When you’re dating the immortal Jennifer Lopez, looking decent simply isn’t good enough.

Luckily Alex Rodriguez has what it takes in the style department to play wingman to the talented entertainer. For those outside of the U.S who don’t know, ‘A-Rod’ – as he’s better known, is a former professional baseball player who holds similar status to Tom Brady in the game.

His winnings over the decades haven’t just come from the pitch though. In recent times Rodriguez has been showing off his prowess in the men’s wardrobe department whilst scoring some wins with the style crowd. Nothing new here, right? Wrong. As a 43-year-old middle aged man, Rodriguez is the perfect example of how to dress for your age.

His rotation of threads include an array of suits which tend to fit better on a big frame than Dwayne Johnson’s usual getup.

Exhibit one: A crisp beige linen suit paired with a a sky blue shirt and black patterned tie. A look that;’s perfect for summer days.

Exhibit B showcases smart casual evening wear at its best. This consisted of a very slick marsala tweed tuxedo jacket which was pared down with an open collar shirt, black trousers and black dress shoes.

From there on in it was all about the navy with three variations of how to properly rock the colour. Look closely and you’ll even notice one with fat lapels for that touch of Sprezzatura and Italian flair. The last one is our winning pick thanks to the sweet Mad Men vibes achieved with a check shirt and solid white pocket square.

RELATED: How To Age Ungracefully (And Look Awesome Doing It)

The post Alex Rodriguez Shows You How To Properly Dress As A Middle Aged Man appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

As you smile awkwardly at your handsome barista, the exact strain of coffee your latte is ground from is probably unknown to you. Likewise, when you hit play on your morning brew, you’re probably thinking more along the lines of, “Mmm… life-blood” or, “This smells good,” rather than, “Have I matched the correct flavour profiles here?”

Which is fair enough. Coffee will ensnare the senses however it is divulged from the machine (or frothed by your hipstarista). That said, it can always be improved, as we discovered at Nespresso’s recent Master Origin Dinner.

Unveiling the latest creations in the Nespresso range, we were taken on a sensual journey from Indonesia all the way to Ethiopia. Here’s what we learned.

Getting A Double Shot Isn’t The Only Way To Make Your Latte Stronger

It might take a year, or it might only take a month, but at some point your standard latte isn’t going to cut it anymore. What started out as a beautiful melange of bitterness and cream now just tastes like milk. Bland, inspidid, cow whiz. No interplay. Coffee a distant memory. However your Italian mates’ espresso is still a step too far.

So what do you do? You start telling your barista to, “Make it strong,” trying not to come across as a creepy narcotic addict. Despite yourself you become more and more hooked, and before you know it you get the shakes if you don’t slurp the syrup at least twice before 10am.

Thankfully it doesn’t have to be this way. As we found out from the coffee-mad scientists over at Nespresso, some types of coffee, depending on where they are grown and how they are treated, cut through milk better than others. So if your single shot flat white isn’t doing it for you anymore, don’t just jump to a double shot—experiment with different beans and roasts.

Nespresso’s Master Origin from Indonesia is the perfect example of an intense, “Wildly aromatic” coffee with, “Rich velvety texture,” that cuts through milk like a knife through microwaved butter. Why not give it a go?

Not All Espressos Are Pungent & Bitter

If you like to consider yourself a coffee connoisseur but are a wuss when it comes to espressos and long blacks, don’t worry: there is a solution. Get your hands on Nespresso’s Master Origin from Ethiopia, a gentle, decadently aromatic, easy-on-the-tongue brew, that even latte guzzlers will enjoy solo. Bonus: rich, warm notes of fruit jam and orange blossom flowers. After tasting this you probably won’t want to spoil your coffee with milk ever again.

A Good Coffee Will Make You Froth

Surf jibber aside (frooothin’ bra), it is 100% true that unless you’re using a French Press or Moka Pot, any coffee worth your time has a delectable layer of froth on top. No exceptions. Liquid velvet or gtfo.

“The proof of a good coffee is all in the froth.”

