From Milo Ventimiglia rocking some fabulous short shorts around LA to Conor McGregor doing the unthinkable on a treadmill in Dubai, we’ve seen some ~sights~ in the fitness space lately.But fashion’s Ferris wheel never ceases to squeak. Today we’re here to bring you yet another look for appraisal. Lewis Hamilton‘s latest gym getup.

The 36-year-old Formula 1 legend took to Instagram from Monaco on Thursday, sharing a mid-workout image in which he can be seen wearing gloves.This pricked our blinkered masculine sensibilities, so we shared it with our own Instagram followers (an audience of largely Australian men), to see what they thought.The conclusion? If our poll is anything to go by, Australian men are not fans of wearing gloves in the gym.Maybe we’re just not lifting enough to understand the need for gloves? Maybe we’re provincial? Maybe we lack emotional maturity? Maybe we’re too proud of our callouses?Who knows.In any case, 76% of respondents to our poll said “no” to “gloves in the gym.”Are we correct in our thinking, or labouring under a silly illusion? Read the following and decide for yourself.There are actually many benefits to wearing gloves in the gym, including but not limited to:

• They protect your fingers, protecting against tendonitis
• They decrease callouses
•  They eliminate the need for chalk
• They decrease the risk of dropping weights
• They increase stability
• They can improve your workout technique
• They provide a buffer to protect against hand pain

There are also some drawbacks, including:

• While gloves allow for a more comfortable grip and prevent slippage, they can also make your grip more imprecise.
• Gloves can also lead to some gripping force being lost, due to the reduced surface area of your hand being in contact with the bar

Our take? The use of gloves is not a simple matter of yes or no: it’s about what is convenient in each specific situation and exercise.We draw the line at webbed ‘foot gloves’ though…

Read Next

• Lewis Hamilton Shares Muscle Building Advice Every Ectomorph Needs To Hear
• ‘Cardio Strongman’ Reveals Forgotten Training Technique Everyone Should Try 

The post Lewis Hamilton's Controversial Gym Fashion Accessory Leaves Men Divided appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Australia is one of the world’s biggest and best-regarded wine producers, with a wide variety of styles and grape varieties grown across more than 60 designated wine regions covering over 160,000 hectares of vineyards. Production ranges from the boutique to the highly industrial – but one vintner has decided to go truly old school with one of his latest vintages.

David Lowe, of Lowe Family Wine Co., a small certified organic & biodynamic vineyard in New South Wales’ Mudgee, is taking a page out of the history books and using giant 600-litre clay amphorae to ferment wine in an eclectic winemaking experiment that’s already having positive results.

An amphora, plural amphorae, is a type of clay container commonly used by the Ancient Romans, Greeks and other civilisations to store and transport all sorts of goods, including wine. Wine would even be fermented in giant amphorae weighing as much as a ton – a practice that modern winemakers like Lowe are attempting to revive.

So far, Lowe is experimenting with two amphorae: one suspended in a cage above ground, and another buried up to its spout in the earth. It’s a seemingly bizarre technique, but one that’s already having killer results.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lowe Family Wine Co (@lowefamilywineco)

What makes the amphora technique so novel is that clay is almost a middle ground between steel and oak barrels, ABC News explains:

“Stainless steel allows for an oxygen-free environment and does not impart any flavours into the wine while oak, on the other hand, allows for ample oxygen to reach the juice and the wood’s tannins also affect the wine’s flavour and aroma.”

The idea is “to enhance the [grape’s] natural characteristics that are reflective of its specific terroir”, Lowe relates, fitting in with his long-standing biodynamic philosophy.

“The wine is a beautiful red in colour, it’s quite clear, it’s settled and it’s got a really nice attractive, slightly peppery shiraz character… It’s only two months old, often wines need two to four years to be soft and mature. Here it’s ready to drink now.”

Hard to argue with that.

