THE STYLE CLINIC SHOW - EPISODE 3!

Episode 3 of the MR PORTER TV show that answers your sartorial problems. SHOP the looks featured at: MR PORTER

MR PORTER is currently taking submissions for future episodes, so if you've got a query pertaining to style don't hesitate to get in touch with them at styleclinic@mrporter.com!

SWEATSHIRTS!

From its early 20th century roots as athletic apparel to its modern status as a casual wardrobe staple, the sweatshirt has never gone out of style. Constantly reimagined by menswear designers, it features in the spring collections of Raf Simons, Givenchy, Lanvin, Balmain, Alexander Wang and Neil Barrett to name but a few. Check the gallery, below, to see some of the stylish men that have worn sweatshirts, and to discover our tips for enjoying them!

Words by Mr Peter Henderson, Senior Fashion & Social Media Writer,
MR PORTER

SURF SPOTS, FROM BALI TO CALI!

Surfers know their beaches. As they should. They spend the majority of their time there, straddling the fluid, sometimes magical line where ocean meets land. Their primary concern though is riding waves and it's the quest to find those waves that has fuelled a six-decade-long search spanning the entire globe. This wave lust has led the most adventurous surfers to scour every nook and cranny of even the most remote coastlines, and as you'd imagine, they've stumbled upon some gorgeous locales in the process. MR PORTER has compiled a list of eight surf spots that are sure to awe whether you're looking at the horizon, or back towards the land, or riding the waves between them. Click through the gallery, below, to discover more. surfermag.com

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STYLE ICON: MR KURT COBAIN!

In the 20 years since his death, Mr Kurt Cobain has become a global icon for those who feel alienated, marginalised or just plain bored by the mainstream, but in life, however, his demeanour seemed the very antithesis of an international figurehead or superstar. Diffident, ungroomed and dressed in workwear and thrift-store clothing, he certainly looked an unlikely challenger to the dominant, poodle-permed pomp rockers of the 1980s, like, say, Guns N' Roses or Def Leppard. Paradoxically, though, it was that very downbeatness that made him so sympathetic and appealing. The 1980s brash, showy, materialism had left many young people feeling disenchanted by the time Nirvana began to break through at the end of the decade, and there was already a huge audience just waiting for such an antihero to come along. 

Those early audiences instinctively recognised the significance of Mr Cobain's style, just as he himself was aware of clothing's power to make statements. As a teenage punk in a small town in Washington State, he had been a fan of the Sex Pistols, who had been dressed by Ms Vivienne Westwood and managed by that arch semiotician Mr Malcolm McLaren. Moving to nearby Seattle for its burgeoning punk/ hardcore scene, he found others with similar ideas, and their choice of a grungy, sometimes playful workwear/ thrift look was not quite accidental. What became known as the grunge look implied a rejection of conservative values and, in its androgyny (long hair for men, dresses with heavy boots for girls) a hostility to gender stereotypes. According to the writer Ms Amy Raphael, who was close to Mr Cobain and his wife Ms Courtney Love, the couple "deliberately worked that look together in Seattle" and "knew what they were doing" in using it to push alternative values in the media that covered their music. 

What Mr Cobain was doing in adopting this style and music was expressing radical views and feelings that developed out of his many unhappy childhood experiences. He had grown up in a dysfunctional, divorced family, and felt unusual and isolated at school. One of his friends was gay, and for this young Mr Cobain himself was bullied. "I knew I was different," he told an interviewer later. "I thought I might be gay or something because I couldn't identify with any of the guys at all. None of them liked art or music. They just wanted to fight and get laid. It gave me this real hatred for the average American macho male." Remember these were the Reagan-Bush years, 15 years before the metrosexual, a time when in Middle America, even two straight men dancing together could be hounded out of a nightclub. Mr Cobain's vocal opposition to sexism, racism and homophobia as Nirvana became famous would help change those entrenched attitudes, and the eyeliner, long hair and dresses he wore were as much a part of that opposition as his interviews and benefit gigs. 

