In 2011 it was all about long lengths with logo designs.  Boring blacks and whites and checker patterns. One of the most popular new designs will be the tiny board short. Long board shorts are fading fast. Now we have comfortable, spandex and more comfortable synthetic material.  The board short is normally designed with two shallow pockets and a drawstring waist. The 2012 style men’s trunks come in a variety of shades, and they are more form fitting. The material is stretchy, made out of a substance that is turning into very popular in the swimwear market. It is smooth and flexible. Another good note is that it dries off fast. Some of the latest styles of men’s swim trunks are commonly useful for professional swimmers since they hug your body and won’t slow you down in the water. They come in a wide variety of colors.

Whether you are fashion savy or just wan’t a better fitting swim trunk, rest assured, there are a lot more styles of men’s swim trunks this year for your choosing. Here are a few samples of styles, lengths, and colors that will be available this summer.

Does your sack look like this?

Well, let’s man up here, the above scenario might not get you what you’re looking for! The only thing worse than this would be if some dirty laundry or a pizza box was angled up in this mess.

The reality is, many men know a lot about fashion, style, automobiles, wines, food etc., but when it comes to the bedding department – some might be at a loss.

Here is the fix! Get some great bed linens. What are great bed linens you might ask (as you think to yourself; mine came from Target – aren’t these okay)?

Well, there is a small little niche industry out there that manufacturer Luxury Bed Linens. No, not like the ones you find at Bed, Bath & Beyond or even Macy’s. You may even think that because the package of sheets you last purchased said they contained a million threads per inch – and came with an Egyptian Cotton label – you have made the grade – perhaps not.

The reality is there is a lot of lousy bedding out there, check out this funny Conan O’Brien clip on bed linens to see!

Are your linens scratchy & pilled? If so, it is likely that they were made from a poor grade of cotton and may contain as little as 10% of a substandard grade of Egyptian Cotton that was woven in a 3^rd World country, where sometimes, short cuts are taken in the interest of price (click here for additional discussion on this) . Not only do these linens feel lousy to the touch they may look bad as well. You won’t make an impression with this quality of bed linen – Guaranteed.

Here is what to look for when you’re ready to spiff up your bed!

• Country of origin – Europe is good, Italy is better (as you already know, this is also true with items such as suits, shoes, purses etc). Undisputedly, the best linens in the world are made in Italy
  • Most European luxury linen manufacturers are dedicated to old-world craftsmanship.

  • They use only the finest grades of Egyptian Cotton and finishing techniques.

  • Their pride in their products is simply not duplicated in other regions of the world.
  • Most cut no corners when it comes to producing great bed linens.

• 100% Egyptian Cotton – but in addition to this – consider there are hundreds of different grades of cotton and huge price differences in the quality of the cotton. Remember Wal-Mart sells sheets labeled Egyptian cotton – but they may contain as little as 10% of a very poor grade of Egyptian Cotton. Here is a simple analogy that makes the point – there are McDonald’s hamburgers and then there are hamburgers made from Kobe Beef. Granted – both are hamburgers. I say no more, I am sure you get it.

• Look for details such as embroidery, hem-stitching, mitered corners, sewn vs. surged edges as these add a finishing touch to the linens – this tells you a little about the workmanship and pride that went into the construction of the product.

• Thread count is a factor, but not as important as most are led to believe – it starts with the grade of cotton – look for long-staple Egyptian Cotton – preferably in a Giza 70 grade. This grade offers the longest and smallest diameter fiber, which yields the softest, smoothest hand or feel to the linens.

• Think about grades of cotton as you would with grades of wool – there are wools that are scratchy and stiff and those that you find in a great suit or sports jacket.

• Don’t use thread count as your principle selection criteria – there are 200 thread count sheets out there that feel better than 1000-thread count sheets. If all things are equal – that is a 300-thread count sheet vs. a 600-thread count sheet (when made from the same grade of cotton and finished the same), the 600 thread count sheet will defiantly be a better product. But unless you’re making an apples- to-apples comparison, as far as the cotton itself – you really can’t compare thread count as a criteria for selecting a sheet. This explains why there are 1000-thread count sheets sold for $50.00.

If you are giving this some thought and want to learn more, here is a resource that will allow you an honest perspective (without a sales pitch) understanding of luxury linens, Vero Linensblog . Here are a few good reads that explain a few of the basics; differences in cotton, how to properly make a bed, how to care for luxury linens. There is a host of other bedding related topics found on this blog as well.

