Jeans are as essential as your daily dose of vitamin C. Available in various colours, lengths, fits and fabric weights, jeans have the potential to be worn all year round, so keeping a healthy stock of them is vital.Fortunately, stocking up on a wardrobe full of colours and designs needn’t cost the earth, as it’s entirely possible to find good quality pairs of denim for under $100, as we’re about to prove. Yes, we’d all love a pair of Amiri jeans or some John Elliotts, but for basic, everyday pairs, these affordable jeans will hold you in good stead. Besides, you won’t mind if they get dirty or ripped.We’ve rounded up 8 pairs of our favourite jeans for men to buy right now, but click through to the retailer to discover plenty more fits, colours and designs, all of which will come in under $100 each.

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The post 8 Stylish & Affordable Pairs Of Men's Jeans For Under $100 appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Without coming across like some sort of grandstanding Jeremy Clarkson, cars are moving pieces of art. Particularly supercars.The amount of blood, sweat, tears (and money) that goes into making a high-end automobile boggles the mind. Not only are they technically impressive pieces of engineering and human ingenuity, but they’re also some of the most beautiful machines on the planet. Even the most rabid anti-car environmentalist would admit that the iconic curves of a Porsche 911 are delightful to behold.Naturally, people get very fussy about messing with the designer’s vision – none more so than some of these supercar brands themselves. Ferrari, for example, are notoriously protective of their cars’ image: they’ll refuse to sell you a car if they think you’re going to alter it too much and back in 2014, they even served celebrity DJ deadmau5 a cease and desist order after he wrapped and customised his car, NME reports.But no-one’s told Rashed Saif Belhasa, apparently. Otherwise known as ‘Moneykicks’, the infamous Emirati entrepreneur and social media ‘influencer’ recently unveiled his latest automotive purchase: a new Rolls-Royce Wraith coupé, which he’s had wrapped all over with Christian Dior’s famous monogram. Naturally, he’s got a matching Dior outfit, too.

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While we admire the quality of the wrap job (wrapping a car isn’t easy), many commenters had other thoughts.“When you have a lot of money… But your taste got no vibes,” one commenter wrote, when Belhasa posted a video of his car to Youtube.“New title suggestion: HOW TO RUIN A ROLLS ROYCE WITH A TATTY WRAP!”, wrote another.

“This looks like camouflage companies use to test cars in road.. Really u made ur  rolls Royce look like crap.”

One was kinder, writing: “Love hiis [sic] confidence.”Whether you believe this is the simply the automobile equivalent of dousing yourself in ‘a bit much’ cologne, or whether you believe it’s the absolute worst car trend of all time, history tends not to be kind to these kinds of luxury mashups.Other notable examples of the trend include this Gucci-wrapped Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG that made The Daily Mail and this Lamborghini Aventador SVJ that rolled up to a Cars and Coffee event in Austin, Texas.Belhasa is perhaps this trend’s biggest adherent. On top of his Dior Rolls, he’s also got a Lamborghini Aventador with a stupid wrap, his wrapped in BAPE camo. He’s also the owner of a Ferrari F12 Berlinetta wrapped in a red Supreme x Louis Vuitton graphic and a Cadillac Escalade he’s given a few outfit changes over the years, too: originally wrapped in a red Nike Air Jordan colour scheme with DJ Khaled logos, he’s since wrapped it in an Adidas Yeezy design.There are two schools of thought, basically. Some people say that people are entitled to do whatever they like with their cars, and that’s true. The other school of thought is that wrapping cars in luxury brand logos is the height of bad taste – showing that the owner doesn’t really care about the car or the brand, and is all about that ~flaunt~.Until proven otherwise, we’re firmly in the “you’re tacky and I hate it” school of thought. But hey: maybe the man’s a hidden genius, we’re narrow-minded, and we just need to start thinking outside the (outlandishly overwrapped) box?You decide.

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The post 'Dior Wrapped' Rolls-Royce Outrages Luxury Vehicle Purists appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

There’s fashion advice that real men should know how to do even if they can afford to pay someone else to do it for them.