A good coffee bean will create the perfect crema—the signature tan-colored foam that rests on top of a freshly pulled shot of espresso. The presence of this crema indicates a high-quality, well-ground coffee and a skilled barista. It also helps give your coffee a fuller flavour and longer aftertaste than drip coffee.

If your coffee doesn’t have crema there’s every chance that the beans haven’t been stored in an airtight container, weren’t fresh to begin with, or were extracted too fast.

Smelling It Makes It Better

We know you know. But our recent coffee tasting experience has inspired us to thoroughly swirl the hell out of our next espresso. You’d be surprised how much more nose-flavour lies beneath your machiato’s micro-foam and your espresso’s crema.

Coffee Goes Well With Bolognese

Sprinkle a bit of freshly ground coffee bean over Nonna’s own, or chuck in a shot of finely roasted espresso. When your partner/family/friends beg you to take over cooking duties more often don’t say we didn’t warn you. Check out the recipe here. Oh and if a non coffee drinking significant other doesn’t like chocolate, this could be a better way to sneakily develop their taste buds than Mochas.

RELATED: We Discover How Many Cups Of Coffee A Day Is Good For You 

The post I Just Had My Biggest 'WTF' Coffee Moment That Changed Everything About How I Drink It appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

The old ways of fashion consumerism are changing and it’s all thanks to #OOTD – that’s ‘Outfit Of The Day’ for you non-Instagram initiated plebs.

New data obtained by Barclaycard of Barclays Bank have revealed some startling trends in men’s buying habits. The British study recently conducted by Opinium surveyed a pool of 2,002 adults over the age of eighteen. Amongst the subjects it found that:

• Almost one in ten shoppers admit to buying clothes to post photos on social media and then returning them
• 35-44 year-olds were the biggest culprits, with nearly one in five revealing they have bought clothes to wear once for the hashtag moment
• Men were more likely than women to return clothes after wearing them and are more embarrassed to be seen in the same outfit twice
• Men were also more inclined to wear clothes without removing the price tags so they have the option to try and return them

A little shocked? You should be if you’re not accustomed to getting your daily hype on for the ‘gram. Whilst it’s important to note that the study is limited to just the U.K, it does paint a blueprint for what is happening around the world against the rise of social influencers and aggressive personal branding.

Helping to lament this questionable practice are new online fashion retailers which offer a ‘try before you buy’ policy that allows shoppers to order clothes online and only buy them if they decide to keep them.

Shaun Birley who is one of Australia’s most prominent men’s fashion profiles on Instagram with 94,000 followers thinks that it’s disappointing that men are taking this approach to building their social media profile.

A post shared by Shaun Birley | Stylish Travel (@shaunbirley) on Jan 22, 2018 at 12:31pm PST

“I honestly have never done it. I wouldn’t feel dishonest tagging a brand in something that I had borrowed, but those people need to realise that if you are an aspiring influencer tagging a big name brand pretending they gifted you stuff, people will see straight through that deceit and you lose so much authenticity online. Something which is already a hard thing to build on a social platform like Instagram.”

Another power player in the men’s fashion game is Landy of LDN2HK. As a self-described global fashion and streetwear curator with 116,000 followers on Instagram, LDN2HK offers a detailed insight into some of the today’s hottest luxury streetwear labels with a personal twist.

A post shared by LDN2HK (@ldn2hk) on Aug 7, 2018 at 12:00am PDT

“I don’t think there’s any positive you can attribute to this,” he says. “It’s representative of two systemic trends since the rise of social media platforms.”

“The ‘keeping up with Joneses’ aspect is amplified to the n-th degree on Instagram with fashion influencers having an innate need to flaunt their wealth simply for engagement and likes- the life they often depict is often a fictional persona.”

This, according to LDN2HK’s founder is detrimental to the very reason for being an social media influencer in the first place.

“There is no substance in the buying and reselling of apparel because the person is simply buying clothes that are ‘hype’ of the moment. Instagram used to be a platform to share personal style, but since then it’s been a race to create the most outrageous outfit in order to create an online reaction.”

There is sage advice though for those who are too broke to buy flashy designer threads on the weekly, but still want to build their social media empire.

