No, I think it's natural.

Mine does this too and I've only ever shaved down, but the right side of my face has hair that grows to the left.

It isn't even noticable to anyone other than me and doesn't affect how my beard grows, but if I'm using a beard trimmer in my beardy moments then the only way to get it even is to go with the grain.

>>4937

Seconded. I don't think the way you shave can affect the way your hair grows. Sounds like broscience.

>>4939
I've heard that electric versus wet shaving can have an impact. Something to do with the hairs twisting in place when an electric razor tears at them. Probably bullshit, but having seen many times magnified photos of facial hair after both shaving methods (wet shave looking trim, uniform and tidy, electric looking like the Somme) I wouldn't dismiss it out of hand.

No, it's natural. Mine grows upwards under my jaw line but down everywhere else. If you're really bothered you can use this graph to plot your growth so shaving becomes easier.

>>4930

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/society/men-seeking-plausible-beard-exit-strategy-2014041685787

>>4930
Thank you, I shall report back with the results.

>>4932
One quick word of warning do be careful that the head of the trimmer is a separate piece and it did come off once and get tangled in my beard because it wasn't properly attached.

If you're just trimming your beard the best thing to do is to follow the grain of your hair and just do short sections clearing old hair as you go.

I can't really recommend anything cheap, as I've only ever had trouble with anything priced at less than forty quid.

I can however greatly recommend a decent pair of beard scissors and a bit of patience. You can hack off a full on biker beard in about fifteen minutes, and I think you can get a more even look that way. Unless your face is perfectly symmetrical, and is chiselled out of granite, a guarded trimmer will end up cutting closer in some places than others, leaving possible patches, though I'm talking about very short beards here, of maybe 5-10mm in length.

In short I wouldn't say you need a trimmer at all unless you're going for a stubble or just-a-bit longer than stubble effect.

Just shaved it off.

Was a little concerned my beard would get tangled but it was so much easier with this trimmer. It even trimmed my moustache with ease when before I had to use a pair of scissors to cut off the ends.

thanks, lads. I know what my chin looks like again.

>>4921
>TK Maxx do nice stuff.
TK Maxx do cheap stuff, the vast majority of which is tacky garbage. It might still be worth it to flick through it if you're broke and can spend the time but there's an awful lot of what I suspect OP would call "I'm a teenager" clothes in there.

>>4923

There's plenty of nice clothes there. They just never fit, so you end up spending 30 minutes trying to convince yourself you're a large while staring mournfully into a full body mirror.

H&M can be good for basics. A lot of it is fairly cheaply made, but they offer a good way of filling out your wardrobe on a budget. Most of my socks and undies are from there, and I have a fair few shirts and cardigans too. They frequently do limited runs of "premium quality" stuff, which is often very nice indeed.

Topman are surprisingly good for suits and jackets. The bottom of the price range is often padded out with dubious polyester blends, but they often do remarkably nice items at the higher end. Steer clear of anything obviously trendy.

Asos is pretty good. I'm going through a plaid shirt phase and they've kept me stocked up.

>>4923

TK Maxx isn't bad if you are prepared to dig around. You don't have to buy graphic tees and hoodies.

>>4913
Agreed, I don't have a girlfriend, live with m8s and would only ever really use it if I'm going out. Presumably what lasts some people a year would last me five or six, if not more.

>>4914>>4913

So ? If it stays reasonably in good condition, then you'll always have some around. You'd be surprised - if you go on holiday, you practically use it on every night out. As a matter of fact any night out.

>>4915
>If it stays reasonably in good condition, then you'll always have some around.
Well, that's the question really. I'm considering getting some, if it decomposes in six months though it's a poor investment on my part.

>>4916
Well it's a solvent in one sense, it's composed of different alcohols, aldehydes, esters, etc. These elements tend to be sensitive to light and heat. Like I said, keep it tucked away in your closet and you should be fine for a good couple years.

>>4915
I wear the day-to-day one when I go out usually.

>>4916
My dad had some that I'm certain pre-dates my birth and it was still perfectly fine when I checked it last year.

I've just found the relevant thread, sorry. Though feel free to add to it.

I have a Ted Baker that was under £200. I don't wear it every day so can't comment on how long-wearing it is but it looked noticeably better than similar style suits closer to £100 and the price included all alterations so it fits better than any other suit I've had.

I guess if you're wearing one every day for work you might want to look at one that's machine washable.

>>4877

Just use Google maps to look for a local shoe wizard lad.

https://www.youtube.com/v/kZEGHK_3W2o

>>4879
I watched that yesterday. How strange.

