Electronics and digital devices have become an integral part of our waking lives, but when it comes to bedtime; our electronics may be what’s keeping us awake at night.

Countless studies have been carried out to investigate the impact of modern technology on our sleeping habits, and it turns out that our devices are preventing us from nodding off as well as playing havoc with the quality of our sleep, too! It’s not just adults who are suffering from poor quality sleep in the digital age. A study carried out in 2014 found that 62% of adolescents aged 12-20 years old took their phones to bed with them and that 1 in 12 adolescents were woken by a text in the middle of the night at least twice a week.

When it comes to using technology at bedtime, the only type of innovation you’ll ever need is a reliable mattress that will help you get the perfect amount of shut eye. Simba Sleep have designed their unique Hybrid mattresses as well as a number of other innovative products that help improve your bedtime ritual for a restful night’s sleep, without the need for gadgets.

Find out below how the use of technology is having an impact on your sleep and why you should start turning off before you hit the hay.

Blue Light Emission Affects Our Health 

Our internal clock, known as our ‘circadian rhythm’, is influenced by light and darkness, with our brain and our bodies associating light with our waking hours.

However, studies have shown that the type of blue light emitted by our devices such as smartphones and tablets can confuse the photoreceptors in our retina, signalling to our brain that it is not yet time for sleep. As a result, we find it harder to fully relax, as our body behaves as it would during the day.

This is known as ‘blue light exposure’, and is said to suppress melatonin production in our brains, therefore stopping you from falling into a deep, comfortable sleep. Not only does this interfere with your body’s natural rhythm, it also causes other issues such as elevated body temperature and negative moods.

To minimise and regulate your exposure, you can download blue light filtering software and apps which will shift the light emitted by your phone or tablet to a warmer, redder wavelength.

Interactive Technology Overstimulates The Brain 

If you’re the kind of person who lets their thoughts race as soon as they climb into bed, then using electronics and gadgets before bedtime is probably a big no-no. When creating the perfect sleeping environment, we are encouraged to wind down for the day with a dark, quiet and comfortable atmosphere that will help us on our way to the land of nod.

Listening to music, playing video games and watching television before bed increases the electrical activity in our brain and makes us more stressed; not ideal when we’re supposed to be preparing ourselves for some quality shut-eye. Checking your emails once you’ve climbed under the duvet can have a similar effect, and leave you feeling wired and unable to drift off.

Refrain from using electronics at least 30 minutes to an hour before bedtime and aim to keep all gadgets outside of the bedroom where possible.

Our Phones Interfere With Sleep
 

As well as making it more difficult to doze off, our mobile phones disturb our sleep with endless chimes, beeps and alerts as late night texts, calls, reminders and app updates pop up on our phone causing a constant stream of activity that many find impossible to ignore.

We’ve grown used to keeping our mobile phone to hand even as we sleep to accommodate our need to be reached at all times. However, constant notifications keep us hooked to the screen, delaying our sleep and causing us to wake more regularly. The outcome is disruption of what should be a quality, deep sleep.

If you really can’t be without your phone, leave it by your bedside, on silent and facing downwards to stop any notifications lighting up the screen, thus waking you from your slumber in the process.

A few small changes in your bedtime routine can help you banish the negative impact of modern technology on your sleep, helping you to rest easier.

Article by Menswear Style

As the weather gets colder, it opens up avenues for expressing yourself with more experimental styles. As lookbooks become littered with densely-layered outfits, it can be difficult to know where to start building your winter wardrobe. Sticking with these five staples below can keep you relevant, forming a good foundation in which to bring out your own personal style this winter.

1. Chelsea Boots 

The Chelsea boot has been a menswear staple since the 1950s, with its versatility being paramount to its appeal. The boot balances formal and informal, blending itself to a variety of looks; the boot can be dressed-up or down, while ensuring it is suitable for work and play. Simply put, good quality Chelsea boots are classic for a reason, and are suitable to the earthy tones and layered silhouettes of the season. For example, these Chelsea Boots from Crew Clothing are a great investment and will last years. The boots’ timelessness ensures that it will see you through many winters, not just this one.

