CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN

Have you sorted your summer holiday yet? Maybe it’s a sun-soaked party escape filled with late nights and poolside recovery days. Perhaps it’s a chic city break spent lounging beside the rooftop pool of the latest boutique hotel. Or maybe it’s a more relaxed family getaway where the only real ambition is catching up on sleep while the kids disappear into holiday club chaos.

Whatever your version of summer looks like, one thing remains essential — the right swimwear.

British lifestyle label Boardies has built its reputation around exactly that. Designed for those who want to move effortlessly from pool to bar and back again, the brand captures the carefree energy of summer dressing with a collection that feels equal parts playful, confident and functional.

Taking heavy inspiration from the unapologetic spirit of 90s party culture, Boardies embraces vibrant colour palettes, bold abstract prints and subtle nods to the legendary Ibiza club scene. There’s an unmistakable sense of escapism running throughout the collection — clothing designed not simply for holidays, but for the experiences and memories that come with them.

What makes the brand feel particularly authentic is its connection to real lifestyles and real people. Rather than relying on polished fashion stereotypes, Boardies has consistently aligned itself with genuine communities and personalities. The models featured in its Ibiza campaigns, for example, are people who actually live and work on the island — DJs, promoters, creatives and lifelong partygoers who naturally embody the spirit of the brand.

Founded in 2015 by Nicholas Crook, the label was built around a philosophy of creativity, travel and good times. While headquartered in London, the team draws inspiration globally, constantly exploring new destinations, cultures and visual influences in search of fresh patterns, colour combinations and design ideas.

That sense of exploration is reflected in the product itself. Boardies’ exclusive in-house prints are designed to stand out without feeling forced, while the use of lightweight, quick-dry fabrics ensures practicality sits alongside the visual appeal. The collection is available in three different lengths — Shortie, Mid and Long — across a wide range of colours and patterns, allowing wearers to find a fit and style that matches their own personality.

Collaboration also plays an important role within the brand’s identity. Boardies regularly works alongside artists and creatives who share similar values and aesthetics, helping the collections maintain an organic and individual feel rather than following predictable seasonal trends.

What ultimately sets Boardies apart is its understanding that modern holiday dressing is no longer just about functionality. Swimwear has become part of a wider lifestyle aesthetic — clothing that needs to work across beach clubs, rooftop bars, pool parties and spontaneous summer moments. Boardies captures that balance effortlessly, creating pieces that feel relaxed, expressive and unmistakably optimistic.

Because sometimes the best summer memories begin with a great pair of shorts.

Children are not born afraid of spiders, social situations, darkness, failure or public speaking. In fact, experts suggest babies arrive in the world with only two innate fears: falling and loud noises. Almost everything else is learned.

Which is perhaps why the way parents respond to childhood fear matters far more than many realise.

By the age of two or three, new anxieties naturally begin to emerge. Monsters under the bed. Fear of dogs. Reluctance around school. Separation anxiety. Fear of water, injections or unfamiliar places. For most children, these worries pass with reassurance, experience and time.

But according to Harley Street phobia specialist Christopher Paul Jones (pictured above) , problems begin when the nervous system starts linking fear with avoidance rather than resolution.

And that, he argues, is the moment many parents unintentionally make things worse.

When Fear Stops Being Temporary

Modern parenting often places enormous emphasis on protection. Naturally so. Yet in attempting to shield children from distress, many adults accidentally reinforce the very fears they hope to remove.

If a child becomes frightened and immediately avoids the situation, the brain receives a powerful message: this danger is real.

Repeated enough times, a temporary fear can gradually evolve into something far more deeply embedded — a phobia capable of following someone well into adult life.

It is a process Christopher Paul Jones has spent more than two decades studying.

Having overcome his own debilitating fears, Jones developed what he calls The Integrated Change System™, an approach combining mainstream psychology with more modern behavioural and neurological techniques. His work has attracted an international client base reportedly including actors, models, musicians, presenters and public figures seeking help overcoming anxiety and phobias.

His central belief is refreshingly straightforward: fears are learned patterns, meaning they can also be unlearned.

The Parenting Mistakes That Quietly Reinforce Fear

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Jones’ work is his focus on what parents should not do.

