Sock it to me

I've resisted the predictable "Father's Day is coming" post this year, concerned at the avalanche of predictable gift samples. The old saw is that we're all doomed to receive endless amounts of socks because the kids can't think of anything else.

On the other hand, or on the other foot perhaps, I've just been looking around the Richmond Socks website and I have to say some of them look pretty good. I've tried a pair of the Casa Italia purple versions (pictured) and they are incredibly comfortable. The fine Egyptian cotton makes quite a difference and they look great - I'm a bit of a fan of coloured socks. At £17.50 they're not cheap for socks but then they're a bit of a luxury, and for Father's Day that would be most acceptable.

Many men opt for black socks as if it's all we can manage, and we go for ankle socks rather than calf length. This generally means an unsightly span of leg when you cross your legs in a suit so I'd recommend calf length. In terms of colour I'd try to tone in with a tie or shirt (or even pocket square); it makes it look as though some thought has gone into it. Which is because some thought has gone into it.

Expert advice

Simon Bullmore runs Richmond Socks and has offered LifeOver35 readers some advice on choosing socks - he made the same point I did about longer garments (which they wear in Europe anyway, only we Brits favour the scrunched-around-the-ankle look) but also the following thoughts:

"This seasons trends are for pastel and candy colours.  Pastels are perfect for social occasions - especially weddings.  We'd suggest candy greens and oranges as an easy way to add some summer colour to chinos and jeans.   If you're not up for bold colour then add interest to your socks with a pattern.  Herringbone patterned socks very popular at the moment.  A quick tip for choosing socks - never match your socks to your shoes.  It makes you look like you're wearing booties.  Matching your socks to your trousers looks much better, and has the added benefit of making your legs look longer.  If you have long legs compared to your body then go for a splash of contrasting colour in order to break up the line of your legs and feet."

"Quality textiles make all the difference when it comes to socks.  Your feet sweat a pint each day.  Man-made fibres aren't very good at wicking this excess moisture away.  Which is why your feet might get a bit more niffy when it's warm - bacteria love sloshing around in the stuff.  Smelly feet are for teenagers.  Which is why you should make sure that your socks are at least 70% cotton or bamboo in summer (some nylon is ok as it helps the sock stay in shape).  Cotton and bamboo are much better at naturally wicking away sweat."

"When it comes to style details make the difference.  Socks are a great place to start.  And Richmond Socks is here to help men find the perfect pair.  All of our socks feature hand finished details and the best quality materials.  We only sell socks made by reputable European producers so we know that workers and the environment are cared for during the manufacturing process.  We've scoured the world for what we think is the best collection of mens socks.  Some of the brands we sell are only available in the UK through our store.  The socks we sell reflect our passion for timeless style and quality materials.  We think it shows in every pair."

We'll forgive him the sales pitch at the end and just say thanks for the thoughts.

All of which said, I know I won't be getting socks for Father's Day this year. We visited the South Bank on Saturday and there was a Beano exhibition, and they had these Dennis and Gnasher tee-shirts in adult sizes.

Now that is stylish.

Steptronic: comfort shoes that look good

OK, first the nasty bit - I have achieved an ingrown toenail. It's simple enough, you cut your nail too small and it goes unpleasant.

So, all my decent work shoes - Church's and soforth - suddenly don't fit. It would be wrong to say that the pair of Steptronic boots I was sent were designed specifically for that, but I do find them wearable and that's something.

This probably won't apply to most readers (I mean, why would it?) - so let's see what the PR blurb says about the construction and why these are comfortable:

"All Steptronic Footwear has a patented 100% flexible rubber sole, it's made up of ridges at a particular 45 degree angle that ensures that the shoes bends with your foot at all times, and goes back to shape easily. They also have a sheepskin lining, not the furry side as your feet would be too hot, the sheepskin is within the inner of the shoe, ensuring bounce, comfort and breathability. The company boast that they are the most comfortable shoes you will ever wear."

They are indeed very comfortable. But, as the PR person comments, the above description will leave you expecting something hideous and grandfather-ish. Here's a picture:

This is the Aldershot Black style. I went for the Bassett Brown boot. The leather is very soft, they look good with a blue or grey suit but also work with jeans.