Diffident, ungroomed and dressed in workwear and thrift-store clothing he looked an unlikely challenger to the dominant pomp rockers of the 1980s... but it was that very downbeatness that made him so sympathetic and appealing. 

In 1991, in the midst of a severe economic recession that challenged the smug complacency of the previous decade, Nevermind thrust Nirvana noisily into the mainstream. At the same time Mr Douglas Coupland published Generation X, a novel about a generation of kids who had given up on now-unachievable career success and chosen instead alternative lifestyles based on their own values. Rolling Stone magazine framed Mr Cobain as the spokesman for Gen X, and Mr Marc Jacobs used him and Seattle as the inspiration for one of the most famous collections in fashion history, namely his SS93 grunge collection for Perry Ellis. (Unconfirmed reports say that after the collection failed to sell, Mr Jacobs posted all the original samples to Mr Cobain and Ms Love, who then promptly burned them). 

Looking back, his elevation seems inevitable. "He looked like a model," says Ms Raphael. "He was startlingly handsome, he had a good body, and although he didn't understand the fashion icon thing, he did know how to dress. Most important was the ennui. Models put it on, but his ennui was real and genuine, and people felt it." 

He was, of course, profoundly uncomfortable with his celebrity, and increasingly disappointed that parts of his audience ignored his messages about politics and gender. Suffering from a serious drug dependency, he killed himself at his home in Seattle in April 1994. At the time some British commentators suggested his work and death would ultimately be meaningless, but they were wrong. Nirvana opened up the mainstream media to "alternative" or "indie" music like no act before or since. More importantly Mr Cobain enabled the marginalised to make their voices heard, and demonstrated the size and power of their constituency as no one had since at least the 1960s. 

He can also be credited with helping to usher in a more open notion of masculinity, and in this, as in his other achievements, his unique sense of style was of crucial importance. Those flannel shirts, torn jeans and perfectly sloppy cardigans may have looked like shabby make-do gardening gear to the establishment, but to the alienated, marginalised and bored their message was clear and uplifting. "Come as you are," they said. And boy, did the people come.

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HOW TO GET A 'MR PORTER' SIX PACK!

 pam pam, that easy!

THE STYLE CLINIC SHOW - EPISODE 2!

Episode 2 of the MR PORTER TV show that answers your sartorial problems. SHOP the looks featured at MR PORTER!

HOW TO BLEND A CUP OF PERFECT COFFEE, AT HOME!

Mr Mike Gawthorpe, manager of the Fernandez & Wells cafés in Soho, London, demonstrates how to make a great coffee at home!

THE STYLE CLINIC SHOW - EPISODE 1!

   Epic Show by MRPORTER

STRIKE A POSE!

As the street style phenomenon outside the fashion shows gets bigger and bigger, 
MR PORTER turned the lens on those striking a pose for the photographers.

SEASON'S GREETINGS: HOW DO YOU WRAP YOURS?

Skip the hassle this festive season, and do things the MR PORTER way. SHOP gifts here!

CALIFORNIAN COOL: MESSRS JUSTICE AND JEF JOSLIN!

Growing up in Johnson City, Tennessee, Messrs Jef and Justice Joslin always knew that there was something else out there for them. So, in late 2011, with one brother fixed on a career in music and the NFL beckoning for the other, they packed their belongings into a Toyota SUV and drove 35 hours cross-country to find their own version of the California dream. 

"Growing up, that West Coast thing had always been an allure to me," explains Jef, the older of the two brothers at 27. "I'd always loved the Beach Boys. That rich, melodic sound - it seemed like the soundtrack to a lifestyle that I aspired to. I was just drawn to it." It was a job at a branch of Guitar Center in Atlanta, Georgia that gave the musician the opportunity he needed. "I just found a branch in LA near where I wanted to live, and hit up my manager for a transfer. Easy as that," he laughs. "Justice was trying out for NFL combines at the time, and I was like, "Dude, just come out with me.'" 

