As the desire to own a piece of Louis Vuitton's collection grows, so does the market for counterfeit goods. Given the recent loss of Michael Jordan's court case, China shows no signs of stopping one of their most profitable hustles. However, it appears that China is the least of the problems the big players of high fashion have, given that emerging markets from Russia and the Phillippines have taken over. As demand and competitions grow, profit margins are sacrificed and quality grows. This may lead to the assumption that the counterfeits have become good enough to be considered inseparable from the real deal. Though over the years this may become the case for a very small amount of factories, there is still a long way to go and it seems that the same mistakes are being made to highlight what exactly separates the real deal to the third world clone.

1) The Metal

Any Louis Vuitton bag will contain the famous metal tags and zippers. For genuine products, these are close to flawless and will hold the test of time, with bags as old as 30 years still maintaining a better condition to their ingenuine counterparts, whose zips and tags tend to fade.

2) The Datecode

Most Louis Vuitton bags will have a Datecode (all Louis Vuitton bags, if produced in the last 38 years). The Datecode serves the purpose you would assume, it shows the date the bag was made. It also shows the country in which the item was produced, each country has its own set of codes. 

Countries and their Datecodes:

made in France- A0, A1, A2, AA, AAS, AH, AN, AR, AS, BA, BJ, BU, DR, DU, CO, CT, ET, FL, LW, MB, MI, NO, RA, RI, SD, SF, SL, SN, SP, SR, TJ, TH, TR, TS, VI, VX
made in Italy- BC, BO, CE, FO, MA, RC, RE, SA, TD
made in Spain- CA, GI, LO, LB, LM, LW
made in U.S.A.- FC, FH, FL, LA, OS, SD
made in Switzerland- DI, FA
made in Germany- LP

(Source: Lollipuff)

Of course, when opening a Louis Vuitton wallet, you will see that it shows "made in France" for example. However, if it shows a LP Datecode (Germany) it is a clear counterfeit. Some counterfeits won't even include a Datecode!

3) The Stamp

The famous "LOUIS VUITTON PARIS - made in Paris" stamp may be the easiest way to detect a counterfeit. Clear giveaways are those such as:

The letter spacing - too much spacing = definitely a counterfeit

Overly rounded "O" in "LOUIS VUITTON"

Oval-like "O" in "LOUIS VUITTON", now looking like "L0UIS VUITT0N"

The T's in "VUITTON" being very close to each other, as if they were touching.

As Lollipuff explains in further detail, there are very few exceptions to these rules, though they do exist nonetheless.

How many supplements, oils and balms do you think you need to grow a thick, dense beard? Well, whether you start from a decent beard missing a few spots or you're rocking a couple of chin hairs, when it comes to growth, there's no need to break the bank. Here's everything you'll need to know when it comes to growing a beard.

1) Sleep 

We know, this sounds cliche. Sleep seems to be the answer to everything. Whereas this may be the case, it does hold some truth to it. Sleep is where your cells repair themselves, so even though sufficient sleep isn't a direct cause of rapid beard growth, it is important and lack of sleep will hinder anything else you do on your journey to a full face of hair.

2) Physical Activity 

This one isn't exactly a deciding factor, though sweating and opening your pores will definitely aid stimulating hair growth. Of course, there are perfectly in shape people who still struggle to grow beards, and those of us who packed on a few pounds with Viking-like beards, so take this one with a pinch of salt. 

3) Exfoliate

This one is a no-brainer. Exfoliating your skin will get rid of dead skin cells as well as opening your pores. This will make growing facial hair much easier. Note: do NOT exfoliate every day, this can have reverse effects on your skin. Generally, its best to exfoliate with warm water every 5 days.

4) The Juice (Not endorsed)

If all else fails, you can also try Minoxidil. Before you continue, we're not endorsing this method, as it was intended for head hair and not facial hair. That being said, there have been countless cases of this method working. Applying Minoxidil to your beard (or where you want your beard to grow) twice a day, could stimulate hair growth in as short as three months. This is still heavily dependent on genetics, with some growths taking as long as two years. Regardless, Minoxidil enables your beard to come much faster than the rate of Mother Nature. Don't take our word for it though, Facebook groups such as "The Minox Beard Spot" on Facebook have thousands of members, whom showcase their results. 