Oh, and given the complexity of the construction I think £99 or so per pair is a pretty good price. Given that it's going to be a month or so before I'm back in ordinary boots (no, the nail isn't complicated but my diary won't let me get it seen to before mid-May) I've ordered a pair of black formal boots too.

No, they're not as formal as my usual 'meetings' footwear. But for the price they're going to get me through, and quite honestly the ones I have are a pleasure to wear.

Guest post: mistakes men make in formal settings

It's nearly time for the Oscars and last week we had the Baftas (we don't count the Brits because very few people are formal there). But what errors do blokes make when it comes to smartest bib and tucker? My thanks to Mytuxedo.co.uk for offering these six tips.


The wedding of the year has arrived. The dress attire is morning suits. This consists of a jacket with tails, and striped formal trousers, a dress shirt and a dove or beige waistcoat should be worn.

• MyTuxedo.co.uk is finding, however that many men are hesitant about stripy trousers. While it may not necessary be your cup of tea, morning suits traditionally always require striped trousers and not adhering to this dress code would definitely ensure that you look ridiculous on the day. 
• For every man that thinks it is a wise decision to wear a pleated shirt with a waistcoat, please don’t! The combination off too much pattern and material in the chest area is too much and is not a wise choice if you want to make an excellent impression on other people. 
• It is not okay to wear a coloured waistcoat with a white dinner jacket either. It makes too much of a statement and when it comes to formalwear, you want to look suave and subtle to make the right impression. Traditionally with a white dinner jacket, wear a white Marcella waistcoat, a white bow tie and black trousers.
• Dress shirts can also cause confusion with many people as well they are not aware that they need to be a looser fit then a normal shirt. This is for allowing you to tie the button at the top. So before you decide to return the loose fitting shirt for a smaller size, take this into consideration and if you are still unsure, opt for a slim fit dress shirt instead. 
• One rule that should always be considered when it comes to formalwear is patent dress shoes. Of course, you will realise that trainers are a definite no but so are ordinary black shoes. If you have a specific formal wear dress code to adhere to, then you must wear shiny patent shoes as well. On the day, make sure they are nicely shined and buffed and do not have any scruff marks. This final touch will ensure that you look your very best on the day. 

This guide will hopefully ensure that you look great at any formal event but just in case you need any more style advice, then visit MyTuxedo.co.uk for great tips and excellent formalwear 50% cheaper than the high street!

I think we can allow them the plug at the end - useful stuff, my thanks once more.

Running socks and skipping ropes

OK, been busy so it's been quiet in here for a little while. But following the piece a few weeks ago on my attempted lifestyle change I can confirm that around half a stone has vanished in three weeks with a belt notch being tightened on my suit yesterday. No, it didn't hurt and yes, I know leather stretches so this probably wasn't a whole "notch" in real terms.

The exercising I mentioned - using a skipping rope - hasn't gone quite so well. I've been testing some socks from Runbreeze and can confirm that if you find ankle socks/trainer liners comfortable they certainly do the job of cushioning your foot and keeping you cool just as you'd hope.

I've been using a digital skipping rope (pictured) from Kettler. I can confirm that this does the job - counts the time you've been working out, tells you about the calories you've been burning, or at least it did until I let my daughter loose on it. It came back with the display dead, I have no idea why, she couldn't have run out the battery that quickly.

Nonetheless it's still fine as a skipping rope, albeit one with a lighter cord than many people will be used to so you have to work harder to get it over your head. This is where the other component comes into play; you know, the unco-ordinated, immovable heavy lump attempting to skip for the first time in forty years when he wasn't particularly good at it anyway. I tend to last about two minutes before getting tangled up, so if I'm honest the 'cardio fix' running alongside the calorie reduction hasn't gone quite to plan. I will persist.

Still, three weeks, half a stone. I'm not at all distressed at that so far.

Related posts: Attempting a lifestyle change

London Fashion Week: ten male style mistakes

Flickr: Paul-In-London

This is London Fashion Week and the weekend, quite unusually, is devoted to male dress. So, this being a blog for the older male, I thought it might be worth kicking off with a few mistakes we make too frequently.

