Men’s fashion is a lot different than women’s.  Trends do exist, but the classic foundations usually remain.  While women’s fashion starts to experiment on different cuts for their dresses, men’s (dress up) fashion often sticks with classical suits and accessories.  The cut and the design of the suits changes slightly and accessories change with the seasons.  If you are thinking of giving unique gifts for him for 2012, go with accessories that compliment his classic suit.  Good men’s ties are excellent gifts as they bring a whole new flavour to that all elegant suit.

Men will always get it right in (from a fashion perspective) by going classic.  There’s a reason why the men’s elegant suit, complete with matching accessories commands authority and class time and time again. There is no doubt that a classic look wouldn’t be complete and elegant without a proper men’s tie.  And men can always play around with accessories such as mixing and matching the ties they wear to give it a modern twist.  Below are some men’s ties we recommend for the season.  They are 100% silk and they are set to give a modern twist to that classic suit.

The Sydney Summer Slim Tie

This colourful tie exudes class, combined with modernism and playfulness.  It looks like an elegant tie, but the colors somehow give away a retro appeal.  This tie would be a fantastic compliment to his white, light green, blue, or light pink shirt and is a must have for this season.  Bookmark this item if you are looking for great gift ideas for him.

The Navy Blossom Tie

This tie provides another great example of bringing playfulness and modernism into that classic suit.  The silk construction of the tie enables it to be highly compatible with plain blue or white shirts.  The embroideries on the other hand give a beachcomber appeal as it would generally resemble a Hawaiian polo worn while sipping drinks at the beach.  This lovely tie talks a lot about striking a balance between elegance and modernism and is an ideal candidate for favourite guys gifts.

The Skinny Sleek Navy Tie

The elegant straight white embroidery of this silk tie provides the fine line between good and great.  As a plain blue tie, it completes the elegant suit.  But by adding the thin white stripe, it brings the appeal of a navy or sailor uniform into the equation.  Everyone loves a man in a uniform, so this tie should be a sure hit.

These wonderful gifts add a subtle touch that change a man’s wardrobe from simply good looking to elegantly stunning.  Tune in for more fantastic male gift ideas coming your way from malebox.

The Spring Carnival Racing season is on.  If you are looking for the proper gift for him you have come to the right place to transform your man to dress up to the occasion.

Men’s fashion always go for functionality over style, comfort over aesthetics, but this season is an exception.  The Melbourne Cup Carnival is one of the few events where men are expected to display their true style with fantastic suits, ties, shoes and even hats.  While most of the blokes think that the race season is just a showcase for women to show their fashion prowess, they do not notice that the women are looking (and expecting ) that the men would match their dresses as well.

Skinny suits are always in for the season. As springtime and the excitement of the race brings warmth to the weather, accessories that match suits made of  lightweight wool, silk and cashmere are definitely the top choice in fabrics   Match your suit with great dark leather shoes and a belt.  If your man is the adventurous type and you are having a hard time finding gifts for him, have a try at some little changes and play with the accessories to liven up the mood. Three piece suits are the in thing this year with the classic combo raising the race wear standards at the Melbourne Cup.

Make His Outfit Stand Out In a Good Way

Trust that every fashionable male will wear a suit and a hat while on the race.  The game is won by matching his suit with the proper accessory that fits his built and personality.  The right accessories such as custom cufflinks and scarves make his style a class above the rest.  Do not let him wear a black suit.  Have him go for charcoal or navy colour instead. Lighter colours would suit younger men and would celebrate their youth.  Have him play around with different colours with his ties and handkerchiefs, but just make sure they aren’t an eye-sore for other people. Use light colours which can lift any outfit and mix it with bold colours to create an urbane and edgy men’s race wear look.

Always Remember.

Hats are definitely back in men’s fashion.  The gangster look is big and very much favoured and is completed with the loft hat.  Don’t forget to have him wear a matching pair of sunnies as well to protect his eyes and for that extra edge.  Wearing statement ties and socks are a NO NO. The key is to keep the getup professional and classy.   His belt and shoes should match ALL THE TIME, and grey shoes should be avoided for the races.  Have your man follow these tips to give him for a perfect time at the race.

It can be very difficult for the modern man to stay abreast of the latest trends, especially if one leads a hectic lifestyle.  It can also be very time consuming to keep updated and do all the dirty work by making sure your most important fashion pieces never go out of style.  If you are tired of running around trying to keep yourself up to date with what is latest, simply don’t.  Simply go classic.  Here are some of the reasons why we believe that this is best for you.

