Go for the Collar That Makes Sweater Better

Stuck up: Within the next few months, the American people must answer two crucial questions: Who will be President? And what do you do with a polo shirt collar when worn with a crew neck sweater?

As with a presidential race, there seem to be deep regional differences on how one would vote on the collar issue--up or down?

“Having the collar stick straight up out of the sweater is kind of a preppy, East Coast look,” says John Kikuchi of At-Ease of Newport Beach. “It’s not really seen much out here.”

You can leave the collar flat on the sweater, although you risk giving yourself a “Peter Pan” appearance. “Probably the best all-round way to wear it is tucked into the collar with just a bit of the shirt showing,” Kikuchi says. “This looks especially well with a sweater that has a multicolored collar. The shirt gives it a nice accent.”

Peek-a-blue jeans: If you’ve hung around some of the hip clubs or chic shopping malls, you’ve seen men and women wearing jeans with holes strategically cut to provide a view of their legs. They were probably bought holey sometime last year.

“It’s primarily a look that was popular on Melrose in L.A., but now it’s pretty much passe,” says Paul Stephens of Mykonos in Orange. “You don’t see many of them for sale now.”

If you’ve already got a pair of pricey, pre-cut jeans in the closet, and you don’t want to use them for gardening just yet, cover them with fun patches available at stores specializing in denim.

Time for a change: It’s the details that make a first impression, and this means that if you go to formal business meetings, don’t wear your purple Swatch.

“A dress watch is usually thin and understated. The numbers are small, and the band is leather,” says jeweler Eric Stavos of Santa Ana. “It’s a good investment socially and business-wise to own at least two different styles of watches.”

A good dress watch doesn’t have to be expensive. Several off-brands with pricey-looking timepieces are available for $20-$40.

But don’t get caught trying to make a big splash wearing a fake Rolex or Movado. Counterfeits can often be recognized by a slight change in the watch face and by the way the case tarnishes green over time.