Shopping: The Essentials...

The Time: Father's Day, 15 June, 1997 The Place: Your home

Men are notoriously difficult to buy for and fathers can be the hardest. Stuck for an original idea we often resort to desperate purchases, like cartoon character socks and musical boxer shorts, which seemed zany at the time but aren't likely to make it to the washing line. This time there's no need to panic, as we've selected some practical and stylish gifts that he really will appreciate.

After a hard day's work he'll enjoy mixing himself a drink with this retro style blue soda siphon at pounds 49.94 from Jerry's Home Store

Scotch and soda in hand he can head for the garden to soak up the evening sun in a settler suede chair at pounds l25 from the Conran shop (below the radio) while listening to mellow sounds on this Fifties Roberts Revival 250 radio at pounds l00 from major department stores

He won't mind waking up to these chrome bathroom accessories, mirror pounds 25.95, pump bottles pounds l4.95 and small container pounds 6.95, along with a splash of lime and verbena aftershave lotion at pounds l0.95. All from the Conran Shop

Update his wardrobe with these woven silk plain or check ties between pounds 29 to pounds 49 from Liberty

Keep his life in order with a Tykho calculator which comes in red, yellow or blue at pounds l8.50 from Paperchase

If cooking isn't one of his strong points, encourage him to experiment with recipes from this `Dad's Own Cook Book' from Jerry's Home Store. At pounds 8.99 it could prove a worthwhile investment.

But if his culinary skills are best forgotten pack him off on a golfing weekend to somewhere like the four-star Cally Palace Hotel in Dumfries and Galloway where he can practice his strokes on the 18-hole course at pounds 71 per night. Telephone 01557 814341