Rob Pattinson sports "the shadow" beard (two day growth).

During Schick’s “Man of 1,000 Faces” campaign (July – Sept 2010), Jeff features as a spokesperson for the launch of the new Quattro Freestyle Titanium 3-in-1 razor.

In conjunction with the launch, Schick® surveyed Aussie men and women aged 18-35 years to uncover the perceived benefits of keeping groomed facial hair. The report found that men with facial hair are perceived to have more sex, with 6 out of 10 women finding men with facial hair have more sex appeal than clean cut blokes. Nearly two thirds of the men surveyed agreed that having well-groomed facial hair gives them a much better success rate with the ladies. Men also confessed that sporting facial hair made them feel more attractive and gave them more personality. A further 7 out of the 10 men surveyed believe well-groomed facial hair is more masculine and nearly 75% of participating women agreed.

Check out the clip to hear Jeff chatting to Triple M’s Ugly Phil about the ins and outs of keeping groomed facial hair: Triple M interview 2 July 2010

Essential products for keeping groomed or “designer” facial hair? In every man’s designer beard toolkit they should have Body Shop’s ‘Macca Root’ shaving cream – the razor glides over nicely and moisturises your face at the same time. Apply with a bristled beard brush, then style with your Schick Quattro Titanium Freestyle razor for all your shave, edge and trim requirements.

What styles keep men looking younger? Typically beards and groomed facial bring maturity to a man’s face which is not a bad thing for those climbing the corporate ladder.

That said, a finely trimmed beard will always make blokes look younger than a full bush beard, likewise goatees are not a hot look anymore so again could age or “date” you a little.

Beards are so versatile, they define your style and they also can enhance looks or hide imperfections. For blokes with a bit of a double chin I advise them to cut the neckline of the beard past the fold of the second chin to create a strong “single chin” jaw line. Plus I always get guys to shave the cheeks down fairly low to the jaw line to keep your eyes looking fresh.

Great grooming tips? When cutting your “designer” beard, shave in the direction of the hair growth and go with a style that balances the shape of your face. Remember to always trim around your lips and don’t forget to shave the back of your neck. This will complete your look and so many blokes forget this, destroying their “designer” beard efforts!

What facial hair look do you wish would make a comeback? The 1970’s mo because there is nothing more masculine than the mo of Magnum P.I.!

What facial hair look do you wish would just die already? I love groomed facial hair….so keep them all alive! If I have to single one out, it would be the goatee its been done to death in the 90’s and needs a little rest.

Check out the campaign and enter the competitions to win big!

“Robert Pattinson: sporting ‘the shadow’ aka two day growth, gives Rob the smouldering sexy look . Also adds maturity to his look”.

“Johnny Depp: classic pirate goatee often voted sexiest man this beard emphasises his high cheekbones”.

“Russell Brand: rockstar bad boy look really suits the long hair. Russell is a totally different man with no beard and short hair. This look has made his career.”

“Ryan Reynolds: widely recognised as the perfect beard. Good looking dude with good hair and a well balanced neat classic beard”.

More celeb beards explained at Men’s Health Australia online.

“A place for everything and everything in its place”. In March this year Howards Storage World, Australia’s leading specialty retailer of storage and organisational products for home and office, offered Aussie consumers the chance to win 1 of 5 x $3,000 wardrobe makeovers, featuring a personal styling and wardrobe appraisal from Jeff. Recently in May/June, Jeff hit the road to visit each winner in their homes, accompanied by Personal Organiser “A Little Elf” Karen Koedding, to cleanse their wardrobes and set a wish list for their “new look” styling needs.

Check out the video featuring Jeff’s visit to the NSW “Wardrobe Challenge” winner on Vimeo.

Gary Bigeni's outstanding SS 2011 showing

(RAFW Spring/Summer 2010) In May each year, Australia’s fashion industry descends on Sydney for the showing of the upcoming Spring/Summer collections. More than 100 designers across 65+ shows held down at the Overseas Passenger Terminal draw thousands in attendance from the retail, wholesale, media, design and styling industries.

