Your Style and Bloke's Bible

Name: Susan Axford, Your Style
Occupation: Image Consultant, www.yourstyle.co.nz 

*My pick for best dressed Kiwi man is… what an indictment on our society - no one springs to mind easily – the news readers, like Simon Dallow and Mark Sainsbury are well presented on screen, but their look is predictable and managed for them. Tony Ryall is the most flamboyantly dressed of our politicians, but he does not always get his combinations right.

*The sentence that best sums up a typical Kiwi bloke’s fashion style is…  “They do not take enough care or interest in their appearance.  Attention to detail is what sets someone apart - unusual socks, (and no nasty hairy gap); pristine belt, the right watch (not the dive watch with your suit) and a great haircut.

*The biggest fashion mistake a man can make is…to not care how he looks.   Be true to their personality and lifestyle, but don’t confuse casual and sloppy.
*If only Kiwi men dressed like… they had put on outfit together, not just grabbed some trousers or old jeans and a T-shirt or shirt from the wardrobe.  Appearance is more than the clothes. 

*If I could ban one particular item of men’s clothing, it would be… long shorts, men look awkward and stupid in them.   They look as though they’re wearing nappies and have little stumps for legs.

*The one item of clothing all men should have in their wardrobe is… a jacket, that is versatile enough to dress up with a shirt and tie; open neck shirt; polo; and can be worn with good trousers or jeans.

*The look I’d love to see come back in fashion for men is… the suit.   It made life easier  – business dressing was more clear-cut.  Men did not get the business look wrong, as so many do now wearing clothes to work, that are not appropriate for the office.  The suit took the question mark out of what to wear?

*My top male fashion icon of all time is… Sean Connery, he could look immaculate whether he was sipping his “shaken and not stirred martini” or fighting the enemy in some death defying manoeuvre.

*My favourite designer of men’s fashion is… Ben Sherman, attention to detail and a good range in each collection and suits our NZ lifestyle.  Shirts come in regular and slim fit and often feature different fabrics inside the cuff or collar – a fun element of surprise.  

*The best thing about this season’s fashion for men is… checked casual shirts and great sunglasses.     

Herald on Sunday section  Blokes’ Bible