An expensive suit with dodgy shoes is never a good look on a guy. Whether you’re heading crosstown to the office or weekend bar hopping in Chelsea, your outfit needs balance. And what better way to do it than with black leather cap toe monk straps, crocodile moccasins or two-toned Oxford wingtips?

For men who want the finest shoes in the city, here are the ten best New York shoe stores of the moment and why you’ll find yourself lacing up with their footwear.

Grenson

Add a touch of English heritage to your shoe rack by shopping Grenson’s first U.S. storefront in the heart of Nolita on Elizabeth Street. Since the 19th century, these iconic shoemakers have crafted a massive collection of handsome, brogue style shoes – including the highly recognised Triple Welt.

What does this mean for New Yorkers? Instead of finding curated Grensons in department stores, you’re welcome to experience the brand first hand. Besides a knowledgeable and friendly staff, they offer exclusive models only sold in the States, as well as the Grenson Lab for bespoke services and designs.

250 Elizabeth Street, New York, NY 10021

Leffot

Whether bench-made brogues or a simple work boot, Taffel’s collection is guaranteed to adorn your feet for a lifetime. Sporting designs from Artioli, Edward Green and Pierre Corthay, these bad boys will pay dividends for the man who likes to invest in his feet. Simply step into the store and choose from made-to-measure machine or handmade shoes in a clean, relaxed space in West Village.

If there are queries just head over to Leffot’s active Twitter and Facebook, as well as an informational blog where Taffel himself responds to all questions regarding this high-end store and its carefully curated collections.

10 Christopher St, New York, NY 10014

J.M. Weston

J.M. Weston is associated with brilliant craftsmanship, an exclusive tanning process and chic Goodyear welting. Although one of the most globally-respected shoemakers, they only have one storefront in North America located in New York. This gem is where one will discover the workings of single factory, hand-cobbled French shoes that are often priced from $900 for basic Oxfords to $2,500 for crocodile moccasins.

600 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10022

John Lobb

Elite influencers admire John Lobb for their understated luxury and flawlessly detailed design. Under the creative direction of the eclectic Ms. Gerbase, Lobb chose to fuse modernity into their classic British craftsmanship and we’d stay they’re quite on point.

Discover the Madison 800’s whic is an Antique Mahogany custom colour shoe, sporting curved symmetrical vamps and seamless backs. Available in ready-to-wear or in-house bespoke fitting at a sizeable, yet worthwhile premium. The brand carried their legacy to this shoe store in New York and continue to offer a selection of shoes which will make a statement in any boardroom.

800 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10065

Allen Edmonds

Since 1922 Allen Edmonds has been the staple for American-made dress shoes in New York. The famous Park Avenue shoe has adorned the feet of U.S. Presidents Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, and young George Bush. Using European calfskin and leather sole inserts, select collections act as the American counterpart to our beloved shoemakers Ferragamo and Santoni. They offer fashionably exclusive colours that you won’t find anywhere else like bourbon, merlot, and chile.

24 E. 44th St., New York, NY 10017

Citishoes

Step into this multi-generation and family-owned shoe shop for a solid selection of affordable to mid-range shoe brands on Park Ave. Although not the sexiest shoe store in New York, men can still find calfskin, kid suede and shell cordovan shoes from brands like Alden, Church’s, and Cole Haan. There’s also more relaxed styles from Sebago and Paraboot which are perfect additions for casual spring afternoon’s stroll through Central Park.

445 Park Ave, New York, NY 10022

Cellini Uomo

This shoe store in New York offers a wide variety of designs from monk straps to lace-ups, slippers and half shoes under fine Italian shoe brands such as Capporicci, Toscana and Candini. Exotic yet professional, the Mauri Ostrich Leg Penny Loafer will easily spruce up any professional wardrobe. Want to make a statement at the next international conference? Sport the Mauri Burgundy Baby Crocodile Loafer or choose from one of the many skins and styles you’ll discover at Cellini Uomo.

133 Orchard St. New York, NY 10002

Paul Evans

There’s a big chance you’ll fall in love with the shoes from Paul Evans but you certainly won’t be walking out of their store with a pair of shoes – and this is the exact business model these online shoe curators had in mind when they opened up their first guide shop in New York.

Come down. Try on The Newman Chukka Boots or The McQueen Driving Shoe, and they’ll ship the right gear straight to your man cave. All their shoes are sourced and handcrafted from a family-owned factory in Naples, completely cutting out the middlemen so that you can get the best deals on Italian leather footwear.