It’s an experience that can easily be compared to the childhood excitement of Christmas. Put simply, the opportunity to get a glimpse of what lies ahead in fashion is much like peeking at your presents before the big day!

Whilst the primary audience are definitely the highly influential buyers who stock what we see and love in the shops each season, the opportunity for a stylist to get an inside look is not only incredibly inspiring but also ensures my clients are kept abreast of what’s hot for the season ahead.

Here are some of the highlights to share with you:

• The people watching – It doesn’t get any more voyeuristic than this; it’s like Reality TV in 3D at max volume!

• Celebrities - you get up-close and personal with the likes of Jen Hawkins and Sarah Murdoch

• Designers – the brat pack of Morrissey, Perry and Cooper sitting front row at the Emerging Designers Show

• Fashionistas - stylists, writers and bloggers abound and it’s a fashion battle to see who is wearing what each day

• Waiting – some shows were up to 90 mins late due to last minute fine touches; you must register an hour prior to each single show and the seating process is intricate and political!

• Watching – Cargo Hall is all one level so unless you get very front row it is very difficult to see and stuffy with no air conditioning, whereas upstairs at the OPT there is stadium seating and everyone gets a look!!

• Whinging – endless queues to get into shows and the cucumber sangers weren’t always free flowing

• Wining – free flowing wine bar and plenty of it when you have a massive sponsor

• Inspiration- between what you see on the runway and the attire of the many attendees, there is plenty to get excited about

• Celebration and the after parties – pretty people, good vibes, plenty of food and drinks

What to expect in the shops for Spring/Summer 2010

Perhaps it’s the endless summer weather we seem to be enjoying here in Sydney, but many of the hits from RAFW we could and should be wearing right now. Can’t wait to see the following collections when they hit the shops later this year…

• Kate Sylvester (for her alternate urban country signature),
• Annah Stretton (one dress styled in ten different looks),
• Gary Bigeni (incredible palate and oozing feminine),
• Song by Tang (new age but wearable, look out for it) and
• newcomers Lucette (for bringing back Mad Max)!

Also expect to see lots of light leather, pastels and neutral colours such as peach and cream. Sexy tailored cropped pants for the ladies. Some amazing and very fashion forward swimwear concepts. Plus loads of party frocks in time for Spring racing and the Christmas party circuit.

My 5 looks in 5 days during RAFW:

MONDAY. Black on black on black to start the week chic… Matthew Lawrence bespoke jacket, Danielle Wallace polka dot shirt, skinny jeans from Neuw, G&L bespoke shoes

TUESDAY. 1940’s paperboy mash-up… Matthew Lawrence bespoke 40’s dark blue high waisted baggy pants, thrift-shop braces purchased in Rome (hung low), check shirt from Witcheryman, dusty old flat cap purchased in NYC, Lacoste sneakers

WEDNESDAY. Alternate look… smart Kate Silvester crumple knit shirt in blue/green, G&L shoes, tailored skinny check trousers from Oxford

THURSDAY. Double denim… Dr Denim shirt and Pace jeans from Blu Bird, with Paul Smith olive coloured velvet jacket, G&L shoes

FRIDAY. “Pony boy” was the bespoke outfit day with “bespoke by Ganton” white shirt and signature Matthew Lawrence pony velvet jacket, Neuw jeans, G&L shoes

Don’t forget, coming up August 23-28th, the Rosemount Sydney Fashion Festival (as distinct from the RAFW industry event) returns to the CBD with free and ticketed public events.

A specially created tent structure is erected in Martin Place with a multi-day schedule of lunchtime and evening shows put on by the major department stores and independent retail outlets plus exhibitions, launches and after parties in and around Sydney.

Plus expect more from me with Autumn/Winter 2011 collections showcasing in Sydney in October later this year.