“My recommendation over borrowing well named brands’ clothing would be to help out a small Aussie or a local business instead,” says Birley.

“Be honest, reach out, help create some good useful content for them and yourself. Bring in an amateur photographer who is also trying to get into the space. That would be my approach if you’re an influencer contemplating this trend of ‘borrow and return’.”

Landy is a bit less diplomatic in his solution.

“Men should own their own clothes. At the end of the day, users understand and respect authenticity. Those that are only looking to showcase the fashion of the moment will simply move from trend to trend without anything more to show for it.”

“There is no personal brand if you are simply ‘hype’ all the time because there’s a million other people doing the same thing. Be true to yourself and your tastes and people and brands will respect that more.”

Until then, beware the fake hypebeast – you can usually spot them in high end designer goods with price tags still attached.

The post Men Are Buying Clothes For Instagram Likes & Then Returning Them appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

How many things are there in your life that you wished were different? Maybe the natural colour of your hair? Your height? Your in-laws? Or the economy?

If you wanted to, I’m sure you could find things you wished you could change about yourself or the world you’re in. But do we really want to be in a constant desire to change that which life has us experiencing?

It is next to impossible. Truthfully, the thought of needing to change something you can’t is taking away from you living life fully right now. Non-acceptance is one of the biggest causes of suffering.

In a world hung up on showing everyone how perfect they are and how amazing their life is, we are constantly looking to change and improve. The idea of what is perfect has taken us away from accepting the perfection of what is.

“We are continually attempting to control our lives rather than being in a state of flow.”

I’m sure there are things you’d want to change. Well, I have a few suggestions for you. These may free you from the need to change like never before.

You Choose This

As much as it may annoy you or be hard to hear, everything we are experiencing we choose to experience. If you can accept this, then instead of looking at things with a judgment as to why try looking at what you are receiving from the experience? Ask yourself: What have I learned about myself?

Feel It All

It’s usually not the circumstances or things we want to change. Truly, it’s how we feel about it that we no longer want to experience. So, instead of resisting it, embrace how you feel about it without trying to get rid of the emotions. This is a major step in finally allowing yourself to feel free within your current circumstances.

A Grain of Sand

Imagine you looked back on your life once it was done and dusted. If you took all the things and moments you thought mattered at the time, you could probably fill an entire beach with grains of sand representing each moment. Sometimes, we get so stuck on things we think matter that we forget the big picture. Take what you think matters like a grain of sand and move on. There is so much more for you to experience. Why allow one thing to take up all the space when life has installed so much for you?

The Proof

A friend has implemented these three things. She is beyond happy about the possibilities of life—regardless of her circumstances. She was only eighteen when she almost died in a skydiving accident.

It was a miracle she survived. She broke her back and was told she would never walk again. She ended up walking again although she still has things to deal with from her injury that would impact any of us. One of those is that she can’t control her bladder. She literally wets herself every day.

I was searching for happiness until acceptance brought happiness to me.

— Noah centineo (@noahcent) August 20, 2018

The amazing thing is her level of acceptance. If you met her, you wouldn’t be able to tell that she was even phased by her complications. Her thirst for life is incredible. It’s a reminder to me that, in life, there may well be things we can’t change. But, we can choose to accept them. Accepting these things is everything. The gift of life is something so much more valuable. It should never be robbed by our not having the will to accept what is and enjoy the possibilities of this wonderful journey we call life.

So, stop playing small. Take the time to accept your life for what it is. You may then find that not only will your circumstances change to support you in ways you never imagined. But also you may finally gain a sense of happiness for no reason.

RELATED: Ryan Reynolds’ Battle With Anxiety Is A Tipping Point For Men’s Mental Health 

The post How To Accept The Brutal Truths Of Life You Can't Change appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Growing up, fighting with your siblings is not so much a right of passage as a daily chore. And while many a younger brother has been mercilessly bullied by his older sisters, and many an older sister has been constantly irritated by the mere presence of her daggy li’l bro, it turns out this conflict makes you a better person.

A five year study by The University Of Cambridge has shown that a bit of familial tension is actually good for kids.

