Michael 84

Rituals Samurai Cool Deo Review

Wednesday, 30th September, 2015

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As you know I love my scents and smells, just head on over to my fragrance directory if you’re in any doubt! 😛 However when it comes to deodorants or antiperspirants my favourite things to use are products which are pretty much odourless or have a neutral, clean smell, like the Dove+MEN Care Clean Comfort which I wrote about on Men’s Grooming Day. The reason I prefer an odourless or natural spray is simple; I don’t want it to clash with whatever fragrance I’m wearing, and I usually wear one every day. I do occasionally use a scented spray, such as Lynx Black, or some others, depending on my mood.

I bought a Rituals set as a gift for father’s day, it was a set and a blind buy, having known Rituals do good stuff I decided to go for it, it was a nice little set so I thought why not. A few weeks ago I had to have a try of the spray to see what it smelled like…And I loved it! In fact I loved it so much I had to get myself a can, and I have! 🙂

The Rituals Samurai Cool Deo is a 24 hour antiperspirant spray, which not only works well, but smells beautiful. A lot of sprays are simply deodorants which are only made as a smell, i.e. they do nothing for sweat other than covering it up. This not only smells beautiful, it’s an antiperspirant too, which means it will stop you from sweating.

The scent is organic bamboo and cedar wood, which is incredibly fresh with a very masculine tone to it. The can is a nice blue colour, with faux wood top, and feels nice and premium. It does come at a cost, this 200ml bottle was £8, so it’s not cheap as cheap as a regular high street brand, but I do think that it’s worth a bit extra.

I highly recommend this if you are looking for something with a beautiful smell without having to go for a bottle of aftershave or EDT, with the added bonus of being an antiperspirant too.

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Super Blood Moon Lunar Eclipse In Newcastle Last Night

Monday, 28th September, 2015

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What a cool and amazing sight…

I did not know there was going to be a Super moon, or Super blood moon since it was all red/orange in the early hours of this morning until I stumbled across a few people talking about it. Earlier in the year in Newcastle we had a brilliant view of the Solar Eclipse, and I got some amazing shots, so I decided I had to see this rare event for myself again.

This time round however it was pitch black, and in the middle of the night…Well early hours of the morning, with it all starting at around 01:10 until around 4AM. I checked the timings and decided to go out for just before 3AM, where it was said it would be red and near the peak of the lunar eclipse. I just got out in time to see the end part of the eclipse, and them saw the super blood moon in all it’s glory. I then stayed out for an hour or so snapping pics, and taking it all in. It really is such a good sight.

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The larger looking moon photos are cropped at 100%, and the others are cropped to fit the blog. The photos turned out OK, I think I should get better lenses if I am doing even more of this astronomy photography LOL 😉

For the camera geeks – These were shot on my Canon 600D with a 55-250mm lens; I used various settings, I found F5.6 (the widest the lens goes) at 100 ISO for upwards of 4 seconds was pretty decent.

Test Driving A Tailored Custom Made Suit

Monday, 28th September, 2015

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Recently the guys over at Tailor4Less got in touch with me to ask if I wanted to test drive their service.

They are a retailer who offer a complete custom suit service online with a plethora of options including choice of fabrics, fit, style, size and as far as finishing touches such as embroidered detailing on the inside of the jacket.

I took them up on the challenge and got to work picking my suit.

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Herschel Little America Backpack For Autumn

Sunday, 27th September, 2015

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Autumn is here which means for a lot of people back to school, college or Uni, and for those of us who are out of studying it’s a new season to get in style for. Whether you’re back at Uni or at work, the chances are you use a bag of sorts to keep your daily needs with you wherever you go. If you’re looking for a refresh, I have a few recommendations for you.

I was lucky enough to get my hands on the Little America Backpack by Herschel Supply Co. from UNDSCVRD. Herschel Supply Co. have become one of the most popular and fashionable backpack brands out there in the last few years, and it’s not hard to understand why. Their backpacks are not only stylish, but they’re really good quality, and above all, practical which is a core feature which you should be looking for when selecting a backpack.