Images: Getty Images

From the ready to wear ‘Classics’ (suits, ties, shirts), to the high performing formal ‘Collection’ and high-end ‘Custom’ made-to-measure suiting, M.J. Bale heralds a new chapter in Australian men’s style with supremely-tailored fashion for the discerning Aussie male – clientele he describes as “true global-roamers”.

Matt sources materials globally and locally including Australian Merino wool; Italian fabrics; Japanese sartorial manufacturing; American and Egyptian cotton, to produce masculine, timeless garments.

The new flagship store interiors were designed by Sydney architect, Kelvin Ho: “The store design is intrinsically linked to the philosophy of MJ. Bale, bridging the divide between the nostalgic and the modern. Recycled blackbutt floors, Tasmanian oak shelves, Hessian panelling with brass detailing and antiques that resonate the brand story.”

M.J. Bale’s current A/W collection channels the spirit of Italy’s great-uncrowned king of style – industrialist and playboy Gianni Agnelli. Often referred to as the most stylish man to walk the Earth, Agnelli (who died at 72 in 2003) immortalised the art of impeccable suiting.

M.J. Bale is aligned with a variety of organisations including Australian Wool Innovation, acclaimed restaurants Vue de Monde and Est., Opera Australia, and several Super 14 Rugby teams – NSW Waratahs, ACT Brumbies and the Western Force.

What’s your philosophy?
Named after mine and my husband’s middle names, our philosophy at Jim & Jane is that everybody is welcome and our product must reflect that. You should be able to shop with us whether you want high end design or a bit of fun, desire fashion forward or something safe, and lastly, whether you are 18 or 80 years old (and we sell clothes for all age groups and times of life such as maternity which makes merchandising fun!).

Why Annandale?
We opened the store three years ago and chose Annandale as we felt it was an up and coming suburb with nowhere to grab a quick gift or update an outfit.

Having moved from Bondi Beach ourselves we missed the convenience of local village shopping. We also loved some brands that were not available in the inner west and felt there were a lot of people in the area that had the same wants and needs as us.

Describe your clientele
Our clientele is really broad as mentioned already and we do get celebrities in store but I don’t think they’d want us mentioning them as they like wandering around the store incognito and low key– I can tell you Annandale is full of Musicians, Artists, Magazine Editors, Models, Sportspeople and the odd Reality TV contestant!

What’s coming up?
For the new season (Spring/Summer) we will be carrying the following Fashion and Accessories labels – Skin & Threads (AUS), Tluxe (AUS), Eryn Brinnie (USA), Kachel (AUS), Song (FRA), Lilya (AUS), Samvara (AUS), Cantao (BRA), Totem (BRA), Louche (HKG/NZ), Samantha Wills (AUS), Elk (AUS), Mezi (AUS), Sabrina Scala (HKG), Pigeonhole (AUS), just to name a few. We carry limited quantities of all stock as don’t believe our clientele want to run into someone at the local IGA in an identical outfit so we have quite a lot of suppliers!

I believe next Summer will be our best to date – we have so much exciting product coming in. The most amazing leather bags from Sabrina Scala, gorgeous vintage style accessories from a new designer, super cool sequin pieces that mix in with bamboo basics from Tluxe, more lovely silk dresses from Kachel that are so well price pointed and really heavenly shoes from Samvara.

We buy jewelery from all around the globe. From Australia we support local designers – Sam Wills, Riley Burnett, Mezi, elk, Mimi and Me, Mohini, Sancerre, Liberte, pigeonhole and we often commission local artists to make pieces exclusively for us. We also gets lots of great jewellery from trips to India and Asia where we find local artisans and get them to make jewellery under our own label.

As always fitting all the stock in will be a challenge but as usual we will have new product on the shelves each week so there will always be something you didn’t see the last time you popped in!

45 Booth St Annandale
(02) 9552 1306

If you haven’t yet discovered premier Kiwi designer Kate Sylvester’s flagship Sydney boutique just yet (recently opened December 2009), then head down to 168 Oxford St today (nearby to everyone’s favourite Love Supreme pizza joint) for intelligent fashion with oodles of personality!

