NEW YEAR, NEW YOU
The best men’s gym kit for a stylish personal best
Photography – Nick Dunne
Retouching – Nicole Frost
Still life & props stylist – Charlotte Horwood
Words & Creative Direction – Tajinder Hayer
If you, like us, are doing dry January, reducing carbs and increasing protein (or even trying carb cycling which is a new obsession and constant source of joy), then you will be the same as millions who have decided to start the New Year with a new, maybe renewed attitude towards health and fitness. Whilst The Rakish Gent is perhaps not the best suited publication to preach on the benefits of a healthy mind and body, it is suited to giving you a few pointers as to how to nail your workout look.
APPAREL
We all know that there are brands like Adidas and Nike that have spent years perfecting clothes that are ideal for the gym. But there is a new kid on the bloke when it comes to fitness apparel. Rakish Gent Sporting Club has just launched a new kit that is designed to combine the science and engineering of sportwear with the athleisure boom in the fashion world. Whether you are working out at home, in the great outdoors or in a gym, you want something that is sweat wicking (which will help get rid of any moisture when you sweat and dry as fast as possible). The T-shirt from Rakish Gent Sporting Club is made from a Neoteric™ textured fabric with inherent wickability as well as UPF 30+ UV protection. Basically you can sweat at maximum effort and still look great. The (new and rather swish) logo in white looks rather stylish against a French Navy base.
For bottoms, we highly recommend shorts. Made from the same fabric, and in the same colourway as the T-shirt, the Rakish Gent Sporting Club gym shorts also boast a micro mesh lining, making them incredibly comfortable as well as functional. With an elasticated waistband with drawcord and internal key pocket and two side pockets, and in an ideal mid-length for training or running, they are really designed to be all you need to get to the gym and back. Designed to be a little loose, they are primed for freedom of movement, so an optimal choice for any cardio-focused workouts.
Pictured: Rakish Gent Sporting Club baseball cap
Baseball cap
Question – What do you do when you really want to get to the gym and get a workout in before work, but your hair looks a mess, time is short and its utterly pointless washing and styling your hair only for you to sweat?
Answer – the Rakish Gent Sporting Club baseball cap. The holy grail of baseball caps that took months of work to perfect, it is the perfect accompaniment to your already stylish gym kit. In the same shade of French Navy, the cap is made from 100% thick brushed cotton which will keep your valuable tresses feeling lovely, and has a side adjustor with metal buckle. It also has a thick, super luxurious Rakish logo in white. Like all good ath-leisure wear, it looks just as good outside of the gym as it does whilst squatting/ deadlifting/ achieving a personal best on your chest press.
Gym bag (and what you should have in it)
At The Rakish Gent we have had our fair share of gym bags over the years. For our money, the Commuter from luxury brand Bennett Winch is the best of the best. Yes it is expensive, but it makes sense to invest in something that you will likely use daily, especially if you are travelling between the gym, office and anywhere else. Our favourite of the Commuter model is the Storm Grey in Italian suede. Fully waterproof, with a removable internal wet pouch and fully padded laptop sleeve eliminating the chaos of a short trip, the commuter is held fast when on the move with veg tanned Tuscan leather handles, solid brass British-cast hardware and a clip-on shoulder strap. It also has a concealed external passport or phone packet and a detachable, fully waterproof shoe/ gym gear pocket.
Now you’ve got the beautiful bag, and the lovely Navy gym kit, what else should have in your bag to be the envy of the changing rooms? Never Go Alone offer the best of the best when it comes to hand wipes. They act as a sanitiser, skincare treatment and subtle unisex fragrance in one. Packed with ingredients to leave your hands nourished after lifting free weights, they are made of biodegradable wood pulp and safe for skin or surfaces. Of course you should never leave home without deodorant. If you want your armpits to smell of lemon and sweet orange (and we do), opt for Acqua di Parma’s Colonia deodorant stick which is long-lasting and brings an immediate sense of freshness, which will surely be much needed post-sweat session.
The tech
Anyone how is anyone knows that in-earbuds are not the one. Noise cancelling, over ear headphones (which also look great over a baseball cap - just sayin’) are the only way to go. Gyms are super loud, and full of people grunting. We don’t want to hear that. We only want to hear our Rakish Gent Sporting Club playlist and to do that we need Master & Dynamic MW75 active noise-cancelling wireless headphones. They have some fancy tech stuff called adaptive active noise cancellation which automatically adjusts the level of noise cancellation to match your surroundings, leaving behind nothing but the sound that you want. They’d also be great if you are working out at home and want to drown out the noise of the street when you are doing a spot of yoga. Vuori are one of the best lifestyle brands that we have come across in recent years, and they have an unparalleled range of yoga accessories that are both stylish and comfortable including the yoga mat, yoga block and yoga straps, that make all of the difference.
The watch
The pièce de resistance of your all new, all stylish gym kit has to be a stunning wristwatch. They do not come more stunning from lauded French fashion house Hermès. The H08 model is a chic and sport classic from the brand that was recently reimagined in high-tech material and bright colours.
The smooth & lightweight cushion-shaped case, contemporary design elements, grainy textured dial and rubber straps make it perfect for the athletic gent. A spectacular designed watch that makes a real statement and will be envy of all others in the gym.
Pictured: Hermes H08 timepiece,
Everything else
Any avid runners out there will know the benefits of running with New Balance. The 574 shoe was designed to hybrid road/ trail design and hits the mark with its durable, comfortable and uncomplicated style that has made it a closet staple. Again, it’ll look just as good at the gym as it would at brunch afterwards. A skipping rope is a great way to burn calories or have a warm up. We opted for a Casall, which is a more environmentally friendly than the norm option, made from natural wood for a comfortable grip and a rope made of genuine leather.
Finally, supplements are the final step to give your New Year, New You fitness the boost that may have been previously lacking. Some years ago, skincare specialists The Grey developed a range for daily use. The nutritional supplements are an essential step to achieve a healthy body and beautiful skin. Supporting your skin from the inside out will support active ingredient intake from the outside. The Daily Vitamin Intake contains a mix of 6 supplements designed to support optimum health and beautifully glowing skin. The daily packs contain Collagen & Hyaluronic Acid for skin support, as well as a powerful blend of antioxidants including Resveratrol, Grape Seed, Green Tea & Alpha Lipoic acid and Vitamin D for muscle support.