Whether that’s mending an item of clothing, simply sewing on a button or in today’s case, how to shine your own shoes.

The first two are important sartorial skills to have, but no-one is going to be judging you on them quite the way they’ll notice your shoes. Admittedly, in a sea of black, fake leather square-toed monstrosities, the daily choice you’ve made to wear nice real leather shoes puts you one step ahead of the pack, but taking it to the next level with an old fashioned mirror shine really shows everyone that you mean business.

Shoe Shine Tools You’ll Need

Tools of the trade don’t need to be expensive stuff passed down from some nonno. Most dress shoe stores will stock these items these days so it’s a simple case of asking the shop attendant.

Felt Shoe Polishing Cloths

These cloths are usually made from cotton chamois, and they’re perfect for not only applying polish, but are essential for helping you bring out a mirror shine on your cherished leather shoes.

Any cobbler worth your time will have a good range for you to choose from, otherwise you can head online to the Hanger Project to pick one up.

Horsehair Shoeshine Brush

This one’s a no-brainer – you deserve 100% natural horsehair bristles to bring a natural, glowing sheen to your shoes.

They come in a range of sizes, and some have black bristles and others have neutral ones. It’s good to have options to use on different coloured shoes.

Get a smaller travel sized brush to use when you’re on the go – those hotel shine kits are nasty and shouldn’t come anywhere near your prized shoes.

Leather Conditioner

You don’t have to splurge, but for shoes that will last you a lifetime or until your tastes change, Saphir is some of the best available.

Their ‘Renovateur’ is a cleaner and conditioner that will help keep leather supple and nourished. If you prefer buying in person, pick up some Collonil or Waproo conditioner from your cobbler.

Cream-based Shoe Polish

Cream-based polish contains more pigment than wax-based polish, so it’s good for covering up blemishes and serious scuffs in the leather.

Be careful when using it, though, because the extra pigment means extra big stains on the sofa and your better half will kill you.

Wax-based Shoe Polish

Along with your other tools, this is where you want to buy the best stuff you can afford. #

Menswear aficionados are enamoured with Saphir, and for good reason. The stuff brings out the best mirror shine. Also worth checking out is Pure Polish (formerly Glen Karen), whose all-natural range of products actually smell good enough to eat (not that we endorse eating your shoe polish).

If you can’t source these, Kiwi’s “Parade Gloss” will do for your black shoes, but with better polish and a bit of practice, your shoes will have the hi-shine effect you’re striving for.

Prepare Your Sexy Shoes

Before you start applying polish to the shoes, you need to get them ready. Start by using one of your cloths to wipe away any visible dirt and debris.

Use a small amount of water on the cloth (no detergent) if you need to, but at the end of this process you want a shoe that looks “clean”. Wait for them to be fully dry before proceeding to the next step.

Condition & Polish With Care

Now that your shoes are ready to be polished.

• Use the other cloth to apply a small amount of conditioner over the shoe
• Follow up immediately with either wax or cream-based polish applied sparingly over the whole shoe
• If the edges are looking a little worse for wear, now is a good time to also apply a dab of conditioner and polish to these areas so they don’t end up looking drab

Brush It Up Real Good

Once the polish is applied to one shoe, let it rest while you follow the same process for the other shoe. Then, using your horsehair brush, go over the whole shoe to bring out a natural shine in the leather. Sound easy? That’s because it is, and as a minimum you should be doing this regularly so your shoes always look in good nick.

Get Your Mirror Shine On

Take things up a notch by giving the toe caps and heel counters of your shoes a mirror shine. Wrap one of your polishing clothes tightly around your finger and very gently apply a thin film of wax polish on the area you want to bring a high shine to.

Dampen the end of the cloth you’re polishing with in water and using a tiny bit more polish, work it gently into the leather in circular motions using only your finger. The more circles you make over the leather, the more of a shine you’ll begin to see. Keep polishing in this way until you reach your desired level of shine.

Marvel In Your Toils

It takes a bit of time to get the perfect shine, but once you have it down it’s something you can include in your sartorial kit so you’re always looking polished whether it’s for a mate’s wedding, a work interview or just kicking it on the weekend in your new brogues.

