2 items for men

Apologies for my absence yesterday. It was a busy weekend what with getting Sam out of nappies and then on Monday all morning I was out shopping with my friend Annie who needs a brand new wardrobe because HER FUCKING HOUSE BURNT DOWN!!!!!

Okay not her whole house, but parts of it. It’s a DISASTER. And she said “All my clothes were burnt. Where shall I go for new clothes?” And I said “Rodeo Drive, baby. But actually Brent Cross.”

So off we went to Brent Cross and had a high old time throwing clothes about going “No I hate it,” and occasionally “Perfect. Get it.” Then we had a very meaningful conversation on the way home, while Annie was very brave about my haphazard driving, about the difference between style and fashion – more of which later.

Today this is all about the boys! Sorry – I know you all hate men’s specials. I certainly do. I hate them! I throw the supplement across the room in a rage and stamp on Eddie Redmayne’s face (because he is ALWAYS in mens’ specials). Get out of my changing room! I was looking forward to a DPS on jewelled sandals and a polemic about waterfall cardigans! Fuck you, Style!!!

But, you know, sometimes one wants to update the man in one’s life – visually, I mean, not update him to someone else – without the first real idea about mens’ clothing or what you really want them to look like. You just don’t want them to look like that.

My husband is very good, these days, at buying new clothes for himself. Before we met he would always do it pissed off his face, or in a great hurry, and buy ghastly things. Now about twice a year he makes a special trip to Selfridges or Liberty and zeroes in on precisely the homosexual man he knows will find him most attractive and commands his attention for 45 minutes while he buys a clutch of new items.

So I very rarely have to buy him anything, but recently I did – this “work jacket” by the Carrier Company for £110. It is really really good. Modern and useful. You want it in navy and please ignore the wesbsite’s styling, which is reminiscent of Communist Party propaganda. This can be worn with jeans and a t-shirt and trainers as a light summer jacket. It hints towards Japanese clean, boxy lines and will painlessly modernise even the tweediest of stuffy young fogeys. I adore it.

For shoes, I do like the look of these “posh” espadrilles, from Mulo Shoes; the problem with espadrilles being that they are at their most wonderful and comfortable about 30 minutes before they fucking fall to bits before your very eyes on about August 15th, when you don’t feel like buying another pair of summer shoes and come on can term start please for the love of God.

But these are made of stronger stuff, with a sturdy rubber sole and a stout cotton upper. They are £125 but the espadrille/slip-on trend is going to be with us for a while, so you can buy for value with confidence.