Being picked as a ‘Best Man’ is a huge compliment- you have been selected by your friend as the best man for the job, to be his side kick- his number 2 during the run up to the biggest day of his life- No pressure then?

With the role comes a number of responsibilities, but we feel delivering a first class stag party is definitely a priority.

Here are Stag Weekend experts- The Stag Company’s guide to organising a first class stag do:

Be Organised

When planning a stag do it is essential to be really organised. Give yourself plenty of time to arrange it, if planning a weekend abroad remember that the earlier you book flights the better the discount you will receive. The more organised you are the better, it will save you a lot of stress if you contact a stag weekend organiser, they can advise you on where and what to do and also guarantee that your group will get into the bars and clubs, it is quite common for all male groups to be turned away.
Communication is Key

It is vital to communicate. Initially when you are asked to be best man, remember to ask a few important questions: what sort of stag do would he like, who would he like to invite, when he wants to do it? Once you have got all of the details that you need you can then start the planning. Throughout the planning it is essential to communicate with everyone, keeping everyone updated avoids conflict and problems occurring.

Set a budget

Once you have discussed the stag do with your friend, decide on an action plan- starting with a realistic budget, will the stag do be in the UK or abroad? If its a stag do abroad it will be slightly more expensive due to flights but dependent on where you go it could be cheaper to go out.

Get a guest list

The next stage is to get the guest list sorted, make sure you have everyone’s contact details so that you can get in touch and find out definite numbers.

Pick a Date

Pick a date for the stag do, I would suggest picking one that isn’t too close to the wedding. The average stag weekend usually takes place about 1 month to 3 weeks before the big day- this enables the groom to be free for any last minute wedding tasks.

Pick a Venue or Destination

There is a huge choice of places to go to in the UK and abroad. Pick a place that isn’t too hard to get to, if you decide to do it abroad, it is important to select somewhere that you can get to with minimum fuss, so make sure you can fly there from most airports, this will ensure that travel time is kept to a minimum. Alternatively there are some great party cities in the UK: Newcastle, Bournemouth, Manchester, Brighton & Edinburgh Stag Dos are all really popular.

Pick a Daytime Activity

Picking an activity to do in the day is a great way to get the group to mix. Stag weekends usually consist of a number of different friendship circles- work, uni, family etc and everyone will not necessarily know each other, a fun activity can definitely break the ice. Some popular activities include: Paintballing, Go karting, rally driving, the dogs and quad bikes to name a few.

Pick a Night time Activity

The fun part- picking what to do in the evening. There are lots of things you can do in the evening, what you decide to do will depend on what the groom likes to do on a night out and also who will be attending. Some activities that The Stag Company offer are:
Casino
Bar crawl
Comedy Club
Lap dancing club

Travel

Once the destination and activities are confirmed, its a good idea to let everyone know the travel options- flights or train times etc. Group travel bookings need to be made in advance.
 
Payment

Dependent on whether you are planning a stag weekend independently or have the assistance of a company, the money side of things can be a bit of a headache. The best thing to do is be really organised and make a note of how much everything costs and who has paid, if you would prefer for the payment side to be taken care of The Stag Company offer a great
online payment scheme which enables you to pay for the weekend in instalments- this saves a lot of time and stress chasing people for money.

Stitch the Stag Up

All that is left now that you have everything covered is to pick a fancy dress costume for the stag, this is a great way to stitch your best pal up. There are some hilarious outfits, a pick of the best are: Borat mankini, big baby, pimp, gimp and oompa loompa.

To speak to the stag party experts contact: The Stag Company 01273 225 070 www.thestagcompany.com

Whether it’s a first kiss, your support crew or a private smile, we are looking for the photos that truly capture the moment.

Email your photo along with a short description of your defining moment to yourmoments@moss.co.uk. Entries close 31 December 2012.

Terms and conditions
Entries close 31 December 2012. By submitting images, applicants thereby confirm that they have the consent of those photographed as well as the photographer to reproduce and circulate the images enclosed therewith. Images must feature products procured at Moss, Moss Bros, Moss Bespoke or Savoy Taylors Guild. Winners will be notified by email within 28 days of closing date. winning image(s) will receive £500 worth of travel vouchers.

You might have seen the collar pin make an appearance in the TV series ‘Mad Men’. They came to life in the 20’s when it was fashionable to have a pinned down collar rather than a stiff classic collar like today, but now the collar pin is making a strong come back in the world of men’s fashion.

The good thing about a collar pin is that whether you’re going for a classic or contemporary look then it will fit in perfectly with your outfit.