>>4878

I thought gnomes were usually the magical creatures of choice to contract for shoe repair?

>>4879

_{a-wuzza wuzza wuz}

Good thread, thank you for this. Should definitely be stickied. I'll add some of my own bookmarks in time.

Get the basics right and work up from there. A core wardrobe of versatile mainstays can be dressed up or down as required.

Oxford shirts work well with anything less formal than a suit. Oxford cloth has more texture and better opacity than poplin. Stick with the basics of white, blue and pink, and make sure they fit well. Pay particular attention to the sleeve length and cuff width. Off-the-peg shirts tend to err on the side of generosity in this respect, so you'll often need to move the cuff button.

Brown brogues are extremely versatile. A lot of men gravitate to black shoes, which is a mistake with anything other than dark suiting or black tie. Avoid anything remotely trendy, you'll look like a mobile phone salesman or a lower-league footballer. I'd recommend against DMs, they're bulky and inelegant. If you're looking for a casual shoe option to dress down an outfit, I'd suggest loafers or Converse-type basketball shoes.

Having a range of trousers gives you scope in terms of formality. Chinos, cords and woolen trousers all have their place in the smart/casual wardrobe. When choosing fabric, look for texture and opt for medium shades of grey, blue and brown. Again, pay close attention to fit - always buy trousers with surplus length and have them tailored to fit. If you're going for a very slim fit, be wary of bunching in the seat and crotch. Match the leg width to your physique and avoid skinny fits unless you yourself are skinny. If you can stand to wear them, braces are vastly superior to belts, as you get finer control of where the trouser breaks and without bunching at the waistband.

Break (how the hem of a trouser leg rests on the shoe) is something of a fine art. Most men wear overly long trousers with a traditional full break, with fabric pooling on top of the shoe. This looks slouchy and makes your legs look shorter. The easiest break to pull off is the shallow break, where the hem just barely rests on top of the shoe. Very skinny trousers work best with zero break, where the hem is well clear of the shoe.

Cardigans are brilliant garments. They allow for versatile layering during spring and autumn and look much smarter than sweaters. The buttons and deep v of a cardigan lengthen the torso.

Blazers are fairly easy to balls up, avoid anything too dark or too shiny. Look for textured fabrics like tweed and corduroy and again pay very close attention to fit. A very traditional garment can look very modern if the cut is right. With your arms by your side, you should have about half an inch of shirt sleeve showing under a blazer. Harrington jackets are excellent if you're looking for something more casual - opt for paler colours and buy quality (Baracuta or Merc).

>>4861

Most of my money for clothing goes on technical hill kit (Montane / Rab / Paramo etc) and usually what's left goes on non dpm combats eg Helikon, trail shoes, t/shirt / 3/4 trousers etc. I'm more laid back outdoors than smart casual.

OP, a lot of choices also come down to personal taste, which isn't to say that you shouldn't listen to anyone else. In fact it's the opposite, you develop a better wardrobe by paying attention to people and taking an interest in clothes. Posts like >>4863 are helpful and a good starting point, but I'd also say it's worth taking as much time as you can to observe what other people wear. What do you like, what don't you like? What do you value in clothing, what kind of materials? Has there ever been a person dressed in smart casual that you thought, 'yes I like that'?

We can give you broad dos and don'ts and can make suggestions, but it needs to be 50/50 (or in practice probably more like 70/30) what you like versus what others think, otherwise you'll feel like you're wearing a costume. Which is the worst feeling you can have when trying new stuff, I reckon.

Lecture over, then. I'd say going off >>4864 you'd do well with smart but outdoorsy clothing, which definitely exists if you look for it. I'd start with a nice pair of traditional leather boots. Since you don't like jeans or chinos, I'd say wool trousers and cords, or anything in heavier fabrics would suit what you're used to. Agreeing with >>4863 on jackets and blazers. Heavier country/traditional coats might interest you as well, maybe a duffle or an overcoat.

>>4860
What age are you? What build are you? Why do you want to change how you dress? Why do you have a problem with jeans and chinos?

I should say at this point that regardless of how you answer, no DMs are not acceptable.

>>4863 pretty much nails the basics, but I'd say that blazers so rarely look passable, let alone good, that it's better to forget about them altogether. They're basically on the same level as fedoras for people who think there's a magical item of clothing they can put on and "class up the joint".

>>4860
>smart casual
https://www.youtube.com/v/UngkJ2hdsgo

>>4807

You can get hair products "for men" but really they are the same thing as women's stuff but they stick a chisel-jawed or beared bloke on the package to reassure people with fragile egos and sexualities trapped in the closet.