The post How To Shine Your Shoes Like A Man That Gives A Damn appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

“Just one more mouthful, you can do it”, I told myself as I shovelled yet another forkful of rice into my face. Following a similar diet to Australian poster boy and certified rig Chris Hemsworth has not been a pretty process.

Having been on what seems like a never-ending quest for just an ounce of muscle definition, I was finally given the Holy Grail piece of information that had been holding me back for several years, “You need to eat more”.

So, with Chris Hemsworth being my fitness inspiration, I tried to follow a Chris Hemsworth diet.

I’m someone who has been a member of some sort of gym or fitness studio for as long as I can remember – a good 10 years if I really think about it – but I have never seen any real transformation.

I’m willing to admit I perhaps never truly pushed myself, instead, settling on weights that I knew I would be able to lift or pull, through fear of being secretly recorded not being able to lift heavier, and ending up on one of those ‘gym fail’ compilations you see on Facebook.

During the lockdown period in 2020, however, something came over me. Not only was I well into living my life in Australia after making the move in 2018, and therefore well-accustomed to the regular appearance of abs, pecs and shoulders exhibited by Australian men, but I decided that I was actually going to get some professional help.

RELATED: Why Lockdown Was The Best Thing To Ever Happen To My Gains

Not the straight-jacket kind, the personal trainer kind. I signed up for one-on-one training at my local class-based gym, Lean Performance, and after a couple of months of assessing my general strength and fitness levels, my PT told me I was going to need to eat a shitload more food if I was going to see any gains.

I’m an ectomorph, apparently, so my body naturally finds it hard to put on weight – fat or muscle – so I needed to put myself through a huge calorie surplus. My BMR (the figure representing the number of calories needed to maintain my current weight) was worked out to be 2,000. I have been consuming 3,700 calories or more per day in the pursuit of gains.

An example of Chris’ diet can be found on Centr, the fitness program he started alongside his wife Elsa Pataky, personal trainer and best friend Luke Zocchi and the likes of former Navy Seal Trainer Joseph Savova. Upon reading this plan, I thought eating like Chris would be a lot simpler than I first thought, especially since he appeared to stagger his meals throughout the day to make them more manageable.

I didn’t copy his foods exactly, instead, settling on foods I preferred (I’m not a huge fish fan) and ones that would be easy to fit into my 9-5 schedule. Where Chris and I are similar, however, is our limited use of supplements. As Chris’ plan shows, he rarely takes supplements, with his nutritionist, Sergio explaining “we only use supplements where needed, to help Chris get extra calories and the quick nutrition they offer.”

I only consume 1 or 2 scoops of a soy-based protein powder each day, otherwise, my calories all come from food sources.

Nevertheless, I based my diet off of it the best I could. This is what I discovered when I tried eating like Chris Hemsworth*.

*Note, I didn’t quite train like Chris, as I was already committed to attending strength & conditioning classes, along with one PT session each week.

Eating is expensive

Having to buy bulk loads of chicken, Greek yoghurt, sweet potato and other food sources rich in protein and carbohydrates is an expensive hobby. But if a shrinking bank balance meant a growing body, it would be money well spent.

My assumptions were so very wrong

Upon hearing the revelation that I needed to eat more, it became apparent that I was probably eating way below my BMR for several years, hence the lack of gains. In my mind, I always thought that eating more would’ve had a counter-productive effect. How wrong I was.

I’ve become stuck in a rut of a repeating meal plan

Because the whole idea of creating and sticking to a meal plan was a foreign concept to me, I’ve found myself eating the same foods day in, day out, because I know they work. Fortunately, Muscle and Strength says this is generally ok.