1)       The classic look never goes out of style – Update those ties and cuffs with new ones.  Go for the ties with traditional designs such as the striped ones.   If you are the playful and adventurous type, play with tie colours and wear a blue blossom or avocado shade.   Check out our latest collection of Tie and Cuffs Combo wherein you get a matching elegant tie and cuff that would complete your classical look.

2)      The classic style exudes elegance and power – Adding a matching cufflink to that shirt, having a trendy pocket hanky ready whenever needed, whipping out that classic money clip, pulling out a stylish compendium are just some of the little things that would make your style a cut above the rest.  It’s those little things that count.  Check out our latest collections and pick these elegant items that suit you.

3)      The classic style has been tested by time to be effective – The latest trends and fads would come and go, but a classical style will always look good even if the fashion police has decided to and an era.  It would then be cost effective for you to take care of your ties, cufflinks, and watches.  We offer a huge range of elegant tie and belt boxes, watch boxes, and tie holders, built to extend the life of your accessories.

No matter where you go.  There would be a part of style that is timeless.  It is better to go with these look as you will never be left out with a proper suit and the accessories that complete it.

malebox featured in FHM with Jennifer Hawkins on cover!

malebox featured in FHM with Jennifer Hawkins on cover

Checkout the Editors choice page and page 78….

….but seriously stop looking at the cover and check out our accessories and men’s gifts that will have you looking so good that you may attract your own Jennifer Hawkins…

Last Thursday night’s official launch of Vogue Fashion’s Night Out Sydney was an indication that Sydney’s locals are willing to spend up big on hot brands.

An official opening was held on the steps of the MLC centre with a range of models including Samantha Harris, Rosemary Smith and Elyse Taylor to name a few. malebox men were seen tripping over their tongues on numerous occasions…

The city was a flurry of activity with stars mixing it up with shoppers keen on new apparel and accessories. DJ’s in shopfront windows and cocktails were the norm around the CBD. Amongst the celebraties were Cate Blanchett, Ian Thorpe, Rebecca Twigley, Kirk Pengilly, Andrew Kelly, Libby Greig and Layne Beachley to name a few…

The highlight for me was the pre-Ivy drinks and DJ set at Farage in MLC. Joe and the crew put on a fantastic display and reminded me about how great their collection is, for both men and women. Hanging out with Kirk Pengilly and Layne Beachley (check out her range of Blue Kiss swimwear – it’s very cool) reminded me that Aussies who are massive on the world stage are still down to earth individuals not carried away by their success…. Good on you both…

Joe Farage, Layne Beachley, Dimitri Kontopos and Kirk Pengilly

Photo: Joe Farage (Farage), Layne Beachley (World Champion Surfer), Dimitri Kontopos (malebox’s Head Designer and Image Consultant) and Kirk Pengilly (INXS).

There we so many skinny and slim ties around. If you dont have one at the moment, you are definitely missing out on the hottest look in town. (It’s not for everyone though, so make sure your body shape is suitable!)

After Farage, we were ushered by Kerry Greig (Farage) into Ivy where guests gathered for a few drinks and mixed it up with what seemed like most of the Fashion community. I was last seen eating the Vogue sign, constructed elegantly and tastefully from Lindt Chocolate… now that’s a great ending to the night…

Check out some footage at http://www.vogue.com.au/vogue+tv/?pid=Ji5ZMBAx6AGWvdqRe9cF7tR8TBdqDkGm

Men are notoriously light when it comes to packing, so it’s no surprise they often overlook carrying handy essentials to make their trip more enjoyable and hassle-free. If you are a man guilty of under-packing, or you are the other half to a forgetful packer, then read below to discover the travel essentials that every man needs. For business or for pleasure, these must have accessories will be invaluable on any excursion. (more…)

At some point, you have too many Ties and Belts which outgrow the space between your socks and undies. Ever thought to yourself….gee I would really like to organise my ties and belts better? Well, not anymore. malebox has just introduced a tie and belt box can be placed in your cupboard or on top of your chest of drawers. It fits 12 ties in the top and 12 belts below (you may be able to fit ties in the bottom drawer as well dependent upon thickness). You can place other items in any of the compartments, but keep all your ties and belts in this box and your partner will forever be off your back for not putting them away…and they will be easy to find the next time you need to wear them!

malebox – always a step ahead for men’s gifts!

