A Lifestyle, Grooming And Technology Blog

It is said that the suit that we all know and love today started in the early 1800s by a gentleman called Beau Brummell. He replaced long-tailed coats and silk stockings with the classic suit jacket accompanied by full-length trousers and it all went from there. But as we’re faced with new challenges (such as the lengthy daily commute) and as we strive to cut out time consuming activities (ironing a suit can be draining), what does the future look like for our tailoring? Charles Tyrwhitt, retailers of  men's shirts, investigate:


Past Innovations

One of the latest in shirt technology is temperature adjusting materials. In many cases, this works by controlling the body heat of the wearer. Researchers across the US developed clothing that changes how much radiation escapes from the shirt and how easily air can circulate around the body. Although heat controlling technology in clothing is not new, it is only in recent years that it has made its way into wearable clothing when it was once reserved for those in space. This sort of technology not only improves comfort levels for the wearer but can potentially have knock on positive effects on the environment. Air conditioning (AC) accounts for an outstanding 13% of energy used in the US. If our shirts become temperature regulated then it is possible we will be in lower need of constant AC — reducing our carbon footprint so we all benefit!

Non-iron shirts are more than convenient. Enjoy an extra 10 minutes in bed as you pull your work shirt out of the dryer and put it on straight away — wrinkle free and no need to haul out the ironing board. The technology behind the non-iron shirt includes a process that strengthens the fabric, preventing the molecules from moving as much and increasing its resistance to creasing.

It’s important to be able to move freely in our suits. Especially when you’re sitting in the same place for a prolonged period of time, such as at the desk, on your way to work or at a fancy dinner. This is where the latest mechanical stretch technology comes in to play. This sort of technology works with the materials of the suit to improve its flexibility. Some suit jackets and shirts achieve this stretch through incorporating a small percentage of elastane in the fabric and this is enough to enhance the comfort of the garment.



Future Innovations

Wearable payment gadgets are something that researchers and corporations are spending a lot of time exploring. Of course, we already have the ability to pay contactless with a smart watch or phone but that’s just not enough! MasterCard paired with fashion designer Adam Selman to explore the idea of inserting a microchip into clothing, perhaps in the sleeve of a jacket or into a bag — allowing you to pay for items with even less effort. This concept could have some effect on our tailoring trends as cuff links and pockets could become payment devices!  

Forget buying multiple of the same suit in different colours, colour-changing fabrics are here to shake up the fashion industry. The research behind it is ever advancing and there are a few ongoing projects developing the idea. One of the projects, explored by scientists at the University of Michigan, is looking at incorporating tiny crystals that react differently depending on the wavelength of light. This affects the crystal’s formation and how they look in terms of colour to others. Other research, carried out in Montreal, is investigating how electricity from human movement can power electric fabric and change its colour. It appears that the research is a long way off from our high streets, but it is paving the way for colour-changing materials in the future.



The price of a high-quality, tailored suit can be quite high and many take pride in keeping it in good condition. It is then unsettling when a sleeve is caught on a door handle or on something sharp and the material is damaged. The latest technology in textiles is addressing this issue through the development of self-healing fabric. It works by coating regular fabric in a special solution that, when ripped, is able to melt back together at low temperatures. Other research has founded that E. coli bacteria has self-replicating properties and this is being explored in order to discover if it can be used to knit broken fabric back together.  


From past to future innovations, it’s clear to see that our wardrobes aren’t what they used to be. Many developments are being made in order to make our lives easier and further enhance our suits to meet our highly digital and busy lifestyles. 

Sources



After all of the time and effort that us bloggers put into every single one of our posts, why do we just send them out into the blogosphere and never pay them any attention again? Posts that are 3…6…9 months old are just as good as the content you’re writing today, they’ve just been buried underneath all of the other posts you’ve created.

It's tempting (hence the amazing pic above!) to just leave your older content alone, especially if you found it performed well at the time. Why fix something that aint broke? However, older posts are far more likely to have SEO benefits for your blog and can actually be used to bring new traffic and readers to your site – here are a few ways you can show some love to posts gone by:


  1. Regularly tweet out links to old posts (don’t go mad, maybe oncee every 6-9 hours)
  2. Every day, pin one of your old posts to a Pinterest board so it can get some fresh exposure
  3. Update old posts with new photos that match your aesthetic
  4. Update old posts with new/better information e.g. travel guides
  5. Write a follow up (“part 2”) post in response to one of your older posts, and make sure to link to the original article in the follow

6. In any future content that you write, try to link back to old posts that are similar in topic - Incredible SEO benefits to be had here!
7.Install a “Similar Posts” gadget on your blog that displays under each blog post
8.Showcase “Popular Posts” or “Reader Favorites” in your sidebar
9. Link to your all-time favorite posts you’ve written on your About Me page

10. Add Pinterest-friendly images to old posts so they’re more likely to get pinned and go viral

What techniques are you using to give life back to old posts?
It's a well known fact that spending a night in the capital is NOT cheap. If you want to be anywhere near the hustle and bustle of central London then you're looking at forking out hundreds of pounds just to get a decent night's sleep. 