Lowe Family Wine Co. is by no means the only winemaker trialling unusual winemaking techniques. Croatian winery Edivo has also been experimenting with aging wine in amphorae, although their approach is even more unusual: rather than burying their amphorae, they put them on the bottom of the ocean floor. They’ll even sell you an entire amphora, barnacles and all.

Another oddball aging technique comes from Israeli whisky distillery Milk & Honey, who have trialled aging some of their single malts in the Negev Desert by the Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth at over 400m below sea level.

RELATED: Israeli Whisky Moses Would Part A Sea For Arrives Down Under

We guess some people will do anything to get to Flavortown…

Read Next

• Daniel Ricciardo Confirms Australia’s Latest Wine Trend

The post Australian Winemaker Creates Vintage Drop Even The Ancient Romans Would Be Impressed By appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

In a breath of positive news after 15 months of negative gales, Europe has agreed to open to vaccinated travellers.

This raises all sorts of questions (about how the scheme will work), but will be a godsend for Europe’s tourism industry, which has sustained massive losses since the pandemic swept the globe.

As reported by The New York Times, “The European Union agreed on Wednesday to reopen its borders to visitors who have been fully vaccinated with an approved shot, or those coming from a list of countries considered safe from a Covid perspective, its executive said, putting the rules in place just in time for the summer tourist season.”⁣

Taking to Instagram to share the news, The New York Times added: “Ambassadors from the 27 member states reached consensus at a meeting on Wednesday, endorsing a proposal by the European Commission, which will see the bloc reopen its borders to tourists and other travellers more freely after being largely inaccessible for over a year.⁣”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Fondazione Magna Grecia (@f_magnagrecia)

⁣
“The list of safe countries based on epidemiological criteria will be finalized on Friday, and the new measures could go into effect as early as next week, according to European officials involved in the process,” The New York Times wrote.
⁣
Europe will accept travellers who have been fully vaccinated by one of the jabs approved by its own regulator or by the World Health Organization (at the time of writing this stands as: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca and Sinopharm).
⁣
Each member of the European bloc will have the right to take a stricter approach as an individual state, meaning some countries could keep the requirements of negative PCR tests or quarantines for certain tourists.⁣
⁣
Europe will also keep in its back pocket what The New York Times calls an emergency-brake option: “a legal tool that will allow it to quickly snap back to more restrictive travel conditions if a threatening new variant or other Covid emergency emerges.⁣”

Another detail, according to CNBC, is that “⁣children who are excluded from vaccination can travel to the bloc with their family, if they’ve had a negative test no more than 72 hours before arrival.”

CNBC also reported that various operators in the tourism industry welcome the change, while also highlighting things need for things to be made simple for visitors.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Alessandro Recchia (@ale_recc)

“We know that consumers want to be able to travel this summer and so we welcome that European countries could enable those who are vaccinated could travel without the need for testing,” a spokesperson for the airline easyJet told CNBC via email.

“It is of course important that this is implemented in a simple way to ensure it is easy for passengers.”

CNBC also reports that the EU decision could be especially beneficial for British tourists, who – after Brexit – are now outside of the EU and make up one of the most important markets for tourism-dependant EU countries.

“In addition, people in the United States, Israel and other highly vaccinated parts of the world are also likely to benefit from the EU’s stance,” CNBC reports.

Australians remain unable to travel overseas without an exemption from their own government at this time, regardless of foreign countries saying they would be welcome.

Read Next

• This Anthony Bourdain Quote Completely Changed How I Travel
• Why Australia Should Stop Demonising Those Who Want To Travel

The post Europe Is Reopening To Vaccinated Travellers This Summer appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Just because you have to wear a face mask doesn’t mean you can’t be stylish, as Drake and Michael B. Jordan demonstrate.

The two super-celebrities – both widely considered sex symbols, with Jordan literally being dubbed “the sexiest man alive” by People magazine – were courtside at the Golden State Warriors-Los Angeles Lakers game yesterday, both practising responsible PPE behaviour while looking particularly dapper.