My average daily meal plan consists of the following:

5.45am – workout
7am – 2 eggs, 2 egg whites, 2 slices wholegrain toast
9am – 200g natural Greek yoghurt, 45g muesli, 30g dry roasted nuts, 15g black chia seeds
11am – Smoothie: 2 large bananas, 250ml soy milk, 40g soy protein isolate, 40g muesli, 1/2tbsp honey
1pm – 190g chicken breast, 160g roasted sweet potato, 110g roasted broccoli, 200g basmati rice
3pm – high protein bar
7pm – dinner of my choice

Dinner has tended to change on a daily basis, but I often look to good sources of protein such as more chicken or red meat, such as beef or kangaroo.

Snacking is key

Going back to what my PT told me, “just keep eating”. It didn’t matter if I went over my calorie target, if anything, it was encouraged. So I occasionally turned to snacks such as small bags of popcorn or a small portion of nuts to keep me fuelled.

Alcohol really is the enemy

I’m someone who enjoys a drink or several at the weekend. I don’t mean I need to get absolutely buckled every Friday night, but to finish the week with a couple of beers with friends is something totally normal. I was surprised at just how much of an effect those couple of cold ones had on the scales at my weekly weigh-in.

Gin is a godsend

It’s my new favourite (Four Pillars, if you’re reading this, big fan). With soda, of course. #LowCarb.

I love routine

Once I figured out a meal plan that allowed me to reach my calorie target (or surpass it), I was able to commit to eating at the same or similar times each day. This, coupled with the same time for gym classes and sunrise walks (#fitspiration) meant I settled into a routine, and it felt great.

Don’t expect results overnight

Whilst most weeks I did see a slight increase in muscle – along with plenty of others that recorded a drop in both body fat and muscle – I realised this will be a long process. Partly because of my ectomorph DNA, but also because, as Bodybuilding says, it’s “physiologically impossible to gain more than 1lb (450g) of lean muscle per week.”

At one stage of my gain train, I was averaging 150g of muscle growth per week. So I took that as a win.

I succumbed to setting myself goals

I never thought I’d be someone to get so invested in training that I would set myself weight goals, both on the scales and on the gym floor. I’m still aiming to reach a bodyweight of 80kg (I’m sitting at 78kg at time of publishing), but being able to reach 100kg for squats and deadlifts gave me a rush of pride I’ve never experienced before.

The less said about my bench press PB, the better.

I had to cheat

If The Rock and Chris Hemsworth himself advocate gorging on cakes and doughnuts, then it’s fine me to treat myself too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Chris Hemsworth (@chrishemsworth)

I felt more energised

It’s true. Despite consuming a huge number of calories by eating regularly throughout the day, I’ve never once found myself to be induced into a food coma. If anything, I feel better than ever. I find it easy to wake up at 5 am, and as soon as I lay my head on my pillow between 9-10 pm, I’m out in seconds.

There’s that routine coming into play again.

I have more confidence

Living near the beach requires you to spend a good amount of times sans t-shirt. This was once an issue for me, and I generally spent as little time semi-naked as possible. Now, I don’t exactly fling my top off at any given moment like some drunk hooligan in Ibiza, but I’m far more inclined to.

Also, I’ve received several compliments that I look good. So that’s always a plus.

I put on muscle

I’ve been eating a calorie surplus diet for around four months now, and have put on around 3kg on muscle. My body fat percentage has fluctuated in that, ranging from as low as 10% up to 18%. Given my current diet, it’s completely normal for it to increase, as I’m going through a bulking phase.

At these before and after photos show, I’ve not only got myself a decent tan, but I’ve filled out a lot more. I also had an imbalance between my right and left side, which, as my PT Bronte Zeiher says,

“[The muscles] are different on each side just due to imbalance. Notice the right side dips more than the left, and notice the hands sit at different heights.”

“Not a huge imbalance, and most people have it to different degrees, but the imbalance is causing the muscles to work in different parts of the body.”

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The post ‘I Ate Like Chris Hemsworth For 4 Months. It Nearly Broke Me’ appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

What do a German car brand, a Swiss watchmaker and a Mexican road race all have in common? And no, this isn’t the start of a dad joke.

The Carrera Panamericana was a border-to-border Mexican road race similar to Italy’s famous Mille Miglia. While the race only existed for four years from 1950 to 1954, it left an indelible legacy in the world of motorsports thanks to its intense and dangerous character.

