Gallus

1,000 Shades of Grey

November 17, 2016July 3, 2017 by Gallus, posted in LIFESTYLE

I’m a neurotic mess.

This is not going to be coming as massive news to anyone who’s held a conversation with me which lasted more than 5 minutes. Therefore, my mind is always awash with various ideas and thoughts (usually self-deprecating).

However, this week my mind has been more clouded than usual.

This is not just due to my growing disappointment in humanity as more and more political decisions are showing a growing tendency towards an “Us vs Them” insular way of thinking. It is also down to my own personal situations and where I see my life going in the near future.

I’m currently living my life in what is described as the “grey area”. For those perhaps unaware, the “grey area” means something that is not clearly defined; or “that which is uncertain.”

Don’t get me wrong, sometimes grey areas are fantastic …exciting, even.

Let’s take relationships is an example…

At the start of a new relationship, the “grey areas” are the adrenaline rush which makes this period so bloody exciting! You don’t know your new partner that well; they are new, their decisions are unpredictable.

Perhaps you don’t even know where you stand with your new partner?! Are you “together” … or just “seeing how it goes” …or maybe even, “casual” (we all know what that means).

Can you imagine a world where we started every new relationship without these grey areas? A world where you presented a relationship CV perhaps…

BLAIR STEVENSON

PROS

Successful track record of monogamous relationships
Experienced conversationalist
Reasonably self-aware

CONS

Neurotic
Not comfortable displaying/discussing emotions
Will probably write about you…

How backwards would this be for everyone to deal with?

Maybe you would even have to sign a contract;

“Do you accept the full terms and conditions of dealing with *ENTER NAME*:________”

This sounds horrific, especially when you consider how people change and develop over time. We would all be in breach of contract very quickly!

The issues with “grey areas” and relationships come with the length of time it has existed. As the “grey” grows old, it tends be become one-sided. One person dictates the pace of the relationship while the other gets dragged along behind the horse; unsure of quite what’s happening, but hoping for the best.

This is how people ended up getting hurt.

(Quick Tip; If you are unsure of your current relationship situation, ask your partner to go to a show that is a few months away … the response you receive should tell you everything you need to know!)

However, these “grey areas” can permeate other aspects of your life too.

Your social circle (“is this guy my friend or just a work-acquaintance?”)
Your family (“I think my sister might actually be my mum…”)
Your job (“I’m not sure whether to take this contract with Silence Ltd.”)

…the list is endless.

However, a strong ability to deal with these “grey areas” can be a fantastic positive for your career trajectory. It has been proven time and time again that the ability to work under the pressure of uncertainty; the ability to take risks, is a fast-track towards a promotion!

How do you deal with “grey areas”? Are you dealing with any just now?

I currently believe that I am living with TOO many.

Note to self – be more decisive, state your intentions more clearly, learn from your mistakes.

A Million Tiny Sacrifices

November 8, 2016July 3, 2017 by Gallus, posted in LIFESTYLE

“I am just going outside and may be some time.”

Have you heard this saying before?

Are you aware of the incredible context with which these simple words were initially delivered?

The infamous words were said by Captain Lawrence Oates during the Terra Nova Expedition.

The Terra Nova Expedition was an expedition to the Antarctica which took place between 1910-1913. The expedition was the brain child of explorer Robert Falcon Scott, who aimed to lead the first group to reach the geographic South Pole. Captain Lawrence Oates, a former English cavalry officer, was selected to be a part of Scott’s team for this expedition.

Over the course of the expedition it became evident that both Oates and Scott strongly disliked each other. Oates wrote in his diary;

“Myself, I dislike Scott intensely and would chuck the whole thing if it were not that we are a British expedition. He is not straight, it is himself first, the rest nowhere…”.

Scott, somewhat more even-tempered wrote in return;

“The Soldier [Oates] takes a gloomy view of everything, but I’ve come to see that this is a characteristic of him”.

Despite the in-fighting and mismanagement of the journey, the team attained their goal in January 1912 when they reached the South Pole.

…from that point, things went south [pun intended] – and no one from the Terra Nova made it home alive.

Now, at this point of this article you’re probably starting to think “why are you sharing this harrowing tale with me, and where does the quote at the top fit in?!”

That’s understandable, I’ve rambled a little bit.

…but bear with me.

