Category Archives: Life

Golden Style Rules For Forty-Plus Dads

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By the time you make it to your late 40s early 50s, there’s a lot you can raise a glass to as a man. You’ve achieved great things in your professional career and astonishing thing in your personal life too (such as the kids of yours). No matter what anyone says, or how easy those young and handsome Instadads, make it seem, the midway marker in a man’s life is never as bad as it seems. But there are things that need more attention than ever and your sense of style is one of the,

Don’t be one of those guys that lets his style slip to the wayside just because you’ve got everything you want in life. You’re only at the midway point. There is still loads you should want to do. There is still a way you should want to hold and present yourself as you enter the Silver Fox club, and this is your time to finesse all that.

Thankfully, the basics are all you really need to be a dapper dad. It’s things like wearing clothes that fit, avoiding double denim and only wearing sneakers that are made by a luxury brand, such as a Prada or Gucci, and ideally not in a vibrant colour.

Of course, there will be times of doubt. But when you stumble across one of these times, don’t panic. Instead, thinking WWCFD – What Would Colin Firth Do. And not just him, but Mark Strong, Clive Owen, and David Harewood, all of whom know how to dress with a certain suaveness, turning what so many perceive to be a negative (their age) and turning it into a timeless style.

And, with all that said and done, here some golden rules every middle-aged man needs to know, worship and follow:

  1. Block Out Your Colour

Don’t get us wrong. We’re not saying you should grab a black bin liner, march up to your bedroom, open your wardrobe and send every piece of colorful clothing into the forgotten abyss. No way. We’re just saying you need to be a bit more choosy with the colors you wear. Avoid all those bright colors you got away with as a twenty something and retire your time as a pastel wearer, and opt for more all-rounders. Tonal colors that can be worn with just about anything; the kind that can be pieced together or worn separately simply because their color compliments the others in your arsenal. Go for the classics too –camel, navy blue, maroon, navy blue, deep green and all those. It’s not about playing it safe, it’s about playing it suave.

  1. Make A Middle-Aged Statement

We know how tempting it is to walk into a Harley Davidson store, picking their mattes black bike and drive it through the window wearing a leather cut you picked up in charity store just to let yourself know you’re still awesome. But you don’t need to go to these lengths. Instead, make a statement by investing in those wardrobe pieces you’ve always craved but never been able to justify. It could be the sort of Belstaff biker jacket you’d be too worried about wearing on a bike, or a pair of Tom Ford brogues complete with stylish compression socks, a suit tailored to your measurements on Savile Row, or a leather-back briefcase made by an Italian designer you can’t quite pronounce. Yes, they are expensive enough to make your eyes bulge, your bank manager check your sanity and your wife to scrunch up her brow, but they’ll last forever and, if you pick the right colors, be worn more than you ever thought possible.

  1. Your Days Of Branding Are Over

If you’re wearing anything whereby the color is lost in the huge branding, you’re getting it all wrong. Superdry, Calvin Klein, Polo Ralph Lauren – anything brash whatsoever – and you’re simply telling the world you’re in a full-blown midlife crisis. You’re at an age where you’ve made it, where you don’t need to impress anyone with your spending habits or the size of your wallet. It will simply work against you. So, phase out any in-your-face designer nods and replace them with very subtle accessories that will catch people’s eye and have you recognized for your style more than anything else. A fancy watch, a glinting signet ring, a sterling silver tie pin, an Aspinals of London wallet, beautiful Oxfords or even a solid metal bangle. Little things like this will up your style game more than any branded clothing.

  1. Suits The Shape Of You

When you were young, foolish and hip enough to be the godfather of your moped gang, you were able to rock drainpipe suits, slim lapels and even slimmer ties (you could even get away with that dodgy haircut). But those days are done, so if you still have any of these in your wardrobe, get rid of them along with any hopes this fashion will come back around. Chances are it might. But you won’t be of an age to rock it well. Instead, you need to swap them for a more traditional and, dare we say, mature shape. That could mean a double-breasted number if you fancy, but it could just mean a two-button, thick-lapelled piece too.

  1. Confidence Is Your Secret Weapon

A lot of men panic when they reach forty and then have a mild stroke when they hit the halfway to a hundred mark. Don’t. You’ve got experience on your side. You know what you want, who you are, what looks good on you and what makes you tick. That’s not to say you’ve had it easy or know everything. Not at all. But whether you have a wife and kids or you’re newly single, everything they say about men being fine wines that getting better and better with age is absolutely spot on. Own it. Own your age. Own your laughter lines, rock that silvery hair and take advantage of your advantages. That confidence will be the best thing you ever wore. Fact.