The design is inspired from a mountaineering backpack, with leather strapping being the key to the design. The main compartment is accessed with the leather straps, which are kept closed using magnetic clasps, meaning you have easy access to get into the backpack while keeping it secure. It’s made from polyester, meaning it’s easy to keep clean and will stand up well against the elements. The front also features a small pouch pocket, perfect for small gadgets or loose coins. It’s secured by magnetic clasps again which hides the zipper compartment, once again keeping your goods secure.

The insides are the signature Herschel Supply Co. striped fabric, with a padded laptop sleeve which will support up to a 15″ laptop, it’s perfect to keep any device separated including a tablet or even a DSLR camera. One of my favourite features about this bag is the backing and the straps; If you’ve ever had a backpack on your back for long periods you’ll know it’s not always the weight which makes things uncomfortable, it’s the straps. This is addressed with custom Air Mesh straps and and Air Mesh back which gives unbelievable comfort.

You can get this from UNDSCVRD

About UNDSCVRD

As mentioned, I got this backpack from UNDSCVRD, but they do a lot more than this Little America Backpack. If you’re looking for a fashionable bag that packs a lot of style as well as your daily products, they’ll have something for you. From contemporary backpacks to messenger bags, laptop sleeves, wallets and leather goods, you’ll find them all under one roof. They have the labels you’ll already know and love, and are home to The North Face, Eastpak and Herschel Supply Co. as well as some great exclusive, boutique brands.

This includes the high end brand Porter, the main brand of Yoshida & Co. which has been around since 1962, and takes the name from a porter, who carries bags into a hotel. The Japanese brand is famous for it’s high standards, with it’s bags being exclusively being produced in Japan using high quality materials and skilled craftsman.

Crafted Goods are another brand to keep an eye on. With ethics and quality at it’s heart, their bags are designed in Switzerland and Japan while being manufactured in house at their factory in Bogotá, Columbia where they guarantee good working conditions for their workers. There bags are made to last, with their coveted Ballistic using the best quality raw materials and components.

Here’s a couple of other bags which caught my eye.

Backpacks

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Crafted Goods Ballistic Kaminito | Herschel Nylon – Lawson Navy | Eastpak: Floid Black2

Messenger Bags

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Sandqvist: Erik Messenger Blue | Crafted Goods: Carrerita – Black | Eastpak Claster Black

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*This post was written in collaboration with UNDSCVRD

Ferrari Pure Lavender Fragrance Review

Wednesday, 23rd September, 2015

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The third instalment of the Ferrari Essence Collection comes after Noble Fig and Bright Neroli, and is called Pure Lavender. As with the other two bottles in the collection, it comes in the same style, premium clear glass bottle, with the Ferrari wording to the front and the Pure Lavender working underneath. The bottle top comes with the iconic Ferrari prancing horse, and the metal top is wrapped in faux leather for a luxury feel.

The tagline for this scent is contemporary freshness, and once you’ve had a smell you can see why. The lavender is present and you feel this right away, but it’s subtle and sophisticated, with the other notes working well to give off a fresh and aromatic type of smell. This is my favourite from the Essence collection, the hints of lavender make it floral and give it that touch of elegance, with cashmere wood and vanilla giving it a very slight woody edge. The fragrance is modern and quite sensual, and like the others from the collection, is suitable for both men and women. Since it’s so inoffensive it could be worn in the day as well as an evening, and is perfect to wear as a light scent for Spring or Summer.

You can pick this up from Harrods for £75/100ml bottle.

Best season to wear – Spring/Summer
Scent type – Floral, Fresh, Aromatic
Age Recommendation – 21+
Best Worn – Daytime, Evening, Casual, Formal

Top Notes – Bergamot, lemon and cardamom

Middle Notes – Sage, lavandin

Base notes – Vanilla, patchouli and cashmere wood

For more fragrances have a look at my men’s fragrance guide here on Michael 84.

