What to Pack for a Trip to Cote d'Azur

I am exciting to be jetting off to the South of France to hopefully enjoy some sunny days on the riviera. The Cote d'Azur is one of my favorite places in the world as it just exudes natural beauty and truly is how Slim Aaron's depicted it in his series of photographs.

It will be an exciting to be on the riviera with the 68th Festival du Cannes commencing, however, it is also a tricky time in terms of packing. The spring season will call for more than just shorts, sunglasses, and t-shirts as the temperatures will remain mild during the day and cool in the evening.

I am one for which packing is always a dreaded task despite traveling frequently. I recently took a trip to Paris, however, the Cote d'Azur calls for a much more vibrant color palette, one to match the azur blue waters of the Mediterranean. Below are my suggestions for stylish trip to the South of France.

Sandals: Ralph Lauren // Sunglasses: Armani // Wallet: Goyard // Trunks: Lilly Pulitzer & Ralph Lauren (similar) // T-Shirt: Hanes

If you are like me, the main appeal of going to the coast will be spending days lounging on the beach, at a beach lounge, or soaking up the sun in your favorite spot. With that being said, I recommend packing daywear that centers around statement swimwear (read my recent love for statement swimwear). Great swim trunks will be perfect for the beach, but when paired with a simple white v-neck and sandals, these trunks are the basis of a great casual outfit perfect for going from beach to cafe in town. 

Shirt: Ralph Lauren // Sunglasses: Saint Laurent // Bracelet: Miansai // Cargos: Ralph Lauren (similar) // Sandals: Ralph Lauren

When transitioning for the beach & day to evening, I selected pieces that were colorful and light. Since temperatures are slightly cooler at night, I recommend light weight chinos and cargo pants for a more modern look. Pair bright hues with white for a simple, classic look. Accessorize with great sunglasses, eyewear, and a bracelet. Be sure to pack pants that match a myriad of your tops, allowing you to pack less and save room in your suitcase for anything you might pick up during your visit. 

Men's Spring Hairstyles from American Crew Expert

Everyone is refreshing everything with the spring season. From fresh wardrobes to new decor in the home, it is the new of year for new. I asked Patti Davenport, an American Crew All-Star Educator, what the top spring hairstyles are for men. In addition to her role as an educator for the go-to for men's grooming, Patti serves as the director of shaving and skincare at Groom for Men in Milwaukee, WI. Below are her picks for the top looks for short, medium, and long hair this season as well as tips on how to achieve them.


"Right now the classics are king, regardless of length. We are seeing men from all walks of life parting, combing and taking the utmost care in grooming today. The shapes and styles of our grandfathers’ era are definitely trending right now." 

For your shorter lengths think 'high and tight with a Don Draper twist,' meaning we are seeing fully exposed sides with either comparable length on top or extremely long pomps on top. Style with our medium to high shine puck products to achieve a variety of sheen options. My personal favorite on blondes and dark hair colors is American Crew Grooming Cream. This product will ensure the look lasts all day, reflects tons of light and holds regardless of humidity! For the guys with that longer disconnected pomp, a favorite is American Crew Alternator. It can be used as a finisher to hold it all together while keeping hair touchable.

Medium lengths are definitely still 'Don Draper-esqe.' This shape is the classic contour, a taper hugging the lower neckline and then “comb-able” lengths throughout. The key with this style is showing the comb lines, so keeping it very clean and academic and styled just right with the use of a pocket comb and NEW American Crew Liquid Wax. The best part about Liquid Wax is the ability to style with your comb right out of the shower, then let it air dry and it is complete! Holds all day, and if your client wants to take it from classic to more casual, he just needs to run his fingers through his hair to get a more lived-in texture.

For longer lengths.... shall I dare say man buns?! This is a definite phenomenon we are seeing especially when the 'undercuts' are growing into longer lengths on the top of the head. If this is your style, American Crew Alternator is king here! It holds all the hairs in place but also gives some texture to the surface of the hair so it is not so slippery when putting into a top knot. If your client is going for the Jared Leto look, spray in American Crew Alternator when damp, rake fingers through and let air dry.”

Grooming with American Crew

Grooming for men is always a relevant topic, especially with the myriad of products on the market. I admit, that sometimes I may not care as much as I should regarding products and procedures for grooming, however, with the impending cold winter weather, it is an important time of the year to incorporate good skincare into your daily routine. 