If you have just been to dinner and the drunk person next to you has splattered you with their spaghetti bolognese, dont panic – there is a chance that your tie may be saved!

The easiest solution is to ensure the stain is removed from your necktie having it dry cleaned by a specialist as soon as possible (this is not fool proof as some of their cleaning agents may not be suitable for your fabric – furthermore, a silk tie will lose its shine after dry cleaning) - preferably within 24 hours of it being stained. Silk is delicate. Cleaning and pressing a silk tie is a specialist skill and you can easily ruin your tie if you don’t know what you are doing. Some common stains are: Alcohol, Grease, Coffee or Ink stains from a pen. Here are some steps if you want to attend to the stain yourself. (more…)

Do you wear the same cufflinks every day? Wouldn’t you prefer to be singled out for being a little different in your office? You put on a new tie and it looks great. Rather than wearing a pair of old cufflinks why not spruce them up with a new pair that matches exactly with your tie? People will notice!

Many men often ask me what they should wear with a french cuff shirt – in other words what tie matches with what cufflinks? It goes without saying that cufflinks can only be worn with a french cuff shirt. Under no circumstance can you wear cufflinks with a normal button up sleeve on your shirt! The best way to look smart is basically to match your tie to your cufflinks. For example, if you are wearing a striped blue tie, try and match it up with a blue pair of cufflinks which match at least one colour in the tie. Alternatively look for a striped pair of cufflinks which may contain a number of similar colours to the tie. If your tie has blue and pink in it – go with a pair of cufflinks which have blue and pink in it. I think you get the picture. If you only have a few pairs of cufflinks, make sure you get your hands on a classic pair which go with absolutely anything, like a plain pair of matt or shiny silver cufflinks like the malebox classic range. A plain silver pair of cufflinks can be worn with almost anything. Make sure the bottom of your tie goes to your belt buckle. Don’t forget, if your cufflinks have a silver or gold finish, be sure to match that with the colour of your belt buckle and your watch band. 

malebox have just released our new range of Signature Ties, complete with an image of our 1950s classic guy on the back….

Click here to check out our Tie and Cufflink combinations…

or here for our full range of cufflinks!

Looking for something unique for him?

A gift hamper is an ideal gift for Christmas or end of year corporate gifts (and many other special occasions…)

malebox’s range of gift baskets and gift hampers have been carefully sourced from local and international sources. It’s not just the old beer and peanuts deal – we have something unique that will satisfy him on the day and for years to come! Our mens Gift baskets contain both consumables and keepsakes. They include premium wine, chocolates, cufflinks, a tie case, tie, wooden cufflink box, leather cufflink box, mini cufflink and accessories box – as you can see, malebox has changed the shape of the mens gift hamper.

If you are looking for Personal, Birthday, Engagement, Wedding, Christmas or Corporate Gifts - we will make your gift giving easy.

All the hampers and gifts are beautifully presented and delivered Australia wide.

For our corporate customers, you may need one Gourmet Hamper or thousands – we can deliver quickly. Special requests can be made to order.

Order online or by phone by 1pm for delivery next business day to locations Australia wide. Visit www.malebox.net.au to see the huge range of products!

Well… wearing a suit need not be difficult!

The necktie can be traced back to the time of the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648) when Croatian mercenaries in French service, wearing their traditional small, knotted neckerchiefs, aroused the interest of the Parisians. The new article of clothing started a fashion craze in Europe where both men and women wore pieces of fabric around their necks. In the late seventeenth century, the men wore lace cravats that took a large amount of time and effort to arrange. These cravats were often tied in place by cravat strings, arranged neatly and tied in a bow.

1650-1720: the Steinkirk

The Battle of Steenkerque took place in 1692. In this battle, the princes, while hurriedly dressing for battle, just wound these cravats around their necks. They twisted the ends of the fabric together and passed the twisted ends through a jacket buttonhole. These cravats were generally referred to as Steinkirks.

1720-1800: Stocks, Solitaires, Neckcloths, Cravats

In 1715, another kind of neckwear, called “Stocks” made its appearance. Stocks were initially just a small piece of muslin folded into a narrow band wound a few times round the shirt collar and secured from behind with a pin. It was fashionable for the men to wear their hair long, past shoulder length. The ends were tucked into a black silk bag worn at the nape of the neck. This was known as the bag-wig hairstyle, and the neckwear worn with it was the stock.