10: Heavy aftershave or EDT in business meetings
You know that feeling when you're in a meeting and someone's smelling as if they're about to go on a really hot date?  Just don't do it.

9: The cheap, emergency shirt
This week I was away on business and had to go into a meeting immediately I came back. Knowing that I had a bunch of shirts being tailor-made so they'll be ready in a few weeks but not yet, I bought a cheapie from Marks and Sparks - twenty quid - to put on for the meeting. It. Looked. Terrible. Low-grade material, unflattering cut - it even made the suit and tie look cheap, as my wife reassured me on my way in (for which my thanks, you need a confidence boost for meetings). Cutting corners simply didn't work.

8: Clashing patterns
Don't listen to the 'never mix spots and stripes' brigade - they're wrong about a lot of things, as anyone with a colour-co-ordinated striped shirt and spotted tie combo will vouchsafe. It can look rather good. But be judicious: stripes on a suit are fine, so are stripes on a shirt but if you have them on a tie as well it can start looking like interference on an old telly.

7: Buying online and not admitting mistakes
A number of mistakes of mine - ties with which I was less than delighted, pocket squares which ended up looking dull - were made after seeing the items only online. That's on a computer with a backlit screen, which can make the colours look substantially brighter than they are in real life. If you find you've fallen victim to this, the next big error is to go into a strop and insist on wearing the stuff anyway.

6: Modelling your look on someone else
Actually this one's OK as long as they look a bit like you. But be realistic; if you're not tall, lanky and young-looking then the Matt Smith tweed-and-bow-tie look is just going to look middle-aged. One good tip I've seen is to look at pictures of fashion designers; if they have a similar body type to you, it might just be that they're designing for it.

5: Take the catwalk look too literally
Models on the catwalk are there to look extreme. You can take a few ideas and adapt them; maybe the preppy-looking ones are all wearing patterned pocket squares that tone in but don't match the tie; maybe the tweedy look is in, can you incorporate these things a bit without looking ridiculous? It should be fairly easy.

4: Skimp on the shoes
The old saying says you can tell an Englishman by his cheap shoes. Which is a bit rubbish when our best shoes from the likes of Church's are so good; invest decent money in your footwear and look after the shoes and they'll top and tail your look perfectly.

3: Wear boring socks
OK, this isn't essential. Nonetheless when I'm wearing a pink shirt or pink tie I like to tone in a bit with socks - it's a tiny touch that links the whole outfit together. Even if people think it looks ghastly they'll see where you were going with the idea.

2: The comb-over
No, seriously, I still see this. Listen, gents, if you're losing your thatch (or "it's changing" as I like to think of it, I reject this idea that ageing is about loss rather than development) then get it cropped and celebrate it - it's absolutely the only way. Nobody except you will find it at all worth remarking on - unless, of course, you adopt the comb-over in which case everyone will notice.

1: Jeans half way down the bum
Oh come on, even young people can't carry this look (although many think they can - see the picture above). We early middle agers would simply look ridiculous - don't even think about it!

So, ladies and gents, what are your favourite fashion howlers?

Related entries: Dress sense mistakes men make

Socks appeal: Incredisocks

Ah, the old socks appeal joke, never gets old, does it. OK, maybe it does - but anyway, I've been testing a pair of Incredisocks from Incrediwear. The idea is that they're impregnated with a few whizzy extras to stimulate blood circulation and help with a few other health issues.

For example, they have a 200 thread count for extra comfort - which is going to be more important to hikers and sportspeople than blokes walking between meetings as I was - and they're designed to regulate temperature efficiently, and the weave promotes dryness.

They did so pretty well and as such are very well suited to diabetics, of which I'm not (knowingly) one. What I liked about them, in my usual shallow way, was that the ones I was sent, in black, didn't stand out as somehow therapeutic; so often you see these things and they're in garish colours or very obviously for hiking or sport. I would imagine, assuming they do alleviate some of the symptoms of diabetes, that City workers (who'll be able to wear these without drawing attention to themselves) will welcome these.

OK, I like a splash of colour in my socks. That's up to me, but it's nice for once to have the choice. They're available from Vital LIfe.

