After the word “yuppie” was coined around 1980, it gave rise to such derivatives as buppies (black urban professionals) and guppies (gay urban professionals). There were more to come. Many yuppies enjoyed spendthrift lifestyles in the early years of their marriages because they were DINKs, which meant Double Income, No Kids. As time went by and one spouse traded his or her career (usually hers) for homemaking, some free-spending DINKs became ORCHIDs: One Recent Child, Hideously In Debt. ORCHIDS sometimes became the SITCOMs: Single Income, Two Children, Oppressive Marriage. So went the alphabet-soup sociology of the day.

Yuppies, distinguished not only by their age and their occupations, were people who had to buy to live, just as sharks had to swim to breathe. But they couldn’t buy just ordinary stuff. Theirs was a restless and creative materialism, a constant search to find the most distinctive and expensive version of just about anything. They favored $2 Dove Bars over 50-cent Eskimo Pies. Their beer was Anchor Steam instead of Budweiser. They chose Macallan single malt over J&B, Camembert over Kaukauna Club, Air Jordans over sneakers, Starbucks over Dunkin’ Donuts, Perrier and San Pellegrino over tap water. And so on. By buying upscale versions of everything, they separated themselves from the unenlightened, the uneducated, and the unwashed. And they were proud of it.

Yuppie pride surfaced one night in the late 1980s in Ann Arbor, Michigan, when four young friends went out for a beer. After a couple rounds, one of them, a software developer, blurted out, “Listen, I get up in the morning, put on my French-cut suit, climb into my BMW, and drive to my high-tech job. Now, I ask you, what do I have in common with you people?” Not much after that outburst, as it turned out.

Most of our most recognizable styles descended from British military and noble fashions, and the British Isles don’t face the same kinds of summer that much of the United States does, to say nothing of warmer parts of the world.

So when traditional worsted wool suits and cotton dress shirts become unbearable, what should a fashionable man wear?

We’ve seen a couple different articles and style guides for warm weather dressing, but none of them complete or detailed enough to pass for a real comprehensive resource.

This guide is our attempt at a full hot-weather clothing resource. Everything in it should be functional at temperatures into the 90s (32+ C) and even hotter. The overall style is Western, but draws on knowledge from places like South and Central America, the Middle East, and East Asia for heat-beating fabrics and garments.

Part I: Priorities

What matters when it’s hot, and what doesn’t. The things you should think about when you buy hot-weather clothing.

Looks are always important, but the line has to be drawn somewhere. When the mercury climbs up above 80 degrees (26.6 C) you need functional clothing. Consider these the most essential characteristics for hot weather menswear:

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Here, Jude Law proves that even dudes who tend toward the douche-y can indeed pull off a hat.

His friend is like, “I wish he’d stop going on about his stupid hat.”

Auchentoshan 12 Year has a vibrant, refreshing aroma that will evoke the back room in a florist’s shop. There are the floral notes but also a whiff of the green, stemmy parts and a distinct bit of clove. It smells snappy and clean. This clean sensation continues on the palate into a very spirity, sweet menthol infused finish. The colour of this 12 year is a pale honey, and although it is bottled at 40% and does finish well balanced, the pure spirit character and lack of sweetness makes it seem a little stronger than it is. An invigourating dram that could be a gateway for gin martini drinkers.

There are ways of pulling it off, and then there ways that, well, you should avoid at all costs. To help you get it right, we rounded up some photos of men — both normal guys and celebs — who are getting it right.

Pictured here:
Lobster-print pants are not for every guy, but the lesson here is clear: Pairing a classic denim jacket with a bolder print (be it on your pants or elsewhere) helps balance things out.

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This article originally appeared on Harvard Business Review.

The author of this article, Ron Ashkenas is a managing partner of Schaffer Consulting and a co-author of The GE Work-Out and The Boundaryless Organization. His latest book is Simply Effective.

Here in the U.S., the Super Bowl showed us the power of 30-second advertisements, and how influential they can be in promoting a company’s awareness. But how often do we craft our own 30-second spots with audiences that we want to influence?