During the return leg of the journey, Captain Oastes’ feet become severely frostbitten and old war wounds had (reportedly) re-opened, leaving him very weak and unable to walk the distances needed each day. Oates’ increasingly slow progress coupled with the unwillingness of the rest of the team to leave him behind had caused the team to fall dangerously behind.

On the morning of 16^th of March, Oates said the simple words quoted to his companions;

“I am just going outside and may be some time.”

Oates then walked from the tent, into a blizzard and −40 °C temperatures, knowingly to his death.

His death is viewed as an act of self-sacrifice; aware that his ill health was compromising his three companions’ chances of survival, he chose certain death.

While questions can be (and regularly are) raised about the capability and organisation of the team on the Terra Nova expedition, what can never be questioned is the bravery and self-sacrifice of Captain Oates.

The story of the Terra Nova came to my attention for the first time in many years last night and it stuck with me as I lay in bed and tried to sleep. I tried my best to put myself in Oates’ position and replayed it in my mind repeatedly, trying to judge what my own reactions would be in a similar position. The truth is, I can’t. You will never know how you will act in such terrible and extreme circumstances. The only thing I could do was try to learn from it, use Oates’ self-sacrifice as an inspiration to improve my everyday life.

I began to think of the little self-sacrifices that I do/could make every day. How these can positively impact both my own mood and the mood of those around me. Simple examples such as;

When your technophobic family members ask you to show them how to check their emails for the 40^th time
When you can’t have that beer because your friend/family needs you to drive them somewhere
Slowing your stride on a narrow pavement because the person in front of you is on crutches
…visiting anyone in hospital!

I’m going to strive to be more patient in life.

I’m going to take more deep breaths and enjoy the tony moments of “self-sacrifice” in everyday life.

Things could always be worse…

p.s, The Terra Nova wasn’t successful in being the first expedition to reach the South Pole.

A Norwegian team led by Roald Amundsen had preceded them by 34 days.

REVIEW – Othello: The Remix

November 8, 2016July 3, 2017 by Gallus, posted in LIFESTYLE

Bars are great, right?

I mean, this is a universal opinion, yeah?

We all know they’re awesome….

During my extended stay in New York, bars have been my second home. Being here alone, I can disappear into the crowd of a busy bar and meet all sorts of weird and wonderful people.

Some of those people even have particularly interesting jobs…

Recently, in a local bar named Daltons, I got speaking to a few friendly guys who just so happened to be part of an off-Broadway show called Othello: The Remix. These gentlemen (The Q Brothers) were even kind enough to offer me two-tickets for the next evening’s show. Didn’t I say bars are great?!

Othello: The Remix is a hip-hop based spin on the tragic tale originally written by the legendary William Shakespeare. Essentially, imagine if Shakespeare had written Othello during the fan-faire that followed the release of the 8-mile movie. I’ll be brutally honest and admit that I didn’t know much about the The Q Brothers and their previous work before this show; but after a quick Google search (can’t say I don’t do my research for posts…) it appeared that Othello wasn’t the first of the Bard’s work that the guys had given a modern adaption.

For me, this was a sign for the positive, multiple shows is surely a sign of quality, right?

It also became apparent that Othello: The Remix had toured …pretty much the entire world by this point! With runs in multiple locations across the U.S.A, Korea, London and even a stay at the infamous Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

(Ok, possibly a bit of hyperbole in that initial statement.)

I was looking forward to this!

The show itself was extraordinary.

With only 4-actors and a DJ on the stage, what they produced was a “remixed” but respectful adaption of Shakespeare’s classic in 80 minutes. There was no intermission, which was a clever move by the creators. The energy of the show was intense; to break half way through would have definitely been detrimental for both the actors performances and my own enjoyment.

In “The Remix” we see the cast sticking true to Love, Betrayal and Death – the themes of the original classic (and most of Shakespeare’s other work). We see Othello – the hottest hip-hop artist on the planet – falling for an (unseen) beauty Desdemona. With Othello success and love, comes problems. With jealousy brewing between other members of Othello’s clique … slowly beginning to descent into chaos.

The show is set entirely to music, with well written hip-hop songs being used to move the story along at a rapid-fire pace. As expected in a 4-man show, each actor had a multitude of characters to play … with costume changes consisting largely of wigs and aprons which had “outfits” depicted on them. It was a very creative and clever way of minimising change time while still giving the desired effect of creating the visual impact of a new character. However, despite the “novelty” way in which the story is portrayed, the performers knew how to bring the show back to its serious, tragic, theme when needed.

