What comes to mind when you think of Australia? Sun. Beaches. Drop bears. Savage Garden. All of the above would indeed be correct. What doesn’t come to mind however is the local auto industry.

Before the manufacturing scene was wiped out, the land of green and gold held a pedigree for creating some truly unique cars with nothing more than a shed, some elbow grease and ingenuity. Ok, maybe we had some assistance from other donor cars, but that doesn’t dilute the fact that Australia is right up there with the weird and wonderful.

Herein lies the ten weird and wonderful cars to come out of the land Down Under.

#1 Goggomobil Dart

The German-made Goggomobil was brought into Australia by auto trading baron Bill Buckle way back between 1957 and 1961. What did Buckle do to give it the Aussie touch? A variation of locally formed fibreglass bodies in saloon, light van, coupe and coupe convertible guise.

Engine capacity was capped at a wild 300cc to 400cc for the local variants of this two-cylinder microcar which gained cult fame in an Australian telephone book commercial in the 90s.

#2 Bolwell

Proof that the Aussies can build a decent runner came in the form of a low volume sportscar produced between 1962 and 1979. The Bolwell range made it to nine variants from the the MkI through to the Mk VIII with the MkVIII Nagari proving the most popular with 118 units rolling off the production line.

The early cars were Frankenstein in nature, borrowing parts from manufactures such as Ford, Holden and Volkswagen. In 2008 the company made a resurgence with the Mark X Nagari – a mid-engined carbon fibre coupe which started from a lofty AU$150,000 and went north of $250,000 for supercharged manual variants. The engine was a 3.5 litre V6 from a Toyota Aurion.

#3 Bufori

The tale of three Sydney brothers who built the Bufori Madison in 1986 from their humble garage is a great one. Taking a Volkswagen engine initially, the Australian-Lebanese brothers would later expand the range to include the heart of a Commodore V6 before skipping local shores for Malaysian production in 1998.

Their cars are visually unique in the sense that they are modern takes of American 1930s coupes and their company’s name is an acronym for Beautiful, Unique, Fantastic, Original, Romantic and Irresistible. See what we mean? Aussie ingenuity.

#4 JOSS

The JOSS supercar program is the brainchild of Melbourne car designer and modeller Matthew Thomas. In a dream that has spanned for more than 20 years no less, Thomas took his experience working with car giants BMW, Ford, Aston Martin, Rolls Royce and the Stewart Grand Prix Formula One racing team and applied it to his own project back on Australian soil.

What makes it even more special is its impending reputation as Australia’s first ever supercar to take on the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini and their other European counterparts. Bank-rolled by the wealthy Hatzimihail family, the JOSS supercar has seen various prototypes and is continually moving towards full production. Preliminary specs have the car running a 5.0-litre V8 developing 420kW and 560Nm to get the car from 0-100km.h in 2.8s. Expected top speed? 340km/h. Struth.

#5 Giocattolo

Another low volume production sportscar that hailed from Australia in the 80s was the mid-engined Giocattolo by Giocattolo Motori. The name’s translations simply means ‘toy’ in Italian but the untameable performance of the car was anything but. The car was designated to satisfy the dangerous Group B rally regulations of the time but the company was dealt a short hand when the class was banned (for obvious reasons) just before production had begun.

The car was the work of entrepreneur Paul Halstead and former F1 designer Barry Lock who now contracts for the growing local scene of Time Attack racing. Kevlar body panels, custom mid-engined chassis paired with a HSV VL Group A SS-related twin-throttle 5.0-litre Holden V8 was the order of the day for the Giocattolo. Australian parts were also used in its production such as Simmons alloy wheels and a mini bottle of Bundaberg rum with a pair of shot glasses hidden in the tool kit.

#6 Bullet

Likely one of the coolest and quirkiest looking donor collaborations to ever come out Australia in the 90s is the Bullet. It sounds fast because it is, taking the featherweight chassis of the venerable Mazda MX-5 and pairing it with the company’s screaming rotary powered engines – built in Australia of course.

Their wildest project to date has seen a supercharged Lexus V8 crammed into the slightly redesigned MX-5 silhouette. There is also rumours of a new supercar on the way which departs from the outdated ‘hairdresser’ look of the MX-5.

#7 Lightburn Zeta

Straight out of the bible of weird comes the Zeta – a sedan, utility and sports body automobile that was built by a South Australian washing machine and cement mixer manufacturer. ‘WTF’ indeed. It first made an appearance between 1963 and 1965 with the roadster style Sports scored a big block 498cc engine whilst the others all received the same 324cc two-cylinder engine.