Just man up and buy what you need (plenty guides online for the ladies) or go to a unisex hairdresser and they will do whatever you ask them to do to your hair, no matter how fruity.

>>4808

My ego's fine thank you. And you were probably just fishing with the closet thing, but being lucky requires no skill so nothing in that first line was of any worth, whatsoever. Of course, this is all just faux-arrogance, not justified by anything in your entirely reasonable post.

I'm mostly just after guides on how to slowly lighten it, because (a) I might look like a moron (b) people will assume I've had a manic episode.

>>4811

You are far too sensitive.

>>4812

>Of course, this is all just faux-arrogance, not justified by anything
in your entirely reasonable post.

Nuh-uh! I was being unduly sarcastic.

Love polo mints, but always wondered what they did with the bit in the middle. £30 seems a bit much. I'm pretty sure I could get a whole packet of them for 10p back in the day.

>>4802
They stockpile them until they're ready to sell them, forgetfulm8.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-RETRO-ORIGINAL-POLO-HOLES-MINIATURE-MINTS-BN-/301054957118

>>4803
Alternative answer: they export them to PIGS who can't afford the real deal.

>>4804
They don't look deep enough to fit into a Polo.

Then again I probably haven't eaten a Polo in a decade and a half, fuck knows what shape they are these days.

Seems their website has crapped itself and died.

>>4790

Yeah it's not the best fit, but that's to be expected with an off the peg suit, I guess. I'll try taking a better picture tomorrow when I'm in formal attire. If it's unusable I'll probably return it or try selling it on.

>>4790
It doesn't, the armscyes are falling beyond his shoulders.

>>4790

After trying it on in formal wear I could see how bad a fit it is for me.

http://i.imgur.com/hsz2Zxm.jpg

>>4793
Why are you always in blackface?

>>4794
I think it suits me.

>>4775

I see what you're saying, as technically the waist should be worn at the waist, which is usually different to a hip measurement. However I agree with the OP, a simple waistband measurement in inches would be more useful than any estimates on behalf of the manufacturer.

OP, it's possible they were using Euro sizing, which also often doesn't make much sense.

>>4779
Inches are different on the mainland?

>>4780
You think people use inches in Europe?

>>4781
Just because they use the metric system doesn't mean that they don't know what an inch is and can't have their own definition of it.

>>4780

It's more that they use a different measurement entirely. I'm not sure what the numbers could mean, as they're not cm, and don't seem right as a leg length/inseam.

Chart is just an example I quickly pulled off Google.

>>4759
It seems more reasonable that he'd be suggesting the opposite.

>>4761
That is correct. I'm not him, but I've heard that as you get more rotund, the fatty tissue around the base of the penis can expand to the point where your John Thomas is smaller in practice, if not in theory.

"I've heard".

The distance from waistband to crotch is called the rise. Trousers cut to be worn at the waist will have a considerably greater rise than those worn at the hip. If you're after low rise trousers, you want to be shopping somewhere young and trendy - H&M, Topman, Zara et al.

Also, black is a faux pas if you're not a waiter or a funeral director. Unless your work dress code strictly requires black trousers, go for navy or charcoal instead.

>>4756
Unless you are personal friends with Jordan I doubt the sample size is statistically significant

>n=3, subject was sampled 3 times

>>4768

>Also, black is a faux pas if you're not a waiter or a funeral director.

Funny that so many people who work wear black trousers. I do, only because virtually every male I have worked with does. I am trying to branch out though.

>>4663
New technologies like fracking, gasification and tar-sands will ensure we use carbon for many more decades to come. I don't care about the floods, fires and hurricanes because they don't happen anywhere near me. It is in my best interest to live as best and comfortable as I can, so the rest can sod off. I don't see why I should change myself, place burdens on my shoulders for nowt.

>>4664

The big worry isn't really America, it's India and China. The new middle-class there aspire to western lifestyles, which will inevitably lead to a vast increase in energy consumption and CO2 emissions. It's up to us to demonstrate moral leadership by reducing our energy use, rather than hypocritically demanding that India and China keep down their emissions to much lower per-capita levels than ours.

>>4666
The whole thing smells of neo-imperialism to me any way. Capping developing nations' consumption, to make sure they never reach our standards. I'm not complaining, but let's just call a spade a spade.

>>4666
That is a point but both of them have space programs now and they aspire to go to other celestial worlds. Both with successful missions.

We can stay here and roll around in the filth.

Resources exist to be consumed. And consumed they will be, if not by this generation then by some future. By what right does this forgotten future seek to deny us our birthright? None I say! Let us take what is ours, chew and eat our fill.