This is 2015! Of course you can customise your swim trunks!
Shortomatic.com makes it easy. Click on Customize, pick the style and upload and position your own artwork or photo. Then choose the base and accent colours. You can add wording to the waistband, too. They make choosing your size super easy with a cool chart. When you click on a waist size, it shows the corresponding front rise, outer leg and leg opening measurements. All that personalisation costs just HK$768. It'll be ready in about four to six weeks, but you'll have to use a shipping forwarder, such as
myus.com because
shortomatic.com doesn't deliver outside the U.S. of A. Rad surf brand Hurley lets you customise 17 parts of its popular Phantom board shorts with delivery in four to six weeks (HK$969;
www.hurley.com. For about HK$200, you can order your very own Lycra swimsuit in either a thong or skinny brief from Hungary-based KriszSartoria store
etsy.com.
A well-made pair of swimming trunks does indeed look infinitely better than that awful oversized style. However, one does not need to have it custom made. For a few years now, there has been a trend towards tailored swimwear, led by brands such as Sunspel, J Press and Orlebar Brown. Visit
www.orlebarbrown.co.uk and enter the #Snapshorts competition to win your own customised shorts. Let us also make the distinction between bespoke or custom made and made-to-measure. MTM applies your measurements to a standard pattern rather than creating something entirely your own. Of those who offer such a service, Spanish brand Tarifa does it most elegantly. You can order a personalised swimsuit (HK$1,389) through
www.tarifaandcompany.com.
Seriously? Do you realise how much hot, sweaty feet make shoes reek? It doesn't matter if they're leather loafers or canvas slip-ons. I guarantee you, they will stink! I'll let you in on a little secret, though. I may look like I go sockless in the summertime, but really I've got a secret weapon up my, uh, toes. I'm talking about shoe liners, footsies, invisible socks. I buy mine from Falke. It does a few styles in basic black, white and grey plus other colours (HK$140 to HK$160; Lane Crawford). And you can get a decent pair from the Freshfeet line at Marks & Spencer (HK$99 for a pack of two pairs). Made with silver technology in the cotton to battle smells, they come in either black or white. Brands such as Polo and Calvin Klein do them, too. Styling-wise, I love them with a short pant, like a slim-cut chino and loafers.