Drake went for a characteristic murdered-out fit, pairing a super glossy bomber jacket with a black mask, jeans and hiking boots. His bling provided some subtle points of contrast: diamond-studded earrings, a Cartier ‘Love’ bracelet and what appears to be a Patek Philippe Nautilus Chronograph Date (ref. 5980/1AR-001).

Jordan, on the other hand, went for a more colourful, iconoclastic look: a Dior monogram cardigan, urban camo cargo pants, Nike Dunk Hi sneakers and a gold Rolex Day-Date (interesting, seeing as he’s a Piaget man). The most interesting part of his outfit, however, is his grey Henry Mask: the affordable designer face mask that’s taken America by storm.

Launched by Patrick Henry, bespoke tailor and founder of cult designer label Richfresh, Henry Mask operates as a subscription service. For less than 30 USD a month, you get sent two masks every month in a variety of different colours and patterns, with the company donating an additional mask for every mask sold to a health care worker or family in need. They’re also entirely made in the USA, washable and reusable.

But what’s really cool about Henry Masks is their design. Their origami-like construction means they don’t need a metal or plastic strip to fit properly over your nose, plus they look much better than your typical unstructured mask. They’re also available in a wide range of tasteful colours and designs. They’ve quickly become a favourite of celebrities, especially NBA players like Kyle Kuzma and LeBron James.

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Bleacher Report (@bleacherreport)

Both Jordan and Drake’s outfits drive home the point that it doesn’t take much to make a mask look good – especially if you ditch the bare-minimum blue surgical masks that everyone still insists on wearing for something that’s a bit more sustainable (read: reusable) and fashionable.

RELATED: The DMARGE Guide to Fashionable Face Masks For Perfect Pandemic Protection

Naturally, social media was set aflame by seeing these two very eligible bachelors (at least in Drake’s case – Jordan is currently in a relationship with Lori Harvey, the daughter of Family Feud host Steve Harvey) together at a basketball game.

One commenter snarked, “imagine ur girl at this game”, while another joked that the “Drake curse [is] setting in for the Lakers” – although the Lakers did win 103-100 over the Warriors, so what do they know.

It’s hard being a Certified Lover Boy, we suppose…

Read Next

• Seth Rogen’s ‘Delicious’ Suit Is His Personal Style Coming Of Age Moment
• John Legend Rocks The Menswear Trend You’re Too Afraid To Try

The post Drake & Michael B. Jordan Wearing The Face Mask Everyone Wants Right Now appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Building a bed in your car. How hard can it be? As I sat with Gorilla Glue bubbling onto the floor and my carefully constructed joining efforts sliding all over the place, I was about to find out.

That’s not even the worst of it. The worst part about building a bed into the back of your car isn’t the chemical inhalation or even the paranoia about having a sleeping space full of tiny metal shavings.

Nup.

The worst part was realising I’ll never be able to look at Airbnbs or hotels the same again.

Why? At the risk of sounding like a Grey Nomad… the sense of freedom is intoxicating.

Here’s how I joined the rest of Australia, by building a bed in the back of my 2006 Subaru Forester, and everything I learned about becoming an Aussie travel cliché along the way.

Youtube tutorials make things seem easy

This meant the basic design I chose (see: above) was still fraught with potential for f*ck ups (especially in my incapable hands).

I went with a design that involves a plywood base, with a hinge that allows you to flip the front third back when driving (and is propped up by two stilts when down). The whole bed is also supposed to be supported by three rectangular pieces of wood underneath, allowing for storage.

I abandoned the idea of storage space underneath when I realised how much glue (and how many screws) would be required, as well as hearing horror stories from friends whose beds had collapsed in the middle of the night and destroyed much-loved surfboards.

Instead, I chose to prop mine up with loose offcuts of wood (one in each corner). This also means when I park on an angle I can adjust my bed depending on the slope (the offcuts are of varying sizes).

With this design, there is only an inch or so of storage space underneath my bed. This has its advantages and disadvantages. Benefits: I don’t have to worry about the thing falling apart when driving over speedbumps or on AWD terrain. Disadvantages: a lack of storage space; doesn’t look so cool on Instagram.

