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Blog Now Part of TOPMAN GENERATION

The Topman Blog is now becoming part of our digital magazine TOPMAN GENERATION. For all the latest in fashion, music and culture head HERE.

Nobody Does It Better

The suit makes the man. It’s a fact. Throughout history, the most iconic men – real and fictional – have donned a good suit.

We run through some of the best men ever to wear a suit: from the classic to modern, and formal to outrageous.

 

    Photo from A Man Of Style

The Icon

David Bowie is to have an exhibition dedicated to his costumes at the V&A. That’s how influential his style is. In his heyday he wore some borderline mental outfits, but he also knew how to counter that and incorporate boundary pushing style into his formal attire. It was the same with his music, it was almost bipolar the way he could switch from piano ballads, to funk, then to punk. There has never been anyone like Bowie, and there probably never will be again.

Going for the bright look? Try this purple blazer.

 

 Photo from Secret Circle

The Modern Gentleman

 Ed Westwick as Gossip Girl’s playboy/bad boy Chuck Bass has to be the most stylish TV character ever. You might have missed this show if you haven’t been forced to watch it by your girlfriend, but the suits and the Upper East Side decadent lifestyle are worth watching.

Going for the New York elite look? Try out this Peter Werth suit.

 

Photo by Kooples

The Romantic

Pete Doherty has a bad rep. If he went on a puppy stamping spree (probably in The Sun tomorrow), it really couldn’t damage his image anymore than his ultra rockstar living already has. But the Doherty of the papers and the Doherty of the actual fans are two different things. Everybody (mostly the tabloids) loves a villain, so the character is distorted. We’ll probably never know the real Pete, but his dabbling into fashion design and his love of vintage wear has made him one of the most stylish indie icons ever, regardless of his personal mishaps.

Going for an indie look you can play down? Try this grey Nottingham slim suit.

 

Photo by Ken McKay

The Classic Brit

Dermot O’Leary may seem like an odd choice, but the X-Factor host epitomises classic British elegance through the simplicity of his suits. Low slung waistcoats and flawless navy shades; Dermot plays it safe, but his appeal lies in how he pulls it off so well.

Wanting to add some sophistication to your suit? Try out this navy satin two piece.

 

  Photo from Fine Art Diner

The Screen Legend

The scene in Casablanca where Humphrey Bogart looks so solemn in his white dinner jacket and bottle of booze is iconic. Bogart was the definition of masculinity, if you cut him open he bled nails and bourbon. He also wore his suits like a man – confident, no messing.

Wanting to add some golden age allure to your outfit? Then this black skinny tux if for you.

 

 

 

Get With The Times

Woody Allen’s successful comeback film Midnight In Paris got us thinking: if we did end up in the past…would we stay there? The roaring ‘20s were a golden age for innovative and stylish fashion, silent black and white films, and jazz music - everything was new and exciting. But then there’s also the fact they just came out of a devastating World War, which wasn’t so exhilarating. Therefore Topman offers a guide to you; one that will get you dressed, groomed, eating and reading like you're Ernest Hemingway himself (minus the severe depression). You don’t even have to buy a Delorean and get up to 88mph, which is always a plus.

Dressing

Men's suits back then are pretty much what suits are based on now. They’ve just gotten a bit slimmer, that’s all. Even the poorest of people wore some sort of smart attire back then, so you’ve got no excuse. An example of classic style can be found in the double breasted navy hopsack suit. Traditionally adorned by gangsters in most TV shows and movies, but has always been the epitome of class.

Other popular items that will show off the gentleman lying dormant in you is the Topman Design fur coat, an ideal purchase for your winter wardrobe. A fedora hat is also a welcomed addition to any smart outfit, which if put with some paisley braces, works wonders.

Eating

Camden’s Blues Kitchen offers good ol’ fashion Cajun food like gumbo, jambalaya, and soft shell crab burgers, all served in an authentic New Orleans style environment. A fantastic place for a gig too, as big names such as Pete Doherty, Tribes and Blur’s Damon Albarn have performed in the intimate setting.

Reading

Ernest Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast is an absolute spellbinding account of a Paris we all want to visit. Not a major story within the book, just an account of a man reliving the start of his legendary writing career with the likes of other icons such as Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald. Laden with some of the greatest descriptions ever, you can almost smell the coffee, baguettes and frogs. Ahh, trés bien.

Grooming

Whether you’re fully shaved or have a neatly trimmed moustache, every man must know the pleasure of a proper grooming session. Murdock in Shoreditch offer a great shave, haircut and other masculine essentials (which they do in dashing attire; waistcoats and all). However, we can’t always have a fancy shave in a shop. For those other times, visit our grooming section for alternative affordable luxuries, such as shaving gel, body spray, and our fine premium fragrance - Distil.

 

 

City of God - 10 Years Later

In 2002 the movie ‘City Of God’ was released to much acclaim, which both impressed and shocked the world at the same time. It tells the story of 2 friends growing up in the suburbian favelas of Rio de Janeiro/Brazil in ‘Cidade de Deus’ (translated City of God) and their separating paths when one becomes a photographer/journalist while the other becomes a drug dealer.

The most impressive thing about City of God was that almost all of the characters in the movie were not actors. They were all casted from the streets of Rio to keep the authenticity on film as strong as possible. As this was the case Cavi Borges and Luciano Vidigal have created a documentary entitled 'City of God - 10 Years Later' which catches up with the 'kids' portrayed in the cult classic as they discuss where their lives are today.

Check out the trailer below...