JL chats below with Katie Brown, Sydney store manager…, plus contact JL about a personal shopping experience at Kate Sylvester today!

Brand history? Originally launched back in 1993 the brand bears the premier “Kate Sylvester” label and “Sylvester” diffusion label, offering quirky and minimalist designs for both men and women. Think independent Fashion for living in and for going out, in the most gorgeous wearable fabrics.

Brand philosophy? Kate Sylvester is timeless irreverent classic!

What’s the story of this season’s ‘Diamond Dogs’ campaign? The Winter collection is based around irreverent Auckland socialite Judith Baragwanath. Judith was frowned upon ‘cause she was hanging in punk circles always wore black lippy and her possie were called the Diamond Dogs, the collection features a screen print of Judith Baragwanath.

Your picks of the season? Judith military inspired coat, gorgeous fit, lovely fabric, black also in grey, throw it over denim or black with a cute little dress. Plus hot tip people – the shoes in store are custom made from the boys at G&L!

Describe your clients? Grown up but keen to try something different, likes her classic but intelligent and just a little bit sexy. And dudes on the hunt for something fashion forward but clearly wearable.

Why do you love the brand? I love how she runs the company sustainability, plus I love the collections, she’s a timeless great gal.

Are you showing at RAFW (3-7 May 2010)? Yes… cant wait! See you there!

The Sydney flagship store is a must-see for Oxford St shopping. The contemporary eclectic fit out designed by Wayne Conway includes a metal lacework ceiling; a hand painted mural and  “lounge” area complete with vinyl tunes and a library!

Check out the Diamond Dogs A/W Collection, plus other stockists around the country.

Paddington Sydney
168 Oxford Street

“Cock your hat – angles are attitudes” (Frank Sinatra).

Sydney’s premier hat destination Strand Hatters is a must for fashion forward fellas and is an Aussie fashion institution from way back.

JL chats below with Milliner and Manager Roberto on the new look store… plus contact JL about a personal shopping experience at Strand Hatters today!

What’s the story behind the new look? We travelled to NYC to collaborate with interior design guru Kelvin Ho. Together we have developed a new Salon-inspired fit out that has a masculine renaissance man feel. The cutting edge design features a fully stocked bar for gents who wants to sip on a scotch whilst perusing the great selection of hats.

What’s hot in store? From Top Hats and Fedoras to Sombreros and Panamas; from a classic Western to a Fez; to a Tweed Cap or French Beret; clients can choose from fur, felt, leather, straw, or fabric custom made men’s and unisex creations to finish off your event look or for everyday wear!

Also in store are: braces, scarves, belts, monocles, key rings, armbands, pocket watches. Plus, check out the coolest selection of handmade ties, bow ties, pocket-handkerchiefs and wallets from Danielle Wallace.

What hat brands do you carry? Akubra, Brixton, Coal, Goorin Brothers, Hanna Hats, Kaminski, Kangol, Truffaux, Panama Hats and plenty more.

What’s the vibe in store? Our team is young, funky and knowledgeable, whether you want the latest street look or a classic piece, or something for the races, we’ve got it all to suit every budget.

www.strandhatters.com.au

Strand Arcade Sydney
Shop 8, 412 George St

Gwen Stefani is fashion forward in the hair stakes

Tell me about yourself? I’m a hairdresser/session stylist and one of the owners of Detail For Men in Sydney. [Stephen was American Crew Cutter of the Year 2009].

Tell me about your salon? It’s a male specific total body workshop for guys in the CBD delivering premium haircuts, facials, massage and all kinds of waxing!

Men’s hair style influences for 2010? Definitely college preppy look is big and super short buzz cuts with a flat top are going to be big for the more adventurous.

What’s best for men  – curly vs. straight? Either cropped really short or grown to a longer layered and texturised shape.