Bricks don’t make good clamps

I discovered this when I left two pieces of offcut wood with a brick on top of them, glue between, and came back to find the top piece had slid three quarters the way off the bottom piece, despite them being left on (what appeared) a flat surface.

The more you know…

Testing the size of your mattress is crucial…

After consoling myself that at least my failed efforts to mimic the Youtube video above meant I would have plenty of headroom (seeing as the base of my bed would now be much closer to the floor) I then went and purchased a stupidly thick mattress.

After doing previous trips in the car without anything but camping mats to sleep on, my first trip in the car with this new setup, I realised what a mistake I’d made. Though the foam mattress I had bought was much more comfortable than a camping mat when prone (and though the wooden hinge set up meant for much more legroom than previous ‘bootleg’ missions), it was significantly worse for hanging out on during the day, as you were unable to sit up or rest lying back on your elbows.

This could all have been solved by buying a thinner mattress.

You’ll never be able to look at an Airbnb the same again

Despite all my whining, building a bed in the back of my car has been a revelation. Previously, I could only ever have afforded three or four long weekend trips a year (if that) while paying $400-500 or so per holiday (petrol, accommodation, food – it all adds up). Now I can go away pretty much every weekend, should I so desire.

Also: after experiencing the joy of waking up exactly where I want to be (as a surfer that’s typically next to some obscure stretch of sand) at daybreak and avoiding yet another drive to where I typically spend all day anyway, it’s hard to say I’ll ever go back to regularly staying in bricks and mortar accommodation 25 minutes away from the beach.

It gives you more time to see more places

From Bendalong and Jervis Bay to Werri and Kiama, I’ve seen more of Australia’s east coast in the last two months than in the last three years. All while still working a full-time job in Sydney.

It fixes your circadian rhythm

My current set-up has surfboards for curtains, a windshield shade for the windscreen, and no other light blockers. This means you wake up as the sun rises, and make the most of each day, naturally.

It also means when you wake up (in your curtain-endowed bedroom at home) to go to work on Monday, it feels like you’ve had a lie-in.

Cracking a window during the night is a smart idea

If you don’t want to destroy your phone with condensation, this is key.

You start to look at lavish van setups with disdain (or is it jealousy?)

Now whenever I see someone in a Sprinter van or wood-panelled HiAce with fairy lights, I can’t help but smirk at how much time and effort they’ve gone to just to be in the same place as me, with my $150 Bunnings set up.

You gain a sense of gratitude

Living in your car, even temporarily, makes you think. As the ABC reports, there is a growing crisis of people being forced out of popular places like Byron Bay and living in their cars due to rental prices exploding.

Though it’s never a good look to go on about how slumming it ‘gave you some perspective’… sleeping somewhat rough did make me realise how much it would suck to live permanently in your car.

Though it’s not about me (and not about you either, if you are also fortunate enough to just be on holiday in your vehicle), if nothing else: it should keep your sense of self-pity in perspective if you ever get fined by a ranger.

Sorry to get all ‘British trustafarian‘ on you – now back to normal programming…

It’s perfect for frugal foodies

I’d rather sleep in a car and buy a $4.50 strong oat milk flat white in the morning than sleep in a motel and feel obliged to drink their free instant coffee to make back the money I spent on accommodation…

Also: knowing you’ve saved money on digs makes your lavish cafe breakfasts and brunches feel free.

You start to feel like a travel influencer

You may initially mock the ‘vanlife’ motto and use the ‘homeiswhereyouparkit’ hashtag ironically, but soon enough you’ll be thinking… damn this really is a room with a view.

Now, where can I buy wood panels and fairy lights?