The pin is placed through two small holes in the collar and sits underneath your tie. This gives the tie more of a lift giving it a neater look and much better shape.

If you’re going to brave the collar pin then we’d suggest a narrower bladed tie to sit on top preferably fastened with a half Windsor knot

Moss Bros is pleased to announce the launch of his new hirewear collection with Ted Baker. Next Spring, having worked together for many years, Ted will be offering his hirewear in all Moss Bros stores, beginning with morningwear. Tails of the unexpecTED is a classic morning suit with a contemporary twist is inspired by Ted’s very own tailcoat. Incorporating a vibrant peacock feather lining exclusive to Moss bros, this new addition to Ted’s formalwear family is perfect for the groom, groomsmen or racing party.

Always one for the attention to detail Ted has created accessories to add a special touch to your perfect ensemble. These are available in a variety of crisp colours to complement any occasion.

For those who like to spread their tail feathers and stand out from the crowd, Ted’s morningsuit is perfect to ensure your special occasion is a memorable and fashionable one.

This season the heritage look is a key trend, everywhere you look you’ll see textured blazers, elbow patches, geoprint shirts, paisley ties & bow ties with matching pocket squares and the odd striped tie. Don’t think that just because you don’t live in the country side and milk the cows every morning that you can’t sport a checked jacket, it’s purely a myth that they are for the country folk! We have taken it upon ourselves to give you the real (and smarter) heritage look for this winter.

Blazers can be a versatile garment in your wardrobe, you can pair them with jeans, chinos or formal trousers but you must have the right shoes on, we recommend a wedged brogue with these blazers, classic yet contemporary and most importantly extremely stylish. All our new Ventuno21 heritage blazers come in a slim fit and prices start from £89. We’ve introduced a mixture of 3, 2 and 1 button blazers. Don’t be afraid to wear a 3 button blazer they are on trend at the moment but remember to only do up the top 2 buttons.

Remember that it’s all about the finer details, adding a tie or bow tie can turn your look from a dressed down formal look to a stylish well presented heritage masterpiece. Our new Ventuno21 heritage ties come in a mixture of geoprints, stripes and paisley prints, of course they are all 100% silk to give you that extra quality.

We are proud to announce we have won the Perfect Weddings Award for Best Groomswear 2012. This is the second year running we have won! Bring on 2013. We’d like to thank you all for your continuing support!

Moss Bros Group, the UK’s number 1 destination for men’s suiting are launching a new, premium range for AW12 under the ‘Moss 1851’ label. Celebrating 161 years of British heritage, the collection is split into two categories, namely Moss 1851 and Moss 1851 British Cloth to encompass suits, jackets and coats.

The Moss 1851 collection sources cloths from the choice international mills to create a range of suits that embody the essence of traditional British elegance. The block has been developed by taking the best in class attributes and styling from the company archives and contrasting them with bright linings for an injection of newness that defines a signature detail of the collection. Super fine suit fabrics come in birds eye, sharkskin and herringbone weaves with prices starting at an affordable £249.

The Moss 1851 British Cloth collection uses only the finest fabrics woven and finished in Britain’s top cloth mills. The core cloths for AW12 include a Prince of Wales check, herringbone and classic cable stripe and prices start from an extremely modest £349. Built on our 161 year history, this collection distils the essence of functional yet refined British tailoring where attention to detail is paramount. Using a refined contemporary block, the Moss 1851 British Cloth collection is styled with intricate and time honoured processes that are synonymous with British heritage. Apart from the luxurious Super 120’s cloths and a horse hair half canvas construction, each two piece suit features rope sleeve heads, hand finished collar tabs, elegantly slanted pockets and hidden flower loop under the lapel. The interior boasts piano facing on the lining with contrasting cloth jets and pocket envelopes for security.

An equal amount of effort has gone in to the trousers. Using a slimmer block, these trousers have been designed to give the utmost in comfort and style to the wearer. Sporting a discrete coin pocket on the hip as well as side adjusters to the exterior and brace buttons to the waistband interior – bunched waistbands are a thing of the past.

Due to land in stores in September 2012, The Moss 1851 and Moss 1851 British Cloth collections are exclusively available in stores where the Moss Bespoke service is available.

Some of our new formal shirts have finally landed for your viewing pleasure. Whether you’re checked, plain or striped (or all 3) we have a style fit for you and we know you’re going to love them.

We are pleased to announce a new addition to the shirt family, the Blazer Performance Shirts! With huge success among Moss fans the Blazer Performance range has a new lease of life in the form of Performance shirts. Ideal for the working man these shirts have been designed for long lasting use. These formal shirts have been crafted as ultimate performance shirts, they’ve been woven from a special 100% non iron cotton fabric for the ultimate non iron performance, the fit of the shirts is tailored with tapered seams. They are ideal for dressing up in the office and dressing down at night.