Want to hear something funny? Only the Sports model featured a reverse gear – all other models needed to be switched off and kicked over in reverse to get the car moving backwards. Now try that in your local shopping centre car park. Less than 400 Zetas rolled off the production line.

#8 Recaro Mystere/Arcadipane Taipan

This stunning little black number with aggressively pumped guards began life as a concept vehicle way back in 1977’s Sydney Motor Show. Dubbed The Mystere, the car was a joint venture between seat maker Recaro and former Ford designer and Mad Max Interceptor advisor Peter Arcadipane.

The chassis was based off a LX Torana hatch with it’s rear-end chopped and a classic shovel nose design. It also donned the immaculate interior leather expected from Recaro products. The car never made it to low volume production but the body kit was sold under the Taipan name.

#9 Mazda Roadpacer

Not many would have known that Japan’s Mazda and Australia’s Holden once had a partnering program back in the late 70s. The Holden HJ and HX models were the mules for this exchange program that saw them being sold in Japan sans the Aussie V6 or V8 heart.

In its place was instead a 13B twin-rotor engine which produced the same 202hp of the Australian motors, but lacked any useable torque due to its design. In a nutshell, it was slow. This also did little to win over its luxury target market, ensuring that only 800 units would make it out of the factory. On the flip, it holds the reputation for being the only rotary-powered GM model to date.

#10 Overlander 4WD

Cue Icehouse’s ‘Great Southern Land’ because this is the exactly the type of car to get you across any goddamn land Australia has to throw at you. Long before Holden thought it’d be a genius idea to build an off-road Commodore, a little Launceston company named Vehicle Engineering and Modifications took the HJ-HZ Holdens and turned them into Mad Max proportioned off-roaders that could conquer the land.

Only 120 vehicles in wagon and ute shapes were built between 1976 and 1989. The cars used Holden underpinnings and an aftermarket transmission and diff to allow it to become a true 4WD with oversized wheels, tyres and suspension. It was weird, wonderful and exceptionally wild. And we love it.

The post Ugly Cars: The Worst Cars Australia Ever Produced appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Singapore Airlines is integrating its corporate travel programmes under the HighFlyer brand from the 1st of September 2021.

The airline says this will provide even greater value, benefits, and options for corporate customers from businesses of all sizes, ranging from large multi-national companies to small and medium enterprises.

The main change? Singapore Airlines’ corporate travel programme currently focuses on large corporates while Highflyer is designed for small and medium enterprises. From September, they will both come under the same banner.

“With the integration, new features will be introduced while all benefits currently available in both programmes will be retained in the new HighFlyer,” Singapore Airlines announced this week.

So, if you are part of a large company that’s part of Singapore Airlines’ corporate program, nothing (really) should change. You’ll still be able to fly Singapore Airlines like normal (perhaps with a couple more benefits). But you’ll also (if you or your company choose) have greater flexibility to earn points by flying on Singapore Airlines’ budget airline Scoot.

“Participating companies will be able to enjoy preferential corporate fares, and earn HighFlyer points, for all eligible travel on both Singapore Airlines and Scoot, the two passenger airlines within the SIA Group,” Singapore Airlines says.

“This gives businesses the flexibility to choose between a full-service or low-cost offering, and enjoy convenient connections on the complementary network of destinations.”

What are the new features? The perks include more eligible booking classes for HighFlyer points accrual on non-corporate discounted flights, as well as rewards for reaching specific milestones in customer spend. Singapore Airlines will also expand the rewards catalogue for HighFlyer members, introducing more options for members to redeem with HighFlyer points.

The updated HighFlyer programme aims to make things ~smooth~. Customers of the programme will have a convenient one-stop corporate portal for booking flights, redeeming rewards, and managing their travel with ease. Eligible customers will also be able to enjoy priority services on their travel, including priority reservation waitlist and airport standby.

Additionally, Singapore Airlines is planning to introduce new HighFlyer earn and burn options with non-air partners such as hotels and car rental services, which relate to business travel needs. This, the airline says, will give customers more opportunities to earn and use their HighFlyer points.

Singapore Airlines explains: “HighFlyer, together with the SIA Group’s loyalty programme KrisFlyer, provides rewards to companies, as well as their employees, who travel on SIA and Scoot. For each eligible flight, business travellers with a KrisFlyer membership can earn miles for themselves on top of the HighFlyer points earned by their company.”

