I have several black cotton shirts. I try
to keep them looking new, but every
time I send a new shirt to the cleaner it
is returned shiny at the corners of the
collars and cuffs. Thinking this is the
result of pressing, I've asked that the
shirts be steamed only, assuming an
iron will not press them on the outside
and make them shine. They still come
back shiny. What can I do?
Find a new cleaner. Black shirts are
difficult. Send all shirts to the laundry
for washing if you wish except the
black ones. Get them dry-cleaned
so they stay really black. A good dry
cleaner should certainly be able to
press your shirts without causing this
shine. Your cleaner is pressing the hell
out of them. Look for the best cleaner
in town. Nothing quite beats washing
your shirts at home by hand. They
need delicate care.
I really like driving shoes because they
are comfortable. Are there any rules
about when and where you can wear
them? I know they are not right for a
black tie.
It's OK to wear them if you're driving in
a black tie, but once you arrive at the
event do change into formal footwear.
Driving shoes such as Tod's— soft
loafers with little rubber bumps for
soles—are certainly comfortable, but
they are aggressively leisurely. They're
fine with jeans and casual slacks, but
don't let their comfort drive you to
wearing them with a suit.
I’m losing the battle against static
cling. Short of my purchasing every
can of Static Guard I can buy when
i go abroad or putting multiple fabric
softeners in the dryer, can you think of
any method to keep me from turning
into Mr. Electricity? (By the way, I wear
knee-high socks, which probably makes
things worse.)
Static cling can be an embarrassing
problem and to totally avoid it wear
natural fibres. It's a climate problem
which causes fabrics to rub against
each other in an overly dry atmosphere.
If you don't want to go through all that
Static Guard, which is probably not so
great for the old ozone layer, you could
get a misting spray bottle, fill it with
water, set the nozzle to "fine" and mist
your clothes. You'll find humidifying
your trousers works just as well as the
dificult-to-find Static Guard spray.
Is there a difference between a tie
clip and a tie clasp? Also, I've been
told that you should not wear a tie clip
straight across the tie but at a fortyfive-
degree angle. If that is the case,
should the tip point up or down?
I have been getting into tie bars lately.
I don't know why. Maybe it's just that
they were out of style for so long that
they are now in by default. If a clip
has a simple design, it can look good
and add a little dash. Avoid heavy
jewellery. As for the angle, you can
wear it straight across, but if you have
a rakish personality you may want
to set the bar at an angle. Forty-five
degrees seems a little steep, but it all
depends on how rakish you feel. A nice
eight-degree-up slant is probably the
elegant choice. The important thing
about a tie bar or clasp is it shouldn't
be worn too high up on the tie—unless
you want to look like a rakish nerd.
But honestly tie clasps are really oldfashioned
and sholud not be worn.
I will be attending a black-tie wedding
soon. I own a very nice black suit. Is it
acceptable to wear it with a black tie?
It is perfectly acceptable to wear a
good black suit you already own that fits you elegantly than to rent a tux
(which is difficult) or pay a designer a
fortune for making a tuxedo that you
may wear twice in a lifetime. All you’re
missing, really, is stripes on the sides of
your trousers and satin on your lapels.
We suggest, however, that you wear a
shirt with a placket covering the buttons,
especially if you wear a bow tie. It will
give your look a dressier air.
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