Source: High Snobiety

Just Like The Movies

Movies have been at the forefront of inspiring fashion since the start of the 20th century. The silver screen has always held some hypnotic allure in deciding how we dress, whether that be by Bogart's white dinner jacket in Casablanca or Jack Skellington's gothic attire in Nightmare Before Christmas, films are all something we can aspire and relate to.

To celebrate the opening of the V&A's Hollywood Costume exhibition, we take a look at some of the most classic movie outfits to be adorned by male stars and offer some Topman alternatives that won't get you a restraining order for raiding Brad Pitt's wardrobe. Oh, and as much as we love superheroes, neon tights have been excluded from the list. Bit hard to pull off on a Friday night in Wetherspoons, really.

 

Drive - Ryan Gosling as Driver

Gosling's style as the nameless driver says it all in this movie. Literally, his clothes actually have to do most of the talking as the guy hardly says a word throughout. Treat yourself to a burgundy bomber in the style of the ominous silent hero.

 

James Bond...All

Fancy drinks, beautiful women, expensive gadgets and nothing but the finest clothes, Bond has been the envy of men and women for decades. Whether it's Connary or Craig, the effortless cool has never left the world's greatest spy. Check out our black textured tux which is sure to turn some heads this holiday season. Martini and lustrous charm sold seperately.

 

Twilight Saga - Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen

Once a killed off wizard in Harry Potter, now every girl's most cherished pale faced vamp. R-Patz' Edward Cullen is a charming immortal teenager that has shown men there is more smarter options than a simple chino and denim shirt combo. From the appearance of the peacoat in the first movie to the retro inspired suits of the flashbacks in Eclipse, Edward's style - unlike the actual execution of the first movie, yawn - is something to rave about. Millions of screaming Twi-Hards can't be wrong. Fix yourself up with a grey wool peacoat now. Don't worry, you don't have to read the books.

 

The Dark Knight Rises - Tom Hardy as Bane

Yes, you read right. Bane is one of the most swarve yet terrifying villains ever to hit modern screens. No, there wasn't a sudden trend of face masks that you somehow missed, we're talking about the fur lined coat he wears to keep from getting a cold in Gotham (bad guys get the sniffles too, y'know). Make sure you keep cosy this winter like our favourite mumbling mad man with our designer fur collar jacket.

 

A Hard Day's Night - The Beatles

The Beatles - the very epitome of Britishness. This movie follows the adventure of the Fab Four from Liverpool to London to perform on a television show. It's full of screaming girls, good music, bad acting and sharp suits. What more could you want? Set yourself up with a vintage Beatles' look by adding a three piece charcoal suit to your wardrobe. Every man must own one, get yours now.

 

Quadrophenia - Sting as Ace Face

Before Sting started singing about watching girls breathing he appeared in this movie made by British rock legends The Who. He plays an alpha-mod who leads the fight against the rockers in Brighton, donning a light blue slim suit and a leather trench coat whilst sitting atop a pimped out moped. What happened to him? You changed, Sting. Get the mod look with one of our navy parkas.

 

 

Win a Trip to Chicago & a £250 Gift Card

To celebrate the release of the awesome gangster film Lawless (7th Sept), you and a friend could be jetting off to Chicago, where you’ll stay in a 4* hotel in the heart of Chicago, with some of the world’s best bars, clubs, shops and scenery on your doorstep. Not only this you'll get a £250 Topman shopping spree with our Chicago in store Stylist service...

For your chance to win this amazing prize head HERE.

Red Bull's F1 Car Races Round New York

With David Coulthard behind the wheel, one of Red Bull's F1 race cars was put through its paces around the streets of New York, in promotion for the Grand Prix of America next year. Check out the video below where he gets up to 190mph going through the Lincoln Tunnel... (via Hypebeast)

Source: Hypebeast

The Instagram Socialmatic Camera - Now in Black

Remember the much anticipated Socialmatic Camera by ADR Studio? We first discussed the Instagram Socialmatic Camera concept back in May (spotted on High Snobiety), it resulted in such high demand, that ADR Design actually went out to look for a production partner. They found one and expect to produce the first prototype very soon, with an official product launch to follow mid 2013. With this news they also present an updated design of the Socialmatic Camera, this time in a slick balck finish...

Source: High Snobiety

We'll keep you posted about the project because we can't wait to see it in action!

Win 1 of 5 Blu-ray Copies of the Marley Movie

Inspired by one of the most iconic and respected artists of all time comes the definitive film about the legend that is Bob Marley. Discover the story behind some of the best-known music in history, as MARLEY is released on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital Download today (Universal Pictures UK).

Known around the globe Bob Marley's story has been brought to life in this world-first authorised documentary. Using never-before-seen archive footage, courtesy of the Marley family, BAFTA and Academy Award winning director Kevin Macdonald (Last King of Scotland, State of Play) takes us on a journey through the life and legacy of the man responsible for introducing the world to reggae...

For your chance to win 1 of 5 Blu-ray Marley copies tell us:

Where is Bob Marley from in Jamaica?

• Kingston
• Saint Ann
• Montego Bay

Answers in the COMMENTS section below (will not be published).

5 randomly selected correct answers will win a copy of the Marley Blu-ray.

Entrants must be 15+.

COMPETITION CLOSES: Wednesday (23/8/12) at midnight.

Batman: Dark Knight Rises Film Review

Set to stand head and shoulders above all the other blockbusters out this year, TOPMAN GENERATION review the latest highly anticipated instalment of the Batman series. Check it out HERE.

Have you seen it? What did you think?