Tattoos

Look around, you may not know it but the people you can see are likely to have tattoos. Somehow tattoos have become the norm in today's society and not left solely to adorn the arm of a gypsy boxer or naval seaman. They are easily concealable, but damn telling; when you look at someone's 'tat' you can tell alot about them. Lets have a quick go below:

 

Classic Tramp

Drug Addict

Someone you don't want to meet in an alleyway

So as you can see, not only are tattoos common, but getting the right design is something you must ensure. The last thing that we here at TTC want to give off is a trampy drug riddled persona that doesn't reflect our trendy ways. Therefore before this night could go ahead, there was significant planning and research into what the current celebs are inking their bodies with.

The first place to look was on the body of a below average basketball player, but more importantly a fiendish tattoo collector; Chris Andersen. You'll be very impressed at his life choices when you look at the picture below. 

This man is richer than we'll ever be

I think we'd call him an inspiration, there must be some tattoo on this body that we could copy?

Kanji symbols seem to be on everybody and we can see why; small and subtle when needing to attend the job interviews of the 21st Century, yet profound and meaningful if you happen to tell someone what it says in English (drum is particularly erudite).

Get this on your chin and you're set

Tribal designs weren't so high on our list of trendy tats so they were out. Animals seemed to be a big theme. Rita Ora, one of Trend The Consequences fashion favourites, has a pooping bird on her neck. This was all the guidance we needed.

Some sort of shape below the ear as well

James was very keen to get involved in the Koi Carp scene, luckily for him this is something that has been sported by one of today's most credible stars. Armed with this knowledge, a suitably awesome koi was needed and the internet certainly delivered.

Yes please

I, on the other hand, was particularly fond of a manly horse.

A Majestic Beast

The dilemma was how to get the tattoos onto our bodies for the night out, and then be able to remove them the day after ready for work, as we wouldn't want to alienate our un-tattooed co-workers. Unfortunately I am not man enough to get a bunch of real tattoos, only to have them lasered off the following day.

So the solution was found from Amazon: printable tattoos! They arrived the day of the night out, and without time to test the transfers on our skin, we dived into the deep end and went for it, regardless of the rash-riddled consequences. We decided to meet at James' flat for 19:30 to print and apply the tattoos before heading into town, giving us around an hour and a half to do the job. Unfortunately I got caught up doing stuff in the flat and turned up 15mins late, only to chill out on the sofa with a gin and juice as we thought we had plenty of time. Oh how we were wrong. The printing went fine, however I could not peel the damn tattoos from the backing paper. The job was fiddly, and every time I got the images off I managed to tear the paper. We had visions of tattoo sleeves made up of koi, horses, vampires and trees. However the more tattoos I tore up, the more this dream faded away.

Eventually managing to get a couple of the tattoos to stick (taking about an hour and a half) we called it a day and got ourselves to the Gatekeeper to meet some of our friends. When entering the pub, something happened that had never occurred before. The doorman gave as a double take and looked us up and down in a shifty "don't cause trouble in my establishment" kind of way. He had clearly seen the tattoos we were sporting and thought, "these boys are a couple of hard nuts, better keep an eye on them". Not thinking twice about it, we walked on through and to the bar.

Woah, lifelike

You could tell from the outset that our friends were instantly jealous of our tats, hatred was strewn across their faces as though they were suddenly inflicted with a Napoleon Complex. However others in the Gatekeeper did not seem to notice our ink, probably thinking that we are the sort of guys to be layered in gang tattoos and not ones to make eye contact with. Feeling that the Gatekeeper had done its job (i.e. offered cheap drinks to get us started) James and I decided to move on. Our friends, powered by their own jealousy, decided not to join us in our next trendy venue, and went their own way whilst we started walking to Floyds.

We have touched on Floyds before, and it is certainly the sort of venue that would welcome a nifty tattoo or two. As we were walking up to the club, one of the doormen rushed up to us (having spotted the array of tats) and urged us to come to Floyds. Before we could even answer the poor chap, he offered us a free round if we were to come in. Not one to turn up a free drink, or a free anything at that rate, we accepted his kind offer. Whilst walking up the stairs, due to the plain and simple fact that the venue is a single upstairs floor, we noticed a lot of females walking down (all noticing our tats of course). Once upstairs the dancefloor was looking fairly bare and it occurred to the two of us that the doorman outside was ushering us in because he needed two handsome looking bad boys to not only get the ladies in, but get the ladies that had been there a second ago to stay. Luckily for him the trick had worked, because as soon as we had received our round of free drinks, the ladies then re-appeared with what seemed like a load of their mates. Clearly the word had spread about the two tattooed chaps that had just arrived.