“Companies can also reward their employees by converting HighFlyer points into KrisFlyer miles. To support this, SIA has boosted the conversion rate to one HighFlyer point for one KrisFlyer mile, up from two HighFlyer points for one KrisFlyer mile.”

HighFlyer will be available in all countries and have four tiers: HighFlyer, HighFlyer Silver, HighFlyer Gold and HighFlyer Platinum. The basic HighFlyer entry tier will be free to enrol, while the Silver, Gold and Platinum tiers will have annual minimum spend requirements. Enrolment can be done from the 1st of September 2021.

Current SIA Corporate Travel Programme accounts will have their contracts renewed under the new HighFlyer programme, and current HighFlyer accounts will automatically be eligible for the new benefits at the launch.

Mr Lee Lik Hsin, Executive Vice President Commercial, Singapore Airlines, said: “The corporate travel segment will remain an important market for the SIA Group as we recover. With the integration of our corporate travel programmes, HighFlyer will deliver even more flexibility, benefits, and choices to this key group of customers.”

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The post Singapore Airlines Makes Flying Scoot More Attractive To Business Travellers appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Think your ostentatious outfit is what it takes to score a date? Think again.According to the women of Reddit, old school outfits are the way to go. This means it’s time to pack away your Burberry, put your Gucci into storage and donate your Dior to charity and start focusing your attention on much simpler offerings such as plain white t-shirts and jeans.Men can already have a tough time figuring out the secret formula for looking devilishly handsome, and even for the fortunate few who are freakishly good-looking, backing up those looks with the conversational charm of Leonardo di Caprio can be a minefield. Then you have the male body to consider. Instagram has been a driving force in changing men’s beliefs on what they should or shouldn’t look like. But even with evidence to suggest women don’t care if you have a six-pack or not, it’s a tough ask for any regular gym-goer to abort their quest for the ‘perfect’ torso.So, maybe how you dress, something that can be easily adjusted, is the best course of action for those looking for love. We’ve already discussed what you should and shouldn’t wear on a first date, but what about the clothes you should be wearing every day to attract the eyes of a potential mate in the first place?The solution could be simpler than you’d think.On a trending Reddit thread entitled “What piece of clothing on the opposite sex is your biggest weakness?” one of the most upvoted comments quite literally says, “I miss the Levi’s with the white t-shirt on a guy.”The comment alone has received nearly five and a half thousand upvotes and several comments, including “Levi 501 button flies. Get me every time.” We imagine much of this outfit’s resonance stems from the classic Levi’s television adverts from the 1980s.It’s not just off-duty casual cool that women on Reddit suggested they missed, but also the clear signs of a hard-working man: “I’m into the ‘tired office man going back home on a train’ style, white shirt, rolled up sleeves, loose tie, suit pants.. I have no idea why though,” says another user.“I call that look the “20th century provider,'” adds another. And it could be the small details you need to be aware of if you’re hoping to come across as attractive to these voracious forum browsers: “It’s the rolled up sleeves. I swear every woman has a soft spot for them.”And when we say small details, we really do mean small details:

“For me it’s less about the physique and more about the fit of the shirt. A well tailored shirt is tough for most folks bc it’s an extra step (and expense) but damn it can make a difference.”“And it needs to be unwrinkled. A lot of dudes throw their clean clothes in a heap. If you hate folding clothes, just get a bunch of hangers and hang them. You’ll look 10% less bedraggled with an unwrinkled shirt.”“Yesss! And add a nice watch for an even better effect.”

It wasn’t just women sharing what gets them hot and bothered. Plenty of men got in the mix too. One wrote of the life altering impact swimwear had on his life.

“I have 2 kids, a dog and a mortgage due to a white bikini. No regrets.”

Another said: “I feel like I must have seen a pretty lady in a bikini as a young lad and it just permanently hardwired my brain to find them outrageously sexy to the detriment of all other purpose-made sexy outfits.”How good’s honesty? And the Internet? You can thank us later.

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The post Women Reveal The Old School Outfits They Miss Seeing On Men appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

John Cleese has been upsetting Americans with his particular brand of British humour for most of his working life.

Even now, at 81 years of age, his irreverent quips show no sign of slowing down.

Enter: a tweet he wrote on Friday, referencing a recent stay in a US hotel chain in Toronto. Cleese wrote: “……a sullen, unhelpful, thick-set receptionist (and one nice one), cheap, foam rubber pillows and in the morning…the longest walk and ride to the other terminal that I have ever experienced.”

