Menswear

A bit of the old Irish charm.

Don't forget the tweed jacket, real country like. Suede elbow patches are back this season, and classic details - patch pockets, back belts and side vents. Colours range from mid to darker shades of brown, in tweeds, houndstooth checks, plaids and corduroy.

Living in New Hampshire, I've seen just about enough flannel shirts and work boots to last me a lifetime. I went home to England last fall, and found fashion groupies willing to spend 20 - 30 pounds for the same shirt I can get at a local store for the equivalent of 8 pounds.

Clothes Maketh the Man

The accesories for fall would make a country gentleman out of any man from your ankle boots right up to your tweed cap.

This Autumn, ankle boots are worn with everything, even a suit. This is a more casual approach to the traditional shoe - wearable at work or play. The ankle boot looks like a classic shoe when worn with trousers, and can be worn with jeans for a more casual feel.

Ties in geometric patterns are prevalent this fall, in browns, golds, tans and burgundies. Belts are wider with plain hardware.

To complement this season's look, there are reproductions of the classic watch designs from the Art Deco styles to the more modern Fifties designs. The most popular style is a 1932 design sold by Patek Phillippe. The stylized watchcases of the twenties to the fifties period, are something a little different than todays styles.

Creative Black Tie

Perplexed and confused when an invitation says creative black tie?

The invitation still means you have to be elegant, but you can put some fun into it by wearing a brighter colour in the shirt or tie. Try out that jacket you've never had the occasion to wear before. Some men have the knack of putting an outfit together without it looking contrived.

For a midsummer outdoor party, try a light coloured suit, a blue shirt and a navy tie with a discreet pattern. In many cases, black or white suits are still acceptable, or maybe a wonderful wool tweed suit.

Calvin Klein once took a smalll liberty with black tie by substituting a scarf for his shirt and tie. This might be a bit extreme for most men though.

A lot of men feel hate black tie occasions because they feel uncomfortable in formal clothes. There's more than one way to feel comfortable, and with creative or festive dress, you can feel relaxed. When asked to wear creative dress, just be yourself. Wear what you would normally wear but with a twist. Don't try a new style that would make you feel uncomfortable. Even if you know there are going to be a lot of punk types at the party, don't consider dressing as a punk if you don't normally dress that way. Stay with your image or you'll be constantly worrying if your pins are straight.

If you use your imagination, you can come up with quite a few options:

• an interesting bow tie or no tie at all
• a ruffled shirt or band-collar shirt instead of a wing-tip collar
• a white dinner jacket with black trousers
• a pair of decent jeans with a tuxedo jacket
• a regular jacket, say black cashmere, with a turtle neck or band collar shirt
• a dark suit with a t-shirt

If you're really unsure what to wear, stick with a nice suit, perhaps navy. It's dressy but not too formal.

What you wear depends on who the invitation came from. Some people mean it to be good fun, while others may mean it be nearly totally black tie.

Don't make the mistake of overdoing it. Don't put too much thought into it. Don't try too hard.

Mode de Marin