I’ve been spending more time at South Bay Beach this summer than at the gym and I got thinking: why do girls have so many cute cover-ups when boys don’t? What happened to things like James Bond used to wear?
Mr Dandy: Yeah. It’s like Dapper and the weirdo government announcements at the beach are implying: No fun allowed on sand! Just kidding. I think finding a Bondlike outfit for your next weekend in the sun would be awesome. But guess what? The only terrycloth rompers out there are for women! Although one of the vintage towelling wraps (sort of like a skirt for guys) that you’ll find on ebay.com for as little as HK$230 would be hilarious. Also see the Terry Beachwear collection at Wittmann Textiles (wittmanntextiles.com), such as the short-sleeved beach jacket (HK$294) and matching shorts (HK$198). Or pick one of Orelbar Brown’s Terry polo shirts (HK$1,238; orlebarbrown.co.uk) and throw it over a pair of terry-cloth shorts with elastic waistband by Toolboxclothing (HK$93; www.amazon.com).
My new girlfriend thinks citrus cologne is sexy. What am I supposed to wear now?
Mr Dandy: Citrus, in case you’re really clueless, means stuff that smells like lemon, orange, grapefruit, mandarin, tangerine, lime, neroli and bergamot (think Earl Grey tea). DS & Durga makes an amazing Italian Citrus cologne with blood orange, lemon and green mandarin, plus musk (HK$900; The Armoury, The Landmark, Central, tel: 2810 4990). Heeley’s Oranges and Lemons Say the Bells of St Clements also adds a bit of vetiver (HK$1,390; Joyce Grooming, The Landmark, tel: 2522 2886) while Tom Ford’s got the yummy Azure Lime (HK$1,780).
Mr Dapper: Have you never wondered why it is called eau de cologne, meaning “water of Cologne”? It originates from the early 18th century, when a scent was created in the German city using a variety of citrus, lavender and rosemary notes. The closest existing example is 4711 Eau de Cologne (HK$110 and up; strawberrynet.com), first introduced by Maurer & Wirtz in the 1790s. Many men’s scents maintain this legacy, incorporating one citrus note or another. My dear boy, perhaps we should address the larger issue at hand. I fear it does not bode well if your new girlfriend is already trying to change and control you, right down to dictating how you should smell.