Read Next

• I Went To NSW’s Most Instagram Famous Waterfall. It Was A Complete Disaster
• This Anthony Bourdain Quote Completely Changed How I Travel

The post I Tried Australia’s Hottest Travel Trend. I May Never Stay In A Hotel Again appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

We’re beginning to sound like a broken record at this point, but the Australian second-hand car market is hotter than a Carolina Reaper dipped in molten lava.While virtually all types of vehicles have been seeing insane speculation, some of the most fierce price rises have been for ‘practical’ vehicles, like vans or 4×4 SUVs. With road trips and off-roading experiencing a huge spike in popularity thanks to travel restrictions, it’s a no brainer: Aussies want capable vehicles that they can fit plenty of stuff in without sacrificing on-road comfort.Perhaps it’s not surprising, then, that the next big bull rush seems to be favouring fast European station wagons. European cars generally tend to be hit hard by depreciation, but thanks to their unique combination of comfort, performance and style, fast Euro wagons have resisted depreciation better than many other types of cars, and indeed are noticeably on the up right now.Why Euro? While local manufacturers like Ford and Holden were long champions of the station wagon, fast Aussie wagons are increasingly too expensive for the average buyer. Essentially, the market’s in this weird space where base model Commodores or Falcons aren’t particularly powerful or refined, hence their comparatively low prices, whereas higher spec’ed, more powerful/refined models are wildly too expensive.Fast Japanese wagons do exist – like the imported Mitsubishi Legnum and Nissan Stagea or hotter variants of the Subaru Liberty – but they lack the same sort of refinement that their European cousins do (plus most have been absolutely thrashed). Anything that attracts the JDM crowd is appropriately expensive, too.However, fast Euro wagons remain relatively plentiful whilst not outrageously priced… Although that might not last forever. We’ve picked out four models from four different manufacturers that are worthy of your consideration (and investment).

Mercedes-Benz E-Class E55 AMG (W211)

Mercedes-Benz is the oldest car maker in the world, and they make everything from ultra-luxurious limousines like the Mercedes-Maybach S 600 to agricultural vehicles like the Unimog. They’ve also made a few fast wagons over the years – case in point, the second-generation E55 AMG, a variant of the W211 E-Class mid-size executive luxury car.Produced from 2003 to 2006, the second generation E55 AMG debuted as the fastest production sedan in the world and yes, was offered in an estate version in later model years. Powered by a supercharged 5.4L V8 making a very healthy 350kW and capable of 0-100km/h in 4.8 seconds, the E55 AMG is a helluva lot of car – and it’s a bloody Merc, so it’s comfortable as hell, too.The E-Class might not be one of the best-known ranges in Mercedes’ expansive lineup, but it’s a rather underrated and versatile machine. It’s big enough to fit multiple adults and all their gear in style, but not as outrageously big (or expensive) as the S-Class. You can actually fit seven people in an E55 AMG… Who needs an SUV?The example above, listed on Carsales, is a final production year model that has been immaculately maintained. With 160,000kms on the clock, it’s basically mint, aside from some slight interior wear on switches and the like. For $69,500, it’s a bit of a steal – try and find a V8 wagon in such good condition with that few km’s and that level of luxury. Spoiler alert: it’s pretty hard.

BMW 335i Touring (E91)

Speaking of lesser-known gems, the E91 335i might be one of the most overlooked BMWs of all time – and definitely something you should be adding to your fast Euro wagon shortlist.Simply put, the 335i is the hottest non-M3 version of the E91 that was sold in Australia – the US got the 335is, but that was only available as a coupé or convertible. And you couldn’t get an E91 M3 wagon – an estate version of the famous M car has only become a possibility with 2020’s G20 model.RELATED: BMW Reveal Aggressive Changes For Australia’s Most Loved Performance Coupe & SedanWhere the E91 M3 had a naturally-aspirated V8, the 335i boasts a twin-turbo inline-six good for 225kW, which is more than enough for the average grocery run or getting to your kid’s sport on time.This 2010 example has the later N55 engine, which crucially features solenoid-type injectors, rather than the older N54’s expensive and less reliable piezo injectors. It also has the full M Sport package (check out those saucy 19″ alloy wheels!) A one-owner car, it’s asking just under $50,000. Highly reasonable, all things considered.