For me, the stand-out performers of the night were the Q Brothers themselves; GQ and JQ. Their grasp on the material was simply outstanding. Their jump between characters and their understanding of the necessary tone was perfect in pretty much every aspect. This is perhaps to be expected from guys who carry the titles “Writers / Composers / Directors / Performers” of the show; but impressive nonetheless.

If you are in the New York area between now and the end of their run; head along to the Westside Theatre and check out Othello: The Remix. It’s worth the trip!

Photos by Monica Simoes

You’re The Best.

October 25, 2016July 3, 2017 by Gallus, posted in LIFESTYLE

I can make a paper hat which fall apart at the slightest touch,

You can go to brunch and drink too much.

I can drive a car across the European continent,

You can pretend on social media that you’re confident.

I can paint a room and take care of baby,

You can make time to read the papers daily.

I can listen to a Columbian pop-rock band,

You can get brand new Fibre Broadband.

I could fly a commercial airliner across the Atlantic,

You could meet a partner who wants things “tantric”.

I could eventually get a fucking backbone…you could design the next god-damn Iphone.

I can be anything I want to be,

You can be anything you want to be,

All it takes is training and practice,

And someone to financially back us.

Never doubt your ability or your value.

Never.

(not) BORN IN THE U.S.A !!

October 18, 2016July 3, 2017 by Gallus, posted in Uncategorized

Guys, at this point of my blogging journey I’ve had more false “comebacks” than Jennifer Anniston. It’s a little pathetic if I’m honest with myself. Most of all, I’m disappointed at my own lack of reliability with posting regularly. I’m not going to make excuses, or try to justify my own (lack of) action. All I’ll say is that 2016 has been one of the worst years of my life … and I’ll leave it at that, and promise to do better!

Now … let’s concentrate on the positive!

Since my last post (which was probably a “comeback” post…) my life has changed quite a bit

For starters, I’m currently residing in Manhattan, New York.

I know, right? When the fuck did that happen?

Recently, I was given the opportunity to move to New York for the rest of 2016 (and hopefully beyond) with an international property company. It was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down. Especially considering, y’know, worst year ever! Haha

I’ve been here a couple of days now and I am still very much sounding out the city. It takes a long time to get the feel for a new city, especially one as vast as NewYork. All I know is that I am here for a fresh start; with life, with blogging …with everything.

As is my traditional fashion … I’ll keep you guys updated along the way!

Speak soon,

Blair.

Thought i’d include a few photos I have taken during writing this down at Pier 48 over the Hudson River…

Sleep: The Short Cut to Being an Intelligent and Handsome Bastard.

June 28, 2016July 3, 2017 by Gallus, posted in LIFESTYLE

Since the disastrous decision from my compatriots in the United Kingdom to drag me kicking and screaming out the EU, I am not ashamed to say that I have been losing sleep.

…and it’s beginning to show.

More and more this week, I have heard myself utter that infamous alpha-male rhetoric, “I only need about four hours”. For some bizarre reason, during the teenage male years it becomes a sign of masculinity to not sleep. I’m not sure where this started, I mean I can’t see why sitting up until 3am re-watching Community Season 2 and masturbating suddenly makes you the ideal partner for anyone…

The truth is, that it doesn’t.

Sleep is an incredibly important support system for our body composition. Everything from our mental capacity, strength and feeling of overall well-being can be easily linked back to our levels of sleep.

The experts say (not me…) that the average amount of sleep necessary for males between the ages of 17 and 35 is between 7-9 hours. However, much like in nutrition and calorie intake, your lifestyle and activity levels can play a huge factor in your own needs. The “harder you live”, the more sleep you will need. Play around with your levels and find your own unique levels.

By this point in the article you’ve probably scoffed at least once, but I promise you I can back my preaching up. To highlight the importance of sleep, I’ve pulled together some reasons why it is important for us … not just mentally, but physically too.

MENTAL IMPORTANCE

Sleep levels have been proven to be heavily linked to various aspects of necessary brain functions, such as cognition, concentration and productivity. You will have found in your day to day life that a good night’s sleep can improve your speed, accuracy and reaction times. It’s important to remember that your brain is like a machine. Much like all other machines, there needs to be rest periods otherwise the machine will overheat and performance will no longer be optimised.

However, your brain is actually incredibly active during this “rest period” too. During your much needed slumber your brain acts to strengthen memories and “practices” new skills you’ve learned during the day. Which means whether you’re learning Spanish, samba dancing or just learning to breathe – you’ll do it better after sleeping!

