Fragrances are part of the fashion industry. Their use suggests glamour, sophistication, romance and ultra-femininity. Applying a fragrance can be considered the final touch to perfect polish. If I don’t put on my perfume, or have unexpectedly run out – I feel incompletely dressed.

Fine fragrances can be categorized according to type and scent.

While some prefer fragrances to be strong, others prefer them to be subtle.  Perfume is made up of denatured ethyl alcohol and essential oils – the higher the percentage of the latter, the stronger, longer lasting, and more expensive the scent. Opinions differ on the exact quantities of essential oils that define the different types of fragrances, but here are the big categories:

• Perfume (most essential oils – more than 20%)
• Eau de Parfum
• Eau de Toilette
• Eau de Cologne (least essential oils – less than 5%)

Different scents work for different people, matching their personality, fashion persona and skin chemistry. I find that the following are useful categories for narrowing down personal preferences:

• Fresh – citrus fruits and green leaves
• Floral – jasmine, roses and white flower scents
• Oriental – vanilla and spices
• Woody – musk and moss

Fragrances are offered at an assortment of price points – most of which are on the pricey side. Why? Because rose oil is the basis of all perfume and it takes over a ton of rose petals to produce a pound of this essential oil, which can cost between $3000 and $4000!

I strongly recommend using a fragrance every day. It is one of the most personal messages that you send to those with whom you come into contact, and it will increase your sense of well being. Stay tuned for tips on which fragrances to select and how to apply them.

Coco Chanel invented what is probably the most famous and successful perfume to date. It was the 5th bottle of scent in an assortment that her design house created, so for lack of a better name she called it “Chanel number 5”. It stuck, and the product was marketed under this name.

Devoid of glamour and with an emphasis on unstructured comfort, the 80’s is sometimes referred to as the “death of fashion” and “the tasteless decade”. Twenty five years later, fashion trends are inspired by the 80’s – but with added glamour this time around. For those of us who are old enough, cruise or cringe down memory lane as you peruse the list of items below that have made a comeback this autumn season:

• Broad, two-toned striped knit tops
• Skinny pants
• Longer length T’s
• Leggings
• Micro minis
• Broad waist belts
• Mélange grey knit
• Grey jeans
• Deep V–neck tops with welted waist bands
• Red and black tartan checks (plaid)
• Red, black and white colour combinations
• Hounds tooth (black and white micro check)
• Bubble or bell skirts
• Patent accessories
• Membership jackets
• Plastic jewelry
• Ankle boots
• Leg warmers
• Punk chic t-shirts and studded belts

Fortunately, electric blue eye shadow, fuchsia lipstick, oversized shirts, shoulder pads and big hair never made the revival. Apart from skinny pants and leggings, retailers have ensured that their 80’s inspired punk and gothic collections are feminine and flattering. We’ll therefore be wearing the clothes that we once loathed again – only this time with style!

Another frequently asked question: what should men wear on their feet when they are wearing shorts? Well, unless they are engaging in a sport and are wearing the appropriate gear, wearing white terry cotton sports socks and sneakers with shorts is completely unacceptable. And – notwithstanding the fact that it is done all the time in western and northern Europe – wearing any form of sock with a sandal and shorts is also taboo.

There are only 2 stylish options:

• A pair of sandals, thongs or mules without socks
• A pair of fashion sneakers with “invisible socks”

Invisible socks are socks that cover your foot alone. They lie below the ankle bone and barely peek out from above a sneaker. The result is the comfort of a sock without looking like you are wearing one.

Please inform any gents that you know who seem to be struggling with this issue – they might be grateful for the information!

Mules and thong sandals from Kenneth Cole. WrightSock “no show” socks for sneakers. All are available from Zappos.com.

It’s perfectly acceptable to mix gold and silver jewelry, but there are some simple rules that can help you do so with style:

• Keep your watch matched to the rings on that hand – it’s a good idea to match the metal of your wedding ring with your watch. You’ll be able to wear a ring in a different metal on the other hand though.
• Keep jewelry that is in close proximity the same metal – earrings and necklaces should be the same metal; rings and wrist adornments should be the same metal; belt and bag hardware should be the same metal.
• Keep all fine jewelry the same metal – if fine jewelry is all that you wear, it’s usually best to keep it either all gold or all silver.
• Ignore the above rules if the pieces that you wear are made of mixed metals themselves – jewelry or accessories that mix silver and gold will allow you match either metal.

A couple of things you don’t want to do:

• Wear gold and silver rings on the same hand
• Wear a fine gold and diamond wedding ring with a sporty silver watch on the same hand

This is a tricky subject to write about because there are exceptions to every rule. When in doubt, stick to wearing one type of metal at a time.