Technicolor talons in rainbow hues and pretty pastels will brighten your day even when the sun isn’t shining

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1. Extract of Limes: £36, Geo F Trumper, trumpers.com - This summery, citrus aftershave is a timeless classic that suits the warm weather. It’s fresh, clean and modern.

The Ten Best men's grooming buys

Stay cool with these summer-time buys that will keep you looking and feeling fresh, regardless of the temperature

White gold and diamond 'on fire' ring, Price upon request; white gold and diamond 'the one' ring, Price upon request; white gold and diamond 'Ziggurat' Cuff £75,000; 'Shooting star-blue' Earrings 18ct white gold, diamonds and blue plique-a-jour, £29,000

Queen of the stone age: Solange Azagury-Partridge has never been too precious to go her own way

Walk the glittering line of fine jewellery shops on Mayfair's Bond Street and you'll find that one in particular stands out – for its opulence, without doubt, but also for its character and its use of caricature, for its almost whimsically 'other' take on modern luxury.

If ever proof were needed that, long term, the loudest noise is made by the most talented designers, and that their skill is more important than any slick marketing and/or money-spinning licensing and accessories, it lies here.

Ready To Wear: A decade of elegance for gifted Elbaz at Lanvin

How good it was to see Alber Elbaz celebrating his 10th anniversary at the helm of Lanvin.

1. La Compagnie de Provence sponge: £14, selfridges.co.uk - A soft natural sponge is a real treat in the shower, and a good alternative for those who dislike man-made fibres or scratchy mitts.

The 10 Best Shower products

Soap up and rinse off stress, grime and grit with these brilliant bathroom buys, from spartan sponges to luxe lathers

Brief encounter: Shorts are not just for holidays

Shorts have come out of the holiday drawer and into the limelight, appearing everywhere from the red carpet to the Glastonbury stage, says Susannah Frankel

Ready To Wear: Tom Ford never said anything about women wearing shorts

Sounding increasingly like Hardy Amies way back when, Tom Ford declared this spring that a gentleman should never, ever, wear shorts.

Revamp: United Colors of Benetton gets new chief

United Colors of Benetton will this week announce the hiring of You Nguyen as its new chief merchandising officer and creative director, as part of its new strategy to revamp the brand.

Harriet Walker: In short, a guide to bare-legged sartorial cool

Keep your shorts well conditioned too – nothing spoils the look like a rumpled crotch or bulging pockets

Ready To Wear: There was a time when any publicity was good publicity

In London last month, Tom Ford caused an outcry when he refused to invite newspaper journalists to his autumn/winter ready-to-wear presentation.

One Minute With: Armistead Maupin, novelist

Where are you now and what can you see? I'm on a train on my way from London to Liverpool and there are English fields flying by the window and the sun is coming out. It's a milky view of an England that doesn't change.

Charles Nevin: Don't worry... thank God it's Monday

If you ask me... tinsel is back as, mindful of the recession, we turn away from expensive tack to cheap tack

Snooker: Higgins shines on return in Germany

John Higgins quickly found his form after returning to the game at the European Players Tour Championship in Hamm, Germany last night, beating Martin Gould 4-3 to reach the last 16.

The Bargain Hunter: Nothing shirt of the best

The mid-season sale at Joules Clothing is now on, with up to 50 per cent off selected lines and three-for-two discounts on accessories available online. For the full range of sale items, including some fantastic deals on men's sweatshirts and polo shirts, head over to http://ind.pn/bcTowf. The sale ends on 5 November.

Diary: Gladwell's new Entourage

Malcolm Gladwell, The New Yorker's eclectically barbered thinker-in-chief, is to turn his hand to a discipline in which he has somewhat fewer than 10,000 hours of experience: television production. The bestselling non-fiction writer (one of whose theories is that a genius requires 10,000 hours of practice to master his or her craft) has teamed up with "Marky" Mark Wahlberg to produce a drama series for HBO set during the Cold War. According to the Deadline Hollywood blog, the unnamed project will be based in Berlin, and "centers on a missionary who becomes involved in the CIA". It's not yet clear how much creative input the pair will have in the show. Wahlberg has past form at HBO, having produced the hipster "dramedies" Entourage and How To Make It In America, as well as the amply funded new Prohibition-era drama, Boardwalk Empire, with Martin Scorsese. Gladwell, on the other hand, has just one IMDb credit to his name so far, as co-writer on a TV movie unpromisingly titled Runaway Virus.

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Babies behind bars: A Palestinian fertility doctor has become an unlikely hero by helping women conceive – even though their husbands are in jail

Babies behind bars

A Palestinian fertility doctor has become an unlikely hero by helping women conceive – even though their husbands are in jail
Sonic youth: The high-pitched sound alarm for under 25s

Sonic youth: The high-pitched sound alarm

Is Mosquito, the alarm only under-25s can hear, a blessing or a bane?
The art of living in small spaces: Architects are learning how to make less, more

The art of living in small spaces

Space in cities at a premium so architects are learning how to make less, more...
Special report: The story of Sir Mervyn King's reign at the Bank

The story of Sir Mervyn King's reign at the Bank

After four 'nice' years as Governor of Bank of England, things turned decisively nasty
Zombie nation: Our enduring fascination with a world full of death and destruction

Zombie nation: Our fascination with death and destruction

A new season of shows on Radio 4 is inspired by dark tales of future dystopias. Meanwhile, zombies are marauding in the multiplexes...
Martin Stephen: 'Ofsted says comprehensives are failing the most able but teaching bright children isn't rocket science'

'Teaching bright children isn't rocket science'

It doesn't take a selective system to nurture the best minds, says a former head of St Paul's boys' school.
The retail empires strike back: Can new technology lure us back to the high street?

Can technology lure us back to the high street?

The high street has been bruised and battered by online firms but in-store technology is helping to enliven the retail experience...
The 10 Best new smartphones

The 10 Best new smartphones

Photos, films, music, apps and browsing - the latest mobiles can do it all
Jenson Button: Downbeat driver cannot wait to put season behind him

Jenson Button: Downbeat driver cannot wait to put season behind him

McLaren man admits 'failed gamble' with car has left him pinning hopes on 2014 campaign
James Lawton: Firmer fist will be required to win Champions Trophy final battle with stouter foe

James Lawton

Firmer fist will be required to win Champions Trophy final battle with stouter foe
'To farm I have to rape the countryside. It’s got to be wrong': The true effect of the badger cull

The true effect of the badger cull

'To farm I have to rape the countryside. It’s got to be wrong'
Theatre review: Daniel Radcliffe gives an admirably honest performance in Michael Grandage's The Cripple of Inishmaan

First night: The Cripple of Inishmaan

Daniel Radcliffe gives an admirably honest performance in Michael Grandage's comedy
Girls Guides drop religious reference but pledge to self and the Queen

Guides drop religious reference but pledge to self and the Queen

After 103 years, organisation changes oath to welcome 'all girls, of all faiths, and none'
Steve Tongue: Joe Kinnear was one of the boys and a breath of fresh air... 21 years ago

Steve Tongue

Joe Kinnear was one of the boys and a breath of fresh air... 21 years ago
Chris Froome: Free from 'pain in neck' after Bradley Wiggins' exit

Chris Froome: Free from 'pain in neck' after Wiggins' exit

Sky's lead rider says he is in fantastic form for the Tour and happy pecking order debate is over