Porsche, then still a fledgling sports car manufacturer, saw a number of successes in the Carrera Panamericana, inspiring them to use the ‘Carrera’ name to denote their top-spec models and engines, a practice that continues to this day. The race was also the inspiration for TAG Heuer’s famous Carrera line of racing chronographs, similarly one of the brand’s most iconic and desirable collections.

While the worlds of TAG Heuer and Porsche have often intersected over the years – usually in the context of motorsports – it’s only in 2021 that these two like-minded brands have finally, formally, cemented their relationship. Not only are the two brands collaborating on motorsports ventures such as the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team, but they’ve just announced a brand new timepiece to celebrate the occasion: the TAG Heuer Carrera Porsche Chronograph Special Edition 44mm.

This handsome new rendition of the classic Carrera watch perfectly blends the DNA of both brands. These days, the luxury world is filled with sometimes incongruous collaborations – take Jacob & Co.’s incredibly ugly watch collaboration with Supreme or Dolce & Gabbana making toasters with SMEG. Porsche and TAG Heuer, however, actually make sense together (hell, it might just be the perfect brand collaboration) and this new watch might just be one of the most handsome Carreras of all time.

The Carrera Porsche Chronograph is immediately recognisable thanks to the slick Porsche logo on its bezel. The dial treatment is particularly unique, too, evoking the asphalt of a racetrack, as is the watch’s rotor, which has been redesigned to pay homage to the classic Porsche steering wheel design. Another unique feature of the watch is the substitution of typical 1-12 hour markers for seconds indicators, which further underscores its sports car inspiration.

RELATED: ‘Sporty’ Watch Selling Trick Can Make You Thousands

Classic Porsche colours of red, black, and grey – which also recall historic Heuer models – are incorporated throughout the watch. It’s a tasteful colour scheme that reflects the history of both brands perfectly but remains low-key and dressy. Plenty of Super-LumiNova means that despite this watch’s dark colour palette it’s perfectly legible even at night… Or during a cheeky tunnel run. Wind down those windows, baby!

Like other Carrera and Monaco models released recently, the Carrera Porsche Chronograph utilises TAG Heuer’s celebrated in-house Calibre Heuer 02 manufacture movement, which boasts an impressive 80-hour power reserve. The watch is also available with TAG Heuer’s recently redesigned steel bracelet, but the real winner strap-wise is the exclusive leather strap that comes with this model, which features a unique split design that brings to mind a Porsche’s interior.

Whether you want it on your wrist for your next Porsche meet or you’re just a fan of both brands, the TAG Heuer Carrera Porsche Chronograph is one good-looking piece of wrist candy and is sure to be one of 2021’s hottest collaborations. Find out more at TAG Heuer’s online boutique.

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The post TAG Heuer & Porsche Team Up For A Partnership Dreams Are Made Of appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

After many years of being written off, ignored or actively denigrated by both the driving public as well as many car brands, electric vehicles (EVs) are finally entering the mainstream. Much of this has to do with the vision of Elon Musk’s Tesla, which has transformed the global public’s perception of EVs from drab to desirable.

The move towards EVs has been further accelerated in 2021 by two high-profile announcements out of the United States. Firstly, freshly elected President Joe Biden announced his plan to replace the government’s fleet of cars and trucks with domestically assembled EVs, CNBC reports. Days later, America’s largest auto maker, General Motors, announced that they would phase out petroleum-powered cars and trucks and sell only vehicles that have zero tailpipe emissions by 2035, The New York Times details.

It’s not just America that’s moving on EVs. European countries such as France, the Netherlands and the UK have set ambitious goals to phase out internal combustion engine (ICE) sales in the coming decades. China has long been the world’s #1 producer of EVs: home over half the world’s fleet of EVs, the superpower is continuing to move towards EVs, too.

Which begs the question… What is Australia doing? The answer might not surprise you – f*ck all. In fact, it’s worse than that.

