Old English Sheep dogs deemed 'vulnerable'

 I felt a bit sad today to read the news that one of the UK’s most iconic dog breeds, the Old English Sheep Dog, has been deemed a “vulnerable” breed after a significant drop in new born puppies.

Only 316 puppies have been registered with the Kennel Club so far this year, a very small amount when compared to over 128,000 Labrador Retriever puppies that have been recorded (unsurprisingly, Britain’s most popular dog breed.)

The Club said that the popularity of “handbag dogs” such as the Pug or Chihuahua had seen other varieties shunned. Cesky Terrier’s and Field Spaniel’s are also said to be at threat of being wiped out in the UK.

The Old English Sheep Dog is an iconic breed in the UK, mainly because of its long standing association with Dulux Paint. I remember being a little boy watching the paint adverts and longing for my own ‘Dulux dog’. My local hardware shop even has a life-size model of the dog in the window, and I was forever whining at my mother to buy me one.

You see, I take offence at people who only have dogs as some kind of fashion accessory. Like the majority of young mums who seem to have kids just because their teenage friends have one, “handbag dogs” seem to be more fashionable then a Gucci handbag lately. But why? The majority of those dogs look repulsive and yap all the time, like a miniature Katie Price on a lead. Hardly fashionable.

If you’re going to get a dog, get a proper dog. One that you can look after properly, exercise with and spend time with. Yes, you might be able to do this with ‘Princess the Chihuahua’, but Princess will only last one season before you swap her for another designer accessory. A dog is for life remember, not just for Christmas.

I think the problem with society nowadays is that we just do not have time to look after our pets. Anyone who is seriously considering getting a dog needs to appreciate the time it takes to walk, feed, groom and look after your pooch. Ultimately, the Old English Sheep Dog falls foul to this problem. The dogs are so furry and need so much exercise that practically half the day is spent looking after them, whereas Princess can just be shoved in your handbag.

Maybe the decline in the Old English Sheep Dog has something to do with the decline in DIY? We’re painting less, so who cares about Dulux and their dog? Well I certainly do, and it would be a great shame to see an iconic English dog disappear, replaced by dogs which are about as useful as a false eyelash.

Picture courtesy of Wikipedia

A perfect end to a perfect Games

It seemed fitting that to mark the end of what has been 16 fantastic days of sporting achievement, patriotism and happiness in London and across Great Britain, the Olympics would go out with a bang. And what an almighty bang it was!

Over 24 million people in Great Britain watched the closing finale to what has been a fantastic games in London, with all the athletes, thousands of fans, Royals from across the world, hundreds of performers and even a handful of volunteers all descending on the Olympic Stadium to celebrate the end of London 2012.

The plans for the ceremony were kept under wraps from most of the media beforehand, but with the theme focusing on the British music industry, it was safe to say we were going to be treated to some of Britain’s most famous artists.

From Ray Davies of the Kinks to Jessie J, the crowd were in for a real treat as stars from across the decades joined together for arguably the biggest party London has and will ever see. Madness, Pet Shop Boys, Taio Cruz, Tinie Tempah and a miming One Direction also performed at the ceremony, which mixed spectacular dance and light elements with fantastic music to create a cheesy, disco atmosphere.

Stand out performances came from a reformed, one-night-only Spice Girls who arrived in style on top of their own black cabs. I admit that I am struggling to get the lyrics to Spice up your Life out of my head!

George Michael, who has just recovered from a near-fatal health scare, performed two songs at the ceremony, later followed by The Who and Take That. My heart went out to Gary Barlow, who performed at the Olympics despite his recent personal problems.

Besides dancing, the spectators were treated to a fabulous display of Britain’s best fashion designers, modelled by stars such as Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell. There were sing-along’s from Eric Idle, surprise appearances from Del Boy and Rodney and Timothy Spall (playing a rather convincing Winston Churchill) and a fantastic ballet display from new Strictly Come Dancing judge Darcey Bussell.

The traditional handover to Brazil also gave us a taste of what’s to come in four years time, as dancers and performers from Rio demonstrated the party atmosphere that Brazil is known for in a colourful, samba-enthused sketch.

But even Brazil looked in awe at the fantastic spectacle of London’s closing ceremony. With the cauldron burning for a final time, the fireworks lit up over London in a spectacular display that symbolised everything these Games have been; exciting, spectacular and full of surprises. With a tearful tribute going out to all the athletes, volunteers and the public, Lord Coe was not the only one who was wishing the whole two weeks of sporting legacy could happen again.