35 Christopher St, New York, NY 10014

Jeffrey-West

Northampton born Jeffrey-West productised the spirit of rock-n-roll through their robust collections in this little West Village shoe store.. They specialise in original creations featuring red lining, signature cloven-hoof-cut-heels, and inscribed lyrics from stars like David Bowie and the Rolling Stones.

For the man of peculiar tastes, check out the Moon “Flash” Two-Eye Gibson in Metallic Violet/Bordo or Antiqued Two-Tone Crocodile Emboss with diamond punch detail. Although super cool, they are awfully pointy, but gentlemen with wide feet can have them stretched in shop.

19 Christopher St, New York, NY 10014

Crockett & Jones

Skip the trip to Barney’s and head straight to the source of pure British shoemaking. From inception in 1876, Crockett & Jones acts as the grandfather of Northampton shoe brands. Using exclusive shell cordovan, aniline calf leather, and suedes, their collections offer exceptional construction and comfort, whilst looking dashing as hell. Explore the timeless collections in Midtown for a taste of British heritage.

Not From New York…

We’ve got you covered: These are the world’s finest shoemakers you need to know.

The post These Are The Finest Shoe Stores In New York appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

An automotive icon of the swinging Sixties is returning home to England. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band — the eighth studio album from the Beatles – John Lennon’s trippy Rolls-Royce Phantom V will go on display in London.

The vehicle has undergone more than a few upgrades over its lifetime. Lennon received it in June 1965 in its original shade – a respectable Valentine Black – and set about customising it into the ultimate rockstar ride. The rear seat was converted to a double bed. A television, telephone and refrigerator were installed, along with a “floating” record player (perfectly balanced so it was never affected by stops and bumps while driving) and a custom sound system.

In April 1967, just as the band wrapped recording of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, the Phantom V was repainted in its current psychedelic livery. Rolls-Royce notes that the design scheme is no random collection of hallucinogenic swirls, but instead a floral Romany scroll motif (commonly used on gypsy caravans and canal barges) with a zodiac symbol on the roof.

Lennon and his fellow Beatles were driven in the vehicle to the premiere of their second film Help! in July of 1965. It was also the car Lennon used to collect his MBE with his bandmates in 1965, as well as the one used to return his MBE to the Palace in 1969 to protest the Vietnam War.

Lennon drove the tricked-out Rolls regularly until 1969, but its rockstar pedigree doesn’t end there. The car was shipped to the United States in 1970 when Lennon moved, then was loaned out to the likes of Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, and The Moody Blues.

In 1977, after a period in storage, it was donated by billionaire Jim Pattison to the Royal British Columbia Museum in Canada, where it has remained ever since. The museum will send the car to London later this month to join “The Great Eight Phantoms” Rolls-Royce exhibition, located at Bonhams on New Bond Street – an area visited regularly by Lennon in the late 1960s in, you guessed it, this very car.

The kaleidoscopic Phantom V will be available for viewing from Saturday, July 29 to Wednesday, August 2, 2017. In the meantime, check it out in action below.

The post John Lennon's Psychedelic Rolls Royce Is A Ride Fit For A Rockstar appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Personal development is obsessed with motivation. Internet gurus are full of tips on how to get it, how to keep it, and how to use it to create a picture-perfect lifestyle to inspire your zeroes of blog followers.

But here’s the truth about motivation: it isn’t enough. If you take an idiot and motivate him, all you have is a motivated idiot – a deadly combo that wins Darwin Awards and American political office, but isn’t good for much else.

It’s not enough to be motivated if you’re moving in the wrong direction. Your internal GPS needs to come into play, mapping out red flags and announcing in its most poshly accented robo-voice that you’re on the incorrect course.

You’re Focused On What Feels Good, Not Right

Parties, hookups, Netflix binges, spontaneous trips to Vegas… we’re surrounded by spiritual junk food, and it’s all too easy to reach for another sugary snack instead of nourishing ourselves on stuff that actually matters. Pleasure is great, but it’s easy to attain and easy to lose. It’s not a value to build your life around. If you’re dedicated to joys that only last until the credits roll or the hangover kicks in, you’ve set yourself up for constant disappointment. Learn to work towards better, long-term goals and pleasure will be a naturally occurring byproduct.

You’re Ignoring Your Own Signs

We live in an age that glorifies the hustle. What was once a simple celebration of working hard to achieve your ambitions has become almost cult-like in its fanaticism. Now you’re not hustling hard enough unless you’re subsisting on bulletproof coffee and protein shakes and your side hustles have side hustles. You’ve completely forgotten what it’s like to trust your gut and be in touch with your body. Force yourself to check in, take stock, and act accordingly. Sleep when you’re tired, eat when you’re hungry, stretch when you’re stiff, breathe when you’re feeling anxious, step outside when you’re restless. “Self-care” isn’t just a trendy word in women’s wellness magazines; it’s essential if you want to avoid burnout.

