Today. Before 7 p.m. Don’t be like me and blow it.

I spent part of the weekend catching up with old friends (worth it) and checking out Brooks Brothers and Paul Stuart (not worth it). More about that later. Right now, you need to get to the fcuk sample sale at Metropolitan Pavilion, 110 W. 19th St. before 7 p.m. today. Pray that there are a few scraps left because my friend left me this very enthusiastic voicemail a few days ago:

I’m at the French Connection sample sale and it’s amazing. It’s me and all the other short men in New York trying on what remains of their extra smalls. Fantastic prices. You’ve got to come tomorrow morning. It’s great.

Somehow, I failed to make it there this weekend. And now I’m headed upstate to visit relatives, so there’s no hope for me. Even if you don’t go to the sale, it’s a good reminder that French Connection in general is a good option for short men. They have XS sizing that’s slim and relatively short (even though it’s curiously not mentioned on their sizing chart. What gives, fcuk?). So if you miss the sale, suck it up and pay full price. It’s worth it.

I’ve long been a fan of the blog A Suitable Wardrobe, a meditation on timeless men’s fashion written by Will in San Francisco. He’s a wealth of information on classic approaches to menswear. And he presents it all in an unfussy and inspired way — just like a true sartorialist. Recently, he fielded this query about odd jackets from a short reader:

Both Anton and Flusser write that odd jackets and trousers cut short guys in half. I am 5′ 7″ and assume that in addition to the contrast in materials and colors, the busy details and patterns of odd jackets would harm my look. Does this mean I should never wear odd jackets?

So, what is an “odd jacket?” some of you might be wondering. I’ve had plenty of odd jackets and I regretted them all. Well, think sock without a mate (as opposed to something “strange”). Basically, the odd jacket is a sports jacket that doesn’t have matching trousers. Great article on its evolution in Flusser’s book.

The good news, according to Will, is that short gents can still don the odd jacket or two. He cites a photo of David Niven, the old-school British actor,\

He’s able to wear that odd jacket successfully because there’s not as much contrast between jacket and trousers as the writers you mention usually recommend. Niven of course was fairly thin. You should also consider casual suits instead of odd jackets to help accentuate the vertical. For example, a cotton poplin or a seersucker suit can can go to the same functions as a blazer and the vertical lines of the seersucker in particular will give you a taller look.

So whether your look is urban (designer jeans and silk sportscoat) or pastoral (All Creatures Great & Small-style tweeds), dial down the contrast.

The shoulder has been a focus of interest throughout the noughties. Now in 2010 the high street has settled on the extended cap shoulder piece sleeve, often little more than a wide band. Some dresses also have a small neat shoulder pad to elevate the seam and help keep the shape of the designer intended shoulder line silhouette. Sleeve styles are interesting and there are many sleeves with soft upper fullness either blouse or structured, stiffened puffs and draped puff waterfall styles. Volume Sleeves – Watch for classic leg-of-mutton and other blowsy puff sleeve styles. Above Right – Monsoon Fusion Spring Summer 2010 – Blue Cosmic Dress £65/€110 Eire. Above Left – Monsoon Spring Summer 2010 – Blue Portobello Jacket £120/€285 Eire. Focus on the Waist and curviness is created with fitted darts and structured seams and drapery. Near Right – Mauve dress with all the fashion silhouette features to look out for this year. This dress is from the F&F Couture range at Tesco. F&F Couture Textured Pagoda Dress Magenta – £140 from Tesco Clothing – Stockist Number: 0800 505555 or tesco.com/clothing . Nipped in Waists This body conscious interest focuses on the waist and curviness created with drapery or fitted darts and structured seams. Look for:- Swelling Skirt Silhouettes – Domed Bell Like Stiffened Fuller Wider Skirts. Focus on the hemline is achieved with bell skirts, bubble and tulip lines as shown on this page. Swathed Grecian Goddess Drapery Drapery in dress is a strong silhouette statement again this summer. Drapery in fashion has grown from micro trend to mass trend. Draped dress styles are sometimes split and draw attention to the legs, and when well cut at the same time cause the eye to also focus on the curviness of the bust and waistline. Well designed drapery can cover many figure faults, especially around the tummy area. Drapery can also and enhance curviness. Left – Neutral draped blush dress – Blush J Grecian Dress £60/€93 by Jasper Conran at Debenhams. Note the little cap sleeve mentioned above and the ladylike quality of the dress. This fashionable dress does have a deep V neckline, yet has not been styled with the overflowing bosom look so familiar a few years ago. The overall effect is fascinating, but not vulgar. Draping works classically in Grecian goddess mode when the material is smooth silky and plain. Prints of the moment such as tribal digital and striped prints are all used to great effect with draped fashion styles and create a more funky edgy look. Near Right – One Shoulder Dress £30 ASOS April Clothing Centre – New Nautical Striped Draped Dress, Limited Edition T69 2978F £29.50 at Marks & Spencer. Far Right – YOGO EGO Double Layer Jersey Wrap Neck Blush Dress £35 www.Yogoego.com . Yogo Ego is a young fashion company with lots of fresh ideas like this dress which is hot on trend. Drapery is also apparent in the skirts, knitwear and trousers shown further below.

