BOOKS Humorous hints may help men avoid making fashion mistakes

New book gives men clues on fashion dos and don'ts.
SCRIPPS HOWARD
We all know at least one guy who hasn't a clue about how to dress or care for his clothes. It's painful to watch as he tries to navigate the business and social worlds in his ill-fitting, frayed clothes and unpolished shoes.
A new book by Kenneth Karpinski, "Mistakes Men Make That Women Hate: 101 Style Tips for Men" (Capital Books, 2003) offers some help.
It's a delightful book that we would like to give to roughly half the men we know. As the subtitle indicates, it's a collection of tips, written clearly and with humor. A sampling of quotations:
UPilling collar fabric. (These tiny fuzz balls scream "inexpensive.") Most often seen where the collar comes in contact with the neck, fabric pills are the result of friction and cannot be removed effectively. They make a shirt look cheap and worn out.
UDressy Tie with a Casual Shirt. (This combination completely defeats the purpose -- why bother?) Knits of cotton or wool and many club or conversational ties go perfectly with a casual denim or patterned shirt. Stay away from shiny silks or dressy patterns like foulards or dots.
UDark Dress Socks with Shorts. (This look is okay only if you're in Bermuda or wear the socks over the calf.) The more casual the shorts the less appropriate it is to wear dark, ankle-length dress socks.
USeven Hairs across the Top. (If you are losing your hair, admit it. Making those seven hairs work overtime isn't going to fool anyone.) Take care of the hair you do have without resorting to attempts at camouflage or redirection. Moving the part or combing the hair against the natural growth pattern are tricks that are always more obvious that you think. A naturally receding hairline is nothing to be ashamed of.