You’re Always The Victim

Victimhood is so hot right now. We’re quick to pass on responsibility for solving our problems and cry injustice at the tiniest of infractions (and in doing so, take attention away from actual victims). We love to feel offended or slighted because it’s a natural high. Self-righteous moral outrage is a hell of a drug. If you’re constantly playing the “Why me?” and “It’s not my problem!” games, you’ve surrendered control over your own life. Nothing will change. Nothing will get better. You’ll just keep looking for more evidence of your own victimhood, so attached to your suffering it might as well have been super glued. Reality check: you are responsible for your own life. The more you choose to accept that responsibility, the more power you have to do what and be who you want.

Everyone Around You Sucks

You’ve heard the saying that you’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with. So if everyone around you sucks, well… you do the math. You need people – friends, family, mentors, partners, bromances – who will challenge you, inspire you, and make you better, not the bro who encourages you to play your nineteenth round of beer pong in a row. Critiquing your social circle may sound ruthless, but there’s too much at stake not to. If someone is bringing down your average, they’ve got to go so you can grow.

You Think Money Is The Solution

Money is a means, not an end. Research shows that once your basic physical needs (food, shelter, etc) are met, the correlation between happiness and material success quickly approaches zero. Yet countless people are still killing themselves at work, logging weekends and overtime for extra dollars that will do nothing to significantly improve their lives. For some, money becomes a value prioritised above all others – above compassion, above honesty, above humility, above self-respect. We have a word for these people: assholes.

You Don’t Make Time For What Matters

All day, every day, you are making choices. You choose what to give your time and attention to (even when it isn’t conscious), and in doing so, you define your values. Think of it as a nonverbal way to announce what you care about to the world. A guy who goes to the gym in the morning, is never late to the office, calls his parents every weekend, and has at least one date night with his girlfriend each week makes his values clear: health, career, family, a relationship. Those are matters that matter. A workaholic, an alcoholic (pretty much any “-holic”) is also announcing his values – crappy values that, in all likelihood, add nothing to his life and take significant things away.

Your Inner Voice Is A Dick

Some call it an inner monologue. Others picture an angel and a devil perched atop their shoulders. However you choose to frame it, we all have it. This inner voice provides constant commentary on your life, telling you what you think, what you feel, and what it all means. Problems arise when that inner voice becomes an inner critic. Suddenly everything it says is negative – you’re not good enough for her, you don’t deserve that promotion, you’ll never save enough for retirement. All your inner voice sees is obstacles and reasons not to try. It’s wrong – unless you choose to allow it to be right.

You’re Obsessed With Numbers

Numbers are excellent for measuring a construction project or the trousers of your new bespoke suit. They are not, however, good for measuring the worth of a life. There’s no keeping score with your weight on a scale, the number of women you’ve slept with, how many one-armed push-ups you can do, or the amount of tequila you can consume before passing out in a pool of your own vomit. When you’ve become the man who cares more about how his stats look on paper than what he’s actually doing (or who he is as a result), it’s time for some serious reevaluation.

You Never Second-Guess Yourself

“Hold on,” you say, “I thought confidence was a good thing?” Indeed it is, but like a rare single malt Scotch, confidence is best in smaller doses. It’s meant to be sipped and savoured, not sloshed back with abandon. An over-confidant man never questions his choices, and therefore has no way of knowing whether he’s on the right path. Second-guessing yourself means you’re thoughtful and self-aware, and that you’re willing to brave a bumpy road that leads somewhere better instead of sticking to the comfortable, familiar, straight route to mediocrity.

Nothing Changes

Your happy hours regularly become entire happy evenings. Your gym selfie game is stronger than your actual gym game. Your longest relationship in recent memory was a one night stand who slept over. As your friends evolve and enter new phases of their lives, you remain right where you’ve always been – still living out your frat boy fantasies, only now with more disposable income. You’ve made little progress, and here’s the cold, hard truth about why: you’re scared. You fear the future, and so you’ve decided to play it safe. The future can’t be scary if you never get there, right? But few things are scarier than stagnation, particularly if you’re the guy flexing for the camera by the Smith machine.

The post Signs You Need To Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Make words, not war. That’s the idea behind Canadian artist Eric Nado’s latest works which literally turns classic typewriters into guns.

The typewriters, whilst long retired from service, are already cool relics in their own respect but blowing them up and turning them into assault rifles is simply next level. The makes include a Royal, Underwood, Tippa, Rheinmetall, Remington, Brother and Lettera. Each one is meticulously broken down before being reformed in the orientation of a gun as art.