Volvo 850 T-5R / R

It’s the only non-German entry on our list but we’d be remiss having a discussion about station wagons and not mention Volvo. The Swedish marque is famous for its hardy wagons but it isn’t necessarily the first name that comes to mind when you think ‘fast’. Yet the 850, produced between 1991 and 1996, was a properly peppy car – with two model variants packing extra heat.All versions of the 850 came with either a 2.0L or 2.5L inline-five (inline-fives sound amazing and produce remarkable performance) but the T-5R and R added a turbocharger into the mix. Available as either a sedan or wagon, these boxy beasts were the ultimate factory sleeper; a characterisation that’s only stronger today. 179kW sent to the rear wheels coupled with that characteristic Volvo refinement and an unmistakable aesthetic make this the performance wagon par excellence for many automotive enthusiasts.Confusingly, the T-5R came before the R, although there’s not a big difference between the two variants. While the R featured factory bucket seats and a better sound system, only the T-5R was available in that iconic ‘Cream Yellow’. Hilariously, the colour was marketed as ‘Faded Yellow’ in Australia, as Volvo were well aware that the paint wouldn’t hold up well under the harsh Australian sun.The rarest 850 is the 850 R Manual, which not only featured a beefier transmission compared to the T-5R but a limited-slip differential, larger turbo, heavy-duty clutch and other improvements over the auto or the T-5R, which allowed it to produce 186 kW compared to the auto / T-5R’s 179 kW. There’s also an even rarer all-wheel-drive version of the 850 which boasts the same turbocharged 2.5L that the T-5R and R had, albeit significantly detuned.The model above is an automatic 850 R in ‘Olive Green Metallic’ we found on Facebook Marketplace. While it’s a little rough around the edges, the owner’s asking only $12,000 for it. Considering good examples regularly go for over $35,000, it’s still a steal – especially considering it wouldn’t take too much to make it shine. Plus, it’s a Volvo – these things are indestructible.

Audi RS4 Avant (B5)

Finally, we couldn’t have a list about fast Euro wagons without mentioning the RS4 Avant. Audi is another brand well-known for their station wagons, and the RS4 Avant might just be the best in their stable.Let’s break it down: the RS4 Avant is the hottest version of the A4. The A4, over the years, has been available as a sedan, wagon, coupé and cabriolet – but the RS4 has only ever been a wagon. (Hence the ‘Avant’ moniker.) You can get an S4 sedan, but not an RS4 sedan, for example.The B5 was the first generation of the A4 and therefore the first-ever RS4 Avant. While the second and third generation RS4s used a naturally-aspirated V8, the first and fourth (current) generation RS4s used twin-turbo V6s.The 2.7L engine in this first-gen RS4 was developed and manufactured in the UK by Cosworth Technology (famous for their history tuning Fords as well as their Formula One involvement) and makes a tasty 280kW. Aesthetically, the first-gen might be the least assuming, which also makes it perhaps the best – it’s all about that sleeper look!.For $60,000, it’s not a bad buy – and like the other fast Euro wagons featured here, prices are only going up, especially for well-maintained examples like this one. Don’t get caught with your pants down, is all we’re saying.

Read Next

• The Biggest Loser In Australia’s Second Hand Car Market Chaos
• Suzuki Jimny SUV Suffering ‘Rolex’ Price Surge In Australia

The post Best Used Station Wagons Australia: Fast Euro Station Wagons Are Hot Property appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Gucci has always been a disruptive force in the world of haute couture – but its latest style experiment might put men’s fashion purists’ noses out of joint.

Under current creative director Alessandro Michele, the nearly 100-year-old luxury fashion house has pioneered a highly 70s-inspired ‘geek chic’ aesthetic that’s been widely imitated across the fashion industry. Michele revels in kitsch, as well as being disruptive.

His latest artistic flourish, which has appeared in a number of his 2021 menswear collections, is very much both of those things: deliberately keeping the suit tag on blazer sleeves.

