Sharp - Canada's Magazine for Men » Ask Sharp

Europeans can pull off the sockless look, but should a thirty-something Canadian man attempt the same?

Sharp Staff — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 15:28:03 +0000

If your Austrian cousin who works as a banker in Vienna can wear a slick suit and Italian leather loafers to the office with bare ankles, why can’t you? Provided your feet aren’t prone to reeking in the summer, go for it. Just make sure to keep a deodorizer around for those muggier days. People might stare, or even comment, but that’s because they wish they could pull it off.

I like thinner-than-normal ties, but not skinny ones. Is there something that falls in the middle?

Sharp Staff — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 15:31:28 +0000

Lucky for you, there is. Next time you go to your local men’s store, have the attendant measure the width of some ties for you. He should be measuring from the two widest points at the bottom of the tie. What you’re looking for is something close to the eight centimetre range, a perfect medium. A caveat – the shirt collars you wear with this tie cannot be big. Treat it like a skinny tie: the thinner the tie, the thinner the collar.

Do shoes and belts always have to match?

Sharp Staff — Mon, 31 May 2010 18:34:52 +0000

Call us old-fashioned, but yes, they do. The colours of both pieces don’t necessarily need to be identical, but close enough that you don’t notice. An older sartorial rule used to dictate that belts should match pants, but no one ever follows that anymore.

I recently bought a ’67 Corvette and I’m restoring it. But it’s next to impossible to get the grease and oil out of my hands with regular soaps. What would you recommend?

Sharp Staff — Tue, 04 May 2010 16:39:31 +0000

My old man’s a classic car nut. He’s gone through enough soaps to settle on one, and that’s Cherry Bomb ($100, available on amazon.com). The guy swears by it. It gets rid of dirt and grime in seconds and, better yet, it won’t roughen or damage your skin. Another good method is mixing dish soap and sugar (which acts as a pumice). The grease won’t come off as quickly, but it works.

What’s the best and easiest way to treat a sunburn?

Sharp Staff — Tue, 04 May 2010 16:35:01 +0000

First, jump into a cold bath. This won’t feel pleasant, but it’ll reduce the temperature of your skin quickly. Next, “apply a mild topical steroid to the affected area, like Cortate, as well as a thick, greasy moisturizer or a calamine lotion,” says Dr. Benjamin Barankin, a dermatologist based in Toronto. “Take a couple of ibuprofen pills as well, if the pain is intense, and make sure the area is well protected for the next six months or it’ll get burned again pretty easily.”

What’s the difference between “whisky” and “whiskey?”

Leo Petaccia — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 16:18:14 +0000

If it ends in an “e” it’s likely been made in Ireland or the States. Whisky spelled without an “e” comes from either Scotland or Canada. Scotch whisky and Canadian whisky generally taste richer and smokier. The difference, really, is in the malting process. The barley used for Scotch is dried over open peat fires, whereas the malt in whiskey is dried in ovens, which keeps its pure malty flavour.