A shoe-in

I had a birthday recently and some spending money so I've been buying shoes I didn't particularly need but liked. In this case I went for Sienna loafers from Herring Shoes. I went for the burgundy colour (pictured).

Loafers have always been a bit of a mystery to me. They've always looked either too informal to wear with a suit but not quite relaxed enough to be casual. One thing that's happened over the last few years, though, is the line between the two has been blurring and I see a lot of people wearing pretty decent looking loafers with both jeans and suits. These are going to go well with my favourite blue suit as well as the more casual outfits, although they wouldn't be right for the rigidly formal business suit I agree.

Buying clothes through the Internet can be a risk. I have no connection with Herring Shoes and I'm not on any commission, so when I recommend the company you'll understand it's purely because they do a damned good service. Shoes are packed solidly in a rigid box; they arrive completely undamaged within (in my experience) a couple of days. I was delighted to find a couple of extras included in the box; a tin of the right coloured polish (had I thought of buying Burgundy polish? Had I heck...) and a decent sized cloth to cover your lap whilst applying this polish weren't mentioned in the market but were in the box regardless.

Tip: check their sale stock. Men's shoe fashion does change but something like a classic brogue doesn't alter that much, so if you can pick up something like a pair of upmarket Church's shoes for £275 rather than £350 plus - if you're in that market - this is the place to come.

Fashion by body type

Another men's clothing site has launched and this one has a twist - it asks about your build, colouring and body type then makes recommendations based on those parameters. Called Stylepilot it asks for a few basics - are you a V (wide shoulders, narrow waist), an inverted V (broad waist, thin shoulders) what colour is your hair and soforth.

It then makes recommendations from some leading designers - you can get some nice pieces from Gant, Polo Ralph Lauren, many others.

It has one element I'd call a flaw; I put myself in as an inverted 'V' and got entirely slim fit shirts coming out. Now, as Vs go, I'm quite inverted and trust me, some brands are a bit tight. The founder tells me that most people will look better in a 'slim fit' rather than standard fit, which looks like a tent and flatters no-one. I take the point to an extent but I'd still be inclined to look out for stuff that's too fitted (and get back to the gym so I can wear it a bit better).

The site is based on the principle that men don't really know what to wear. Mintel research says that 60% of us don't believe we have a good sense of style while Style Pilot's own research says two thirds of men need help to pick out clothing, while many of us have our clothes laid out by our partners every day. I'd find this a little debilitating, to say nothing of taking my partner for granted, but apparently it happens.

This is basically the same approach taken by a number of sites, but with extra pictures to help you identify body type. I certainly wish them well - I still won't be buying any slim fit shirts for a while.

Discounts on Smithfield Case

Yesterday I wrote about the success of the Smithfield Case personal shopping service. There was nothing to be gained for me in doing this, I was genuinely pleased to be recommending a service I found useful.

They took payment from my card as agreed - this really is an easy process - and sent me a discount code for anyone else who wants to try it. Feel free to order a case of clothes and add the code "CLAPPERTON-30" at the checkout and they'll give you £15 off your first selection.

This offer will expire on 7 April, and in the interests of full declaration I should say they'll give me a fiver for everyone who orders, up to a maximum of fifty quid. Once again I had no knowledge of this before the two previous blogs on the subject, which weren't written with any gain in mind - but I'd be daft not to mention this discount to you now.

If anyone else orders with them I'd be delighted to hear how you got on in the comments section below.

Genius or idiocy? The Smithfield Case

Just over a week ago I wrote about the Smithfield Box, this idea of ordering clothes from someone who'd choose them for you based on a few sizes and hints on your taste. Was it a good idea or plain crazy? Here's the blog entry and here's the service. As promised I tried it, and here's what I found.

I opted for smart casual clothes, set a budget, put my sizes and a few colour preferences in but deliberately left out the photo. Let's see what they send, I thought.

Signing up was painless. It took them a couple of days to get back to me but then they had to choose the clothes. There were, to be fair, a couple of stinkers - a Boss jacket that was too young on me as well as being too small (they'll replace mis-sized items of course; given that size varies from brand to brand it's no surprise that they allow a bit of leeway and occasionally send something that's large rather than XL as I asked, or XXL just in case). Loads of detailing on the pockets, not my taste at all. A Paul Smith floral shirt was marked XL but also had that appalling slogan "slim fit", and a pair of Paul Smith plimsols - I don't call those trainers - just didn't do anything for me.