“A fine example of the US hotel chain motto: ‘Minimal Service at Inflated Prices.'”

Brutal.

Cleese also wrote: “The Sheraton Gateway Hotel at Toronto Airport has asked me to tell them about my latest stay there.”

“It was appalling. Massive reconstruction – which they keep quiet about on their website – hopelessly bad signage throughout, no food of any kind at all….”

Imagine using your celebrity to damage an already damaged industry. A quiet email may have been more appropriate

— MrD (@obidel01) August 19, 2021

His remarks angered many Americans and Canadians.

While many said they appreciated Cleese’s comedy, they hated one aspect of his tweet.

……a sullen, unhelpful, thick-set receptionist (and one nice one), cheap, foam rubber pillows and in the morning…the longest walk and ride to the other terminal that I have ever experienced.

A fine example of the US hotel chain motto: ” Minimal
Service at Inflated Prices “

— John Cleese (@JohnCleese) August 19, 2021

Many called the “thick set” comment a “low blow.”

One Twitter user wrote: “I will give way to no one in my esteem and gratitude to Monty Python and John Cleese for the survival of my sanity in all the years following my first viewing of Monty Python (especially the last four) but the receptionist’s size was irrelevant and a low blow.”

Another responded (to Cleese): “I don’t know much about your output outside of films and TV but what I’ve seen is laudable. But ‘thick-set’ does not come across well, and I don’t see how it’s relevant to your experience in this case. I hope you see that.”

Another wrote: “Her size mattered how?” (to which another responded: “he didn’t mention the receptionist’s gender”).

Her? He didn’t mention the receptionist’s gender.

— Nick Lindeman (@slowagon) August 19, 2021

Although some defended him (“it paints a picture, does it not,” one wrote), many, many others criticised Cleese’s choice to make reference to the receptionist’s size.

It paints a picture, does it not?

— Christo Koenig (@ChristoKoenig) August 19, 2021

Further down the thread, the feisty discussion morphed into Fawlty Towers quips.

The duck’s off! And they ran out of Waldorfs too.

— chrispython (@christhebutcher) August 19, 2021

One user asked Cleese whether he had expected to see The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, or herds of wilderbeast “grazing majestically.”

Another user wrote: “I’m sorry the Sheraton Gateway disappointed you. There are many first class hotels on the Airport Strip this hotel unfortunately was undergoing renovations at the time of your stay and the Grill was closed but you could have picked another restaurant or ordered from room service.”

Another empathised with Cleese, writing: “I’ve stayed in a couple Forte Posthouses, especially the one in Kensington. The lifts were a claustrophobe’s worst nightmare. The rooms had good legroom, though. Provided you stuck you legs out of the window.”

Were you denied “direct access”? pic.twitter.com/0q5a86x5JX

— Fraser MacLeod (@FraserMacLeod5) August 19, 2021

It really makes you wonder why they asked for a review, really…

They asked for an opinion he gave it? Had the stay been special, I’m sure he would have said something with out prodding. The fact that they tried to use him to garnish an endorsement just seems like a silly mistake on their part.

— J (@HazedRed) August 19, 2021

My, how the tables have turned since 1975…

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The post John Cleese Angers America With Brutal Review Of US Hotel Chain appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

The luxury fashion industry is an exceptionally competitive one – filled with storied, centuries-old houses fiercely vying for supremacy both on the catwalk and at the mall concession.Part of the reason these brands have had such longevity is their ability to balance their heritage and signature in-house style with new developments in the world of fashion. They evolve whilst staying true to themselves. Or at least they do when it comes to their products.Over the last two decades, many of the world’s top luxury fashion brands – think your Burberrys, Celines and Givenchys – have eschewed their classic and often highly distinctive logos and typefaces in favour of highly minimalist, pared-back alternatives.It’s particularly bizarre considering that in 2021, maximalism, as opposed to minimalism, can be considered the dominant sartorial trend luxury houses are furthering. Take Gucci’s fervent embrace of kitsch under Alessandro Michele or Balenciaga’s Triple S sneakers, which kickstarted the luxury ‘dad shoe’ trend.What explains this trend towards overly minimal, very same-y logos? Have luxury brands lost their minds, or at least lost their sense of imagination?