Nearly two years later, Jef's music career is gathering pace, and Justice has shifted his focus from football and is making his way as an actor and model. Other than that, though, it seems little has changed. "When we first arrived, we'd sleep on the floor and eat black beans and rice. But we had surfboards," says the younger brother. "And we're still pretty easy to please now," adds Jef. "Having the beach out the back door is all you really need. You can always go to the water and watch the sunset, and it doesn't cost a thing." 

MR PORTER caught up with the brothers on a typical day in LA. Follow the story, below!

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ULTIMATE YACHTS!

When it comes to designing a superyacht, the golden rule is that almost anything is possible. Whether you want a basketball court on the deck, a cocktail bar, a submarine or car in your tender garage, a swimming pool that converts to a dance floor, a garden or even a sumptuous cinema room, there are no limits. In this industry, the combination of generous budgets and owners who constantly demand more means it is on the water that you're most likely to find the most innovative designs. And while most yachts are a pleasure to be aboard, there are some that transcend all expectations, making their mark on the industry and causing the jaws of even the most discerning millionaires to drop, with stunning designs or breathtaking on-board features earning these vessels a place in superyacht history. Click through the slides, below, for our guide to the top 10 ultimate yachts. - superyachtworld.com

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AUTUMN STYLE ICONS!

This season our 10 style icons range from New Zealand mountaineer Mr George Lowe, who reminds us why we wear goose-down jackets, to Bostonian jazz musician Mr Johnny Hodges, a man possessed with superhuman levels of sprezzatura. We also cite Primal Scream singer Mr Bobby Gillespie as an early adopter of the fashion for printed shirts, covet Mr Humphrey Bogart's fantastically well-worn flight jacket, and salute Mr Jefferson Hack's understated tailoring...

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THE GEAR: WAYS TO GO!

If you are reading this feature from the discomfort of a plane, train or automobile on your way to the office, it would probably be better for you to switch back to Fruit Ninja for the sake of your ever deteriorating mental and physical health. Don't believe me? Check out a few of the more depressing statistics on life for the typical commuter:

Told you so. 

However, before you start furiously composing your letter of resignation and planning a life of self-sufficiency from your apartment in the suburbs, why not reconsider your options by rethinking your daily journey? With plenty of alternatives to choose from, it might be worth mixing up how you cover the miles to make life a little more interesting, energising and inspiring. And of course, we wouldn't dream of advising you not to do it in style. Check the slides, below, to see MR PORTER's guide to the best commuting gear right now...

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HOW TO APPRECIATE WHISKEY!

''When it comes to whiskey sampling and appreciation, everyone does it in their own way. Above and below are some of my favourite pointers and recommendations I've always stood by. This process is best broken down based on the human senses. That aside, in my opinion, the best part of whiskey tastings is to tell the attendees about the history of the product and where it originated. I founded the Bulleit Distilling Company in 1987. The art of making bourbon runs deep in my family and I'm proud to share my great-great grandfather's recipe with people around the world.'' - Mr Tom Bulleit, founde of Bulleit Bourbon bulleitbourbon.com

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STYLE SETTERS: MR CHARLIE CHAPLIN!

A look at the comic screen icon for whom the term "dressing the part" was surely tailor made.

It is true to say that for most of the 20th century, and possibly even today, the name Charlie Chaplin was better known around the world than that of any other public figure. Even more tellingly, so was his appearance in the many films he made in the early years of the movies when he was known as the king of comedy. In fact, Sir Charlie was one of the first people in any walk of life to understand the importance of branding. He also knew the dangers of changing, upgrading or modernising the brand. Once he had finalised the elements of his "look", the Tramp was always the same recognisably hard done by, inadequate nonentity whose inability to cope with life and his bewilderment and sadness at getting everything wrong had people across the entire globe laughing and crying with every maladroit movement he made. 

As with Mr Johnny Depp's unchanging costume in Pirates of the Caribbean, for Sir Charlie the uniform was as much a character as the actor inside it, which is why he took so much care to get it right. Take his grotesquely oversized shoes, which gave him his characteristic screen walk. The fact is that inside them he was wearing a pair of the correct size for his feet. Interestingly, for someone who as a boy lived in poverty in south London and was twice confined to the workhouse, shoes were one of his obsessions - not surprisingly, perhaps, as for much of his childhood they were a luxury way beyond the grasp of his impoverished mother. And the insecurity affected him throughout his life. He was known to be a compulsive buyer, especially of clothes. At the height of his Hollywood success, a friend recalled that when Sir Charlie's wardrobe was opened it revealed rows of shoes, all identical, with suede shoes on the top row and black ones below, all in immaculate condition. He would never go barefoot again.

