With beach time and festivals ongoing, a pick of the best totes is timely. Topman continue to have some bang on-trend totes, this lion playing card print would look great with a foppish English garden party ensemble. Or try the acid Aztec print for a MGMT/summer festival psychedelic spin. Speaking of Williamsburg, the Brooklyn idyll's other favourite sons, Yeasayer, have this lovely hand print denim tote available from their merchandise site. Prefer back straps to shouldering a flimsy tote bag? This steel wire backpack from Manufactum is from an original Bauhaus design and will make you look arty (just make sure your reading material is suitably highbrow - Grazia just won't do). If you really need to lug a load of stuff around with you, Uniqlo have very affordable cute backpacks in some perky colours.

Happy toting!

Lion tote and Aztec print tote, Topman. Steel wire rucksack Manufactum. Yeasayer hand print bag, wearefreeshop.com. Blue rucksack, Uniqlo.

The Times has a feature at the moment detailing the changing size of the common tie as we go through decades of economic change. Apparently John Lewis has announced "a dramatic inch-loss of nearly 25 per cent in width over the past six months" with its most popular ties. Charlie Allen, the famous tailor Brandish recently had an exclusive sit-down with over the new 'n' improved England kit, told the Times that "the impact of economic turmoil on tie design can be traced back through the previous recessions of the 20th century. While postwar Britain and the Swinging Sixties embraced exaggerated prints and widths of up to 5in, the downturns of the 1930s and 1980s saw sizes reduce to as little as an inch."

See after the jump for my Top 5 'Skinny Summer ties'- on the cheap for your enjoyment! (They're all under £10)

Last summer I was down at Shiny Towers and the gloriously hot days were spent writing, chatting with my fellow Shinies, trying on Drop-Crotch jeans and touring the streets in search of aspirational street style. But despite all the joviality I didn't quite anticipate the weather (although I refuse to take the blame for that one- when was the last time we had a proper summer?) and ended up the innocent victim of SSS (that's Skinny jeans in Summer Syndrome.) This summer I am determined to get it right, which is why I have compiled this list of fashion needs (okay, wants.)

1. Lots of Extra-Hold Hairspray
Since Christmas and a happy accident haircut, I have been living with a bit of an 80s asymmetrical style. My super-thick hair means that I have to use extra-hold products which are effective but grease-free; the wet fro is never a good look! I will need lots of hairspray to combat the heat.

Last week I was in search for a pair of school shoes. Beginning with classic brogues, I sampled a pair of black loafers and sneakily tried on a pair of Paul Smith Jermyns (with glorious plum laces) before ending up with a pair of not-so-exciting pointed Topman lace-ups. Inspired by this bout of school-shoe shopping I ventured onto Oki-Ni and came across their Doc Martens. Floral. Striped. Coloured. Neon. But then I came across their 1461 shoe and couldn't believe what I was seeing.

A shoe, in simple black leather, that was more than double the price but half as nice as many of the shoes I had seen the previous day. These Dr. Martens did not look worth their £70 price tag, especially in comparison to my £35 Topman shoes. Granted, the Dr. Martens are probably better quality and might last longer but, are they even that easy on the eye? I, for one, wouldn't want to be seen in them.

Fashion is fickle, even in times of economic recession. See after the jump for my Top 5 Best on a Budget Smart Shoes.

The link between fashion and sport is undeniable, even the fashion heavyweights such as Ralph Lauren and Fred Perry have history in sporting activities of various types. Assuming you're not head to toe in bespoke suit and a pair of wingtips it's an almost certainty that you're wearing some kind of sportswear, unless of course you're reading this naked. In which case kudos.The link is even more noticeable in the street fashion scene with uber-weight sport's companies like Adidas and Nike pretty much owning the game with vintage re-releases and limited editions.

The Fashion Vs. Sport exhibition at the V&A started this week and is running through to the 4th of January. The exhibition explores in depth the link between sport and fashion and looks to be a bloody fun and educational afternoon out. For more info get over to the V&A's website here.

To celebrate the exhibition I have knocked together my top 5 sport fashion items, check them out after the jump!

Round these parts we know who looks good and who doesn't, but who are the more unlikely chaps working individualistic looks that we admire?

5. Justin Lee Collins

Will Reid: Although Justin may be prone to a too-tight t-shirt, The Friday/Sunday Night Project presenter's sheer charisma and the fact that those tight tees usually bear a cult band logo mean he's earned his place on this list. With his faded flares and large Aviators Justin has made many a Friday night worth staying in for, and if he gets his shaggy-yet-manicured locks cut, I for one will weep.

