylish that is not going to break the bank. These 'Red Candy Stripe' shorts from Topman will do the job perfectly and are only £18, reduced from £26.  

So there you have it, Mr Musing's top five swim shorts for men. Have fun in the sun! 


Oh and remember 'no carbs before Marbs'.....(that's Marbella, for those who don't sneakily watch The Only Way is Essex). 

Man Bag Yourself One Of These: The Best Man Bags

The average man now carries an astonishing range of gadgets and gizmo's around with them - from i-pods, mobile phones and blackberries; to the more traditional items such as keys, wallet, a pen, notebook and glasses. With the Britsh weather being as unpreditcable as ever you can also throw into the mix an umbrella and sunglasses. Oh and we haven't even mentioned grooming products yet - a quick spray of aftershave before that date after work?


So it really surprises me that so many men are still against the idea of a man bag. I mean, where does a man put all of these things if he doesn't have a bag to carry them in, because lets face it bulging trouser or jacket pockets are not attractive? Particularly if you have splashed out on some decent threads. Or if you are wearing skinny jeans!


There are now so many good men's bags around ranging from sporty to classic, masculine to camp, edgy to the frankly ridiculous that it must be impossible not to find one that suits your style.


Since getting my first Man Bag (A black Mulberry Seth, pictured below) I could never live without one. I do have a thing for Mulberry bags. They are classy, timeless and long lasting; getting better with age particularly once they have been bashed about a bit. I soon followed up the Seth with a brown Mulberry Barnaby (also pictured), which has slightly more room for those days where I need to take more out with me.

For work, I like my bag to match my shoes and belt (sad I know) and so at the momnet I am looking for a bag in a lighter brown but not another Mulberry - I want something different. In my search I came across this lovely Vivienne Westwood satchel (below) which is reduced from £418 to £214 on triads.co.uk. This is an absolute bargain! I am not sure which season this bag is from but to be honest I think with good quality bags, as long as they aren't too fashion forward it doesn't really matter.

Personally I steer well clear of the shopper. For me it is just too feminine but I have seen some nice ones. I suppose it depends on your individual style and whether you think you can pull one off. On the right person they can look great.


Anyway I thought I would pull together some of my favourite man bags of the moment:


BEST SPORTY - This green, white and red tennis bag from Lacoste has to be one of the best sports bags I have seen. Smart and masculine this is the bag to get you to the gym in style or dazzle your opponent on the tennis court. The bad news is I have never actually found it!

BEST HIGH STREET - This All Saints grey messenger is classy without being too smart, a great bag to wear casually with jeans. All saints do a great range of men's bags.

BEST DESIGNER - For this one I am going back to Vivienne Westwood. There are two reasons for this. Firstly it is a classic bag that will never date, it looks strong and masculine and hardwearing, with some nice details that sets it apart from other similar bags. Secondly it's the price - £209 for a Vivienne Westwood bag is a bargain. Bring on payday I say!

BEST LUXURY - this Mulberry Balthazar bag is beautiful and at £995 does not come cheap, but I think it is worth every penny. It's beautiful soft luxurious leather means that this will add real touch of class to whatever you are wearing and it's simple, classic design will never be out of fashion. This is a bag for life.

BEST BARGAIN - This Topman red check holdall, at £35 is the way to go if you are looking for something more bright and colourful. It's bargain price means that you won't have splashed out when you eventually tire of it.