"Take a Gentleman's Day Off" - Mr. Darkwah

Photos by Tameka Alexandra Photography

We are coming up to the end of November and I'm sure you're just as tired as I am of having to get up and go to work. Why can't Christmas be sooner? So close and yet so very far. It feels that more and more, life has become intertwined with the buzz or, as cynics like to call it, the neurosis of the city. I think we all need a break. Let's take a gentleman's day off - in style.

The first thing you must take into account is your comfort. You don't want to be walking around and feeling as though you were on your way to the office or to a board meeting do you? It's all about putting your mind, body and soul at ease. J Shoes, in my opinion provide the perfect footwear for comfort and style combined! I can tell you that walking around in J Shoes is a similar feeling to walking around in your most comfortable padded socks. There is very little rubbing and they allow for maximum ease of movement. Style and comfort, unfortunately, don't often mix but in these shoes they do!

I find it rather odd that a day off for some consists of walking around in tracks all day and eating food we know should never touch the lips of a man who lives "Vogue". For Les Hommes de La Clique, our days off are not lazy and so-casual-it-hurts. We are sophisticated and aim to look suave whilst feeling comfortable. A tie never goes amiss on a casual day but it's all about the type. Now I promised that when I started writing, I wouldn't bore you with the "science of fashion" cuts and shapes and materials and so on but let me educate you in this area. You might just love me for it. The broader ties with a pointed tip, I find to be rather formal - very formal in fact. You then get the narrow ties, skinny ties and then sports ties. Sports ties are less formal as they are often woven and have a flat end - no tip, it's completely flat. I've found one tie that I'm in love with at the moment (I know this sounds odd to you but when you're as immersed in fashion as I am, a single item can become a season's obsession)! Gentlemen, I present to you my casual tie of the moment by Brian Clarke.

Now I am fully aware that not everyone will change their glasses according to their outfit but these glasses are worth altering an outfit for! My obsession with accessories has gone full circle and returned to glasses. There have been too many occasions in which I've seen a well-dressed man - casual or formal - and hated what he's accessorised with. Glasses are worse still. We men don't seem to understand the rules that work for women and spectacles apply to us also! I know you don't want to have to overanalyse all of these things so I've found a brand that tells you about the faces their items suit, Kirk Originals! (You can't say I'm not good to you with all this research I'm doing). With bold colours, flattering frames and the power to turn a bland outfit into a vibrant and chic get-up, there's no way you can leave these out of your wardrobe - regardless of whether you need glasses or not!

Just a few notes for your next Gentleman's Day Off...

Ciao Belissimi!

Mr. Darkwah

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"We were walking around with a pink suitcase pitching the magazine to stores!" - Jay Mitchell on the beginnings of 1883 Magazine

It's 10:32am and I'm panicking about time as I'm on my way to 1883 Magazine to meet the team for a feature on La Clique. All I can think of is how unprofessional I'm going to look arriving flustered and with only a skeleton of what I hope to achieve from the interview. 20 minutes later and I'm sitting on a couch in 1883 Magazine's studio and loving the energy in the room!

As soon as I entered, I was greeted by my friend Lewis (who I met at the Forever 21 Launch party) and I found that the warmth given off by him and Maria on the night was a standard feature throughout the team at 1883. All my worries about the interview and my direction for the post you are reading now, had vanished. Instead, I found myself trying to think up more questions so that I could stay in their company for longer! I started off speaking to Creative director of 1883, Jay Mitchell about the idea behind the magazine and I cannot stress just how relaxed the interview was. I didn't have to think but I assure you, my hand was burning after a while as there was so much to say about the magazine!

"We decided to name the magazine 1883 because that was the year of Coco Chanel's birth," Jay explained to me "and she started doing different things in fashion. Putting women in trousers and so on. A real breath of fresh air to the fashion industry and that's what we stand for so we ran with it!" Jay went on to explain that 1883 Magazine was started with the idea of showcasing fresh new talent primarily in fashion but then expanded and covered all areas of the media and arts. "It's interesting to see the people we've worked with grow. We have very good relationships with them and it's amazing because after a month or so, you'll hear their name somewhere and think to yourself, I remember working with them!"

You wouldn't think it when you see 1883's impeccable layout, read their beautifully written articles and marvel at their editorials but the magazine was thought up only last May and launched in October of last year! "We honestly didn't expect it to take off the way it has! I mean, we started with 2000 copies and walked around with them in a pink suitcase pitching it to different stores and now we're nationwide and as of last week, in the States! 

Looking at the team, I could tell that everyone truly loved what they were doing and, as with any job, if you love it, you'll do it very well! "We honestly couldn't work without them!" I'm told that a lot of the team is made up of interns but unlike other magazines and firms where the interns are merely tea-runners and admin workers, 1883's interns are all given titles and with titles WORK! From fashion assistants, assistant editors and marketing managers, the whole team is enthusiastic and one can tell that they truly love what they are doing! 

"There's so much in the pipeline for us!" I'm told by Emma, one half of the marketing team! "We've got competitions, collaborations and so much more! It's really exciting!" I can't imagine what 1883 Magazine will go on to do as they already seem to be setting a firm foundation in the industry! I felt so privileged as just before I wrapped things up, I got to take a look at who would be featured on the next cover of 1883! (This would be a good time to shock you all and say that it's going to be me but sadly, it's not - in due time, though, we'll see…)

Thanks so much to 1883 Magazine for accommodating me and being the warmest team I've met on fashion to date! I have no doubt that soon enough I will be seeing 1883 in Tokyo and Hong Kong when I holiday there! Until then though, all my readers who do not have access to the hard copies of the magazine, read it online, take part in competitions and stay in the loop! Big things are ahead for this magazine! www.1883magazine.com is just as beautifully laid-out as the magazine itself and is very addictive! (I would know, I stayed up almost al night reading the different articles and looking at the different shoots featured.)

Look out for the next issue of 1883! I know I will be!

Have a great week and remember, The Clique is only a click away!

Ciao Belissimi!

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