I am excited to be incorporating new products from American Crew into my grooming regiment. American Crew is known for its commitment to men's grooming and is founded upon the desire to meet the needs of men who care about their appearance and style, especially in salons which have replaced the traditional men's barber shop. From shaving supplies to hair styling products, American Crew has a great selection of grooming products. 

I wanted to focus on improving my shaving regimen. This is where a selection of American Crew products came into play. Three products have elevated my routine for a better experience and are leaving my skin ready to head into the cold winter ahead:

Ultra Gliding Shave Oil- This non-greasy solution acts as a cushion for the skin for a close, effortless shave. This is perfect for those of us who find ourselves in a hurry more often than not as it acts as shield against nicks, cuts, and ingrown hairs. I use the product as prep under my moisturizing shave cream.

Moisturizing Shave Cream- A good shave cream is essential. American Crew's cream features powerful antioxidants that protect and moisturize the skin. I found the cream to be pleasant against my skin and allowed the razor to slide smoothly over the skin.

Post-Shave Cooling Lotion- This is the step that I have always highly neglected, however, I have come to realize the importance of post-shave treatment. This step is crucial in reducing any irritation that may have been caused by soothing the skin and replacing moisture. The post-shave cooling lotion is refreshing on the skin from the mixture of key ingredients such as tea tree oil, pumpkin seed extract, and elder flower extracts. 

What is your normal shaving routine? Do you have any tips? If you are looking to elevate your shaving routine I highly recommend the line offered by American Crew. 

All opinions expressed are my own

Holiday Gift Selections For Men

Buying gifts for men can be very hard sometimes. The go-to options are always a tie, tech gadget, and maybe cufflinks. Below, I have curated some of my top picks for gifts that cover everything from the traditional to the very stylish man. With a week less of shopping between Thanksgiving and the Christmas holiday, it is time to start thinking about gifts! Links for products can be found in the blurb below. 

1. Ralph Lauren Cashmere Throw- A nice throw is perfect for the bachelor in an apartment or dad's mountain house. You can never go wrong with the comfort of cashmere and this classic from Ralph Lauren. Available in an array of colors with monogramming available as well.

2. Beau Ties Bow Ties- A bow tie should be in every gentleman's closet. I am loving the very preppy choices available from Beau Ties. Discovering smaller, local brands is always fun, and this company is no exception. All ties are handmade in Vermont!

3. Personalized Wine Bucket- Personalization always adds a special touch, and this wine bucket is no exception. Great for holiday parties and summer entertaining on the deck or terrace. Available from Red Envelope Gifts

4. Balmain HighTop Sneakers- Sneakers and High Top sneakers have made a big come back in men's fashion. This pair is sure to impress any fashionable guy on your list. The famous french house of Balmain makes some great pairs of shoes!

5. Randolph Engineering Limited Edition Aviators- This limited edition pair (100 available worldwide) will be available for purchase starting December 1st. I love the quality and great optics of Randolph aviators, and this pair is even more special. It features platinum coating and lizard wrapped temples. 

6. UNTICKit & RumbaTime Gift Set- Men's shirting brand UNTUCKit and watch brand RumbaTime are teaming up to offer a special gift set. A select combination of shirts and timepieces will be available for purchase for $150 from the UNTUCKit website. I love the UNTUCKit shirts, and this deal makes it even more appealing! 

If you are looking for even more holiday gift ideas, check out the array of curated gifts at Skimbaco Lifestyle selected by my colleagues and myself. 

Philip Stein Launches New Watches For Women

We all know that I love a good timepiece. This time, the focus is on watches for women from the innovative brand Philip Stein. The lifestyle brand which incorporates wellbeing technology into their timepieces is launching a new holiday collection with pieces starting at $575 in both single and dual timezone models. 

Updates include the signature logo in the number 8 position on the dial and hints of rose gold throughout. The Signature and Prestige lines will be showcased with diamond accented dials and come with colorful straps in both leather and alligator. The Prestige will feature a white or black strap while the Signature collection introduces purples and greys.

The model above features the signature dual zone time displays, a trait for which Philip Stein is known. Rose gold accents throughout compliment the metallic white ostrich strap.

I love the color of the new purple being introduced. This model also features 52 diamonds around the bezel for a total weight of .78ctw completed with the Italian leather strap.

As always, both models include the revolutionary Natural Frequency Technology. This technology, similar to an antenna, channels natural frequencies towards the body for healthy living. 