Which celebs are forward hairstyle wise? Definitely guys like David Beckham and Paul Weller always produce the goods and girls like Kate Moss and Gwen Stefani are always really cool.

Womens hair style influences for 2010? Beautiful flowing long layers with really natural highlights and long bangs.

What’s best for women curly vs. straight? Curly hair needs to be layered in a way to minimise the boof! Take the weight out without going too short. For straight hair, it is important to cut the hair with soft curves so as not to get lines of squared off sections.

What are your clients embracing at the moment? For the guys “Mad Men” style short back and sides is big and girls are getting more full fringes with strong colours.

Which products are rocking at the moment? Guys are loving the American Crew Tea Tree Styling Cream for the 1950′ s slick back side part look and the guys who like texture are using Baxter’s Clay. Girls are using David Babaii Bohemian Beach Spray for “beach” hair texture and volume.

What’s new in grooming? Guys are getting spray tans in big numbers so I guess the white look is out!

What’s next for Detail? I think it might be time to give the ladies the same attention the guys are now getting at DFM…Check out our services for women.

Check out Detail for Men.

When did start making shoes? From the tender age of 16, more than 20 years ago in our homeland of Yerevan Armenia, then later in Paris.

When did you brake into the Australian market? 8 years ago with our boutique and workshop on William St, Paddington Sydney. Today we have a team of 21 staff plus a factory operating in Armenia.

What is your brand philosophy? Custom made! Not everyone can make shoes that fit like a glove at truly affordable prices.

Who are your clients? Fashion forward individuals plus we make bespoke designs for many leading Australian and New Zealand designers and retailers.

How would you describe the G&L experience? You get cutting edge fashion with handmade qualities and intimate service in a relaxed designer workshop environment. Shoes made to measure, a perfect fit every time!

What’s next for G&L? Grow the brand to a household name in Australia plus global expansion working with more European labels and international runway success.

Ask Jeff today about an introduction at G&L.

This Autumn I am very excited to report that there is plenty to share from the shops and the high street. Sydney’s first phase of the new look $1.5 billion CBD development is the Mid City Centre, now home to a beautiful two-storey men’s and women’s Witchery flagship store, very funky two-level General Pants plus the latest offering from G-Star Raw (old HMV site).

I also hear rumours that later this year Mulberry, Gap, Zara and DKNY will also be opening, very exciting new additions to the Australian market.

My Autumn style is…All about layering! Finally it is cool enough in the evening to wear Light Weight Jackets, Knits and Scarves.

For daytime, boys go for Waistcoats with jeans and T’s or Woven Shirts plus loose Ties and Scarves. For the ladies, a Light Weight Trench [you can’t go past stone or beige] is so versatile for the changeable conditions, why not keep one at work with a Brolly!

Autumn fashion must-have? Ditch the thongs and open toe shoes. Ankle Boots for both men and women, plus a Light Weight Leather Jacket for work and play.

Autumn cologne? Ladies, look no further than Tom Ford’s Black Orchid, exclusive at David Jones. Blokes go for Tom Ford for Men his absolute signature, also at DJ’s.

Autumn tunes? Check out Angus and Julia Stone’s new album!

Autumn travel? Love to get to the Southern Highlands NSW, nice and cool and amazing colours in nature plus a good excuse to indulge in wine through the day.

Autumn Sydney must-do? Get to the beach…no, seriously the water is at it’s warmest for the year at around 22 degrees, then enjoy one of Sydney’s many beachside cafes. Plus not forgetting the upcoming Rosemount Australian Fashion Week of course and the many parties associated with this calendar highlight!

Autumn Melbourne must-do? Get to an AFL game before it’s freezing! Plus check out latest Autumn fashion at the new high-end precinct at Chadstone Shopping Centre, Crown Casino or Collins St.

Autumn Brisbane must-do? Check out the city lights from the Story Bridge Climb at sunset. Then hit the Valley for Brisbane’s exclusive boutiques or funky hotel Emporium which offers Marc Jacobs, Tod’s, Costume National to name a few.