Rewarding avoidance, overanalysing emotions, catastrophising language or repeatedly rescuing children from fearful situations may feel compassionate in the moment, but can unintentionally validate the fear itself.

Similarly, language matters enormously.

Parents often underestimate how phrases intended to comfort can actually amplify anxiety. Telling a child “Don’t worry” or “It’s scary but…” still subconsciously reinforces the existence of danger. Children, particularly younger ones, absorb emotional cues far more than logical explanations.

Jones instead advocates helping children understand and name emotions without becoming consumed by them.

The distinction is subtle but powerful.

Teaching Children To Move Through Fear — Not Around It

At the core of modern anxiety treatment is a relatively simple concept: confidence is built through experience, not avoidance.

That means gradually helping children work through uncomfortable situations in manageable ways, allowing the nervous system to learn that fear does not equal danger.

According to Jones, precision also matters. Parents often address fear too broadly instead of identifying the specific emotional trigger underneath it. Is the child afraid of dogs — or of unpredictability? Is it school itself — or fear of embarrassment, separation or failure?

Once the actual emotional mechanism becomes clearer, the fear often becomes far easier to dismantle.

This is where Jones believes many families reach what he describes as the “tipping point” — the stage where an ordinary childhood fear quietly begins evolving into a limiting long-term pattern.

Recognising that point early can make an enormous difference.

Why This Conversation Feels Particularly Relevant Right Now

There is a growing sense that modern children are experiencing heightened anxiety levels compared with previous generations. Social pressures, overstimulation, digital overload and post-pandemic emotional shifts have all contributed to increasingly complex emotional environments for young people.

Against that backdrop, conversations around resilience have become more nuanced.

Parents are no longer simply asking how to protect children from fear, but how to help them build healthy relationships with fear itself.

That distinction feels important.

Because ultimately, fear is not the enemy. It is a normal biological response designed to protect us. Problems only emerge when fear begins dictating behaviour, restricting opportunities or shrinking someone’s world.

And as Christopher Paul Jones repeatedly emphasises, the earlier unhealthy fear patterns are addressed, the less likely they are to define adulthood.

Beyond Childhood

What makes this subject particularly compelling is the long shadow unresolved childhood fears can cast.

Fear of embarrassment becomes social anxiety. Fear of failure becomes perfectionism. Fear of rejection becomes emotional withdrawal. What begins as a seemingly harmless childhood coping mechanism can quietly shape careers, relationships and self-esteem decades later.

Which is why helping children develop emotional flexibility may be one of the most valuable life skills parents can offer.

Not fearlessness.

But the ability to feel fear — and move forward anyway.

Christopher Paul Jones’ latest book, Face Your Fears, explores these ideas further, offering practical strategies for overcoming phobias and anxiety while reframing how we understand fear itself.

New research from Harry’s reveals that humour, football banter, memes and everyday check-ins have become an emotional shorthand for modern British men, highlighting a shift in how men express affection and maintain meaningful relationships.

To mark Father’s Day, the men’s personal care brand has partnered with comedian and actor Asim Chaudhry to launch The Feel Good Hotline, an interactive public installation designed to encourage men to reconnect through the small, everyday moments that often carry the greatest meaning.

The “Dial Up The Feel Good” campaign explores the subtle and often indirect ways men show they care, whether through sharing football scores, sending memes, making quick phone calls or simply checking in with a practical message.

New YouGov research commissioned by Harry’s among 2,000 UK men found that humour and everyday interactions play a significant role in emotional connection.

More than half (56%) of respondents said humour or banter makes emotional conversations easier, while 41% said sending a funny meme or video is their preferred way of saying “I’m thinking of you” without making the interaction feel overly serious.

Open-ended responses revealed that many men express care through casual, everyday communication rather than overtly emotional language. Messages such as “Did you see the result last night?”, “Fancy a pint?”, “Need anything from the shop?” and “Hope the back’s alright” were commonly cited as examples of how affection is often communicated in practice.

The findings also point to an evolving approach to emotional openness across generations. Seven in ten men (70%) said they are more likely than their father or father figure to ask their children how they are really feeling, while 67% said they are more likely to openly tell their children “I love you.”