DMARGE spoke exclusively with Samuel Willett, a Sydney-based designer and multidisciplinarian with particular expertise in fashion, who explains that part of this move towards minimalism is in part due to the increasingly online nature of luxury shopping.“Minimalism in branding and typography is a key to remaining fluid in the digital-led space the majority of these brands rely upon for their messaging and ability to sell. As digital consumption continues to grow throughout 2021, there is an expectation for brands to have strong views from a political, ethical, sustainable, and environmental standpoint – all of this, while retaining the values and messaging of a luxury fashion house.”“The implementation of minimal logotype acts as an anchor for communication across divergent narratives while giving each creative director a metaphorical clean slate, free of any past associations or history.”In short, a minimalist logo is a blank slate. Luxury brands are almost hedging their bets: minimalist branding doesn’t tie them down to a particular aesthetic or characterisation.You’d think that such a lack of differentiation would be a detriment to these competing brands, but Willett argues that’s not the case at all:

“Nuance is everything… The lack of distinctiveness works in their favour in [this] fast-paced, ever-changing digital landscape.”

“The amount of content and creative produced by luxury brands has increased at an exponential rate, and the strength and complexity of key visuals and art direction take precedence over the logo… These brands will always leverage other visual signifiers such as distinct features at a product level to set them apart, to drive sales and perceived value.”That said, Willett thinks that this lack of meaningful differentiation when it comes to luxury brand logos might end up stinging these brands in the long run.“As we head further into the era of ‘Monomass’ (as described in a 2020 Dazed report) of hyper-individualism and mass trends co-existing, I would argue that differentiation is a key deciding factor in what is driving a consumer’s emotional connection to luxury brands. As consumers start to acknowledge their power as hyper-individuals, they begin seeking the same qualities and values in the brands they look to align with.”RELATED: $800 Balenciaga ‘Birkenstocks’ Enrage Social Media’s Luxury ConsumersNot all brands have been chasing minimalism – indeed, some brands have gone in completely the opposite direction with their logos and branding. Off-White, for example, moved from a very minimalist, Helvetica logo to a more traditional serif font for its branding (although that iconic Swiss font and Virgil Abloh’s famous “AIR QUOTES” are still their favourite design flourishes).

The move towards minimalism in logos is a shame, actually, as some of these brands’ old logos are really beautiful – if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it – like Burberry’s or Saint Laurent’s (and bring back the ‘Yves’!)RELATED: Europe’s Runway Fashion ‘Shutdown’ Good News For The Rest Of UsActually, more important than logos, we just want their stores to be open again…

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The post Luxury Fashion Brand Logos Suggest Creativity Is Officially Dead appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

We can have more blood tests conducted on us than there are windmills in the Netherlands, but while they provide a good overview of our biological health, there’s a simpler way to see if you’re healthy. According to fitness and nutrition coach Ryan Carter, there are three words we need to live by, and they’re not ‘live, laugh, love’.Ryan tells us healthy people should wake up “happy, horny and hungry.” If we can tick each box, he says, then we by and large have a good picture of health. Taking to Instagram to convey his message, Ryan straight away admits this is “by no means absolute.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Ryan Carter | Nutritionist (@livevitae)

But he adds it “holds up reasonably well when you have honest self-reflection/awareness skills.”

“Health is based on our self subjective experience/state.”

He relates them to the circadian rhythm, the 24-hour biological process (or clock, if you will) that your body cycles through every single day. Having a healthy circadian rhythm is crucial to maintaining a healthy wellbeing.RELATED: Health Hacker Shares Circadian Rhythm Trick That Could Give You Hours More SleepRyan says it is “vital for optimal health with everything being influenced by it. The morning is a crucial time of the day. Human are morning risers and set the tone for the rest of the day.”Speaking of his ‘happy, horny, hungry’ message, he surmises that their value will be different to each individual. “Our value of these and what they mean to us needs to be considered.”“For a male waking up… ‘pitching a tent’ is essential. This doesn’t mean we have to have sex now or that we can’t have it later – it’s just a sign of good health,” he relates.“Maybe you noticed when you are stressed or have a night of poor sleep, which gets affected?”“Same thing with hunger. We don’t need to be ‘starving’ but have a sense of desire to eat – a big sign the brain, gut and liver are working in sync. When we’re stressed and running on oxidative/sympathetic pathways, this hunger signal gets inhibited – it’s also connected to melatonin and cortisol.”

“Being happy is also vital. And not the happiness that people tell you to pretend.”