Most of us are not in the business of making TV commercials, but in conversations there is almost always a 30-second moment that can make the meeting memorable.

Malcolm Gladwell touches on this phenomenon in his book, Blink. He talks about “thin-slicing,” or “the ability of our unconscious to find patterns in situations and behavior based on very narrow slices of experience.” He explains how too much information can cloud an individual’s ability to accurately analyze a situation, and how “in good decision making, frugality matters.” In other words, mini-impressions do count. And although you never get a second chance to make a first impression, you do get many chances to make the next impression.

So how do you turn your moment into an award-winning spot? Let’s look to advertisers for guidance:

Capture your audience’s attention. Think about one of your favorite commercials (or you can pick one from the game). Which part of that commercial stays with you? What technique did the advertiser use to draw you in — humor, aesthetics, emotions, surprise, or something else? Think about how you could incorporate that technique into your next important conversation.

Convey a clear message. Consider the key message for the target audience. What did the company try to convey, and how did the advertiser use that to connect with viewers? How did they frame the message to make this point? Now, think about your own messaging — what is the most critical takeaway you would like your viewers to receive? How might you deliver your message to ensure your audience walks away with this understanding?

Focus on differentiation. Think about what distinguishes your advertiser from the rest. How did the company use the commercial to portray its unique brand? Think about the same for yourself: What sets you apart from others? How can you highlight your distinctive qualities?

When you combine these three elements, you’ve got the potential for an influential “spot.” The key is having these components ready so that you can recall them when needed. For example, the best salespeople are always prepared to connect with potential customers who say that they don’t have time to talk. Similarly, the best leaders often are not those who speak the longest or the loudest, but those who convey their ideas in a memorable way, and can do it over and over again.

Our world is filled with noise, information, and distractions; so having someone’s undivided attention — even for 30 seconds — is an opportunity that shouldn’t be wasted. If you can use those 30 seconds to capture their attention, deliver your message, and distinguish yourself from others, you’re likely to be heard, understood, and remembered. What sponsor wouldn’t want that?

Excerpted from

The air temperature is minus twenty degrees. I wiggle my fingers but they’re still freezing cold. Old frostnip injuries never let you forget. I blame Everest for that.

“You set, buddy?” cameraman Simon asks me, smiling. His rig is all prepped and ready.

I smile back. I am unusually nervous. Something doesn’t quite feel right. But I don’t listen to the inner voice. It is time to go to work.

The crew tell me that the crisp northern Canadian Rockies look spectacular this morning. I don’t really notice.

It is time to get into my secret space. A rare part of me that is focused, clear, brave, precise. It is the part of me I know the best but visit the least.

I only like to use it sparingly. Like now.

Beneath me is three hundred feet of steep snow and ice. Steep but manageable.

I have done this sort of fast descent many, many times. Never be complacent, the voice says. The voice is always right.

A last deep breath. A look to Simon. A silent acknowledgment back.

Yet we have cut a vital corner. I know it. But I do nothing.

I leap.

I am instantly taken by the speed. Normally I love it. This time I am worried.
I never feel worried in the moment. I know something is wrong.

I am soon traveling at over 40 mph. Feet first down the mountain.  The ice races past only inches from my head. This is my world.

I gain even more speed. The edge of the peak gets closer. Time to arrest the fall.

I flip nimbly onto my front and drive the ice axe into the snow. A cloud of white spray and ice soars into the air. I can feel the rapid deceleration as I grind the axe deep into the mountain with all my power. It works like it always does. Like clockwork. Total confidence. One of those rare moments of lucidity. It is fleeting. Then it is gone. I am now static.

The world hangs still. Then—bang.

Simon, his heavy wooden sled, plus solid metal camera housing, piles straight into my left thigh. He is doing in excess of 45 mph.

There is an instant explosion of pain and noise and white.

It is like a freight train. And I am thrown down the mountain like a doll. Life stands still. I feel and see it all in slow motion.

Yet in that split second I have only one realization: a one-degree different course and the sled’s impact would have been with my head. Without doubt, it would have been my last living thought.