The new Savoy Taylors Guild shirts remain in a regular classic fit with a double cuff and a choice of spread or regular collar. The shirt designs stay true to STG’s long standing heritage with check, striped or plain colour; they of course purvey the highest of quality being 100% luxury cotton.

Our new Calvin Klein shirts have also arrived, being successful with our customers last season we have decided to extend the range, the designs of the shirts have also been adjusted to more of a contemporary feel we now have rope stripes, micro checks and self stripes. The quality remains the same at 100% cotton, one major change to the shirts is that they are now ‘easy iron’ meaning less time for you (or the wife) in front of the ironing board on a Sunday night.

As well as dressing Arthur Williams & Ade Adepitan for the Paralympics we also had one of our own staff members helping out with the smooth running of the games! Read his account of the experience below!

I work in the Bradford store 044, and just came back from volunteering at the Paralympic Games.

It was such an amazing, unforgettable experience, one that will remain with me forever.

Many thanks must go to my store manager, Hanif Khan and the rest of the team, who have supported me whenever I’ve needed time off to attend volunteer training sessions. I really couldn’t have done it without his and their help.

I loved walking through the sun soaked Olympic park every day, helping groups of families take that special photo with them altogether, as well as getting a few of the park myself, and feeling the whole atmosphere.

The park itself was huge, and it took half an hour to get from the Stratford Gate entrance, to my venue of Eton Manor, which was hosting the Wheelchair Tennis. It wasn’t the first time that I had been there, I had helped on the test event held during a cold and wet May this year, and the difference in the weather was commented on by everyone else who had been there for the test event. The phrase “Umbrella’s aren’t just for rain” was widely used, as were the umbrellas that were provided for us as part of our uniform, to get some shade while on duty.

I met Paralympics GB’s Peter Norfolk and the rest of the team on the practice courts on the 1st day, and got to see some fantastic, gripping Tennis.

Highlight of my week in terms of volunteer duty came on the second day of play (Sunday), monitoring the crowds on centre court. This was great, as I got to watch GB’s Marc McCarroll and his doubles partner Gordon Reid comfortably dispatch their Canadian opponents 6-3, 6-1, despite some vocal Canadian support. Then, just as the sun was going down, and most of the crowds had gone home, was the last match of the day, an epic 3 set thriller between USA and Brazil in the men’s doubles, first it looked like being an easy win for the Americans, taking the first set 6-1, but the boys from Brazil were not finished, taking the second set 6-3. The third set then produced a moment of unplanned genius when it was punctuated by a floodlight failure, and was suddenly accompanied by the song “I’ve got the power”, playing over the tannoy systems, the remaining crowd responding with huge cheers and claps, at the irony of the music. Tired and exhausted, Brazil finally took this roller coaster third set 7-6, with the very last tie-break point of the match. With no TV crews set up until the next day that memory will only be with those of us who were there.

A small farewell gathering was held on the penultimate night, a chance to swap phone numbers and email addresses with friends we’d made, and get a picture with the Paralympic relay torch, that had been brought over for the occasion.

On the last day I managed to grab a moment with Netherland’s Marjolein Buis, one of the Ladies Doubles gold medallists, and touch the gold medal she won with Esther Vergeer only hours earlier.

We finished the last night forming a long chain of volunteers waiting the to “High-5” people as they were leaving the venue, wishing them a safe journey home and thanking them for coming.

Moments like these are rare in life, and I’m glad I have been able to be part of such a successful and memorable Paralympic Games.

Here’s to 2014 and the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow

Recently our new Ventuno 21 men’s suit range has landed in store and online. Among this amazingly fresh collection of contemporary tailoring is a burgundy slim fit heritage suit, ideal for weddings, the office, impressing at meetings and special occasions, it really is the universal suit.

You might be thinking what makes this suit so special? Well firstly the geoprint lining is one like no other, we’ve not seen anybody use this lining before, secondly the printed hanky that you see in the top breast pocket matches the lining but not only that, its stitched into the pocket so you can pull it out when necessary and tuck it in when it doesn’t match the tie you want to wear. If it were us wearing it then we’d always expose the hanky, it’s so on trend at the moment.

You can pair this suit with many a shirt and tie/bowtie combination, you can even wear it with an open collar and flaunt the hanky to give you a cutting edge.

The jacket can also be worn with jeans and a tshirt or polo shirt for the weekend look too.