 

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Many countries offer substantial incentives for consumers to purchase EVs. For example, the Japanese government gives you a cash rebate if you buy an EV, which more than double if you’re scrapping a 13-year or older vehicle in the process. In Norway, EVs are also exempt from the annual road tax, all public parking fees, toll payments and are even allowed to use bus lanes. Must be nice.

In Australia, the federal government offers no direct incentives for electric vehicle ownership. In fact, they actually impose a substantial financial disincentive, as most EVs on sale in Australia are affected by the much-reviled Luxury Car Tax.

For comparison, a Tesla Model 3 Performance Edition costs 60,900 USD before incentives in America, with that price dropping to 54,990 USD (~72,050 AUD) after incentives. In Australia, the same car starts at 97,425 AUD yet will incur a luxury tax of about 6,560 AUD in addition to about 9,000 in GST, plus around 4,500 AUD in stamp duty, depending on the state.

That’s nearly $20k in taxes for a car that costs, after on roads, about 107,000 AUD. That’s an over $30,000 difference – you could buy a whole other car for that, at a time when most other countries are making it easier for people to buy EVs, The Driven relates. And the Model 3 is supposed to be Tesla’s affordable car…

Some Australian states, such as Queensland, Victoria and the ACT offer small incentives to purchase EVs, but they pale in comparison to what other countries offer, and don’t really take the sting out of the price. Of course, the Model 3 is also built in the US, so naturally there’s going to be a price difference between the US and Australia. Still, it hammers home just how hard most EVs get hit by the Luxury Car Tax and, perhaps more importantly, the so-called ‘Australia Tax’.

If the federal government doesn’t act soon, Australia is in danger of being left behind when it comes to the future of transport. If even the US and China are getting behind EVs, why aren’t we?

Read Next

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• Australians Ditching Luxury SUVs For This Pint-Sized Japanese Alternative

The post Australian Government 'Asleep At The Wheel' When It Comes To Electric Vehicles appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

The news may have come a couple of weeks too late for Australian Open tennis players’ liking, but W Hotels has just unveiled its second hotel in Australia – the much anticipated W Melbourne. W Melbourne aims to add to Melbourne’s buzzing cultural, fashion and foodie scene and has today, the 4th of February 2021, opened its doors to the public.

Part of Marriott International, the hotel is Melbourne’s first luxury lifestyle hotel. Located at 408 Flinders Lane – in the heart of an eclectic dining and edgy fashion district – W-Melbourne intends to bring the community’s “iconic laneway culture and emerging music scene” to life.

Though time (and Instagram hashtags) will tell if that will happen, the hotel certainly has the amenities to back up that claim (or at least help guests have a luxurious experience, regardless of what they find outside the establishment’s walls).

W Hotels worked with Australian architecture and interior design firm Hachem to bring W Melbourne to life, something which guests should experience thusly, W Hotels describes: “Drawing on the city’s diverse and contrasting character, W Melbourne’s design inspiration is translated into vignettes of Melbourne’s streetscapes, letting guests uncover the dynamic city’s past from behind the scenes. Upon arrival at W Melbourne, guests are introduced to the neighbourhood’s iconic laneways, famous for their graffiti street art and offbeat, eclectic characters.”

“Victorian bluestone tiles connect the Living Room to the laneway, blurring the line between the exterior and interior, where the Welcome Desk stands ready to greet guests. A vast lenticular art installation by local painter and digital artist Rus Kitchin immerses viewers into a canopy of Australian flora and fauna growing above the famed Hosier Lane. The illuminated glass and wood of the Flinders Lane entrance is juxtaposed against the shadows of the hotel’s foyer.”

W Melbourne has 294 stylish guest rooms and 29 suites. The hotel’s Wonderful, Fabulous and Mega category rooms are inspired by the neighbouring street-level newspaper kiosks that back to the 1960s. Each room features floor-to-ceiling windows with skyline views.

