Mainly for men

Style

Have you heard of Jorts? I hadn’t, but then I’m not a man. Jorts, or jean shorts, made an unexpected (and some would say, unwelcome) return to the Northern Hemisphere summer. A baggier option is the cargo pant and its useful pockets, which has been updated and now comes in a wider range of colours such as black, blue, olive-green and, of course, khaki.

The European summer catwalks heavily featured male fashion that had colour schemes straight off the desert savannah: muted orange, tans, earthy browns and grassland-green. Tees were mainly V neck and denim was everywhere, but then when did it ever go away? Denim-on-denim strutted its stuff, as did the trench coat. The trench should never go out of style and is light and versatile. It suits most weather conditions and has variable lengths and looks great big and baggy.

If you’re able to this summer, invest in natural fibres such as linen and cotton that are breathable, and a top quality leather loafer or boat shoe. There are also canvas sneakers and pool slides for every budget.

Skin

The global skincare market for men is worth billions of dollars. Products that are multi-purpose, easy to use, anti-ageing and with natural ingredients are popular, as are grooming items for facial hair. Hair dye to cover the greys is also a huge market and, thankfully, more men are recognizing the importance of sunscreen with a high SPF. Many skincare brands that have historically only been associated with women are expanding into the male market, which is growing exponentially.

Self-care

Self-care, or taking positive steps to improve your wellbeing and minimise stress, is an important priority in our busy lives. Three aspects of self-care are:

Mental health: practicing mindfulness, meditation or yoga has been shown to have a positive effect by lowering blood pressure, calming the heart rate and allowing a focus upon the breath. These practices can also be carried out at home, which may make it easier to prioritise them in a busy schedule.

Physical health: 30 minutes a day of moderate exercise has proved to be beneficial. Staying hydrated during the day and eating a healthy diet with occasional treats is another key to wellbeing.

Emotional health: Protect your personal time and reach out to others, valuing your relationships. “He aha te mea nui? He tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata. What is the most important thing in the world? It is people, it is people, it is people”.

Support

Tragically, men commit suicide in New Zealand almost three times more often than women do. There should be no stigma still attached to men’s mental health in New Zealand, and there are organisations such as Tough Talks NZ that encourage men to open up and talk about their feelings: https://www.toughtalk.nz/

Other useful sites include: https://menshealthweek.co.nz/mental-health2/ Need to talk? Free call or text 1737 any time for support from a trained counsellor. The Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 or free text 4202 (to talk to a trained counsellor about how you are feeling or to ask any questions). Youthline: 0800 376 633, free text 234, email talk@youthline.co.nz or online chat at https://www.youthline.co.nz/web-chat-counselling.html. The Lowdown: Text 5626 for support to help young people recognise and understand depression or anxiety. The Alcohol Drug Helpline: 0800 787 797.

Gill Towle