New fashion trends break the mould
Metrosexual men, tattoos setting the modern standard
TRENDS come and go – and there are a few reigning supreme right now that would have made you shudder just a few short years ago! THE METROSEXUAL MAN THERE’S no reason to be a little put off by the term metrosexual, as it’s a badge many guys wear with pride simply because they like to look good.
One way guys are achieving this is by getting a good haircut. Fabio Macchia from Shag High Voltage Hair Salon in Greenacres and Shelley Wood from Whiskey and Honey Vintage Salon in South End both say the Euro hairstyle is one of the most popular right now. Short on the sides, long on top, this cut is hip because, Macchia says, “it can be worn wild for night life and slicked back for work”.
Macchia has also notes an increase in the number of schoolboys coming in and asking for the Euro style.
However, guys aren’t stopping at merely getting a haircut. Whiskey and Honey offer their male customers the Metro Man Grooming Menu, where guys can treat themselves to grooming options, ranging from facials to manicures to brow shaping.
Wood says there has been a lot of interest in the menu, primarily because “being a bit metrosexual isn’t frowned upon like it used to be, making it easier for men to feel more at ease about being aware of looking after themselves”.
Shag High Voltage Salon, which specialises in men’s grooming, also offers options for men who want to pamper themselves. They stock Bonafide Beard products – a range of natural products for beards, which includes various soaps, balms, waxes and brushes. VINTAGE FASHIONISTAS
Another trend that has risen hugely in popularity is buying vintage or second-hand clothes.
Many women – and men – have started looking back to past decades for fashion inspiration.
One way they achieve their looks is by going thrift or second-hand clothes shopping.
Thrifty Magpie is a Port Elizabeth-based business, owned by Emma Minkley, which sells vintage clothing and trinkets.
Minkley, who started the business out of her love for combing through charity shops and fetes for all types of treasures, says vintage clothing has gained popularity in the last five to 10 years.
The reason for this, she says, is because “people are keen on finding unusual or interesting items that aren't typically available at “normal retail shops”. These are items that are unique and generally “one of a kind”.
You can find Thrifty Magpie at: https://www.facebook.com/ThriftyMagpie NO MORE TATTOO TABOO
Tattoos and piercings have also gained huge traction in recent years and the trend continues to grow.
More and more young people are sporting an array of different piercings and the odd tattoo.
While the conventional earlobe and helix (cartilage) piercings will always be the “go to” piercings, those that are considered a bit more rebellious are on the rise.
According to Lu and Jac Calitz of Otherworld Tattoo Studio in Walmer, the most popular piercing at the moment is the septum (the cartilage that separates the two nostrils), closely followed by nose and tragus (ear) piercings.
Tattoos and piercings have always carried a stigma, but Lu and Jac say that is changing. “People are slowly warming up to the fact that you don’t have to be a prisoner or drug dealer to have a tattoo,” Lu chuckles. “You can be a doctor or a lawyer.” THE RISE OF THE YOUNG FOODIE
With the introduction of restaurants and bars such as Beer Yard, Bridge Street Brewery and Cork Wine Garden, young people are starting to appreciate the finer things in life. “Tastes are moving away from cocktails to drinks such as craft beers and wines that require a more refined palate,” Kirsty Reilly, co-owner of Cork Wine Garden in Walmer, said. The foodie culture has also grown, with young people beginning to support independent restaurants offering a unique and interesting experience.
‘ you don’t have to be a prisoner or drug dealer to have a tattoo