Most of the clothes, though, were pretty damned good. I've kept a Polo Ralph Lauren cotton ribbed V-neck and would happily have helped myself to a zip top one as well if I hadn't found it cheaper on the House of Fraser website (Smithfield claims to be convenient, not the cheapest); a pair of brown chinos were not my usual colour but my wife assured me they looked great so they've gone into the wardrobe rather than the returns box, and a paid of Pied a Terre tan Chelsea boots were excellent - no way were they going back, until the tag on the back snapped. Smithfield is of course happy to replace them.

I'm sending a couple of Polo Ralph Lauren shirts back because they were in L rather than XL - it was worth checking - but also because I'm not short of shirts. Had I been in that market then the pink/red stripe shirt and the blue linen they sent would have done very well.

So on balance I'd have to quantify this as a resounding success. Friendly staff - I have a personal shopper called Beatrice on hand anytime I want to order again - no obligation and above all convenience. They delivered free on Saturday morning and collected yesterday evening at no extra charge - they'll simply debit my card with the value of the items I've kept.

I'm going on holiday in a few months' time and depending on what I find needs replacing in my summer wardrobe I'll certainly be in touch with these guys again. Aside from not getting the same discount I found elsewhere - which is absolutely not something they claim to offer - I can't think of a single drawback.

This is idiotic or brilliant...

I'm going to try a new service. It's called the Smithfield Case. In spite of its name it is nothing to do with a meat market in London. The idea is simple; you decide it's time you had some new clothes, the wardrobe's due for a refresh, so you order a case of them.

You can make specific requests of course but mostly the system seems geared towards blokes who can't be bothered signing up and hitting the "I'd like some decent clothes please" button. They deliver them, you try them on, decide what you like and what you don't. They pick the rest up and then charge you for the stuff you've kept. It sounds very simple, and of course you can specify stuff you like and stuff you don't - I've asked for "no jeans" for reasons that will become apparent very quickly to regular readers (he says, mysteriously).

They take your sizes, your preferences - I opted for "casual/weekend", ignored "edgy" for example - you say which colours you like and what styles you like wearing. You also set a budget and they're quite frank that the cheaper stuff isn't their market; anyone wanting trousers for under £75 will need to shop elsewhere.

So I'm just waiting for my first box to turn up. It might contain stuff from APC, Bertie, Diesel, Gant, Paul Smith, Reiss, many such designer brands.

Reasons I think it might work: I rarely have the time to go out and look at shops. And when I do I often find my wife has a better eye for what's going to suit me than I do. The convenience and the ability to ask her what she thinks at leisure could get me some very nice pieces.

Reasons I think it might not work: The idea of just getting "some clothes" bothers me a little. Many people will be a little more specific than that in their needs. Or a lot.

I'll let you know how I get on.

The water-phobic boot for winter

Hi-Tec Altitude Ultra boot

If you hadn't noticed, the snow is very deep and it's time to dig the waterproof boots out if you haven't already. I've had mine for a couple of years and they're worth talking about because they're very waterproof. No, really seriously waterproof. Scientifically you'd call then hydrophobic.

They look like ordinary walking boots from Hi-Tec. They feel like them too. But they're not.



This is because a company called P2i is involved. It has a process by which the garment is treated at molecular level. It's a bit like putting a load of boots into a microwave - the top layer of molecules is actually altered subtly so that the water rolls off it. Here's a YouTube video demonstrating how it works:

I attended the launch of these at the London Aquarium a couple of years ago. I notice the comments on the YouTube video suggest they won't work for long; my two years suggests they will indeed, but of course if your socks get wet above the boot there's nothing to stop the water seeping down and making you uncomfortable - not the boot's fault, a wet sock trickling down from the top just does what it says on the tin.

I've been very comfortable in these for a couple of years now and will wear them again today. As the thaw starts I'll probably switch to golfing shoes - my feet will get wet but they are completely brilliant for grip when the snow turns to ice underfoot.