London will miss the Olympics, but the legacy has been laid and in true British fashion, the closing ceremony certainly showed the world that we Brits know how to throw a good send off party!

Compare the closing ceremony with my review of the opening ceremony.

Pictures courtesy of Wikipedia

Men's Fashion: Gold, the new black?!

It seems that the success of our Olympians has spurned a surge in popularity with the colour gold here in Britain. From gold medals to gold post boxes, gold stamps to ‘Gold’ by Spandau Ballet re-entering the charts, our love of gold doesn’t just stop at the pawnbrokers. Yes, it’s time to step out with colour as we toast to Team GB’s success, and here are a few wardrobe essentials that will guarantee you a gold medal in the fashion stakes.




                                         Navy & Gold combo - River Island
Golden Brown Chinos - Topman                                            Gold hoody with Aztec print - New Look

 

                                            

                                           Golden-yellow jumper - Urban Outfitters
Golden-inspired jumper - H&M                                                           Gold medal tee - New Look


                  

                                             Gold notebook - Urban Outfitters
Gold watch - Topman                                                             Gold wristbands - River Island

Read more fashion posts by the jourknow below:

- the sales are here!

- the Man Bag

- the Polka Dots are in town!

- Men's Fashion Summer 2012

Men's Fashion: the sales are here!

You have to remain optimistic when you live in the UK. When it nears the summer holidays, you hope (and pray) that the weather will shine and you'll be able to relax in a pair of shorts, flip flops and a tee. Ok, so it usually doesn't happen unless you go abroad for the summer, but we remain in hope!
Yet as the summer holidays draw closer, you really should have your summer wardrobe all sorted. But don't panic if you haven't, because now is the best time to go shopping because yes, that annual event (which seems to start earlier every year) is here: the annual Summer Sale.

All your favourite stores have now started their sales, and from just a quick rummage of the rails and a click of a few buttons, you could complete your summer collection with a few bargain items.

With sales at stores such as Gap, Topman, H&M and Clarks offering discounts of up to 50%, you really can't afford to miss out. Here are my picks of the sales:
 

                                               

Shorts - H&M                                       Tee - River Island                           Shirt - Gap      

Shorts - Topman                         Chinos - New Look                        Shoes - Clarks

 

Sunglasses - Republic                          Jacket - Debenhams                   Polo - Urban Outfitters 

Don't forget to check online and instore for all the latest bargains!

Read more fashion posts by the jourknow below:

- the Man Bag

- the Polka Dots are in town!

- Men's Fashion Summer 2012

Follow me on Twitter: @kieranwatkins

Men's Fashion: top essentials for a Summer Holiday

If you're going away on holiday this year with the lads, or maybe just a quiet break with family, us men should really think about what you're going to bring with you. Here are just a few items which I would recommend for any holiday (from clothes to sun cream!):

From top to bottom: Clinique sun spray; Antler Liquis luggage; Oakley sunglasses; Boots No7 for Men gradual tanning cream; Primark shirt, shorts and sunglasses; Boots earplugs; Swimming trunks from Mr Porter; Banksy: the man behind the wall & Skagboys, both from Waterstones; Joop! Homme Summer Ticket from Superdrug; Havaianas flip flops; What's App app (available on Android/ Blackberry/ iPhone); Paperchase notebook)

Other fashion posts from the jourknow:

- the Man Bag

- the Polka Dots are in town!

- Men's Fashion Summer 2012

 

Follow me on Twitter: @kieranwatkins

Men's Fashion: the Man Bag

When it comes to going out, us men are easy. Get washed, shaved and dressed to then walk out the door with a few necessities; wallet, ID and mobile. You don't really need anything else.

Or do you? Because if the latest fashion trends are anything to go by, men are becoming dependent on accessories. And with more accessories, you need something to store them in. Yes, the Man Bag.

The Man Bag has been around for a while, but it's noticeably more popular now than ever before, and it seems like the moods of those who condemned them are changing.

But why do you need one? Well, if you're like me and many other blokes I know, the 21st century man is fashion conscious and needs his appearance to be impeccable 24/7. If I go out for the evening, I tend to just keep to the bare essentials, but when at work/ out for the day, the list of accessories expands. Deodorant, aftershave, gel, umbrella (you never can tell when the British weather is likely to turn), my iPod, a book (occasionally) and so on. Some of you may need a bag for glasses, a drink, food, cigarettes etc.

You get the picture. The man of today needs his own bag, and here are some of the top bags for different occasions.

School/ College bag:
(The canvas rucksack is really in this season, replacing the messenger bag. Block colours are best for school, but if you fancy going for something more daring on the playground, try Aztec patterns or stripes.)