As many of JL’s clients can attest, his absolute favourite independent denim retailer is

JL chats below with owner operator Tom Antcliff…plus you can contact JL about a personal shopping experience at BluBird Denim today!

Where did the name Blubird come from? To be honest it was one of the hardest things for me. When you start out you have all these ideas in your head but none really sound right, you become extremely critical wanting it to be personal. We play a lot of Blues music in the store and I was just listening to an old Blues album (Howling Wolf) and “BlueBird” came on. It just hit me I have always had a thing for old Blues and Jazz music and that old era. Plus blue for denim really fits.

Brand history? After many years as a retailer and buyer, I set up BluBird to be a denim destination store for Sydney back in 2009, with a key focus to introduce Aussies to rare and cutting edge overseas labels.

Brand philosophy? I’m passionate about real denim and about educating people about denim, how to get the right fit, how to wear vintage/raw Jeans right through to more intrepid Scandinavian and European labels.

What’s hot in store right now? Pace Jeans from Sweden, a bona fide denim brand with a good story and a passion for all things denim.

Tell us more about the PACE label? Pace was established in 2004 by two brothers Klas and Joakim, who had grown up in their father’s denim store. Their first collection came out a year later built from a fondness for old world style from music to cars.

They are known for “raw” denim, which is unwashed cloth that moulds to the individual wearer’s body and usage. Wallets, mobiles and keys for example will leave a mark, essentially a “tattoo” of your life on your jeans! www.pacejeans.com

What are the 3 golden rules to wearing jeans properly?

1 – The fit is essential, it’s typically hard to get guys to understand that they need to be a size down on their typical trouser fitting but the results are dynamite.

2 – Quality Denim for longevity, comfort and style.

3 – We should all have a “raw” jean in our wardrobe.

12 William Street Paddington
Sydney, Australia, 2021

Misses
Technology was given a nod from indie artist Imogen Heap who frocked up in a handmade “Twitter Dress”.

J Lo failed to recreate history with her “split personality” Versace silver chain mail mini dress with long white silk chiffon overlay, belted at the waist.

Katy Perry wore tone on tone and looked like a roll of Nanna’s wallpaper. Russian wannabe poptart Nadeea shocked in her barely there outfit and Bowie-esque face paint.

Sadly Heidi Klum also bombed by revealing all of her “trade secrets” with cleavage down to her belly button and too much leg.

Hits
Standouts were elegant styling from Nicole & Keith flawless in Prada (welcome back natural red head), model Marisa Miller in sexy Vintage Gucci, and Jamie Foxx oozing cool with black on black on black! Notable mentions also go to Pink, Jonas Brothers, NEYO, Fergie, and what list isn’t complete without Rihanna?!

This year, Becks is celebrating the theme of sizzling hot nights in the city and vibrancy of the outdoor music scene with campaign line “You can sleep when you’re dead”! Check out the t-shirt design below!

(9 November 2009) 2009 marks the 20th Anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. To celebrate this historic occasion, and give Australians a taste of current Berlin style, iconic German beer brand Beck’s partnered with Jeff and Sydney designer, Brent Wilson, to create a limited edition fashion collection.

Beck’s approached Jeff to manage the development of the collection, which included finding a suitable designer to create the range.

“Bringing Becks and Brent Wilson together on the Berlin Wall project was a natural partnership,” said Jeff. “I was looking for a designer who could capture the forward-thinking, young, hip and expressive nature of Berlin.

“Brent’s design aesthetic was a perfect fit and the resulting collection reflects the street style trends, influenced by art, music and street culture that we are seeing out of Berlin today.”

The range includes a bespoke black satchel, t-shirt and embroidered knit flat cap. For more information:
www.brentwilson.com.au
www.becksbier.com.au

Sessions include Wardrobe Appraisal in your home as well as a Fit Colour Style Assessment. You can upgrade to Personal Shopping to top you up for your wardrobe seasonal needs and basic essentials.

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