[image: Ken McKay/Rex Features]

The Top 4 can be found after the jump...

After my latest embarrassing fashion incident, I asked different Shinies "What Is The Most Outrageous Thing You've Ever Done In The Name of Fashion?" The answers were varied but pretty hilarious all-round.

It's all wild stuff here on Brandish; a feast of dress-driven adventures and sartorial sacrifice! Continue reading for answers from some of British blogging's biggest stars.

Finally, the last 11 tees of the roundup started here and continued here - 31 tees to get you through a summer month.

Part 3 includes tees from Surface to Air, Lad Musician and Raf by Raf. Click through to see the lineup.

Continuing the roundup we started last week of enough print tees to get you through a summer month, here are another 10.

Part two includes shirts from Henrik Vibskov's S/S range (see left), Uniqlo's collaboration series and Undercover.

It's getting to the time of the year when you'll have to be breaking out that quintessential staple item - the humble t-shirt - on a daily basis.

In case your collection is in need of a refresh, we've put together 31 printed tees to get you through at least one of the summer months.

The first 10 up today, including Kate Moross, Revolver and Passarella Death Squad

With guidebook and ability to say thank-you in tow, I was an innocent tourist. At least that was until I saw him from across the road. The letters emblazoned on his back in plush gold velvet shone with insecurity- "Vagina Lover." Welcome to testosterone Euroflash-style.

It made me wonder about the power of sexuality through fashion. I'm not talking about the Azzedine Alaia flashing of flesh but the establishing of our own preference (and much more) through what we wear. A recent commentator on men.style claimed that the lowest thing a man could do was wear clothes that could be mistaken for women's. Does that ban drainpipe denim, skinny scarves and thin knits (all within my wardrobe) from the outfits of the modern man. In my opinion a man of those opinions shouldn't really be dabbling in the androgynous fashion industry. Read on for a Top Five of Euroflasher War Paint.

Like tax and death, scent is one of life's fickle promises. I have just returned from a trip to New York and I couldn't help but notice how great everyone smelt (not in some strange Charlie's Angels hair-sniffer way.) In the returning yellow cab to JFK, my week in the Big Apple flashed before my eyes as a flurry of smiling sales associates and the now dog-eared sample cards currently resonating through my conscience (and bedroom!) Whether you have a Grenouille like nose or are suspiciously blind to the sweet smell of- well smell, 'cologne' (or 'scent') is something that you need to be firmly acquainted with. The men's fragrance market (and the cosmetics market in general) seems to be growing at the moment and there is an unbelievably wide range of scents from all the biggest designers. No longer does a few looks in a women's show represent our male input in the industry but instead we are welcoming the right for men to truly express themselves through fashion and fragrance.

The following list is a collection of the sweetest scents on the market right now (in no particular order.)

So this is to be my last post for Brandish. I know, you punks are distraught, right? I've enjoyed myself, but it was eating into my shopping time and that will never do. Papa loves you but he don't love you that much.
Thanks for reading, thanks for writing the occasional nice comment and to those of you who wrote mean shit, I hope your babies look like monkeys. I thought I'd leave you with my top 5 hot looks for right now. That's the kind of guy I am - giving to the last.

Sanyetta Baptiste writes:

From attractive men in Louis Vuitton jewellery to Valentine's Day advice for the gents, Mr. MSR surely knows the way to a woman's heart.  Take notes guys!
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The advice of Sir Hardy Amies and Men's Flair suggested men's wear reads will definitely keep your little black book filled.
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WhoWhatWearDaily have temporarily branched out into menswear giving us a rundown of their eight favourite fashionable fellows. Adam Brody looks particularly good and even Adam Levine from non-band
Moron 5 is well-dressed. Coherent isn't beating around the bush where Prada's new advert is concerned and he's right, you either love Sasha Pivovarova's demonic stare or you don't. Style Salvage have got a great post on Jil Sander's catwalk show, but I got totally distracted by the post about Gael Garcia Bernal's aubergine suit in Science of Sleep which is one of my favourite films.
As if I needed another reason to want to go back to New York, Coolhunting have been checking out A.P.C's discount store in Williamsburg.
SavoirVivreNY is another convert to pleated pants as he features a great pair by Missoni.