The post This Artist Has Reimagined Classic Typewriters As Guns appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Despite our penchant for reporting on coffees with names like Black Insomnia and Ass Kicker (one is the strongest brew in the world, the other could literally kill you), we’re no coffee naysayers. Previous research suggests that moderate coffee consumption could be beneficial for your health; now two new studies say your favourite energising beverage is practically an elixir for immortality.

The first study observed more than 185,000 coffee drinkers recruited in the early 1990s over a period of, on average, more than 16 years. The results revealed that drinking one cup of coffee per day was linked to a 12% lower risk of death at any age, from any cause. Those drinking two or three cups a day had an 18% lower risk. Participants showed a reduced risk of death from heart disease, cancer, stroke, respiratory disease, diabetes, and kidney disease, regardless of whether they were drinking caffeinated or decaf.

The second study – the largest of its kind to date – recruited more than 450,000 participants between 1992 and 2000 across ten European countries. Again, they were followed for just over 16 years on average. And again (after a range of factors like age, smoking status, and physical activity were taken into account), those who drank three or more cups a day were found to have a lower risk of death – 18% lower for men, and 8% lower for women.

The second study then further observed a subset of 14,800 participants, finding that coffee drinkers scored better across a variety of biological markers including liver enzymes and glucose control.

Despite now having at least three major studies find a link between coffee consumption and increased lifespan, researchers aren’t ready to definitively call coffee a magic potion for longevity.

“Due to the limitations of observational research, we are not at the stage of recommending people to drink more or less coffee,” said Marc Gunter, a co-author of one of the studies, from the International Agency for Research on Cancer. “That said, our results suggest that moderate coffee drinking—up to around three cups per day—is not detrimental to your health, and that incorporating coffee into your diet could have health benefits.”

Naveed Sattar, professor of metabolic medicine at the University of Glasgow, adds, “It is not necessarily the coffee drinking per se, it is that fact that there are other things about your lifestyle or the lack of ill-health that might be causing the association.”

In other words, coffee drinkers may simply lead healthier lives in ways that have nothing to do with their caffeine intake, or people who already feel unwell may naturally choose to drink less coffee. It would take randomised trials to know exactly what health benefits your cup of joe contains.

The post Two New Studies Say Coffee Could Be Key To A Longer Life appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

There you are, standing at the check-in readying your return to the real world. Everest served you a decent shit sandwich and almost killed you, but you conquered that icy SOB and now it’s home time.

The fight isn’t over just yet though. Battered body, meet Annoying Layover. Rendered a prisoner of the terminal you accept that it’s probably time to roll out the sleeping bag to count some lamp chops. Not so fast, Tom Hanks.

Before you go passing out under tables in an uncouth manner only to become a viral meme, there are some definitive rules to follow and a gallery for what not to do.

Wear Appropriate Airport Attire

Tuck it in, gentlemen. Tuck it all in. The only time the general public and easily scarred children should ever bear witness to a beached whale is at the beach. Belly out from tight shirts and crack showing from low waist pants is a big no-no when you’re sprawled out in a public arena.

When faced with sleeping at an airport, make sure to get changed into loose fitting clothes alongside a survival kit which will save your bacon shall the overnight layover go awry.

Prepare A Survival Kit

Include in this survival kit: A clean change of clothing, a travel blanket and pillow, phone charger, a toiletry bag with toothbrush, toothpaste, wet wipes, deodorant and soap as a minimum.

Find A Suitable Area To Sleep

The next step of airport sleeping is finding a decent place to do it. There’s a hidden art in airport slumber and that all revolves around setting oneself with the right amenities. Whilst some airports are nice enough to offer dedicated sleeping areas, many do not. It’s your job to ask the staff if the former exists and if not, it’s time to put on your big boy pants.

Walk around the airport and look for low foot traffic areas that are safe to sleep in. You can tell which areas are safe based on the number of people also sleeping in that area. Where you don’t want to set up camp are areas surrounding toilets, check-in desks and food outlets – you will get zero shut eye here.

If you find a row of seats, go for the ones without armrests otherwise you’ll end up like a professional contortionist with a seriously f*cked up chiro bill by the next day. Also mind the cleanliness of the area especially if you plan on sleeping on the floor. Brown is usually a no-go zone.

Also pay attention to where there are power outlets. These are the best places to juice up the gear shall your devices be called upon.

Keep Your Private Habits Private

Bare feet hanging off the sides of chairs or hands tucked into pants whilst sleeping is a crime against humanity. Just because you’re sleeping in an airport it doesn’t give you a hall pass to let it all hang out. Fluorescent tanning is not an excuse to disrobe at an airport. Ever.