Finally …you know that cranky co-worker that no one really wants to speak to?

They probably don’t get enough sleep. A lack of sleep speeds up our tendency towards anger and mood swings. It can increase feelings of sadness, causes a lack of motivation and has even been linked to depression.

Summary: Sleep = Good.

PHYSICAL IMPORTANCE

You want to be handsome? You want to be fit? Get some sleep.

The non-ironically named Growth Hormone (GH) is responsible for making you grow big and strong like Schwarzenegger. Your body produces most GH when you are asleep, providing you with bigger and more impressive biceps.

Sleep also promotes fat loss and reduces the storage of fat within your body. Those with a lower sleep duration tend to weight significantly more than those who get adequate sleep. This is believed to be due to a number of reasons, including genetics, calories intake and the motivation to exercise.

Therefore, sleep reinforces everything you do in the gym. Most people buy ridiculously overpriced powders to do that job, when in reality, all they needed to do was finally step AWAY from their own reflection and get their regular 8 hours a night…

So Sleep helps you manage your weight and build muscle, what else does it do?

Your skin repairs itself during the sleep process, so without that period of rest, your skin’s ability to rebuild itself diminishes, which results in blemishes, dark circles around your eyes and an acceleration of the aging process.No one wants that.

So let’s put it another way; they don’t call it beauty sleep for no reason.

The more time you spend in bed … the more time you’ll spend in bed 😉

So what can you do to help yourself improve your sleeping patterns?

STEPS YOU CAN TAKE

1.Prioritize Sleep

As discussed at the start of this article, men tend to view sleep as secondary to …well, procrastinating. In order to realistically make a change to your patterns, this needs to be altered.

Create your own Bedtime Routine

The human body loves repetition. It loves to know what lies ahead and so that it can prepare itself. In order to create your own bedtime routine, give yourself 20/30 minutes to play with before you want to fall asleep. In this time, relax and cement your routine; brush your teeth, wash your face, put on your Pug Pyjamas and read something.

This leads me perfection to Point 3.

Avoid Electronic Devices In Bed

Words can not describe the improvement I found in my sleep when I moved my mobile phone away from my bedside cabinet. The modern worlds reliance on electronic devices have greatly impacted on our ability to obtain adequate sleep quantity AND quality. So if you are going to read in bed, make sure it’s not “14 Greatest Movie Scenes Recreated by Cats” on Buzzfeed.

Switch off your device… it will help your brain switch off!

Exercise

Who’s heard the infamous line “You’ll sleep well tonight!”

It’s funny that no one ever tells you that after a nine hour House of Cards marathon.

Tiring the body out is key to landing a deep, rewarding, sleep. Also, it has great benefits for your snake-like waistline.

Create The Right Sleep Environment

To get the best sleep, try to reduce light bleeding into your bedroom as much as possible. This can be a large culprit in keeping you awake. Subconsciously your brain has paired light with day-time. Distracting noise can also keep you tossing and turning for hours.

It would be beneficial to look into purchasing black-out blinds and sound proofing if necessary.

My “SPRING” Wishlist

March 22, 2016July 3, 2017 by Gallus, posted in MENSWEAR

Regular readers will know that my blog is usually reserved for my writing about style mistakes which I have witnessed each week or gleefully boasting about the wonderful trips that I have managed to wrangle unsuspecting people into accompanying me on. However, this week is a little different.

With this being the first week of the Spring season … I was reminded of New York’s SPRING store which I was introduced to at roughly this time last year. I love rediscovering online stores; however, I ALWAYS end up flicking through the site and adding approximately 60% off their offering to my “TO BUY” list that I keep on my phone. It’s an expensive process…

So below…is a Top Ten Wishlist from SPRING this Spring.

1) Comme De Garcons Play – Peek A Boo

Living in Scotland, wearing canvas trainers is the equivalent of living on a knife edge. Even in the height of Summer we have the ever-present threat of rain. However, for these Peek A Boo beauties, I am willing to take this wet-sock risk. I think I have found the ideal pair of Summer trainers for me this year. I’d pair these with a some light blue slim-leg jeans and a plain white tee to create the perfect Summer barbecue outfit.

