Derby Day 2015's black & white driven style.

The Melbourne Spring Carnival's stylish Black & White themed day never fails to deliver extremely stylish menswear. Black, white and 50 shades of grey abound in glorious combinations with the blue race flower popping on the lapels of bespoke and ready to wear suits. I really love racewear, I feel its the most stylish and 'dressed up' we can be outside of blacktie and wedding day events. The beautiful thing about racewear is how much one can express themselves in their attire. Accessories are paramount in putting the finishing touches on your race day outfit. White suits and blazers were a welcome change to the often worn black ensembles and checks were the dominant dandy suit and blazer style choice. I for one am stoked that men go to this much effort. All hail the peacock.

Here are my favourite looks from Derby Day 2015 courtesy of D'Marge.

D'Marge is your one stop shop for the latest in all things magnificent for men, get your daily dose www.marge.com

Sperry, the original and best boat shoes

I had the great pleasure of viewing the latest collection of Sperry shoes at Regatta Rose Bay last week. The sponsorship of the Australian Swim Team and the story behind the brand were fascinating. The food, beverages, tunes, goodie bag and atmosphere was brilliant. The cool dudes from Bondi Ink were busy tattooing boat shoes (you don't see that everyday) and room had a nice mix of industry and celebrity guests.

I wore my box fresh Eve and Kane white leather sneakers, notice the glow. Wil Valor blazer, Brent Wilson shorts and Witchery shirt made up the rest of the ensemble with my trusty Persol sunnies.

About Sperry- Our founder, Paul Sperry, was an avid sailor with a passion for adventure. He was faced with a real-life problem that stood in the way of his passion: How to maintain traction on a slippery boat deck. Paul found his inspiration from his dog Prince. Noticing how he didn’t slip on ice, he turned Prince’s paw over to find hundreds of small cracks and lines going in all directions. These became the inspiration behind his inventive non-slip sole and the world’s first boat shoe.

Every single member of the Cruising Club of America wrote to Mr. Sperry to request a pair of these remarkable new boat shoes. Nothing else kept sailors safe on deck. During World War II, the US War Department named Sperry Top-Sider as one of the official shoes of the US Navy.

From the world's first boat shoe to today's contemporary styles that remain true to our heritage, Sperry exists for those drawn to the sun, surf and soul of the ocean. Learn more about Sperry and find the perfect fit for your style in our classic collections.

Check out Sperry in all good shoes stores and online http://www.sperry.com.au

JL

How to Tie a Four-In-Hand Knot

Does work have you sporting a necktie? Perhaps you are going to the races or a wedding? Have you ever felt a little bit over having the same look all the time? The four in hand knot is the current knot of choice for modern men. So to get you tie game 'on point', check out this super easy style tutorial. Tying a four in hand is pretty straightforward and the results are pretty cool.

The legends at MJ Bale put this masterpiece together, and it was my pleasure to work with an exceptional team of professionals. Online and in-store you will find loads of cool tie options to try out your new found tying skill.

About MJ Bale-

M.J. Bale is an Australian tailor and clothier making garments of integrity for men of character. Designed in Sydney with a focus on soft, deconstructed tailoring and elegant layered separates, we work with a global bureau of small-town artisans to weave and construct a masculine total look big on comfort, fit, authenticity and provenance. We’re headquartered in Sydney and have thirteen M.J. Bale stores spread across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Canberra. We are proud to be the official clothier partner of the Australian Soccer team, Australian cricket team, Australian polo team and local Super rugby sides, the NSW Waratahs, ACT Brumbies and Western Force.

More videos coming your way folks, drop me a note with your feedback below.

JL

How to Fold a Pocketchief

My clients all want to know how I manage to get my pocketchief looking so dapper, and I am pretty stoked that men are embracing the gold old pocket chief as an everyday fashion and style accessory. Its no secret I've been praising the virtues of this pretty 'easy to wear' nugget of goodness for sometime now. Every now and then you will see a 'sad face' pocketchief aka the floppy silk pocket chief, and then be totally impressed by a knife sharp clean white linen folded pocketchief ah-la Mad Men. Which ever way you look at it, the pocket chief is the style essential for your wardrobe. This clip lovingly produced by the genius team at MJ Bale gives you the key different ways to fold your pocketchief.

About MJ Bale-

M.J. Bale is an Australian tailor and clothier making garments of integrity for men of character. Designed in Sydney with a focus on soft, deconstructed tailoring and elegant layered separates, we work with a global bureau of small-town artisans to weave and construct a masculine total look big on comfort, fit, authenticity and provenance. We’re headquartered in Sydney and have thirteen M.J. Bale stores spread across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Canberra. We are proud to be the official clothier partner of the Australian Soccer team, Australian cricket team, Australian polo team and local Super rugby sides, the NSW Waratahs, ACT Brumbies and Western Force.

More videos coming your way folks, drop me a note with your feedback below.

JL

How to Tie a Bow Tie

So many of us blokes have given up and thrown this 'man-skill' into the too hard basket. There are also a whole bunch of 'how-to' videos on the web varying in length and quality. So why watch this one when so many have come before? This is actually my third how-to video for self tie bowties, and I believe its my best yet. The tutorial has been slowed down and most importantly uses a language that is simple and concise. The other key element to this particular video is that the file of the bowtie is shown, which makes it easier to execute the most difficult part of the process.

My good friends at MJ Bale have produced this gem and let me tell you, that was an epic team effort. Well done cast and crew!

About MJ Bale-

M.J. Bale is an Australian tailor and clothier making garments of integrity for men of character. Designed in Sydney with a focus on soft, deconstructed tailoring and elegant layered separates, we work with a global bureau of small-town artisans to weave and construct a masculine total look big on comfort, fit, authenticity and provenance. We’re headquartered in Sydney and have thirteen M.J. Bale stores spread across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Canberra. We are proud to be the official clothier partner of the Australian Soccer team, Australian cricket team, Australian polo team and local Super rugby sides, the NSW Waratahs, ACT Brumbies and Western Force.

More videos coming your way folks, let me know your thoughts.

JL