Bringing the campaign to life, Harry’s and Asim Chaudhry have unveiled The Feel Good Hotline at Shoreditch’s iconic Great Eastern Art Wall. Running from 28th May to 7th June 2026, the large-scale mural and interactive telephone installation invites passers-by to pick up the phone and listen to messages, jokes and conversation prompts recorded by Chaudhry before leaving a voicemail for a father, father figure or someone they care about.

Whether sharing a football joke, a favourite memory or a simple “just checking in,” the experience has been intentionally designed to feel light-hearted, accessible and pressure-free, reflecting the natural ways many men communicate through humour, shared interests and everyday interactions.

The initiative also extends online through Feel Good Hotline, where visitors can access additional messages, stories and prompts aimed at encouraging meaningful conversations and helping people reconnect in ways that feel authentic to them.

The campaign arrives at a particularly significant moment for Chaudhry, who recently became a first-time father.

Commenting on the partnership, Asim Chaudhry said:

“Becoming a dad has definitely changed the way I think about connection and showing up for the people you care about. It’s made the whole idea behind this campaign feel really personal to me.

I think a lot of men feel like reaching out has to become some big serious conversation, when actually it’s often the small stuff that means the most.

That’s what I liked about The Feel Good Hotline. It takes the pressure off and makes checking in feel lighter, easier and more natural. Sometimes a two-minute phone call or a dumb joke genuinely can make someone’s day.”

As part of the campaign, Harry’s is also partnering with men’s mental fitness charity Talk Club, supporting the organisation through a donation that will help sustain four Talk Club groups for an entire year. The funding will create 2,080 opportunities for men to attend sessions, alongside more than 4,000 hours of conversation designed to help participants connect, feel heard and improve their mental fitness.

As the boundaries between tailoring and everyday dressing continue to blur, retailers are increasingly recognising the demand for wardrobes that move seamlessly between formal and casual settings. That shift sits firmly behind the latest launch from  Suit Direct, which has introduced an exclusive Ted Baker casualwear collection available both online and in stores nationwide.

Building on its established Ted Baker suiting offer, the new collection gives customers a more complete way to shop the brand, pairing refined tailoring with premium casual staples designed for modern everyday wear.

The range focuses on versatile essentials that comfortably bridge smart and relaxed dressing. Pieces include 100% cotton T-shirts, polo shirts, chinos, linen-rich Oxford shirts and lightweight outerwear, all designed to work alongside tailoring whilst remaining strong standalone wardrobe options in their own right.

The launch reflects a wider movement within menswear, where consumers are increasingly investing in pieces that offer flexibility across work, weekends and social occasions without sacrificing quality or polish. Smart-casual dressing continues to dominate the contemporary menswear landscape, and Suit Direct’s expanded Ted Baker offer feels well aligned with that demand.

“We are so excited to be introducing our new and exclusive Ted Baker Endurance casual range, which will sit alongside our tailored collections and give customers even more choice when it comes to style, comfort and wearability,” says Amanda Argent.

The collection forms part of the Ted Baker Endurance line, extending the same performance-led philosophy already seen within the retailer’s formalwear offer into more casual everyday pieces. Breathable fabrics, lighter constructions and improved fits feature throughout, helping create a collection that prioritises comfort without losing the sharper aesthetic associated with the Ted Baker name.

“The Ted Baker Endurance casualwear range gives customers pieces they can wear on their own or style with our Ted Baker suits,” explains Charlotte Murphy. “It’s a strong commercial offer that works for smarter occasions as well as relaxed everyday dressing.”

Attention to detail remains central throughout the collection, with signature branding and refined finishes helping elevate otherwise understated essentials. The result is a range that feels wearable and commercially accessible whilst maintaining a premium positioning.

The launch also signals a broader period of growth for Suit Direct as the retailer continues investing in its physical store portfolio and wider menswear offer. Following refurbishments across several key locations, alongside plans for further store openings throughout 2026, the introduction of the exclusive Ted Baker casualwear range strengthens the retailer’s position not only within occasion dressing and suiting, but increasingly within premium lifestyle menswear as well.

At a time when modern wardrobes are expected to work harder than ever, collections that balance versatility, comfort and contemporary styling are becoming increasingly important. Suit Direct’s latest move suggests the retailer understands exactly where the menswear market is heading.