Tests included, “Video observations of the children interacting with their parents, siblings, friends and strangers; interviews and questionnaires carried out with parents, teachers and the children themselves; and various assessments designed to test the children’s aptitude with language, their planning skills, working memory and inhibitory control,” (University Of Cambridge).

Although the researchers warned that intense sibling rivalry can result in “behavioural problems… later in life,” milder forms were shown to boost younger siblings’ mental and emotional development, increase their maturity and enhance their social skills.

“One of the key reasons for this seems to be that a sibling is a natural ally. They are often on the same wavelength, and they are likely to engage in the sort of pretend play that helps children to develop an awareness of mental states,” (UOC).

Dr Claire Hughes, whose book Social Understanding and Social Lives covers sibling rivalry, told the Guardian: “The more combative siblings are, and the more they argue and the older child puts the younger one down, the more they are learning complex lessons about communication and the subtleties of language.”

As a result, although younger siblings were unable to express as many emotional states as their elder siblings at age three, by the age of six their social understanding had increased rapidly, and they were conversing about emotions on a similar level.

As other studies have shown, assertiveness is often the best form of defence—something that Hyena Pups have so generously demonstrated.

In other words: the younger siblings of the world should be thanking their “oppressive” older siblings. ASAP.

RELATED: Smarter Children May Lie With The Father… Sorry Ladies!

The post Getting Bullied By Your Siblings Makes You A Better Person Later In Life appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Do words melt off your tongue like gelato, or do you struggle with basic human interaction? If you fall into either category, we have good news: you can now hire (or work as) a professional wingman!

Whether your buddies are all kept on a leash by their newfound captors partners (or whether they can’t help but tread on your turf every time you go out with them) is now irrelevant: just hit up wingman website Bark.

What you’ll get:

• Hired help to accompany you (or your clients) on nights out to clubs or social gatherings and introduce you/them to potential dating partners
• A human awkwardness shield
• Barney Stinson level advice
• Dedicated attention (although wingmen, “Must demonstrate wooing techniques,” (Metro), they are not allowed to flirt or ‘pick up’ partners for themselves
• A sober guide – the wingman is not allowed to drink

Quite possibly the best wingman ever. pic.twitter.com/ZJUhYmXdUd

— Back To Nature (@backt0nature) August 12, 2018

One thing though: before you casanovas get excited about building your 401k with something you do every Saturday night anyway, hold up.

Apart from the rules (you must be over 18 and as charming as Ryan Gosling), there also doesn’t appear to be enough work on the site to replace your 9-5. And whilst the £30 per hour salary isn’t bad, considering how few hours a week you’d actually be working, it’s more “side hustle” than “job”.

“If you’re finding your effortless charm is making you the target, you need to abort,” (AskMen).

Although the Bark co-founder, Kai Feller, told The Daily Mail, “We’ve received hundreds of requests this year looking for dating professionals,” from singles whose loved-up friends aren’t around to wingman them anymore, the site looks quite sparse, the profiles of potential wingmen contain little info, and its services are currently limited to the UK.

But if you’re looking to make a bit of cash on your euro-jaunt, there’s certainly demand.

RELATED: Social Media Flirting Rules You’re Probably Getting Wrong 

The post New 'Wingman' App Could Make Socially Awkward People's Dreams Come True  appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

#FreeTheNipple. #InMyOwnSkin. #AuNaturel. If you’re a man who personally champions these social movements then you can cry yourself to bed tonight because Chanel thinks you’re ugly AF.

The French luxury house has unveiled their first ever line of makeup…for men. Boy de Chanel is aiming to capitalise on the booming men’s grooming trend lamented by the proliferation of K-Pop boy bands, Bruce Jenner and assumingly, the emo culture of 2004. Hello, Green Day.

Naturally, the collection which includes a tinted fluid in four colours, a matte moisturising lip balm, and four shades of eyebrow pencil will make its debut in South Korea on September 1.

Still confused? Here’s what the fashion house thinks about its latest gamble.

“By creating Boy de Chanel, its first makeup line for men, Chanel reaffirms the ever-changing codes of an unchanging vision: Beauty is not a matter of gender, it is a matter of style,” reads the press statement.

