Let’s face it, when it comes to fashion know-how, a lot of men would freely admit that they need a little guidance. This could have partly psychological causes; men have more difficulty with pattern and colour visualisation than women. Their aversion to shopping certainly does not help, when they end up making fashion mistakes in a hasty desire to escape the claustrophobia of the clothes store. But who can blame them, when the boundaries of what is ‘in’ and what is ‘out’ has become blurred by so many fast evolving fashion trends, and the whole issue of how to look good has just become confusing.

But there is a hard core of men’s fashion pieces that always rides above the folly of fashion trends to guarantee you a timeless air of sophistication, such as the classic suit, shirt and tie. The best advice to a man seeking to achieve that sophisticated look is to ensure that the suit fits well and is of good quality fabric. Play safe on the side of neutrals in one or two shades and add style with a tie in a darker or contrasting color or shade. Ensure that you wear a good leather
belt that coordinates well with your shoes, and keep jewellry to a minimum. However, never underestimate the power of good quality subtle accessories for enhancing style and adding your individuality; a good pair of cufflinks, for instance, speaks volumes about your attention to detail.

The casual look can often prove more tricky. It is important to dress appropriately for the right occasion, but the world of fashion has once again bombarded men with an avalanche of choice. Men’s fashion has evolved greatly over the years and has produced some enduring styles; sports jackets, casual trousers and golf shirts are key casual pieces, but men do not find it easy to home in on the right item for the look they want to create.

There is nothing wrong though, with copying suggestions given in the high street stores to get started then reinventing your outfits using your own ideas as you gain confidence. The secret to the successful casual look, whether it be high street or designer wear, is to combine interesting but coordinating textures while accessorizing with hats, scarves and gloves, and still managing to keep the look simple. A plain white tee-shirt with jeans can look fantastic providing the items are clean, well fitting, of good quality fabric and subtly accessorized. Polo Shirts are comfortable and easy to
wear, and provide an inbetween style which is a winner for casual workwear as the open collar lends a little bit of formality to the overall look.

The fall season this year is all about comfort and style. Styles that can be worn to work or out on the town are all dolled up with little details like dramatic sleeves, fitted waists, high necklines and opulent colors. Fall revolves around polished sophistication!

The fall color palette includes all shades of blue (from peacock to navy) and gray / charcoal. Make sure to include jewel tones and lots of shine! For a modern edge, metallics are present on everything from clothes, to shoes and accessories.

Dresses top the shopping list this season. Baby doll style dresses in geometric prints and mod looks have a shorter hemline. The knit sweater dress is a ‘must have’ especially in charcoal gray!

Suits are refreshed with the cropped jacket and pencil skirt. The savviest fashionistas will be flaunting tweed at the office!

Blouses this year are showing lots of detail. Bows and Peter Pan collars are two of the top trends for the neckline. Sleeves are fabulous with details such as: bell, balloon, flutter and lantern styles!

Jackets are so cute! Try menswear tweed, plaid or metallic brocade in cropped styles. Button detailing has a huge presence on full jackets and the new fly-away sweater.

For a flattering silhouette both at the office and out on the town, wide-leg pants are being paired with a contoured sweater or belted jacket. Make sure to keep tops cropped for these fabulous pants! From dress to denim this is the cut to have.

Accessorize fall’s fashions with a gorgeous frame bag, wide leather belt or peep toe pumps to pull your look together. Accessories can take you from day to evening with a little tweak!

Handbags are exciting this fall featuring suede, embossed and patent leather, metal hardware, animal prints and metallic leather. For a strong fashion statement, kelly green, orange and deep purple will get you noticed!

Waist cinching belts or sleek narrow bands will update any outfit from dresses to sweaters and coats. With a pair of opaque tights (plain or textured), you have a whole new look!

Shoes are showing details like metal ornamentation, plaids, and stripes, tweed, herringbone and patent leather. Silver, eggplant, sapphire blue or bright red are seen from flats to knee high boots. Try the shootie (shoes and boots in one!) to add a twist to your wardrobe.

Cocktail rings with stones, charm-like necklaces, hoop earrings, and pearls with gold and silver accents will polish your look!

Practicing meditation has been shown to induce some changes in the body, such as changes in the body’s “fight or flight” response. The system responsible for this response is the autonomic nervous system (sometimes called the involuntary nervous system). It regulates many organs and muscles, including functions such as the heartbeat, sweating, breathing, and digestion, and does so automatically.

The autonomic nervous system is divided into two major parts:

• The sympathetic nervous system helps mobilize the body for action. When a person is under stress, it produces the fight-or-flight response: the heart rate and breathing rate go up, for example, the blood vessels narrow (restricting the flow of blood), and muscles tighten.
• The parasympathetic nervous system creates what some call the “rest and digest” response. This system’s responses oppose those of the sympathetic nervous system. For example, it causes the heart rate and breathing rate to slow down, the blood vessels to dilate (improving blood flow), and activity to increase in many parts of the digestive tract.

While scientists are studying whether meditation may afford meaningful health benefits, they are also looking at how it may do so. One way some types of meditation might work is by reducing activity in the sympathetic nervous system and increasing activity in the parasympathetic nervous system.

Scientific research is using sophisticated tools to learn more about what goes on in the brain and the rest of the body during meditation, and diseases or conditions for which meditation might be useful. There is still much to learn in these areas. One avenue of research is looking at whether meditation is associated with significant changes in brain function. A number of researchers believe that these changes account for many of meditation’s effects.