If you need to brush up on bedding terminology, visit their terminology page – where one can also learn about the various elements of bedding such as – what is a Sham or Matelassé or the differences between a Down Comforter and Feather Bed.

The finest luxury linens sell in a retail setting for as much as $1,500 a set. Ouch, you say – this a lot of money for sheets! It is, but so is that Armani in your closet and the Benz in your garage (neither of which you will be using in 6 years from now, but you will still be sleeping on these sheets every night). Just like fine wine, great sheets get better with age (yes, they do eventually wear out, but properly cared for they will last 6-10 years).

Before you say, I could never purchase sheets that cost $1,500 – read on; here is a tip on how to get this quality of linen for a whole lot less!

Check out – Vero Linens:

• Vero has been producing luxury linens for boutique hotels across the US for years.
• Their factory in Italy has over 150 years experience in the production of luxury linens.

• They procure the finest cotton fabrics found in the World (Italian woven). The fabrics are selected and sewn in Italy, into these luxurious products and sold direct to you without a retail mark-up. Retailers typically mark-up luxury linens between 225% to 250%.
  • Not everyone can afford $1,500 bed linens, but you might be able to squeak these into your budget.
  • By selling these select items exclusively on-line (usurping retail distribution entirely), a huge value is realized (a $1,000+ sheet set can be sold direct to consumers for around $400 +/- (size and fabric dependent).
• Vero also offers incredible pricing on down products such as pillows and comforters.

Here is what they don’t do:

• Offer 300 different choices for linens and top of the bed. But – do you really need 300 colors of sheets to choose from?
• They don’t have a sticky sweet boutique setting that you might be afraid to walk into.
• They don’t have a pushy, uninformed, haughty sales person, trying to sell you pink sheets or something else that you don’t need.
• You won’t require an interior designer to select the exact pantone color of bedding that picks up some obscure color in the room or to talk you into custom making something that you will need to take a mortgage out on.
• And there are no candles, soaps, lotions & potions or a clearance rack filled with mismatched junk.

Bottom line:

• Vero produces the finest linens in the World without a retail mark-up.
  • Men’s Journal selected Vero Linens as an essential for men in their March 2012 Essentials Issue.
• The colors and styles they have chosen are classic, timeless and work in any décor or decorating theme. For the what it is worth department – over 90% of all bed linens sold in the US are either white or ivory.
• Shopping is quick and simple.
• Your purchase is risk free, they are shipped to your doorstep FREE (ground in the lower 48 states) and, if you don’t think they are the finest bed linens you every purchased – send them back for a full refund.
  • International orders can be accommodated as well, simply email Vero for a price quote on freight costs to anywhere in the World.
• Moreover, your sleeping partner has no excuse to wear Pajama’s, as there is nothing that feels better against your skin than a great set of Italian linens.

Slip into a set of Italian Linens and wrap your body in the finest woven cotton in the World, the difference you can truly feel.

This post is pretty straight forward on how to measure your shirt size.
All you need is another person to help you.
Don’t forget to add a 1/2 inch to your final measurement when measuring your dress shirt collar size to allow for movement.
Also make sure to measure at the point where your collar will be for a more accurate measurement.

This might be for you, or it might not. It is a great video if you like to sculpt your beard into different styles. The electric razor is the key to sharp beard trimming. Keep in mind if you buy a cheap electric razor, you won’t get clean results with dialing in the number you want for certain beard styles that you might like. If you like to be clean shaven scroll all the way down to the bottom of this page on the right hand side, and click the month of January. Scroll down to the second video, and watch our “Mens Shaving Tips” video. Tell us your thoughts on “Clean Shaven” VS “Different Beard Styles”. Last thought…. I do not support the practice of using the electric razor on your pubic hair, nor does it need to be mentioned in the video.

This is an excellent demonstration on how to dimple a neck tie.
This is an great knot, as it is the most symmetrical knot that you can tie a tie with. Notice the triangle that he makes with just a few moves with the tie. This sets up the sharpness of the knot at the end.
To complete the knot, make sure to bend the part that is protruding out of the bottom of the knot away from you. This puts the dimple in it. Practice a few times and you will get it.

Pick one of these men’s messenger bags for personnel travel, or work.
They come in a variety of sizes and colors to match your wardrobe.
They have many compartments, and these men’s messenger bags are very fashionable and stylish.
There are many more to choose from in the styles you like.
My personal favorite is #7 the Kenneth Cole Messenger Bag.
This bag is plain yet elegant. This bag can easily go with a dressier outfit. Good luck finding your messenger bag.