“The sense of happiness feeling you have from being alive, and seize the day.”He concludes,

“Start asking yourself these questions upon rising and noticing what affects them positively or negatively.”

Indeed, there is much to say for taking the time for yourself and to ask yourself how you’re actually doing, especially given the current global situation taking a mental toll on virtually everyone.Other than asking yourself Ryan’s suggested three questions each morning, you could take the advice of Chris Hemsworth himself and recite some positive affirmations to yourself. Getting yourself into a meditative state and focusing on your inner thoughts and beliefs, to become present, can have a monumental effect on your overall happiness.Asking questions of yourself may be a new practice, but commit to and stick with it and you should start feeling far happier in yourself.

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The post Simple 'Wake Up' Test To Tell If You're Truly Healthy, According To Nutrition Coach appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Influencers have done some weird things in Bali. From painting masks on their faces for viral fame (and risking getting deported) to having serious discussions with hard news outlets over the risks and benefits of sunbathing sans clothes, a lot of cheeky acts have made headlines in recent months.On that note: allow us to present you with yet more photographic evidence of Strange Expat Activity. Courtesy of Bali-based meme account The Canggu Pole, the following video was yesterday posted as an Instagram story.Watch two ‘influencers in the wild’ wander near a monkey, then get scared, in the video below

The Canggu Pole tagged Instagram account ‘Influencers In The Wild’ in the video. @influencersinthewild has made a name for itself capturing organic footage of influencers taking staged photos.

Anyone who has ever been to Uluwatu will be able to attest to the sneaky tactics employed by monkeys, often stealing tourists’ bags and towels in the knowledge that the local shopkeepers will often give them food in order to get them back…The monkey incident also plays into a broader theme as well. As The Guardian reported in May, “Bali has hosted a range of badly behaved influencers during the pandemic. And now it’s had enough.” This was referring to the spate of pranks and many foreigners’ lax attitude to Covid restrictions.Balinese politician and designer Niluh Djelantik told The Guardian: “To the foreigners who have followers, let’s hold hands together with Balinese. Have a little empathy. You may avoid posting (controversial posts), and (have) concern for the people where you stay.”

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The post ‘Influencers In The Wild’ Tourists’ Monkey Photoshoot Goes Wrong In Bali appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

When our parents were young, dating was simple. There was no Tinder, no Bumble, no Raya, no Seeking Arrangements.

They went to school, they rode a bike, they drank milkshakes at the local diner and eventually married the girl next door. Soon after they pumped out you and maybe your siblings and lived happily ever after.

Today we’re just a bunch of spoilt Sydney and Melbourne (and any other city) brats. Men want model lawyers with shape, a sense of humour, a stable family and good child bearing hips. Women want…well, who the hell knows what they want.

Thanks to Tinder, meeting your one in a million is now much easier. So no more awkward openers in nightclubs like, “Excuse me, do you know how old Sandra Sully is?” – that was my favourite back in the day.

Be warned people NEVER look like their photos when you eventually meet. Expect people to be 20% uglier, fatter, hairier, etc in real life. It’s just how things work on Tinder.

Simply jumping on Tinder is not any guarantee of dating success or even getting a date in the first place though. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

We’re here to explain the do’s and don’ts of creating a killer profile that will hopefully attract Mrs.Right rather than Mrs.HowMuchYaGotInYaBank.

Now let’s look at how to use Tinder.

How Tinder Works

It’s all rather simple. Think of a deck of cards and as you flick through the deck each card shows you someone’s face.

You either swipe left if you’re not interested or swipe right if you’re interested. The same goes for the person on the other end. Once two people swipe right (I like him/her) then we have a ‘match’.

You’ll find getting a match will give you a quick burst of dopamine, which is great but you then need to woo the person with some witty repartee to progress to the next level.

Setting Up Your Account

Whether you’re on iPhone or Android, jump on their app store and download Tinder. It’s free, so just sign up via Facebook and you’re ready to rock and roll in your own love/horror story in the making.

Choosing Your Photos

The most important thing when choosing photos is to create a selection that allows the perfect partner to imagine themselves in your life.

Choose a good profile shot that’s only of you (no friends) – if you can, get a friend to choose the best shot of you. Remember you only have a split second for someone to find you attractive, so choose carefully.

As for the other photos, choose a selection which demonstrates you doing fun or interesting things. We tend to hear women saying they don’t like guys with their tops off in photos or posing with sedated tigers in Thailand…But we do hear puppies and adventure works very well.