Typically, suitmakers leave a small silk tag on the left sleeve of a suit blazer, which you’re supposed to remove before you start wearing the suit properly. Many men, however, forget to remove the tag, thinking it’s a part of the design. It’s one of the most common men’s fashion fails and one that can really prove damaging – imagine walking into a job interview with the tag still on your sleeve…

RELATED: How To Dress For A Job Interview, No Matter The Job

Worse still, some men are aware of the protocol regarding sleeve tags and still choose to leave the tag intact. This is usually something young men do with designer brands, as they want people to know they’re wearing Gucci or Givenchy or whatever. It’s widely considered distasteful, but it is a trend that’s becoming more common.

It seems Michele’s taken notice of this emerging trend. In a brilliant move, he’s turned the sleeve tag into a real statement; making them larger or adding multiple and in some cases even completely sewing them down instead of just at the corners. In short, they’re designed not to be removed. It’s something that’s going to f*ck with a lot of people… But that’s entirely the point.

Haute couture is supposed to push boundaries. Michele’s decision to centre the humble sleeve tag and turn it into a fashion element; to transform the act of leaving the tag on from being a mistake to an intentional style statement, is simple but clever.

It also fits in with Gucci’s well-established, logo-heavy aesthetic. Intense branding has been a signature of Gucci’s for many years, with motifs like their interlocking G’s, red and green stripes or iconic bumblebee an important part of the brand’s identity. Michele is taking that theme to the next level with his sleeve tags whilst adding a subversive edge.

RELATED: $800 Balenciaga ‘Birkenstocks’ Enrage Social Media’s Luxury Consumers

Of course, not everyone’s going to love it – many fashion fans already consider Gucci’s current aesthetic to be a bit too kitsch for its own good, and this will only reinforce their prejudices against it. But again, that’s the point of haute couture; to ruffle feathers and experiment. Even if we’re not a huge fan of it ourselves, we admire Michele and Gucci’s willingness to try something a bit different.

This ‘holistic’ approach to men’s fashion – treating every element of the process, even the packaging, as part of the overall look – is something that’s grown in popularity over the last decade. Off-White’s iconic zip ties are a great example of this, as was Nike’s recent Air Force 1 ‘Keep Em Fresh’ release, which saw the iconic sneaker’s paper packaging deliberately integrated into the upper of the sneaker.

RELATED: ‘The Devil Wears Nike’: Sportswear Giant Loses Control Over Its Own Bloody Releases

The real question is this: do you respect Michele’s creative vision, and keep the tags on? Or do you remove them, lest people who aren’t as clued into modern fashion think you’re a fashion fool?

We suspect each choice will suit a different sort of person. We’ll see ourselves out…

Read Next

• Adidas & Allbirds Sneaker Collaboration Reveals Ugly Truth About Sustainable Fashion

The post Gucci Is Making The Most Common Men’s Fashion Fail… Fashionable appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Stop and think about it. There are things we do, as a society, that will seem absurd in 100 years.

Take for instance the year 1900. Back then, not only were there were no fridges or microwaves, but snoop inside someone’s medicine cabinet and there would be heroin or mercury rather than Strepsils and Panadol.

Another thing that has changed is men’s swimwear standards.

Enter: the following photo from 1919. Though as myth-buster Snopes points out, it is trotted out every year claimed to be a “beauty contest” that shows how men’s body standards have changed (when in reality it’s just a photo that was taken in 1919), it does provide an insight into what men’s swimwear was like back then, somewhere in central Europe.

Compare that to the following photos of men taken in 2020 and 2021 at Sydney’s iconic Bondi Icebergs. What has changed?

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Bondi beach (@bondi_beach_life)

For starters, the three quarter down the thigh, Speedo-material pants have been swept off the menu. Now men, it seems, have two options. Boardshorts made out of polyester or nylon. Or budgie smugglers.