We’re not going to argue whether or not men should wear makeup, but we did ask two women in our office whether they’d date a man who wears makeup. One gave a definitive ‘no’ whilst another added ‘no way’ before questioning the level of applied makeup.

These responses resonate closely with a recent survey by hommage who found that women were totally fine with gay men wearing makeup but a bit more apprehensive when it came to dating a straight guy with makeup.

“So as a whole, many women seem to suggest that they wouldn’t date men that wore heavy makeup but don’t think differently of men that choose to. Many women said they have male friends that wear a full face of makeup, however, if a boyfriend wanted to they just wouldn’t like it.”

So if you’re contemplating whether or not Chanel’s latest release will benefit your ugly mug, here’s your answer. We just hope their next release includes a Homer Simpson style applicator.

The post Chanel Thinks You're Naturally Ugly, Creates Makeup Line For Men appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

We’ve always known that sleep deprivation is enough to put anyone in a foul mood, but did you know that getting more sleep could actually make you more socially attractive?

Researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, have found that you should probably definitely disable your alarm clock, asap, because, “Sleep-deprived people feel lonelier and less inclined to engage with others, avoiding close contact in much the same way as people with social anxiety,” (Science Daily).

As you would expect, this “alienating vibe” makes sleep-deprived people more socially unattractive to others. What you might not expect though, is the phenomenon of “social contagion” that was also found. Turns out that even “well-rested people” feel lonely after interacting with a sleep-deprived person.

How does this relate to sleeping in? Well, the reverse is also true: if you get a few extra z’s (as long as you aren’t a dreaded ‘morning person‘) you turbo-charge the days of the people you meet.

“On a positive note, just one night of good sleep makes you feel more outgoing and socially confident, and furthermore, will attract others to you.”

The findings, published in the journal Nature Communications, are the first to show a vicious cycle between sleep loss and becoming socially isolated, shedding new light on the global loneliness epidemic.

“We humans are a social species. Yet sleep deprivation can turn us into social lepers,” said study senior author Matthew Walker, a UC Berkeley professor of psychology and neuroscience.

As reported by Science Daily, “Brain scans of sleep-deprived people (as they viewed video clips of strangers walking toward them) showed powerful social repulsion activity in neural networks that are typically activated when humans feel their personal space is being invaded.”

“The less sleep you get, the less you want to socially interact. In turn, other people perceive you as more socially repulsive, further increasing the grave social-isolation impact of sleep loss,” (Walker).

This matters, because loneliness is getting worse. A lifeline report shows that of the 3,100 Australians surveyed, 60% reported “often feeling lonely,” while 82.5% believed loneliness was increasing. Considering loneliness has been found to increase one’s risk of mortality by more than 45 percent, “Perhaps (it’s) no coincidence that the past few decades have seen a marked increase in loneliness and an equally dramatic decrease in sleep duration,” (Science Daily).

RELATED: Being A Night Owl Could Soon Entitle You To Flexible Working Hours 

The post Sleeping Longer Makes You More Attractive, Study Finds  appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Blue and green should never be seen unless there’s a colour in between.

It’s an old fashion rule which dictates that two bright colours should always sandwich a muted colour. American singer Shawn Mendes broke this cardinal rule today when he showed up to the MTV Video Music Awards in a Paul Smith dual-toned emerald green and navy coloured suit. And by dual-toned we don’t mean a different coloured top and bottom. Mendes’ double breasted suit featured an entire half vertical section shod in emerald green including the lapels.

The rest of the beautifully fitted suit was navy with little accessories in tow bar a rustic gold bracelet and subtle necklace. When you look like The Joker or The Riddler, you really don’t need to overload on accessories too much.

Mendes finished off the look with polished black leather boots and a casual black dress shirt with an open collar. Is this two-toned approach the future of men’s tailoring?

One famous advocate certainly thinks so.

The post Shawn Mendes' Wild Two Toned Suit At The VMAs Broke The Oldest Rule Of Fashion appeared first on DMARGE Australia.