It wouldn't be crazy to think that "how to dress" would be a completely subjective matter, with perception of what is trendy and what isn't being the only judge. Dressing right is a form of art......Or is it? Could it be, that dressing right isn't based solely on artistic value but instead, based on science?  We know, it sounds crazy, but think about it. Every brand releases collections every season. Every item within that collection can be broken down into sizes (okay, maybe not accessories, but you get the point). These sizes are generally based on perfect proportions, meaning no matter what your body size is, there will be a variant which fits you.

This leads to the million dollar question; "Is it the best fit for you, because it fits you?" Well, according to science, that may not be the case. Body shapes are unique, and even though there may be hundreds of different variations based on your height, weight and how your muscle is distributed, we can still summarize different body shapes in to 5 categories, or shapes. Unless you're built like Shrek (none of us are that blessed), you're going to fit into one category more than any other.

Rhomboid. Inverted Triangle. Rectangle. Triangle. Oval. 

Though you may already know which category you fit into just by hearing those shapes, lets dig deeper in to which is the best option for you. 

Rhomboid: Long story short, you're extremely fortunate. You're likely to have a Rhomboid shaped body if you're well proportioned, with a toned chest and arms. This can be achieved with time through workouts. Pretty much anything will look appropriate with you, scientifically speaking. It is important to note that this is only based on science. Science also has nothing against you wearing boot-cut jeans with checkered Vans, so take these results with a pinch of salt. 

Recommendations on what to wear: Slim-Fit button downs, Tapered jeans

Inverted Triangle: The biggest giveaway here is if your upper body is larger than the proportions of your lower body. This is common if you're a powerlifter, a swimmer, or if you skip leg day (please don't skip leg days). Though your health may appear to be in great shape, its always good to compliment the body you worked hard for with a great outfit. Here's our tips (based on science)

Recommendations on what to wear: Striped clothing, belts to lessen body proportions, V-necks

Recommendations on what not to wear: Super-skinny jeans (opt for Tapered, like your Rhomboid buddies), Clothes with lapels on the shoulders that drive attention to them

Rectangle: Have you ever downloaded a fitness app where it asks you how often you're active? Well, if you selected "moderately active" then you're most likely a "Rectangle". This is the shape you're likely to have if you don't workout regularly but your diet is mostly clean and you walk enough during the day. Your body proportions are pretty much equal throughout. 

Recommendations on what to wear: Slim-fit jeans, Layered items

Recommendations on what not to wear: Baggy clothing (its 2018 at the time of writing this, you should be fine), Fleeces (unless you're cold, then its absolutely fine).

Triangle: Scientifically speaking, you're slim-thick. This is most of us, or at least those who aren't as active as they want to be. Another way you can have a Triangle body is if your shoulders aren't as broad, even if your waist is perfectly proportionate to your legs and torso. 

Recommendations on what to wear: Looser clothes on the torso, to add balance. This can be hoodies, sweaters, or simply layered items.

Recommendations on what not to wear: Super-skinny jeans, these emphasize the imbalance

Oval: This is for larger men, or as we like to call it, men in their final form. You may be an Oval if you play certain sports, or quite simply, if you really like food. It isn't uncommon for people in the Oval category to think they can't dress as well as others due to their body shape, however this is simply a myth. Just like any other body shapes, there are things Ovals can wear much better than any other shape.

Recommendations on what to wear: Darker colors, Single-layer outfits, Straight-fit jeans, Joggers

Recommendations on what not to wear: Like Triangles, Super-skinny jeans, these emphasize the imbalance. Also, try to avoid bright colored belts, as they highlight you at your widest. Wide shoes should also be avoided, as they make your legs look wider than they actually are

The Verdict

The truth is, these are simply guidelines based on, you guessed it, science. How you dress should always be the way you like to dress. Wearing a great fit starts with you and what enables you to express yourself