The Marvelous rooms feature an eye-catching wall graphic of a fairy wren, a bird native to Australia, pulling back a layer of fabric to reveal a colourful Melbourne scene. The graphic pays homage to the city’s roots as a fashion hub, with Flinders Lane at the centre of its textile trade. The 175-square-metre Extreme Wow Suite (W Hotels’ modern interpretation of the traditional presidential suite), is on the hotel’s highest floor at Level 15, and features a large balcony with expansive views of the Yarra River and an interactive music station – a fresh take on an old-school jukebox.

W Melbourne’s restaurants and bars are set up to riff off Melbourne’s dining landscape. Each puts an innovative spin on the city’s multicultural cuisines. All-day dining restaurant Lollo, under the culinary creative direction of celebrated chef Adam D’Sylva, offers a menu that’s designed to be shared and celebrates the chef’s mixed heritage. Then, the heart of the hotel is cocktail bar Curious, which beckons guests into a cocoon-like space formed by its overhead timber beams.

 

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Japanese restaurant WARABI focuses on the freshest seasonal produce with seating for only 30 diners and a private dining room for ten. A cafe/wine bar known as Culprit then channels Melbourne’s café culture into an original bar concept.

There is also 830 square metres of ultra-modern conference space to play with, providing businesses with a locale for spectacular events with fully adaptable conference equipment, world-class audio-visual facilities and contemporary cuisine from the expert in-house catering team.

What more could a hotel possibly contain? W Melbourne also has a pillarless ballroom of 426 square metres called the Great Room, which has an abundance of natural light and 4×5-metre LED wall. And if you pull a muscle dancing there’s always FIT and WET on Level 14 which will inspire the W ‘Detox.Retox.Repeat’ brand signature wellness philosophy, offering spectacular views alongside an ultramodern fitness facility, gold-roofed indoor pool, poolside bar and DJ booth.

“W Hotels is a perfect fit for Melbourne with its 24/7 energy and design, music and fashion in the brand’s DNA,” says Damon Page, General Manager. “I am so excited to be part of the fab team responsible for bringing this iconic brand to one of the world’s great cities. We will showcase everything from our Whatever/Whenever service promise, our four vibrant bars and restaurants to epic music programming and next level happenings”.

“It was a natural choice for us to launch our second W hotel in Australia in one of the world’s most culturally diverse cities,” said Sean Hunt, Area Vice President, Marriott International. “With its bold style, energizing nightlife and great appetite for what’s new and next, Melbourne is a brilliant new addition to our luxury portfolio, and solidifies our confidence in the travel recovery here in Australia.”

Though the international travel industry continues to recover from the pandemic at a glacial rate, domestically the stage is be better set than you might think for luxury businesses. Though the tide of backpackers and overseas arrivals (and the dollars they bring) has been stemmed, as Traveller reported this morning, “Luxury properties [are] booming as wealthy Australians holiday at home.”

Stick that in your cigar and smoke it.

Read Next

• Intriguing ‘Silver lining’ Imminent For Australian Luxury Hotel Industry 
• Experts Reveal The Only Way Australia’s Tourism Industry Can Save Itself

The post Melbourne's First Ever 'Luxury Lifestyle' Hotel Is Officially Open appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Stylish men are by now well acquainted with fashion’s nonsense terms. ‘Athleisure’ and ‘sportsluxe’? The two simply jog off the tongue nowadays, particularly at times of scrutiny when a clueless friend questions your choice of jeans, sneakers – and a blazer.

It’s time to extend your fashion vocabulary, again. Introducing the ‘shacket’. Or shirt jacket. You’ve seen the word splashed about during Paris fashion week and touted as a key spring trend in the past. But what is this coat-shirt thing? And how on earth do you wear it?

When To Wear A Shirt Jacket

Designed for those times when the weather has no idea what it’s doing – a slight wind with patches of sun and when upon entering the shade you’re instantly cold – the shirt jacket is here to bridge the divide between winter and spring or summer’s turning into autumn.

A good shirt jacket has these properties:

• A mixing of button down shirt characteristics but with casual jacket capabilities
• With a straight point collar and utility pockets the lightness of the shirt jacket makes it perfect as a layer under a top coat or wearing on its own as an over shirt
• A much more breathable alternative to the heftier winter coat

To dumb it down – it’s an overshirt, disguised as a coat. Confused? Fear not. Let’s take a look at how to wear it.