Some of the most important things that brought Sir Charlie a sense of order and place in life were good clothes - and plenty of them. He had favourite suits duplicated even to the extent of having many identical ones in his wardrobe, usually grey flannel and always to be worn with a pair of his many high-button shoes. Off the screen, his appearance was always immaculate. He normally wore a natty suit, to use the jargon of the 1920s, although he was equally as elegant in a cashmere sweater and plus fours. It comes as a surprise, however, to learn from his friend, the director Mr King Wallis Vidor, that this most professional of men, when it came to his appearance on or off the set, actually cut his own hair for his role as the little tramp in the very early days - and all his life he took the greatest care with his hair. 

READ MORE AFTER THE BREAK!!!

ONE TO WATCH: MR JULIAN MORRIS!

THE EVOLUTION OF THE MOTORCYCLE!

Real men ride motorbikes, or failing that, they aspire to ride them. Unable to smoke cigars at the table, drink whiskey in the office, or opt out of hands-on child rearing, being into motorcycles is one of the last ways a man can express his masculinity. Of course, for some modern men the cost, inconvenience, danger and discomfort involved means that their riding is done on the mental plane, rather than on the tarmac. Whichever category you fall into, this huge new book by Messrs Ian Barry and Nicolas Stecher provides an unrivalled visual overview of the first century of motorbikes. Here we present a small selection from the book's 100 bikes.

FIVE WAYS TO WEAR: THE NAVY SUIT!

Since we've been talking about suits..

''At MR PORTER, we have a policy of avoiding the clichéd phrase "must-have". But having said that, if there is one item that every man should own, it is without a doubt the suit. The purchase of your first suit is a pivotal moment, your entry to adulthood - and although many office dress codes no longer require you to wear one to work, it remains the ultimate sartorial investment.''

Watch the video, below, in which MR PORTER's Style Director Mr Dan May takes you through five very different ways to make the most of this enduring, versatile classic, and read on to find out more about the looks.

Shop navy suits at mrporter.com!

150 YRS OF SUITS VS. A DECADE OF HOODIES: WHAT WENT WRONG?

The history of what men wear to the office could be summarised in a sentence: 150 years of wearing a suit, followed by a decade of wearing a hoodie. Yet, if you look closer, it turns out to be more complicated than that. The business suit has a long, unexpected history. Its roots lie in late 17th-century England when, in 1666, out of solidarity for victims of the plague, King Charles II banned his courtiers from flouncing around in lace and fur. So everyone wore tunics of grey and navy and beige instead, and even though the courtiers soon reverted to frills, merchants decided to stick with the drab dress, which was more comfortable and practical.

The lounge suit itself, developed on Savile Row approximately 220 years later, had nothing to do with business at all. The padded shoulders were a hangover from military epaulettes. The buttons on the cuffs were designed for surgeons (who occupied Jermyn Street in London before the tailors), allowing them to fold sleeves up to stop them being splattered with blood. And the vents at the back were borrowed from huntsmen (who required them to sit comfortably on a horse).

While its origins were in London, it took Americans at the end of the 19th century to seize on the suit and make it popular, and slowly the rest of the world fell in line, choosing the matching jacket and trousers as the global business uniform. Although outwardly it has looked the same ever since - give or take a few buttons and width of lapel - inside a lot has been going on. Pockets were added to store train tickets when people started to commute. Additional pockets came in for mobiles. Fabrics were made so that you could take the jacket off, ram it into the overhead locker on a plane, and emerge immaculate on landing. And now you can buy suits with a space for an iPad inside - a pocket much the same size as the one that huntsmen had for storing a dead hare. To see the very latest in clothes for the office, click on the carousel below.