Writing An Award Winning Tinder Bio

If your photos suck and you look like a potato then this part is less important but we recommend taking some time to write a few words to pique the other person’s’ interest. Keep it short, try and be witty as we know people like a funny guy. Avoid douchey comments or highlighting what you don’t like. You’ll often see girls saying, no smokers, druggies, dogs only, blah blah blah. Don’t do this, give the person little snippets so they want to know more.

Good…

Who wants to come puppy shopping? (insert dog emoji)

Bad…

I’m driven and successful. I know what I want in life. I grab life by the pussy. People often mistake me for a model but that’s okay. Did I mention I’m a hectic kickboxer?

Paying For Sex, I Mean Tinder Premium

Those geniuses at Tinder know damn well that people will always pay for the prospect of finding love. Tinder has a limit of how many times you can swipe in one day. If you wish to blow that limit out of the water and swipe to infinity and beyond, then you can buy Tinder Premium for $24.95 a month.

Not only can you swipe forever, but you can also choose different locations and swipe as if you’re in say New York, Dubai or Punchbowl. Think of it as checking out the talent before you travel to those places.

For Sex Or For Love?

A question which has plagued mankind for at least 4 years now – is Tinder just for sex? We would say no. It’s for both. We know plenty of people who have met on Tinder and are still together two or three years later.

On the other hand, many guys simply use Tinder just for cheap thrills and quick sex. You’ll find these guys are brutally upfront about this. With acronyms like ‘DTF’ and common phrases like ‘Send Nudes’ you soon realise there’s a type of male on Tinder who just want to fuck.

There are women who think exactly the same but they’ll post comments in their profiles like – ‘Not here just for a quick fuck.’ Don’t be deterred by this, it’s just a way of saying ‘no dickheads please’.

Tinder Openers, Conversation Starters & Pick Up Lines

So you’ve matched and now it’s time to make the first move. We always recommend guys make the first move, otherwise you’ll just die wondering. Matches will stay there as long as either you or the other person doesn’t ‘unmatch’ you. Getting unmatched is a sign that they think you’re not right for them, so don’t take it personally just get on with your next match.

Our biggest advice is to not be boring. Sure, if you’re 6’4 and have model good looks you can probably get away with being boring, but if you’re a mere mortal then try harder.

Avoid ‘hey’, ‘yo’ or ‘wassup’ – these are shit. Instead, make a comment about something in one of her photos or ask something stupid like, ‘Are you a forklift driver?’. They’ll be thinking WTF and it will hopefully get things rolling.

Let’s look at some examples.

Very Bad…

So, have you always been a chick?

Good…

Please tell me you’re not a forklift driver or have a giant dragon tattoo on your back?!

Bad…

You look like someone who would own 10 cats

Good…

If you were a hamburger, which one would you be? (A tofu one isn’t an answer.)

Bad… but kinda good…

Is your bedroom always that messy?

Expert tip: If they don’t post a full length body shot it usually means your potential match is ‘cuddly’. Trust me, this has been proven on more than one occasion.

Keeping The Chat Going

One of the most important things in any relationship is chat. Good, fun chat. Oh and grammar. Shitty grammar will ensure the person on the other end will discontinue the conversation. Be fun, playful and a little bit cheeky. Avoid boring ass questions like ‘how are you?’ and ‘how was your day?’ – these are sure ways to kill a good thing.

Don’t try and get too deep in conversation, rather see if there’s a spark and organise to meet for a drink or something of the sort.

Expert tip: Self deprecating humour is good, but in measured doses. You don”t want to come off as a loser.

Getting A Number & Setting Up A Date

Don’t be a pussy, just ask. If there’s a spark, you’ll know and it will feel natural to continue the conversation offline ITRW (In The Real World). Just remember not to leave your conversation going too long within Tinder. People are not on Tinder to find a penpal.

TIP: Meeting someone on Tinder can be a bit scary so we recommend giving them a call before you meet to have a chat. It will relieve a bit of the ‘oh shit’ tension and make for a better meetup. Also if you chat on the phone and they sound mental you can bail.

Good…

This is fun but I want to see if you’re not a dude. Let’s grab a drink this week.

Bad…

Let’s go for a drink. Would you like a Dicken’s Cider?

Where To Meet

Tinder can be full of creeps so be aware that you’ll want to be meet somewhere public. Arrange to grab a drink and don’t commit to a long dinner. Unless of course if this is a DTF (Down To Fuck) meeting then just meet at a hotel or home and enjoy.