If you make these free Christmas stencils outlines larger, then they are suitable for larger rooms like classrooms.  If made daintier and smaller, then you can use them with coloured food powders on cakes.  The stencils can also be used to make scenes and collages when coloured by individual children and amassed as a group work.  White snow paint can be used with them for windows or gold paint for table linen or trays.  You can also make them in black card and use coloured cellophane behind them to create stained glass effects for light catchers or classroom friezes.

Enlarge the thumbnails and either print off whilst online, or save the Christmas stencils to your graphics folder or in My Pictures or in a special folder you make called Christmas.   You can also print them off at the size you wish using the printer set up guide and adjusting the scale.  You can also import these free Christmas stencils into a Microsoft Word document and enlarge or reduce them there by dragging the corners of the picture in or out and perhaps making a work sheet from them for class or nursery use.

DO NOT  link directly to these free Christmas stencils.

Belts have moved up from the hip and are now on the waist.  These belts are waist cinching almost like waspies and help create the handspan look.  As an area of interest, the belts are statement pieces too.  Belts often seem to be one deep belt overlaid with another buckled and fastened belt.

Satin ribbon bows will emphasise waists and will appear on dresses, jackets and knitwear as cardigan belts or as jacket trims.  Vibrant contrasting colour belts in zingy fruit colours can add a new interest to practical beiges and taupe coats.

Shiny belts in patent capture the mood.  Waists are high making it the new erogenous zone.  Whereas in previous seasons highlighting the waist was dropped in favour of the pelvic line, now women have become more used to the idea of waist importance again.

Fitted jackets teamed with fitted pencil skirts or fuller skirts reinforce the ladylike feminine 1950s feel.

Handbag hardware and styling appears to have moved onto belts.  Wide belts with deep cuffs or made of one belt on top of another

Think of a bygone era – can you recall old films like Elizabeth Taylor in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof or in Butterfield 8.  In these films she wears beautifully cut lace slips which cover her totally, yet reveal enough to make her doubly alluring as a woman.  A new generation is about to discover the slip which will be major trend this summer especially as the dress returns.  The film King Kong shows its female lead spending much of her time half dressed in an attractive lace trimmed silk slip just like your great aunt may have worn.

A slip is an excellent under foundation base for dresses and fairly diaphanous top layers such as organdie blouses and semi sheer dresses.  It is a much better foundation for a dress than a separate camisole and separate half slip or waist petticoat that may ride up.

A crochet dress is almost impossible to wear with decency without a good slip.  Without a slip it may be fine for clubbing, but no one in their right mind would consider wearing a crochet dress to the office without a slip.  But with an underslip it is an acceptable item of non clubbing clothing.

The dress is back and is one of the most the dominant fashion stories. The dress is an all solution item and with such variety may get adopted with as much gusto as the gypsy skirt did last year.  There are many different styles.  Some dresses have fuller dropped waist skirts and empire bra shaped slip tops, which could easily be teamed with a shrug or denim shirt or jacket to make it more casual, for example, this pretty dress from Monsoon, (See Annabel dress to the left.)

Look out for shirtwaisters.  Note the shift, empire lines, baby doll dresses, tent dresses, wrap dresses, gentle puffball skirt dresses, slip dresses, dropped waist dresses.  Watch out for draped gowns with a touch of the goddess about them.

Cap sleeves of all lengths, including cuffed bloused sleeves have re-emerged.  Sleeves will be most welcome to those who hate strappy dresses that reveal less than model toned arms and chicken wings of flesh.  The dress has become functional daywear again rather than just the wispy bare-all strappy slip of the past decade.   Think dresses, think pretty dresses.

The wrap dress has been popular for years, but now many wrap dresses have a much higher waistline, making them look more up to date than the standard on-the-waist wrap dress.  Regard the wrap dress as a classic basic piece rather than high fashion.  They also look acceptable over jeans or leggings and make those skinny items easier for all to wear.

A much sought after fashion look by those slender enough to wear it, is the slinky, figure hugging, designer Roland Mouret hour glass style sheath dress left.  There is a waiting list for the original dress at stores like Browns and Harvey Nichols, but no doubt imitations of the Mouret Galaxy and Titanium dress will soon be on the high street.

I know Marks and Spencer has an interesting black finely pinstriped fully lined version in the Autograph range (01714050) at £89, as I bought one recently – shown right.  I acknowledge it is not identical, but it it shows that manufacturers and retailers are influenced by celebrity dressing in their design choices and they are aware the consumer will seek similar items.  Tesco has a similar dress for much less at about £35.

Wherever you are in the world, I am sure some manufacturer will be working hard to create their own versions.  For evening the neckline, corners are ripe for dressing with quality decorative earring clips in the style of 1940’s Rita Hayworth or Wallis Simpson glamour.

This slinky black fitted dress £40/€60 dress below is from the Dorothy Perkins Spring Summer 2006 range.  It also pays homage to the dress left.  The Green bow bag is £12/€17.  Note those bows are everywhere this year.  Image here and in header courtesy of Dorothy Perkins