Love at First Sight?

Don Draper - A Man Who Knows How To Wear A Suit

So, I saw an advert for the online dating service e-harmony today on the TV. Listening to their claims that lonely singletons can be matched to their soul mate based on categories such as "character, intellect and values", it started me wondering why they wouldn't include dress sense as a category.

Speaking as someone who would quite happily reject a guy based solely on his wearing of brown shoes with a black belt, I insist on a boyfriend who cares enough about what he wears to value my opinion and dress himself well. At a basic level, he needs to never wear the following items of male apparel:

• Tshirts with either naked women or swear words
• Baggy jeans beyond the age of 14
• As above, non matching shoes and belt
• Rugby shirts if you're not actually attending a rugby match
• As above, ditto football shirts
• Too much colour (This is completely prejudiced I know and some guys need colour in their life, but not too much because they start to look like a children's TV presenter)

This isn't an exhaustive list, feel free to add your own pet peeves in the comments.

My own theory is that if you don't have the same attitude to fashion and dress sense as your partner, it's not a basis for lasting happiness and shared shopping trips with his credit card.

Now, I don't want to be embarrassed to be seen with my significant other. If he was a keeper and perfect other than this fairly significant flaw (millionaire, handsome, bakes, enjoys West Wing marathons and owns an outstanding music collection), I'd have to perform a makeover and ensure I had a veto over any outfit to be worn at jointly attended functions.

Final thought, any man can be improved with a good suit.

Rx

One does have style..

We also all know that fashion is about taking something old, re-inventing it and making it new. But did we all know that HRH Queen Elizabeth used to have style? Imagine my suprise as I read a recent article in The Guardian, on good old Lizzie's fashion moments and actually found myself liking them! Perhaps it is just me, but when thinking of the royals and style only one name emerges and it isn't the Queen. Looking at the archived photos of her trips and various outfits I realised that almost every peice of clothing (all designer, of course) would not be out of place on the fashion catwalks of this summer.

Lace dresses, retro two-peices, deep, plush colours and lots and lots of velvet and not a wellie in sight! Well.. almost. One does need wellies for taking out ones corgies. Perhaps in the future head scarfs and Barbour jackets will be considered de jour. Watch this space..

Ax

Chanel No 5 Advert

The new Chanel No 5 advert starring Audrey Tautou was directed by Jean Pierre Jeunet of Amelia fame (though I personally love Delicatessen). It has this fantastically dreamy, romantic mood and needless to say the styling is spot on. Well it is for Chanel after all!

The simple outfits Audrey wears, subtle but perfect makeup, and gorgeous understated curled hair. I want to go on a trip in a sleeper train, wearing Chanel No 5, and meet a dreamy boy. And of course, I want that orangey soft focus lighting.

I loved Audrey Tautou in Coco Avant Chanel, she played Chanel with a steely determination. The scenes where she customises men's clothes, cutting a tie to a shorter length to suit her smaller stature or wearing a black dress in the middle of a ballroom full of garish, brightly coloured gowns. Ah, I loved that film!