A variation of the bag wig would be the solitaire. This form had matching ribbons stitched around the bag. After the stock was in place, the ribbons would be brought forward and tied in a large bow in front of the wearer.

Sometime in the late eighteenth century, cravats began to make an appearance again. This can be attributed to a group of young men called the maccaronis (of Yankee Doodle fame). These were young Englishmen who returned from Europe and brought with them new ideas about fashion from Italy. The French contemporaries of the maccaronis were the Incroyables.

1800-1850: Cravat, Stocks, Scarves, Bandannas

At this time, there was also much interest in the way to tie a proper cravat and this led to a series of publications. This began with Neckclothitania, which is a book that contained instructions and illustrations on how to tie 14 different cravats. It was also the first book to use the word ‘tie’ in association with neckwear.

It was about this time that black stocks made their appearance. Their popularity eclipsed the white Cravat, except for formal and evening wear. These remained popular through to the 1850s. At this time, another form of neckwear worn was the scarf. This was where a neckerchief or bandanna was held in place by slipping the ends through a finger or scarf ring at the neck instead of using a knot. This is the classic sailor neckwear and may have been adopted from them.

1860-1920s: Bow ties, Scarf/Neckerchief, the Ascot, the Long tie

The industrial revolution created a need for neckwear that was easy to put on, comfortable and would last an entire workday. The modern necktie, as is still worn by millions of men today, was born. It was long, thin and easy to knot and it didn’t come undone.

The English called it the “four in hand” because the knot resembled the reins of the four horse carriage used by the British upper class. By this time, the sometimes complicated array of knots and styles of neckwear gave way to the neckties and bow ties, the latter a much smaller, more convenient version of the cravat. In formal dinner parties and when attending races, another type of neckwear was considered de rigueur; this was the Ascot tie, which had wide flaps that were crossed and pinned together on the chest.

This was until a New York tie maker, Jesse Langsdorf came up with a method of cutting the fabric on the bias and sewing it in three segments. This technique improved elasticity and facilitated the fabric’s return to its original shape. Since that time, most men have worn the “Langsdorf” tie. Yet another development of that time was the method used to secure the lining and interlining once the tie had been folded into shape. Richard Atkinson and Company of Belfast claim to have introduced the slipstitch for this purpose in the late 1920s.

1920s-present day

After the First World War, hand-painted ties became an accepted form of decoration in America. The widths of some of these ties went up to 4.5 inches (110 mm). These loud, flamboyant ties sold very well all the way through the 1950s.

In Britain, Regimental stripes have been continuously used in tie designs since the 1920s. Traditionally, English stripes ran from the left shoulder down to the right side; however, when Brooks Brothers introduced the striped ties in the States a century ago, they had theirs cut in the opposite direction.

Before the Second World War ties were worn shorter as well as wider than they are today; although in Britain in the 1970′s short and wide ties (known as ‘Kipper ties’) became fashionable for a few years.

The 1960s brought about an influx of pop art influenced designs. The first was designed by Michael Fish when he worked at Turnbull & Asser. The term kipper was a pun on his name. The exuberance of the styles of the late 1960s and early 1970s gradually gave way to more restrained designs. Ties became narrower, returning to their 2-3 inch width with subdued colors and motifs, traditional designs of the 1930s and 1950s reappeared, particularly Paisley patterns. Ties began to be sold along with shirts and designers slowly began to experiment with bolder colors.

This continued in the 1980s, when very narrow ties approximately 1 inch wide became popular. Into the 1990s, increasingly unusual designs became common, such as joke ties or deliberately kitsch ties designed to make a statement. These included ties featuring cartoon characters or made of unusual materials such as plastic or wood.  We hope some of these never come back! Beware of these around your office!

In more recent 2000s we have seen stripes dominate the tie market and more recently a fusion of stripes and paisley which we think are pretty cool. There has also been a resurgence of the skinny tie but I wouldnt go filling the cupboard with them just yet!

Source: Wikipedia with our own comments added!

Do you wear the same cufflinks every day? Wouldn’t you prefer to be singled out for being a little different in your office? You put on a new tie and it looks great. Rather than wearing a pair of old cufflinks why not spruce them up with a new pair that matches exactly with your tie? People will notice!