There would be no negatives to getting this tattoo

When on the dancefloor, we were busting some shapes and one of the barmen came up to us, handed us shot glasses and proceeded to pour us each a shot of some raspberry drink. Clearly we were getting so many people into the club through word of mouth, that they were willing to give us freebies to ensure we stayed. Unfortunately for them, we have to ensure that we keep the same final venue for all our posts to provide the reader with the assurance of complete comparability. So even though we were having the time of our lives, and I have to say it has been the best time we have both had whilst putting the summer edition of TTC together, we had to leave and get ourselves to Live Lounge. A quick round of JagerBombs (6 for a tenner) later and we got out.

Cheap and disgustingly tasty. The perfect combo

Having spent longer in Floyds than expected, we missed the band in Live Lounge, which was a shame as live music and tattoos tend to complement one another. Once again, our tattoos were kind of blending into the background on the crowded dancefloor, and some of my tats were peeling of due to the bending of my arms wrinkling the skin (just another reason to go for the real thing). However the night was still a success with the people who were noticing the tattoos clearly liking their 'bad-boy' connotations.

You'll notice, koi t shirt!

Before the night ended we were approached by a forward fellow who immediately told us we were tattoo frauds. Denying at first then instantly crumbling when he said we were lying, we got discussing our goals and then were informed he was opening many bars in Cardiff and maybe buying the probably doomed Buffalo Bar (he only suggested this after we said it was good). Somehow from this we got onto selling salad pots in Cathays and how we could be a big part of his beautiful plan. Further to this he offered £10,000 for, well, nothing. Given we haven't heard from him since, I am willing to guess our money is in the post. 

At the very least this goes to show that even noticeably fake tattoos have the ability to get you places your useless bare arm wouldn't.

Tattoos; Scarey, business, cool but a right pain if going temporary.

Block Colours

TTC on their way

 
So, through our love of trends we all know that orange is the colour of Summer 2013, as explained here on FashionBeans.com. Unfortunately orange trousers of a suitable brightness are hard to come by in Cardiff. Inspired by the thought of wearing one glowing and attention grabbing colour all over our bodies, we had to look around to see what else would keep us at the cutting edge this season. Not wanting to travel too far along the web, we turned to Fashion Beans once more where it was revealed that blue was the obvious trend-based choice. Here's a quote:

"The men’s fashion press has wholeheartedly endorsed blue as the go-to colour for this coming season"

Even more key to our dream of wearing all one colour is this snippet:

"Shortlist noted that this is a very easy colour trend for any man to incorporate into their wardrobe and also recommend using blue as a starting point for successful colour-blocked outfits."

Cardiff had to sell blue clothes, though walking at sweaty pace down Cowbridge Road at 4.45pm in the 30 degree heat I knew I was committed to whatever tat was available in anything ranging from light purple to almost green. Such was my desire to test the social acceptance of block colours I was willing to spend up to £15 on shorts and a bit on shoes, having a blue T-shirt in my collection was finally paying off.

A few hours later we were in the usual venue, preparing ourselves for Charlie Browns. Having only felt a bit silly on the walk into town I was pretty excited to see our matching shorts. They looked good on both of us and, well, no one else seemed to know it.

Blue tshirt blue shorts blue shoes (greyish shirt)

Having received a few angry glances from people dressed in multi-coloured outfits, clearly knowing Joseph's technicolor dreamcoat would have been mocked now just as much as it was hated by Joseph's brothers back then, we got on with the night and descended into the barren wasteland of Charlie Browns.

It's not worth talking about this place anymore than what has been said previously, other than to say nobody looked our way, not until we won the Pub Quiz jackpot on our first attempt while trying to finish our delicious OMG drinks. Rob let out a bellow and £5 of glorious money fell down. Spending this on some Jager Bombs we felt that was enough and headed out to find people who could actually provide some opinions on our ensembles.

The beautiful winnings

Having, weeks earlier, experienced the emotional scenes of the King of The North ripping out guitar solos before our very eyes, this week we were subjected to Jon Snow in the drippy flesh.