6 Invest In Some Comfortable Briefs Too

Does the elastic on your briefs resemble a worn out rubber band? Do you have two pairs of boxer shorts that are not quite long enough for your legs? Is one leg hole bigger than the other? If so, then it is time to invest in some new undergarments like Zorbies. By wearing only the most comfortable briefs, you’ll feel much better for much longer on most days. Men regularly underestimate the incredible difference comfortable briefs can make.

Being Frugal During The Summer And Surviving The Heat

The summer months can be hard to handle. Especially when you have a young family. You want to make sure that everyone is comfortable and cool but with that, you are mindful of the cost. You don’t want your bills to rise or to payout for expensive family trips out. However, as we are heading to summer, I thought I would share with you a few frugal ways you can survive the heat and enjoy the summer with your family.

Homemade popsicles

I think cold popsicles straight out of the freezer are always going to be a crowd pleaser. But what is great about them is you can easily make them yourself at home. Blending or juicing some fruit you have in the fridge. Things like strawberries and mangos always go down well. Adding a little water to the juice and then freezing in molds. You know exactly what is in them so they are healthy as well as frugal. What it costs for you to make a match I could easily see you saving a fair bit, than just buying them.

Keeping the kids occupied without the need for expensive day trips

With summer fast approaching, you may be starting to worry about the expensive of having the children off school for their summer break. How ill you keep them occupied for those days and weeks. Sure the first week is always the easiest, but children can get bored and you can start to worry about the amount of time they are spending on technology or watching TV. This is when you may feel tempted to splash out on big family days out, sure budget for some,but it doesn’t mean your whole summer has to bankrupt you. Websites like https://fitnessbythesea.com/101-summer-activities-for-kids are full of fun ways to spend time with the children. Activities for the garden, educational things they can do, it will help take some of the pressure off you.

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Purchase a blow up swimming pool in the garden

Buying a blow up paddling pool or even one fit for adults can be bought quite cheaply in the right places. These can provide amazing relief on hot days and can be a lot of fun. Kids love being in the water and enjoying themselves in the sun. So it would be nice if you can let them do that while keeping them cool in the process. If you get one big enough for adults, then you can get in on the act as well. Why should the kids get all the fun?

Water fights

A fun way to cool the whole family down is to have a water fight and it can be a fun activity on a hot day. You could fill up balloons and launch them at one another, or use good old-fashioned water guns. Websites like https://www.howcast.com/videos/217991-how-to-stage-a-water-balloon-fight/ are full of tips. You may even want to get out the garden hose and spray everyone down. Sprinklers in the garden are also good for things like this. It may provide you with a fun afternoon and an excellent opportunity to cool down in the process.

I hope these tips keep you enjoy family time this summer.

Fun Things You Can Do With Your Kids On The Beach

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Whether it feels like it or not, summer is right around the corner, which means that you’re probably in the process of planning a trip to the beach. After all, there are few things better than relaxing on a blanket of warm sand and dozing your troubles away. Of course, beach trips can quickly turn sour and be cut short if your children aren’t entertained, so it’s important that you plan a few fun activities to keep them busy throughout the day. If you’re stuck for ideas, then keep reading for four great ones.

  1. Create Beach Art

Building sandcastles is definitely fun, but it’s an activity that will only keep your kids busy for so long. If you want to prevent them from getting bored, then you need to think of something bigger. This is where beach art comes in. All you need to do is get to the beach as early as can and send your kids out hunting for cool and colorful objects to make pictures with. You could also challenge them to create sand sculptures, or get them to draw on rocks and shells.

  1. Drive Dune Buggies

If your child is somewhat of a daredevil, then you might want to get them their own dune buggy and bring it with you when you go to the beach. If you’re not sure what dune buggy to buy your child, then you can visit Kids Ride Wild for some advice. A dune buggy will provide them with hours of fun during your day out, and is something they can also ride at off-road tracks closer to home. Many buggies have two seats, so your kids can share this hobby and have fun together.

  1. Play Sand Pictionary

If you’re familiar with the game Pictionary, then you can probably guess what sand Pictionary is. All you need to do is pick a card with a word on, like fish or firework, and then draw this picture in the sand where you’re sitting. Your family will have to try and guess what it is that you’re drawing, and when someone guesses correctly, they get a turn. You could also play tic-tac-toe, by drawing the grid, Xs, and Os in the sand, like with Pictionary.

  1. Ride Boogie Boards

Boogie boards can be bought from shops all along the beachfront, so pop in a few and get one for each member of your family. They’re relatively cheap but are a lot of fun, and you and your kids can spend hours trying to ride the waves on them. You could even have a competition to see who can balance on their boogie board the longest, by lining up along the end of the water and standing on your boards. To make it extra difficult, you could face away from the waves.

Going to the beach can be a lot of fun, but only if you’ve got fun things to do. Hopefully, your kids will enjoy the activities above, so you don’t have to cut your day out short.