2) Uniqlo – Oxford Shirt (Pink)

I have big-love for the brand Uniqlo. It makes the staff uncomfortable. Unfortunately, Uniqlo haven’t yet opened a store in Glasgow, resulting in me always finding the nearest Uniqlo store whenever I travel out of the city. This particular shirt mixes Uniqlo with two of my other Menswear passions …oxford shirts and pastel colours. A great item for the office during the Summer months.

3) Uniqlo – Short Socks

Nothing fancy. These were added to the list because I need new short socks. Carry on…

4) Pintrill – Speech Bubble Pin

Those who know me personally will be aware that I am a big collector of pins. Whenever I travel I buy one of these tourist pins you see being sold in shops with titles like “I LOVE LONDON”. The SPRING accessories store (unisex) has a good collection of day-to-day pins …but this one was definitely my favourite.

5) Ray-Ban – Clubmaster Wood

When buying Ray-Ban glasses you can always be guaranteed both style and quality. The Clubmaster Wood only further enforces this reputation…

6) Gents – Matt Paint Splatter Cap

There are two types of people who can successfully pull this cap off. Body Builders and professional football players. I fit into neither of these categories (clearly). However, I do fancy taking a risk on it and seeing what sort of feedback I get…

*Bonus Note* …and the need for this model to be topless is??

7) Scoop – Knit Jacket

Another article for my office wardrobe. Combining the polished look of a smart blazer with all of the comfort of your favourite house-sweater. Superb.

8) Axel Arigato – Chukka White Marble Sole

Drool. Everywhere.

9) Everlane – Large Backpack

Backpacks are an essential item for me, especially when I am travelling or attending some kind of convention. It is also an item you need be extra careful when selecting though. There is only a tiny line between the stylish gent look and the private school-boy look! That’s why I included this Everlane Large Backpack on my wishlist. Simple, elegant, stylish.

10)Uniqlo – Dry Stretch Pants

I love these. Uniqlo does it again!
Combine this with an open neck white shirt for a casual summer look.

Let me know what you guys think, what is on your TO BUY list this Spring?

Travel Blog: London

March 15, 2016July 3, 2017 by Gallus, posted in ENGLAND, TRAVEL

The idea of travelling alone is not something which worried me in any way; it was just something I had never done before. I have always been blessed with a group of friends and a beautiful partner who were always willing to participate in my international exploits.

However, when the offer to go to London unaccompanied came into my inbox, I simply couldn’t turn it down. I hadn’t stepped foot in the city in around 13 years. A visit was long overdue…

I was staying in the Docklands area of the large city; more specifically, the Royal Victoria Dock, the largest of the three docks. The main attraction of the Royal Victoria Dock is the massive ExCeL Exhibition Centre which is visible from pretty much every point of the dock. There were multiple different events happening in the ExCeL while I was there, resulting in a continuous steady flow of traffic in and out of the building. I even visited the centre myself; however, more on this later.

I only had a few days in the capital and wasted no time in getting neck deep in some sightseeing; jumping on the spectacular London transport system and heading to Trafalgar Square.

Trafalgar Square is a beautiful landmark noted for its history as a gathering place for political protests. It is the home of the infamous “Bloody Sunday” demonstration. The square is unmissable, with Nelson’s Column standing high in the centre of the square, “guarded” by four equally impressive lion statues.

For the size of London, some of the tourist attractions are actually quite close together. From Trafalgar Square it was a simple walk straight down Whitehall Road to Parliament Square which ticked off many items on my London “must-see” list such as Downing Street, Big Ben, London Eye and Westminster Abbey.

On the Saturday I jumped across to the ExCeL Centre and spent some time at the London Super Comic Con event. Most people who follow me on social media know of my geeky love for comic books, so this event was a big win for me. The biggest Comic Con in the UK; I had never been to anything like this before. There was creators and attendees from all over the world. It was great to hang out with some of my geek-friends who I haven’t seen in a very long time!

With only a day left in my trip to London left, I decided to get my tourism back into gear. I walked down to, and through, the beautiful St James Park before settling down for a while across from Buckingham Palace. To be honest, there really isn’t much in the form of entertainment outside of Buckingham Palace, except of course, people watching. It is just lucky that people watching is in fact one of my favourite pastimes!