Jon Snow near some block blue

He was one impressed chap when informed he would be appearing in a fashion blog and thought it acceptable to let his chest dangle out. He responded positively to our clothes but seemed like he would do anything if it meant he could get off the stage; unfortunately for him Rob's shoulders are far too broad to allow that, trapping him in TTC's trendy embrace.

Sweat free so far

An almost unfashionable side effect of wearing such a 2013 colour was the devastating carnage caused by sweat on blue tshirts.  A very distinct and offensive darker shade of blue appeared over various portions of our bodies as the hours progressed, potentially something that halted new friendships before we were able to trap more individual with Rob's shoulders.  The only meagre positive of such dampness is that with half an hour to go you find yourself in a new colour (block dark blue) meaning a second chance with people you've already met, at this stage drying out and time are your only enemies.

There is already an infamous photo on Facebook featuring Rob mid colour change. Worth seeking out.

Looking down from the Live Lounge stage all that can be seen is a mess, and yet within minutes of making ourselves visible order was forming. Our choice of a colour, often described as the colour of success, was bringing others in blue out of the woodwork. They usually didn't hang around for long once they realised their quotes and experiences would be plastered across the internet. We can conclude from this that while blue suggests success, it is used to mask cowardly undertones. Try beige next time chumps!

The general feeling radiating off people was one of disappointment. We caught look after look of indifference at best and rational hate as a middle ground. When asking people for their opinions they didn't seem impressed or didn't want to give us an answer. While nobody was unfair and the bar still served us at the usual pace the joy wasn't there. At Charlie Browns we thought it was standard stuff, at Live Lounge I realised my blue shoes weren't going to make things better, only a Mario's Pizza meal deal would do that.

Blue Horn

So a night of nothingness ensued for the colour formation we had decided upon, and although I do not think block orange would have performed any better, it is painful looking back on this night thinking that maybe another colour would have impressed.

Block Blue; Safe, unimpressive and a let down.

Turn-up shorts

If you have been perusing the shopping aisles of late, you will have surely noticed the number of shorts on sale. This is not only due to the better weather we are having, but because shorts are 'in' at the moment. I am not talking about the lame short shorts your dad wears, I'm talking about the new craze of shorts that turn up at the bottom. However this begs a question in my books. I can understand why trousers get turned up, as this is to ensure they do not drag on the floor when you walk. But the whole point in shorts is that they are already short enough, and the people I see with turned up shorts, still have them knee length? So why not buy shorter shorts to start with, but then fashion is not about form and function; fashion is about proving one's superiority through the act of clothing oneself in fancy attire.

This guy is actually wearing turn-up shorts and a hat

So into town I go to find the correct clothing for the evening and let me tell you, shorts are not as cheap as they should be. For less material, I have to pay similar prices to a pair of full length trousers. But that is the way of the world, and I am sure the virality of this blog will pay back with interest. I picked up a pair of denim knee length shorts, but at the time I didn't think to try them on. Usually I have a hard time finding trousers that comfortably fit my thighs, but shorts are always OK. James picked up a hot pair of salmon turn-ups, and we went home.

Preparing for the evening, I have the issue of what to wear as a top. Finally opting for a polo, as everything else seemed bad with the shorts (James clearly had the same dilemma as I received a text saying "I look dumb as. Also I have gone for a polo shirt if that's OK?"). It took three attempts to get the top of the shorts around my waist without my boxers becoming a thong, these things were tight as hell. I have a pair of compression tights that are put to shame by these shorts, and I could tell this was going to be a long night as even walking was not a simple task anymore.

It was only then that I had the problem of what to do with my shoes! I only own a pair of boots, a pair of 'skate' shoes and two pairs of work shoes. None of these fitted with the rest of the outfit; The skate shoes looked like massive hooves, the work shoes made me look like a sex offender and with hindsight the boots probably would have been the best bet. However skate shoes it was, and getting my socks on was a chore. I had to hopelessly writhe around on my bed trying to reach my feet. Finally getting the boat-like shoes on, it was a long and chafing walk to town.

On meeting James in the Gatekeeper, I had learnt a lesson about my body. Apparently my testicles are very very claustrophobic; they do not enjoy (and I'd probably go as far as to say hate) being in a confined space. A few drinks in, we realised that shorts were not the first thing people look at when in a pub. There was a clear sign that we were gonna have to work hard for people to notice and provide the valued feedback we require.