Manage Your Expectations

Be warned people NEVER look like their photos when you eventually meet. Expect people to be 20% uglier, fatter, hairier, etc in real life. It’s just how things work on Tinder. In fact there’s every possibility that your date will have a wooden leg and an eye patch.

How To Delete Tinder

Don’t stress, if you’re worried about people seeing you or you’ve just met Mrs.GetMeTheFuckOutOfHere, then simply open the settings in Tinder and choose to delete your account. Once you delete your account all your previous matches and conversations will go to God and disappear forever.

TIP: If you don’t wish to delete your account but would like to be invisible for a while you can hide your profile and continue to chat to your matches. This is a nice way of saying ‘I need some time out, but I’ll be back.’

A Loving Conclusion

There you have it. That’s how you use Tinder. Tinder can be a great way to meet people if you’re shy or just sick of clubs and bars. So give it a go, experiment with your photos and description and don’t take it all too seriously.

The post Tinder 101: How To Use Tinder For Dating Success appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

This feature has been produced in partnership with Rado.

Few industries are more competitive than luxury watchmaking. Watchmaking is at the very pointy end of advanced manufacturing and brands furiously compete against each other to introduce new technologies and designs; to push the boundaries and the artform forward.

But like any industry, there’s a fair amount of smoke and mirrors, too. Many so-called ‘world firsts’ in the watch world are more a case of great marketing than genuinely boundary-breaking developments.

Rado, however, is one of those rare watchmakers who actually have some substance to their claims. Most Australians know the brand thanks to its strong connections to the tennis world: Rado is the official timekeeper of over a dozen international tournaments and supports athletes like our very own world #1 Ash Barty.

But there’s more to the Swiss brand than just tennis. Known as the ‘Master of Materials’, Rado boasts over a century of remarkable innovation, exceptional creativity and is responsible for a number of genuine watchmaking revolutions. It’s easily one of the most unique watch brands on the planet and definitely a name you should have on your lips in any serious discussion about luxury watches.

Short history lesson. Rado can trace its origins back to the Schlup & Co. firm, founded by brothers Fritz, Ernst and Werner in 1917 in Lengnau, about an hour away from the Swiss capital Bern.

Producing their first finished watches in the 1920s, the family-run concern grew into one of Switzerland’s biggest watchmakers, with the brand eventually falling on the name Rado to sell their watches back in the 50s. Rado quickly became known for its material innovations, the brand focusing on scratch resistance as its core mission. Rado made it their mission, conduction intense research into high-tech ceramic, advanced sapphire crystal and complex forging techniques.

Rado even brought the world’s first scratch-proof watch to market – the DiaStar 1, made with a tungsten carbide alloy the brand calls ‘hardmetal’. It’s a material that’s just as technically impressive and practical today as it was back when the DiaStar 1 was launched in 1962.

1962 also saw the launch of the Captain Cook – one of the world’s first modern dive watches and perhaps Rado’s most iconic model to date.

All brands have their gimmicks or hallmarks, but Rado’s pursuit of scratch resistance really sets them apart from the competition – and it’s no mere conceit. When you’re buying a luxury timepiece, you want it to last: not only are the high-tech materials Rado crafts its watches from comfortable and durable, but they age marvellously, its trademark ceramics and hardmetals continuing to look brand-new years down the line.

Another hallmark of the brand is its unique design language. In a market where many brands are guilty of copying common designs and offering little variation within their own ranges or even between themselves, Rado offers a refreshing contrast. From striking angular designs like the True Square to the masculine utility of the Captain Cook, Rado watches stand out amongst the pack.

Rado hasn’t rested on its laurels, either. The brand continues to break new ground – whether that’s ultra-thin timepieces, crownless watches, advanced ceramics or forward-thinking partnerships with the world’s best designers – in order to truly make watches that stand the test of time.

Watches are an investment, so it’s worth throwing your lot in with something that’s going to reward you for ages to come. That’s what makes Rado watches so special: they’re incredibly modern, but also timeless in a way that few watch brands can hope to be… And ‘special’ is exactly what Australians want out of a watch.

Discover the Rado universe at their online boutique here.

Read Next

• Rado’s Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic Is The Perfect Watch For The Outdoors
• The Best Rado Watches To Buy In 2021

The post The Innovative Swiss Watchmaker That's Shaped The Face Of Modern Timepieces appeared first on DMARGE Australia.