Now Sense of style maketh a man

The Way We Look:  You've either got it or you haven't. And Irish men are lacking, the (self-styled) experts say - even if their youthful confidence is booming

A new survey of that popular beast, the young Irish male, has revealed fascinating things. The research, carried out last May on a sample of 266 men aged between 21 and 30, showed them to be a confident bunch, with 78 per cent saying it was likely they would achieve their greatest ambition in the next five years. Just over half (54 per cent) said they could not live without a close relationship (girlfriend or boyfriend) and an encouraging 27 per cent said they could live without their mobile phones. A less encouraging 1 per cent said they would like to be involved in politics.

Nearly a clean sweep of the Guinness-sponsored survey - 95 per cent - said that being respected by friends was a top priority in life. What the survey didn't explore is to what extent that respect could be inspired by the way the young men dressed. But when an ultra-bitchy tirade aimed at the style sense of the average Irish male appeared in the current issue of the Dubliner magazine, it received an avalanche of complaints. Reader after outraged reader lined up to argue the case for the sartorial elegance of Séamus Soap.

Trevor White, the magazine's editor, said the only really interesting letter came from an Irish fashion designer of international repute. "They were delighted to see someone tell it like it is."

For reasons of confidentiality he was unwilling to name the designer, who agreed with him that when it comes to style, Irish men simply don't have a clue. But, when it comes to criticising Irish men, White is frank enough for a dozen international designers.

"Let's be honest, there are more stylish people in a small Italian village than the whole of Ireland," he said. "What passes for style in this country is a slavish adherence to fashion-mag fashion. Have you seen the sort of people who work in Irish fashion magazines? Believe me they haven't got a clue about style."

Clothes, said White, have a lot to do with it. "But they're not everything. It takes a true Irishman to make a $1,000-suit look like Camden Street cast-offs."

Fortunately for beleaguered fír na hÉireann not everyone is as unforgiving. After all, guys have come a long way from the once regulation uniform of grandfather shirt, Aran jumper, tight blue jeans and Adidas runners. Haven't they?

Dermot Boyd, winner of the 2002 Louis Latour Man of Style competition, believes Irish guys' style is better than ever but there is room for improvement. "Shoes are number one. An unpolished pair can ruin a good suit. You live or die by your shoes."

Hair is also important. Boyd, an architect, hates the oiled-down look favoured by some Irish men. And football shirts, except for the vintage styles, are unacceptable. "It is just such a repetitive look," he said.

Group marketing manager for Arnott's department store, Eddie Shanahan, also believes Irish men have made great strides.

"If it was two years ago, I would say one of the main problems was the reliance on the anorak, but you couldn't say that now." Not when our leader has passed from anoraks to elegant tailored blue suits, anyway. Other style sins include ripped jeans ("So passé," said Shanahan) and too tight T-shirts worn by men who really should know better.

Economic factors have influenced what Irish men are wearing, said tailor to the stars Louis Copeland. "I think the dress-down Friday, or more casual approach to work-wear is changing for men," he said. "With the downturn in business, people need to get more serious about how they look. So major players in banking or accounting, who were going the more casual route, are coming back to a more structured look. Our suit sales are reflecting that," he said.

Where Irish men do let themselves down, said Copeland, is with scruffy footwear and socks that clash with their outfit. There is more to style though, said Trevor White, than matching socks and shiny shoes.

"It's the ability to say no, I've had enough champagne. It's the urge to write a card, instead of leaving voicemail. And finally it's having the wit to shut up when everyone else is quietly boasting."