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Other Ferrari Fragrances

Ferrari Bright Neroli Eau De Toilette Review – A Men’s Fragrance Review

Wednesday, 9th September, 2015

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The second Ferrari scent I have got my hands on after Noble Fig is Ferrari Bright Neroli, from the Ferrari Essence Collection of fragrances. As with the other member of the essence family, this comes in a premium clear glass bottle, with minimal branding including the Ferrari logo along with Bright Neroli wording.

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Men’s Hair Products: VO5 Extreme Style Texturizing Gum Review

Wednesday, 2nd September, 2015

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These days when I talk about products I usually do more in depth reviews or as part of a feature or campaign, but I have to mention one of my favourite daily products which I use, VO5 Texturizing Gum. It’s actually sort of an accident that I even have this; I got it as part of a little set last Christmas from my ASOS Secret Santa, Debz.

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Summer 2015 Is Over

Tuesday, 1st September, 2015

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Happy 1st of September!

Summer 2015 is over! We may still be in British Summer Time, but the start of September always signifies the end of summer for me. The days are getting shorter, and the nights are slowly getting longer, which means it will be starting to get dark at 5PM soon which I really hate! 🙁

I can’t quite believe we’re 9 months into the year, the summer has somehow gone, and before you know it we’ll have Christmas and New Year, 2016 will be here and I’ll be taking about the summer again! :mrgreen:

A while back I took these shots, probably the most summery ones I have….White jeans, nautical tee, linen jacket et al. Check out more of my Street Style here too.

I am wearing: H&M White Jeans, H&M T-Shirt, Mango MAN Jacket, Ray Ban Aviators, Ugg Shoes

Roll on Summer 2016 😉

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Page And Cooper Casual Watch Collection

Monday, 31st August, 2015

With a focus on quality timepieces and craftsmanship, Page And Cooper are a watch specialist with a difference. Watches are carefully selected in both brand and style, and fulfil key points of criteria including bring well designed, beautifully made, rare, long lasting and importantly offer value for money.

One thing I like about a quality timepiece is exclusivity, I want luxury along with wearing something on my wrist that others will not be wearing. Page And Cooper find quality watches made by small, independent companies which you’ll not find on the high street, utilize traditional watchmakers workmanship.

I have picked out a few of my favourites from their casual collection, which have caught my eye.

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Throwback Thursday – 90’s Fashion – Kappa

Thursday, 27th August, 2015

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Happy Throwback Thursday! 😀

Back in the mid 90’s fashion was all about sportswear, I was a teenager and lived in the stuff. The brand which was one of the most coveted was Kappa. They made football shirts for huge European teams such as Juventus and Barcelona, and general sportswear too.

Everyone was into Kappa, and it was pretty expensive for clothing when we were teens back in the mid 90’s. I remember owning a few pieces, a tracksuit being one, as well as a zipped sweatshirt being fond memories.

I heard that Kappa were making a comeback, and were selling some of their old retro style tracksuits, as well as bringing back the brand for the new generation. I actually got the tracksuit last year, and did a small feature about it on the blog.

Here I am styling it with some other 90’s and retro greats; Converse Chuck Taylor trainers, and the equally iconic Adidas Originals T Shirt. The tracksuit I previously owned as a teen was almost the same, but had the red background track pattern down the sleeves of the jacket and sides of the trousers. Still, this navy and white version was an absolute classic, and brings back a lot of good memories.

90’s style and trends are back, and I love 90’s nostalgia whether that’s fashion or pop culture, and Kappa was a bit of both. It is of course not for everyone, and probably cringe-worthy for those who think they are into high fashion because they’ve once bought something from [insert designer name here], but it brings back memories of a great era that’s what it’s all about 🙂

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