Military Shirt Jackets

We recently covered the topic of military style and one of the most prominent pieces is the military shirt jacket. The origin of the shirt jacket has been linked to the military fatigue shirt, a sturdy cotton overshirt worn during WWII. So as a men’s fashion staple nowadays, the utility pockets of the shirt remain – as does the hefty construction.

Made from canvas or cotton, the military shirt jacket usually sticks to khaki or an army green colour with metallic buttons in some cases for ceremonial pazazz.

Pair this version of the shacket with tailored trackpants and white leather trainers for a clean sportsluxe look. Then, add technical outerwear – like a mac coat or parka for a light protection against enemy attack from the rain.

Indigo & Denim Shirt Jackets

With Japanese denim tearing up men’s wear lately, the shacket has been karate chopped into different shades of indigo this season – forming another facet of the perfect denim shirt. The fabric is usually linen or breezy organic cotton – delicate and rustic – but with superior Japanese design and colouring.

Pair a light-hued indigo shirt over a tee or polo paired with raw selvedge jeans, for a double denim outfit that is bold in texture and an authentic American work wear aesthetic.

Wool Shirt Jackets

More like a relaxed blazer than over shirt, a soft-shouldered shirt jacket – in more luxurious wool blend – is a suave option for smart casual times. As a fibre, wool sits better on the shoulder and insulates against the cool while its breathability eliminates the need to sweat.

Opt for a neutral tone, like navy, grey or charcoal, and then add a button down (secured up to the neck) and chinos to accompany the sports jacket aesthetic of the shirt jacket. Stark white sneakers or smart leather brogues keep will see you stand in good stead.

Outdoor Shirt Jackets

Functional sportswear also makes its play on the shirt jacket. Crafted from cutting-edge materials-designed to obstruct the elements and alleviate odours and sweat – common fabrics include polyamide and blends of lycra and nylon – for an active jacket finish that is sheeny and stretchy.

The tech-y shacket comes in both bold and neutral colours, depending on the season. Coming into spring? Experiment with cobalt blues and cherry reds while burned orange, emerald green or navy are great autumnal hues.

Then pair it with more refined chinos or woollen sweatpants with a tapered ankle or with a tee and tailored shorts. And sneakers, always.

Vintage Suede Shirt Jackets

Not as weather-beating as the nylon shacket, a shirt jacket made from suede offers an Americana edge to a street wear look. The suppleness of the animal hide means it’s nice to touch and is especially pleasing on the eye in tan or chocolate brown.

Being very textured, keep the suede shacket modern with a simple tee and jeans – opting for a slim or skinny fit (never bootcut) for the denim. Then add some suede boots – in a different natural hue to the jacket – going for something anti-cowboy in design like a side-zipped Chelsea boot.

Quilted Shirt Jackets

Quilted shackets round the popular shirt jacket styles for this season. Not only does its design and material lend itself to being used as a makeshift jacket, but when layered underneath a winter coat it acts in a similar way to a body warmer, insulating you against the elements.

Steeped in British hunting traditional, you won’t need a rifle, tweed cap and dachshund to pull this look off. So, play around slim fit denim in a washed out fade (maybe subtle knee rips too) with a graphic print tee.

The post How To Wear A Shirt Jacket For Men appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Fashion trends are cyclical. Each season brings with it a new wave of clothes that determine how we’re going to look for the next few months. What will remain forever constant, however, are menswear essentials.

These are the pieces that will never go out of fashion, that can be paired together or teamed with other new statement pieces, such is their versatility. While clothing brands will undoubtedly release new versions of these staples regularly, their timeless style will always remain.

We’ve put together a definitive list of the 12 menswear essentials that you absolutely must-have in your wardrobe. Think of this as Style Rules: 101, or a menswear bible, if you will. Best of all, you don’t need to spend a fortune to obtain this essential wardrobe, since every single piece can be had for under $150.

The post 12 Great Menswear Staples That Go With Almost Anything appeared first on DMARGE Australia.