   

River Island/ Fred Perry at Debenhams/ Urban Outfitters

Everyday rucksack:

(You can't go wrong with the simple rucksack design. It's practical, because you can fill it up or just use it to carry a few things.)

Westpac at Next/ Topman/ H&M

Gym/ short vacation bags:

(The holdall was really popular last year, and is still in fashion with the barrel holdall complimenting last years designs.)

    

  

Burton/ Republic/ Next 

Shopping bag:

(This is the ideal bag for a guy that might be out all day shopping but needs a bag to store all those essential items I mentioned above. Plus, you can help the environment by using this to store your new items!)

Asos/ Topman/ H&M

Work bag:

(For the man with the top job, you need to look swish. Leather bags are still very popular, and can either be carried or hung from your shoulder.)

River Island/ Clarks/ Ted Baker at Boros

Other fashion posts from the jourknow:

- the Polka Dots are in town!

- Men's Fashion Summer 2012

Follow me on Twitter: @kieranwatkins

Brand British: why are we not supporting it further?

The fashion world was left reeling last week at the shock announcement that British brand Aquascutum has collapsed into administration. Led by owner Harold Tillman, his buyout of the chain in 2009 had high hopes pinned on the luxury retailer success, but merely four years later, the brand has fallen foul to the the credit crunch.

 Of course, a British retailer closing down - the brand has shops and concessions dotted all over the country - is indeed a worry for the already gloomy economy. But my main concern here was echoed in a recent Mail on Sunday article, which suggested that the fashion industry had lost a big champion of the popular 'Brand British'.

To be clear what Brand British actually refers to, i'll explain. Brand British is the rising popularity of British clothing chains. Jaeger, Topshop/Man and brands like Burberry and Mulberg are all flying the flag for Britain, with each label and many others noticing an increasingly prosperous market in places like the Far East. Emerging economies like China just can't get enough of our fashion, and this has become apparent with the rising success of British clothing companies in these countries.

This has been helped too by the popularity of British Fashion Week, personalities like Rosie Huntington-Whitely, Kate and Pippa Middleton, as well as forthcoming events such as the Olympics and Diamond Jubilee.

Which is why the announcement that Aquascutum had called in the administrators was rather alarming. The brand has been at the forefront to the regeneration of the British industry, producing its garments in its own factory in Corby, Northamptonshire.

So why would it call in the administrators, despite the recent success of the British Brand? Well, that remains to be seen. Tillman was a high profile figure in the fashion industry, a friend of the 'retail ratpack' which includes Sir Philip Green and Sir Stuart Rose. He has the knowledge, and his success as chairman of the British Fashion Council highlights this, but only last week he sold Jaeger to a private equity firm.

My thoughts? I think the problem lies much deeper, and can be stemmed back to the government. Because in times of increasing publicity for events such as the Olympics and Jubilee, surely the concern should be on the British Brand.

Look at the Olympic sponsors, for example. Adidas were recently criticised for making the Olympic uniforms and kits in the Far East, allegedly in sweat shops. If you study the main sponsors for the games, you'll realise that very few are actually British companies. Next were awarded the official sponsorship for clothing, but you don't see them advertising 'Brand British'. Sainsburys, who are an official partner for the Paralympics, have made little contribution to the British Brand either.

Like most of these things, it's down to money. If you're going to produce anything anywhere these days, it's not going to be in the UK. Philip Green may claim he wants to move production to the UK, but realistically there are only 50,000 people working in the British clothing manufacturing industry, compared to the 1.2million workers in 1976.

As companies like Arcadia, Marks & Spencer and even Tesco aim to pick up on the success of more established brands like Alexander McQueen, Mulberry and Burberry who have made their successes in foreign countries, its ultimately a question of protecting your investment by cutting costs. Ultimately, this means production is only going to decrease in the UK, and closures of factories such as the Aquascutum one are a consequence.

It's a really big shame, and it's one people like Jeff Banks and Mary Portas, who recently announced her plan to regenerate the British High Street, are keen to point out. On a recent trip to New Zealand, I was amazed at the success of their 'Buy NZ' brand, which was used in supermarkets and chains across the country. It was refreshing to see the 'Made in New Zealand' logo on goods. When was the last time you saw that written on an item of clothing in the UK?

Of course, we're still going to keep on buying our Bangladeshi made clothes from Primark, but as the world looks to Britain for cutting edge fashion, maybe now is the time to ditch the cheap for the quality?

Pictures courtesy of Wikipedia