Varying levels of tightness

One major benefit of the short is the amount of calf muscle on show. As we had only decided a couple days before that turn up shorts would be the trend for this night out, no major calf work could be done. However, the man allowing good preparation could really take advantage of this fact.

Little to no calf definition... YET

In Charlie Browns, where you need to walk down the stairs to get to the bar, we had our first feedback. People at the bottom of the stairs had noticed our style, they were pointing and whispering to each other. Although we can only speculate on the content of their discussions, I can only assume they were good due to the massive smiles they all had on their faces.

The night ended in Live Lounge, and here we were actively seeking reviews. James asked a girl what she thought of the style, and with a quick feel up my leg, she only had good things to say. This theme continued through the rest of the night, with people loving the style. We even managed to find another chap wearing very similar shorts to James', which goes a little way to showing the population's view on the style.

Maybe a little too similar?

Another persons turn up shorts, but this guy has boots! Why oh why didn't I wear boots!!!!!

A hurdle we came across was that too many other people were in shorts due to the extreme sun on offer that day. The knock on effect of this was that we were commonly dressed and while we aim to hit the current styles, being a bit niche helps us gain accurate feedback. To make up for this, once we were outside we hit Queens Street and started barraging people for a moment of their time, like a clipboarder but without the same financial implications of speaking to us. A trio of respectable young chaps, when hounded for an opinion on my shorts, each had remarkable words to say. They even kept it fresh by having different words each. I can't recall the words exactly but they were more interesting than merely "Good".

Once out of Live Lounge and on the streets of Cardiff, I decided a Burger King was in order. The evening had been emotional with the amount of pressure my loins had been subjected to! As I was finishing my burger, I decided eating in would be the better option due to the simple fact that in the shorts walking by itself was a chore so the addition of eating to this would be impossible, a young chap and his friend started a conversation with me. This conversation started unlike most, with the main chap's friend telling me that his mate fancied me. This flattering feedback was taken very well by yours truly, and my immediate question was whether the shorts were part of his emotional attraction. He initially looked puzzled (I assume this was because the answer was obvious, how could the shorts not be part of the attraction due to the awesome effect it had on displaying all my key areas!) and then went on to say the shorts were 'pleasant along with everything else'. Now I hate to be stereotypical, but if there is a single group of people who are up to speed with the latest trends, it is the gay community. Therefore this comment really defines the power that turn up shorts hold.

Turn Up Shorts; Cooling, calf framing and apparently sexy.

Thusday Competition - The Denim Giveaway

Update 14/08/13

Competition Winner Accounced: Blake May!

Congratulations on winning a free Agwa Bomb with the TTC team on the 17th and most importantly 2 signed denim shirts.  

Thanks to all 18 people who entered, there will be more in the future and who knows, probably worse prizes!?!?!


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This is something nobody could have ever predicted but yes the title is correct, this is your chance to win a piece of blogging legend.

To mark Trend The Consequences' 1000th hit during the release of the Double Denim entry we are giving away the supremely trendy denim shirts from the actual night!

That's right, 2 shirts for one lucky winner.

Imagine these shirts on your own body

The competition is open to everyone and is very simple to enter:

1. Share Rob's announcement post on your Facebook Timeline
2. Like Rob's announcement for the post on the Stuff The Consequences Facebook page.
3. Contain your excitement, but only if it's possible, until the 14th August 2013

The complete prize breakdown:

1 x Signed denim shirt worn by Rob
1 x Signed denim shirt worn by James
1 x Agwabomb at The Gatekeeper on the Ultimate Outfit night, 21:00 17th August 2013.

Yes, a drink with the authors of TTC and for free.  People say we are losing touch with our readership but we aren't.







Terms and conditions

1. Prize must be collected by winner
2. No cash alternative
3. If there is no Agwabomb available a Jagerbomb will be the prize instead, no other alternatives
4. Competition is only open to over 18s
5. Agwabomb only available on the Ultimate Outfit night while at The Gatekeeper
6. Ultimate Outfit night may change date
7. Denim shirt prizes worn by recipient at own risk
8. Winner chosen at random from list of correct entries
9. Shirts must be collected before 24/09/13
10. Terms subject to change at any time