2. Fleece-Lined Jacket 

In shocking news, winter can get cold. Therefore, it should be a priority to find a jacket that is versatile, warm and of course, fashionable. Generally, opting for a fleece-lined jacket is the way forward, as they offer warmth without being too bulky. Lined jackets can come in a variety of styles; Sherpa-lined denim jackets, parkas and borg jackets, plus even dressier styles such as pea coats and trench coats. The style is entirely up to you, but we recommend picking a jacket around whatever you’re going to use it for. For example, if it’s for work in an office, a trench or pea coat would work, whereas more outdoorsy uses should centre on Sherpa denim or borg coats.

3. Christmas Jumper 

You’ve got to own a Christmas jumper. I mean, it should be law by now, right? Even if you’re the second coming of Scrooge, a festive jumper is bound to put you in the Christmas mood. Not all of them have to be cheap one-offs, either. A lot of designs actually make for good jumpers generally, so don’t be afraid to treat yourself. No Christmas jumper equals instant placement on Santa’s naughty list, you heard it here first.

4. Flannel Shirt 

You can’t go wrong with a flannel shirt, especially a thick, winter-ready one. This versatile shirt from Crew Clothing can be dressed up or down, but most importantly it offers warmth and potential for layering, which is essential for the colder months. Flannel shirts can be used in both informal and formal functions; it’s probably the most adaptive item of clothing a man can own during the winter season. Channel your inner lumberjack; there’s a reason why they wear these shirts, y’know…

5. Reliable Beanie 

Finding the right beanie is a bit like finding “the one”: when you know, you know. However, a good place to start is opting for thicker, more neutral coloured beanies. Keeping your head and ears warm is important (plus, if you’re having a bad hair day, a beanie can be the perfect camouflage!) We recommend going for a black or navy beanie if you want something versatile, but going for bright autumnal tones of orange, burgundy or green can work too. There are a whole variety of styles around now, from fisherman’s hats, skateboarder-inspired cuff beanies or just the classic style. Experiment away, there’s a whole world of headwear out there for you!

Article by Menswear Style

MenswearStyle is delighted to announce their media partnership with the MASCHIO Forum, taking place during the Pitti Immagine Uomo International Fashion Fair (11th January 2019, 4-9pm). The MASCHIO Forum is the first Fashion Business Summit specialising in men’s fashion and lifestyle. Brands, boutiques and fashion specialist will gather under the same roof, for half a day of discussion and debate around the present and future of the fashion industry with special focus on men’s categories specifically.

In the heart of Florence, just next to the Ponte Santa Trinita and opposite the famous Ponte Vecchio you will find the Capponi Palace (Palazzo Capponi, Lungarno Guicciardini, 1) venue, a unique sixteenth-century Florentine Palazzo, with some of the greatest examples of the Italian baroque in Tuscany. This venue has breath-taking frescoes, painted by some of the most renowned Italian artist in history.

The MASCHIO Forum event will not only provide attendees with top business insights, market trends and best-in-class business cases but additionally, will give everyone the opportunity to engage on the Round Table ‘La Tavola’ discussions, with some of the top leaders of our industry. This first series will focus on online vs offline, with the bold and challenging title of ‘eCommerce or die’. In a market where online sales in Europe account for a maximum of 12% shave vs offline sales, the experts will discuss whether eCommerce really is the answer, especially with the current trends seeing Direct-to-Consumer online brands such as Warby Parker, Happy Socks, Ace & Tate, Away and Allbirds now entering our high streets with physical stores. The event will then finish with a chance to network whilst enjoying canapes and cocktails. Read on to learn more about the speakers (Tom, Eva, Diego and Federico) and the moderator (Marco):

Diego Fria, Head of Marketing at Filippa K 

Filippa K is the leading Scandinavian fashion brand with a design and look that breathes style, simplicity and quality. London based Diego is strategically minded and a commercially focused eCommerce specialist. He is a Hyper Island and Berghs School of Communication graduate, both recognised as among the most innovative and talked about digital, communication and technology schools in the world. 