Instead, I am in agony, writhing. I am crying. They are tears of relief. I am injured, but I am alive.

I see a helicopter but hear no sound. Then the hospital. I have been in a few since Man vs. Wild began. I hate them.

I can see them all through closed eyes. The dirty, bloodstained emergency room in Vietnam, after I severed half my finger in the jungle. No bedside graces there. Then the rockfall in the Yukon. Not to mention the way worse boulder fall in Costa Rica.  The mineshaft collapse in Montana or that saltwater croc in Oz. Or the sixteen-foot tiger that I landed on in the Pacific versus the snakebite in Borneo.

Countless close shaves. They all blur. All bad.

Yet all good. I am alive.

There are too many to hold grudges. Life is all about the living. I am smiling.

The next day, I forget the crash. To me, it is past. Accidents happen, it was no one’s fault. Lessons learned. Listen to the voice. I move on.

“Hey, Si, I’m cool. Just buy me a piña colada when we get out of here. Oh, and I’ll be sending you the evac, doc, and physio bills.”

He reaches for my hand. I love this man.

We’ve lived some life out there.

I look down to the floor: at my ripped mountain bib pants, bloodstained jacket, smashed Minicam, and broken goggles.
I quietly wonder: when did all this craziness become my world?

But it is the Cognac itself that shines. Deep burnished gold in color, its pungent floral bouquet is a prelude to the rich flavors dominated by wines from Borderies, which are enhanced by grapes from the Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne regions. Cedar, tobacco, dried violets, and leather fill the mouth and linger long after the last sip. Already the best-selling Extra-designated Cognac in Asia, Camus Extra Elegance has finally come to America. It is by far the most complex and elegant digestif produced by the House of Camus in its 149-year history. (www.camus.fr)

Reigning champion Sebastian Vettel’s victory in the Bahrain Grand Prix means that it’s been four different winners in as many races, making it the most open start to a Formula 1 season in recent memory.

Following Mercedes’ dominance around Shanghai, many readers of my opening piece will have been surprised to see that the car manufacturer was never really a factor around Bahrain’s Sakhir circuit, but it was no real shock to me. Why? Because with ambient temperatures exceeding 95 degrees Fahrenheit and the cloudless desert skies pushing the track temperature toward an egg-frying 140 degrees, minimizing tire wear is even more important than usual and it’s something Mercedes has struggled with for over a season.

This article will explain what makes tire compounds and tire strategy arguably the most vital factor between success and failure in Formula 1 racing.

I was in Bahrain to witness the inaugural grand prix in 2004 as a guest of the team named Jaguar Racing, now Red Bull in its current incarnation. What immediately struck me about the newly designed circuit was not only how sparse the grandstands seemed as F1 began its Middle Eastern adventure, but how dusty the circuit was. I guess it’s unavoidable if you plop 3.363 miles of relatively unsheltered tarmac in the middle of a desert.

In such harsh conditions, cars inevitably struggle for grip, meaning that tire compound choice is absolutely critical on the track’s testing mix of straights and low-to-medium speed corners. This year, unseasonably high winds made it even more difficult. McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton said after Friday’s practice session that it was like “driving on an ice rink.”

Pirelli supplies teams with two different dry weather compound tires for each race, a soft “option” tire and a harder “prime” tire. The compound of a racing tire describes the particular blend of materials that constitute its construction — the main ingredients being rubber, carbon and mechanical oil.

The terms “soft” and “hard” do not mean literally how hard the tires are to touch, but describe how they behave on the racetrack in terms of their construction, and how quickly they will wear out. The harder compound will be more durable than the softer, meaning that the driver can complete a greater number of laps before the tires lose performance and they are forced to pit. The softer compound allows for more speed, but more frequent pit stops. Hence a team’s choice of compound is a fascinating compromise between durability and grip.

• Price: TBA
• 0-60 time: 7.5 secs (V8)
• MPG / LPG: 12/17 mpg (city/highway)

83 The AskMen Take

78 Performance

87 Design

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