Charley Speed's secrets of a glamorous man
Talk to women about male models and it's likely you'll hear the old chestnut about not wanting a man who spends longer than them in the bathroom. But what's the truth behind the well-groomed front? How vast is a male model's array of products? Are they popping diet pills while treadmilling their way to oblivion? So many misconceived questions. Enter model and television presenter Charley Speed to set us straight with six reassuringly sound steps to masculine sophistication...
Keep grooming simple
Charley Speed: I’m pretty simple. I wash and condition my hair, make sure it’s looking all good. I moisturise but I don’t cleanse and tone and all that stuff. You can if you want to, but I think just find a brand that works for you. There is this brand I’ve discovered - Dermalogica - and it’s great! And if you’re a clean shaver, that’s fine; I like to just trim, have a bit of stubble...
Invest in a good suit
Charley Speed: It’s still way out of my budget at the moment but with Savile Row you can’t go wrong. Tailored suits and jackets look very good on a man and there’s nothing quite like it. It is very expensive but it can be a purchase of a lifetime, probably one of the best investments a man can make because it just looks good! And you know what, high street stuff is getting so much better now - the cuts of jackets and the quality of tailoring. Just try stuff on.
Don’t just wear a suit, perhaps be a little eccentric. Look back at certain decades and eras. In my personal opinion, thank God the 70s are on the out because I couldn’t stand that decade; the 60s are most certainly making a comeback and for me, personally, this is a much more stylish decade.
Vintage is everywhere now and people think that it’s mainly for girls to find vintage dresses and clothes. But there’s all sorts of vintage tailoring from back in the day. And charity shops have some absolutely cracking stuff!
Exercise
Charley Speed: I can’t stand the gym. What I actually do is run outside and I cycle. Swimming is a great love of mine as well. I can’t stand being in the gym and running on that machine where you’re not actually running anywhere, I don’t get it! I’d rather run around the park. I’m fortunate enough to live on the outskirts of London, where I can run along the river.
Eat well
Charley Speed: I don’t believe in diets, I don’t get it. Generally models are quite young when they first start and they’re very tall and skinny - and you’d be amazed by the amount who can’t actually put weight on - in my case, maybe not be not so much now. But I just eat balanced diet, that’s all I do. I think if you eat well and you exercise you shouldn’t need to diet.
People go on these extreme diets and it’s a short term solution. But when they go back to a normal diet, or the one they had before, because the body has become accustomed to living off small amounts of food or purely proteins it kind of becomes imbalanced and you just yo-yo.
Find your style
It’s very important to have a distinct style. Don’t just follow the trends. Be aware of the fashion and take bits of it but make it very much your own. Be an individual character because that is what stands out. And wear things and styles that are perhaps an extension of your personality.
Be positive
It’s a mind set, it’s about how you feel about yourself. That state of mind comes from so many different things, just feel good about yourself and lose arrogance. It’s not sexy, it’s not charming, it’s not glamorous. Confidence is great but there is a fine line.
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