But don't panic.. the team at Imperial College London have a solution! They are opening up their accommodation to the public all through the Summer from 2nd July to 23rd September at extremely affordable rates. You can even get a buffet breakfast included too for a small additional charge.


I was lucky enough to stay at the Prince's Gardens accommodation in South Kensington. As I didn't actually go to university I wasn't quite sure what to expect in terms of how well the rooms would be kitted out, but I was actually pleasantly surprised! I was greeted by a big double bed, desk area and even a seating area with coffee table. There was a large en-suite bathroom with a shower and plenty of toiletries. Just remember to pack a toothbrush and toothpaste as they weren't provided in the room.


Just outside the accommodation building there's a shop which has a full selection of snacks and drinks. Perfect if you just need a light meal.. or a midnight snack! It also overlooks a the leafy area of Prince's Gardens would be ideal for a short walk or a picnic in the Summer. At reception I was given a map and guide to the area which was super useful for someone that doesn't live in the area. It made me realise what a fantastic location the accommodation is in. Literally a stones throw from attractions like the Royal Albert Hall, Science Museum, and the V&A.



As you'd expect there was also FREE Wi-fi throughout the accommodation building and it was actually pretty fast considering there are over 1,500 other rooms! Good enough to stream Netflix and surf the web without any trouble whatsoever. Alot of hotel chains still feel the need to charge for internet access so the fact that Imperial College London offer it for free is a real bonus for me.

Tea and coffee making facilities were also provided, which was a nice touch. Plenty of coffee sachets and tea bags which would have been plenty even if i was staying there for a few more days. There was also two bottles of mineral water which was a life saver due to the heat wave we're enduring right now!





There are also a couple of other locations as well that you can choose from including Notting Hill and Paddington. The rates are super competitive and start from £95 per night for a single room. The Imperial College London accommodation really is the perfect choice for a reasonably priced overnight stay in London. You'd be very lucky to find a quality room at these prices from a hotel chain. 

There's also overnight parking available for an additional charge if you need it, however this must be booked in advance so make sure you mention it as part of the booking process. The reception staff were all super helpful at guiding me around the area, giving me tips on places to see and also some recommendations on places to grab a bite to eat. 

I also really appreciated the quick check out option the next morning. I had to leave by 7am so it was super handy that I could simply drop off my room key into a box in reception without having to go over to the check in building a short walk away. You can find out more about the accommodation on offer here. 


The video below gives you another chance to see the accommodation



*Thanks to Imperial College London for providing the accommodation free of charge for review. All opinions are my own.
Dads are impossible to buy for - is it just me? Whether it's Christmas, birthdays or Father's Day, I'm never sure what to get mine even though we're actually quite similar. With the big day just a couple of weeks away now I thought I'd pull together some of the ideas I've had so keep scrolling to see if my gift guide has something yours will love too...

If he's a massive movie or TV buff why not pick him up The Wire - The Complete Series on DVD. This gritty american crime drama is just what dads need for that Sunday afternoon binge. What makes The Wire unusual is that it's a cop show that refuses merely to be a cop show. It inhabits Baltimore in all its attributes. We see inside the local politics, the local media, community groups, the lives of the city's homeless people, the personal lives of its law enforcers, and above all the lives of its criminals. It's very brave and unusual to show us the criminal side of a community from the criminals' point of view, and The Wire is innovative in being so unflinching in depicting this. It's a far cry from the glossy world of, say, CSI.



If your Dad is a bit of an audiophile and Apple geek then why not pikc him up the brand new Homepod. At £340 it's certainly a luxury gift but he's obviously worth it right? If you still live at home then at least it's an excuse to get one in the house and experience the incredible sound that you get from a high spec speaker like this. The HomePod is covered in a seamless cloth grille, which Apple claims lets sound emanate without altering it in any way.

There’s a chunky woofer powered by a custom amp, a 360-degree seven-tweeter array, and a six-mic array for capturing your voice from a distance. The mics work well and pick up voices capably, even at a distance and with music blaring. If you really want to treat him this Father's Day then the Homepod is the perfect gift.


If you'd rather sort out his skincare routine then why not pick him up the Clinique For Men Daily Oil Control Skincare Kit which you can pick up from John Lewis. At £26 it's a real bargain for Clinique and contains a few of their bestselling products to get his skin in shape. The Oil Control Face Wash thoroughly cleanses and removes excess oil, while the luxurious Cream Shave provides a rich buffer against razor drag and nicks. Whereas the Mattifying Moisturiser delivers lightweight, oil-free hydration and skin-strengthening ingredients, plus helps skin stay matte all day.


If he's more into fashion then why not pick him up a nice new shirt for the office or for weekends. You really can't go wrong with any of these from Jack Wills and Ted Baker...


Don't forget to check out my other gift guides for guys here:


Blogger Template Created by pipdig