After some downtime in the apartment, I travelled down to Brixton for dinner, meeting an old friend I haven’t seen in years. We hadn’t had time together since our long lost days in university. We ordered some fantastic Thai food in Brixton Market before settling down to a great pub called Dogstar to get slowly but surely drunk…

I am a massive football (or soccer, to my American followers) fan, so no trip to London would be complete without checking out some of the world-class football stadiums in the city. My flight home didn’t leave until 7pm – so I had a morning to spend stadium-hopping. First on my list was Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge and Tottenham’s White Hart Lane before heading along to Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium. The Emirates Stadium was last on my last for a good reason. My visit to the stadium took place the day before a Champions League clash with Barcelona. I had managed to snag a ticket to the very last tour of the stadium before they closed the doors to finish preparations for the game. I was essentially behind the scenes at a Champions League match! It was amazing to see the massive amount of work that transforms the stadium for European football.

A view down Whitehall Road … from Trafalgar Square to Big Ben.

Gallus Lad Playlist – February 2016

March 1, 2016July 3, 2017 by Gallus, posted in LIFESTYLE

Hey guys,

Sorry it’s been so quiet the last half of February.

Things have been a little crazy in my personal life – unfortunately I haven’t found the time to provide you with the quality content you deserve!

I will be back to normal with my weekly posts as of next Tuesday. Apologies.

In the meantime – have a swatch at the playlist I pulled together for you guys!

P.s …

For those that don’t know …here is the definition of the word swatch:

SWATCH

verb;

To have a brief look at. (Glaswegian Scots)

i.e give us a swatch of yer body!

Style 101: Valentine’s Day – What to Wear!

February 10, 2016July 3, 2017 by Gallus, posted in MENSWEAR

First off, let’s get the hard part out of the way….Valentine’s Day is a pointless holiday isn’t it?

It has been pushed upon us hard by jewellery designers, card companies and those wonderful people who sell individual roses outside of train stations – but no one has yet been able to find a justifiable reason as to why the holiday exists at all.

Also … if as a couple you only celebrate and appreciate each other one day a year – then you are doing life wrong.

However, that doesn’t mean you can simply ignore Valentine’s Day.
Despite the holidays many flaws, sometimes you have to make that extra effort.
Maybe it’s even a first date? (eek!).

For us guys, it can be a daunting task trying to pick out your outfit for Valentine’s Day. You have to try and blend what you feel confident and comfortable in with the expected dress code for the evening. That’s before you even factor in what your date for the evening is wearing.

This week I’ll be giving you a helping hand with regards what to wear in different situations.
Before we get started, remember, you want to make sure that whatever you put on your body makes you feel as comfortable and confident as possible. This will ensure you keep your full attention on your beautiful date and not the fact that your tshirt is slightly tighter than you remember it being.

Let’s start with the most casual of dates and move up from there:

The “Quiet Night In” Date

This option is quite easy to dress for because it’s casual. You don’t want to be strolling up to her front door in a three piece tuxedo. You will definitely look creepy…and creepy is not a good look on anyone.

What you want to do is wear what you normally would for the occasion… except dress it up slightly. Normally wear jeans and a tshirt? …possibly with a hoodie on top? How about we swap out that hoodie for a blazer.

You will look smart … but in the middle of the evening when you have settled down to watch a film, you can take it off and be as relaxed as you like. Perfect.

I would say this method would also be suitable for the “Cinema Date” too. However, I can’t advise you take a girl to the cinema on Valentine ’s Day. Take her somewhere you can actually talk to her.

The “Let’s Go for Drinks” Date

Perhaps you don’t know the lucky lady well enough for a quiet night in?
You may, instead, decide to go out for a few drinks!

For this option, you’re going to want to look appropriate for the evening’s activities while still being able to mask the inevitable stains which come from spillages and drips on a good night out.

An easy “go to” outfit for this would be some straight/slim leg black jeans – combined with a maroon or oxblood tshirt / polo shirt / casual shirt. This can be topped off with a black leather jacket for a classic “bad boy” look!

This particular outfit would also be appropriate for a more casual meal.

The “Fancy Dinner” Date

You know the type of date I am referring to; the type hosted in that restaurant you can’t afford any other night of the year (…and secretly on this night too!).

If you are going to go for this option, you really need to step it up a gear.

I would recommend wearing a suit because you simply can’t go wrong with a suit. However, it’s a relaxed evening, not a boardroom meeting. Therefore, skip the tie and loosen up those top buttons.

It’s also best to choose a suit with a bit of texture – a grey tweed or brown hopsack. It will reinforce the relaxed nature of the suit wearing.

Remember, this article was always meant only as a suggestion. It’s best to go with your gut.

You will know best, get a feel for the expectations of you and ensure you match or surpass them!