Dandy & Dapper

Published: 12:00am, 31 Jul 2011

An old buddy of mine had on a great pair of Japanese jeans the other day that were very light. He said he bought them in Causeway Bay and they changed his life. Considering how much I suffer in the Hong Kong heat, I'd like to get myself a pair, but he became cagey when I asked for details, so I'm hoping to find them with your help instead. Help?

Mr Dandy: Ooh, I know this one, too. The best I've found are by Japanese brand Edwin (120 Percival Street, Causeway Bay, tel: 2158 9538; www.edwin.hk). Ask for the 503ZERO (HK$1,090), which are available in slim or regular fit and various colour washes. The denim is spun with a special technique to make the cotton fibre extra soft and flexible, then the jeans are constructed without external stitching from a single piece of fabric. I don't quite get it, but it works. Have a look at the new 503ZERO Cool, too, which is seamless, quick-drying and ultra-lightweight (HK$1,200). By the way, you know your pal's trying to keep this discovery to himself, right?

Mr Dapper: I have to admit, I like the idea. However, any gentlemen with large thighs will tell you lighter fabrics tend to become threadbare on the inner thighs of trousers. It's difficult enough for them to find the perfect fit in jeans. Let's not put them through the frustration of experiencing this level of comfort only to find they need to replace them with great regularity. The principle here is: they won't miss what they don't know. Let's keep it that way, because who knows how they might try to salvage them. Patches anywhere near the crotch area are simply wrong. Now, lightweight jeans aren't exactly new and, considering Causeway Bay is a fashion hub, you'll find more than one pair of denims that fit the bill. Try one of those little-known brands such as Levi's, 7 For All Mankind, Diesel and so on.

I hope you can help me in a quest that's been going on for years. I spotted someone in old-style Chinese plimsolls emblazoned with a Chinese name beginning with an F, I think, but written out and not in characters. I've trawled markets and Chinese department stores to no avail.

Mr Dapper: Plimsolls? Wow, I have not heard that term in a long time. It takes me back to my school days, when we all wore standard-issue light, rubber-soled, canvas shoes for PE. The moniker apparently dates back to the early 1900s and probably refers to the similar shape of a ship's Plimsoll mark. No idea why you'd want to revert to those when you have so many other choices for up-to-date sports shoes, from Vibram FiveFingers for the barefoot running fanatics, to all manner of hi-tech, flashy trainers by Nike, Asics, Reebok, adidas and so on.

Mr Dandy: Oh, you mean Feiyue trainers! They're awesome. It's now a French brand (www.feiyue-shoes.com), but it started out in Shanghai in the 1920s. The name literally means, 'flying forward', which fits with the fact that the shoes were popular with martial-arts experts. When Frenchman Patrice Bastian was in Shanghai in the early 2000s, he decided to revamp the brand and the rest, as they say, is history. Anyway, Feiyues are great, retro alternatives to casual trainers by Converse and Vans. I like that they're quite sleek and narrow, too. The new collection lands next month at Kapok (5 St Francis Yard, Wan Chai, tel: 2549 9254; www.ka-pok.com), but call before heading over to avoid disappointment. In case you were wondering, a pair of these puppies will only set you back about HK$550 to HK$750.

Post