I think these new models would make perfect gifts for the lady that loves watches as we (yes, already) approach the holiday season.  

Photos: Rubenstein PR

Men's Lifestyle Product Giveaway with Skimbaco Man

I am very happy to be celebrating 5 months of official Skimbaco Man at Skimbaco Lifestyle. My weekly column Monsieur Curations, sophisticated and trendy fashion and lifestyle tips curated for men, has been hugely successful and we have been delighted to welcome so many new gentleman readers to our online magazine, and offer a man's point of view for the ladies as well.

Who is a Skimbaco Man? 

Adventurous, but not frivolous. Successful, but not cocky. Knows trends, but follows his own style. World traveler, global thinker. Lives life to the fullest.

$450 Lifestyle Product Pack Giveaway

While we here might have a taste for luxury travel, expensive sports gear or imported spirits, there is still one thing for sure: we all have our secrets how to also save money so we can afford the finer things in life. One of those things for men can be daily grooming and getting shaving accessories that are good quality but don't cost much, like the new AXE Face+Shave collection only available at Walmart. AXE teamed up with Philips Norelco and Schick to create a line of everyday face + shave products and our eyes are on Wes who will put these products in test.

 YOU have a chance to win an AXE Face+Shave products and to make it even sweeter prize, we added a Nikon digital camera and a Garmin GPS - perfect for the man on the go! Ladies, if you enter to win for the man in your life (and keep the camera!), it's fine with me! It's quite simple to enter, visit the AXE Face+Shave page at walmart.com and check out the facial profile tool, and come back and comment which look did you get, and ladies, you can answer which look is the most appealing to you. Well, not for you, but for the man in your life! More ways to win and detailed instructions in the Rafflecopter widget. a Rafflecopter giveaway The entire prize pack includes close to $450 worth of lifestyle products for men: Axe Philips Norelco Shave & Groom Kit $49.97 Axe Philips Norelco Detail Styler $17.97 Axe Philips Norelco Stubble Trimmer $34.97 Axe Philips Norelco Bodygroomer $34.97 Axe Schick Power Razor Kit $8.97 Axe Chilled Cooling Face Hydrator & Post-Shave Gel $6.78 Axe Shield Sensitive Shave Gel $3.78 Axe Philips Norelco Shave & Groom Styler Head $19.97 Nikon COOLPIX S6300 16MP w/ 10x Optical Zoom Digital Camera Value Bundle with 4GB SD Card and Case $139 Garmin nuvi 50LM 5" Portable GPS w/Lifetime map updates $127.99

Giveaway rules & terms

This contest runs from March 22nd 2013 to April 12th, 2013. This giveaway is hosted at Skimbaco Lifestyle, Life Through Preppy Glasses and Hines Sight Blog. At the end of the contest one winner will be randomly drawn to win a the entire AXE Face+Shave prize pack. Entry is open to anyone over 18 years old in the USA. Unfortunately this prize can only be shipped within the USA. Upon drawing the winner, the winner will be contacted via e-mail. The winner has 48 hours to reply to claim their prize. If the winner does not reply within that time frame a new winner will be drawn. To enter the contest you must use the Rafflecopter options listed and verify your submission via Rafflecopter. The winner's entry method will be verified before being contacted. Failure to complete the entry option will result in being disqualified. This giveaway is solely sponsored by Lunchbox and Skimbaco Lifestyle and has not been endorsed or approved by AXE or its subsidiaries or affiliates. By entering, you agree to look solely to Lunchbox and Skimbaco Lifestyle for any claims in connections therewith, and not to AXE or its subsidiaries or affiliates.

A Lifestyle

Embodying a preppy style really is a lifestyle. Here's a few pictures that represent this lifestyle for me. Pinterest is filled with great images of the preppy way- take a glimpse at the preppy way of life.

Source: nantucketyouth.tumblr.com via Life Through Preppy Glasses on Pinterest

Source: nantucketyouth.tumblr.com via Life Through Preppy Glasses on Pinterest

Source: prepfection.tumblr.com via Life Through Preppy Glasses on Pinterest

Source: nantucketyouth.tumblr.com via Life Through Preppy Glasses on Pinterest

Source: nantucketyouth.tumblr.com via Life Through Preppy Glasses on Pinterest

Source: nantucketyouth.tumblr.com via Life Through Preppy Glasses on Pinterest

Im linking up with Flip Flops & Pearls and The Vintage Apple