Eva Perozo Guedez, Head of eCommerce & Digital at Santa Eulalia 

Located in Barcelona, Santa Eulalia is a retailer of luxury brands for women and men. Eva is responsible for developing and executing trading strategies to drive performance achieved through planning global digital media campaigns to influence reach and gain brand awareness.

Federico Demartini, Head of Digital at ISAIA 

ISAIA is a Neapolitan high-end menswear firm first founded in the 1920s. Federico is mobile addicted and he leads a team of ten to sell and deliver international projects with complex roadmaps and multiple competences.
 

Tom Graham, Ecommerce Manager at Alex Monroe 

With a degree in Advertising, London-based Tom works for a company with a product which is hand-made using traditional techniques. Alex Monroe jewellery is synonymous with a very British sense of style. Now a much-loved brand world-wide, each and every piece is individually designed and handmade in England. Inspired by nature and nostalgia, every piece has a tale to tell.

Marco Crisci, Luxury and Fashion Executive and Professor at Polimoda 

Polimoda is a private fashion school in Florence, and Professor Marco is a fashion and luxury professional with a proven successful track record of over 20 years across the fashion apparel, retail, sporting goods, luxury hotels, beauty and cosmetics industries. He is an experienced leader, deeply educated in fashion and retailing across speciality, luxury and concept store formats.

Article by Menswear Style

Debenhams is proud to introduce ‘pop-up’ designer Daniel Rynne to its menswear portfolio for Autumn/Winter 2018, demonstrating the brand’s continued support for design talent. Rynne, winner of the Menswear Award at Graduate Fashion Week 2017, has worked an internship with the department store’s menswear design team for the past year and has successfully translated his graduate collection into a commercial line for Debenhams. Launching for AW18, Rynne presents a contemporary take on classic menswear silhouettes; creating a limited-edition range that offers the perfect balance of cutting-edge street style and affordable luxury.

Key pieces include a deconstructed parka with an integral gilet, wide-fit tapered chinos, band collar shirts and baker boy caps. The range combines utilitarian fabrics in neutral sand and khaki tones with meticulous attention to detail seen through the use of fastenings, garment washes, reversed fabric bases and coated hand-dyed fabrics to give a modern twist on the traditional workwear inspired garments.

A collaboration with traditional British shoemaker brand Loake sees Rynne’s handwriting carried through to footwear with mismatch panelled leather brogues and boots. Originally from Salisbury, Wiltshire, Rynne studied Fashion at The Arts University, Bournemouth. His graduate collection, inspired by Dorothea Lange and her imagery of the great depression in 1930s rural America, saw Rynne reimagine authentic menswear silhouettes into a contemporary catwalk collection. Having interpreted his graduate collection for a commercial audience, Rynne’s collaboration with Debenhams provides a unique menswear offering, available now in 5 UK stores and online at Debenhams.com.

Debenhams Fashion and Home Managing Director, Steven Cook says, “Debenhams has a rich heritage of supporting and working with designers and we are delighted to extend this to emerging and grass roots design talent. Through creating these new collections, we are offering our customers something that is genuinely exciting and new from names that they may not normally come across. At the same time, we are taking the talent on a journey to build their profile to a mass customer as well as walking through the process of how to create collections for a high street market.” 

On collaborating with Debenhams Daniel Rynne says, “I am beyond thrilled to have worked on a collection that is so integral to my original graduation show. I have learnt an enormous amount from the process and to have a range in a high street store bearing my name, considering I just graduated last summer is amazing.”

Article by Menswear Style