Be Covert About It

You’re not an art installation. Keep it subtle, the music from your laptop low and the phone conversations to an acceptable decibel.

And we’re all for sleeping masks but make sure there’s no profanities on them. A quick Google search will throw back eye masks with ‘F*ck Off’ and ‘I Sleep With Strangers’ emblazoned across them.

RELATED: 10 Airports That Have To Be Seen To Be Believed

Protect Your Belongings

The worst thing that could happen during airport sleeping? Waking up with nothing but your two-day old underwear. Make sure you protect your belongings from being swiped by keeping passports, documents and monetary goods on your body, preferably in a jacket pocket.

More expensive devices such as laptops and cameras should be locked away in your luggage preferable sandwiched between your body and a wall. Straps can also work in this case with luggage tied to a chair close to you.

Leave The Alcohol At The Bar

This isn’t a college frat house. If you’re going to bring beverages back to your temporary sleeping quarters, throw it out when you’re done. Waking up on a pile of beer cans is never a great look and you’ll smell like an alcoholic once you board your flight. This also goes for chocolate milk.

Set Your Alarm

Easily the most important and overlooked aspect is setting an alarm on your phone. If you’re going to go through the hardship of airport slumber then it’s paramount you don’t miss your flight.

The post If You're Going To Sleep At An Airport, This Is How You Do It appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Capsule hotels are so 2016. The new trend these days? Sleeping in a luxuriously decked out military helicopter. 

Located in Scotland for glamping duties, this Sea King helicopter was originally decommissioned from service before heading to the online auctions. In the usual case of one man’s trash being another’s treasure, the new owner completely restored the helicopter to its former glory whilst switching out the navy aesthetic for something a little more…homely. 

As a hotel the helicopter can accommodate up to five people – 2 adults and 3 children. Authentic touches left intact includes the dashboard, roof panel switches and foot pedals.

RELATED: Step Inside Iceland’s Zany Bubble Hotel

For the lazy loungers there’s plush swivel seats up front in the cockpit complete with panoramic views of the Carse of Stirling and a table crafted from an old fuel tank cover. Dining duties are taken care of with a mini kitchen and a shower room has also been fitted.

The post You Can Now Stay The Night In A Royal Navy Helicopter Hotel appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

New York Fashion Week, we meet again. The global spectacle attended by some of the world’s leading style icons annually serves up some truly influential looks for men. And with that comes some unhinged moments of ‘WTF am I looking at?’

They aren’t necessarily bad styles, they’re simply perplexing in today’s male wardrobe vernacular. Exhibit A, Nick Wooster’s kilt. Or Exhibit B, sk8r boy Vans sneaking into high fashion territory. If it’s bold and progressive it’ll be found on the streets of these pioneers of style.

The post WTF The Men Were Wearing At New York Fashion Week appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

The country that gave the world the siesta is taking midday sleep to a whole new level. At Siesta & Go, Madrid’s first nap bar, patrons craving R&R can book space to take a snooze break before going back to their busy lives.

Siesta & Go is Spain’s first centre dedicated solely to slumber. Guests can book space by the minute or by the hour, or just walk in and see if any of the 19 beds are available. Siesta & Go offers both private and shared rooms, as well as cosy armchairs and workspace if you need to catch up on emails. A private room will set you back around US$15 per hour, while the cheapest option, a top bunk in a shared room, runs about US$9.

Like a hotel, the nap bar also offers amenities. There are newspapers, slippers, earplugs, nightshirts, and Wi-Fi, as well as coffee (which seems at odds with the sleep theme, but who are we to question the experts?). All bedding and clothing is single-use and professionally cleaned between patrons.

“It’s funny that we’re known for the siesta, but we haven’t been professional about it,” said Maria Estrella Jorro De Inza, the nap bar’s 32-year-old founder, to Bloomberg. “We get a lot of men in suits who just want to relax and women wanting to take their heels off. Lunch break is the busiest time.”

Madrid isn’t the first city to experiment with sleep-focused establishments. Airports around the world are increasingly adding dedicated nap zones to their offerings, and capitals like London and Tokyo have tested concepts similar to Siesta & Go. In fact, it was Japan’s capsule hotels and nap cafes that initially inspired De Inza to bring the idea to Spain.

Siesta & Go, which opened in May, is proving to be an ideal place to recover from a red eye or recharge between bouts of sightseeing and tapas. Should you find yourself in Madrid, here’s where you can book a bed for some afternoon Zzzz…

The post Spain's First All-Day 'Nap Bar' Is Now Open in Madrid appeared first on DMARGE Australia.