RELATED: Coolest Boardshorts For Men In 2021

The great boardshorts vs. budgue smugglers debate has been simmering in Australia in recent times. As DMARGE reported last month, there is some debate over what swimwear is currently most fashionable. Some, like Bondi-based Parisian photographer  Amaury Tréguer (aka @morningbondi) wouldn’t be seen dead in Speedos.

RELATED: Parisian Photographer Captures ‘Weird’ Beach Habit Australians Think Is Normal

Others disagree, calling the budgie smuggler not only an indispensable swimwear item, but one the French should really be embracing, lest they be left behind in the fashion stakes…

RELATED: 1948 Cannes Photo Proves France Has Lost Its Way When It Comes To Beach Fashion 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Yoann Trouillet (@ytrouillet)

What does the future hold? Only time (and tan lines) will tell.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Dustin Taylor (@dustin_tay)

Keep an eye on Bondi Icebergs for any burgeoning new trends.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by MARÍA TAVERA (@mariatavera)

Read Next

• Iconic Italian Beach Scene Sparks Age-Old Debate
• Controversial Bondi Beach Photo Depicts Scene That Could Never Happen In America 

The post Iconic 1919 Photo Shows How Far Men's Swimwear Fashion Has Come In 100 Years appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Every man has dreamed about driving a tank at least once in their life. Tanks are indescribably cool, in the same way dinosaurs and rocket ships are.

But few men ever get the chance to actually drive, let alone own a tank. For example, even if you go to the palaver of joining the Australian Army and make it through basic training as well as the Armoured Crewman Common Course, you might not even get assigned to a tank. You might end up driving an armoured personnel carrier or combat reconnaissance vehicle – cool, but not quite the same as a tank. Plus, you don’t even get to own the vehicle you drive.

Fortunately, you don’t need to join the armed forces to have your very own tank, thanks to this crazy yet entrepreneuring Queenslander.

Tambourine man Tim Wood, former Australian BMX champ and founder of tourism company Tank Ride – which, as the name implies, is in the business of letting people ride tanks – is selling off a few of his multi-tracked marvels to anyone who’s got the need for speed all-terrain domination.

Three tanks are up for sale, all Centurions: a British design that’s seen service with a variety of militaries around the world 1946 to even today. Centurions were the main battle tank for the Royal Australian Armoured Corps from the Korean War to the Vietnam War, but were phased out in favour of the German Leopard 1 (which itself was replaced with the American M1 Abrams, the army’s current tank).

One is a Mk3 Centurion that’s seen a partial restoration, and the other two are Mk5s that have both seen action in Vietnam. One has been converted to a ‘trainer’ after its turret was blown off: one of only three Centurions constructed by the Australian Army and the only one that still runs, Woods says.

RELATED: Australia’s Cheapest Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen Now Up For Sale In Perth… But There’s A Catch

Each weighs around 52 tonnes, has a top speed of 35km per hour and guzzles two litres of petrol every 100 metres – so just the trip back from Tambourine to Brisbane would cost around $2,500, The Daily Mail relates. And before you ask, yes, it’s legal to own a gun tank in Australia, as long as the gun isn’t functional. Good luck taking it on public roads, too.

On top of that, Woods is asking around $85,000-$120,000 for each, although he’s eager to negotiate. I wouldn’t lowball someone with a bunch of tanks, though…

If you don’t have the room in the garage for a tank – or think $85,000 is a bit pricey – a more affordable way of getting in on the military vehicle fun might be to buy a Land Rover Perentie, which you could even convert to a ute if you were so inclined.

But if we’re being honest with ourselves, as cool as Perenties are, they’ve got nothing on a tank.

Get in touch with Tim on Facebook if you’re a serious buyer and want to bite the bullet. Pun entirely intended.

Read Next

• Most Unlikely SUV Ever Spotted Cruising Streets Of North Korea
• Stunning Porsche 911 Targa Leaves Australian Car Lovers Green With Envy

The post Tanks For Sale Australia: Queensland Man Selling Vietnam War Era Tanks appeared first on DMARGE Australia.