The singer was caught on camera using his gadget during one of the performances. The artist has since said that he wasn’t ‘being rude’ he was just conforming to the ‘new way’ that fans interact with TV shows. A clever reply, but not an intelligent one! Yes, we do now use our mobiles for much more than just calling or texting people, but when you are begin paid shed loads to sit and listen to people sing the least you can do is give them your full attention!

No one can ever fully concentrate on two things at once – women are better at it than men, but no one is perfect.

I just hope that will.i.am bucks up his ideas for next week’s show.

Daily Mail article can be read here.

Yet, I am not an advocate of dry cleaners at all. They are expensive and unnecessary in most cases. I take my suits there once a year for a proper dry clean as taking them too often (as most people do) can cause the thread and material to wear quicker than if properly cared for.

Most dry cleaning of sweaters, cashmere and other ‘dry clean only’ garments can be done at home with the proper know-how. A lot of higher-end outfitters seem to only sell ‘dry clean only’ clothes – and this will just be to cover their backs should some laundry luddite ruin a new V-neck merino jersey.

But, back to suits. Here are my tips on how to care for your suits, making them last longer and saving your household those expensive dry cleaning bills.

• Do not wear the same suit every day. Have two or three (or more) suits and alternate. If you wore a suit on Monday, leave it to hang properly on Tuesday before wearing again on Wednesday
• Use proper suit hangers. It’s amazing how many wardrobes I see where perfectly nice suits are hung on shirt hangers (or, worse, wire hangers). Invest in proper wooden (or plastic) suit hangers, like these from John Lewis
• If your wardrobe has the space, hang trousers separately on clamp hangers from the ‘cuffs’ (i.e., the bottom)
• If your jacket has got creased after wearing, hang it up in the bathroom as you shower – making sure you shut the door and close windows so the room steams up. Depending on how long you’re in the shower and how much steams builds up, the creases should quickly ease away
• Failing that, hang the suit with the back against the boiler in your airing cupboard overnight
• However the best method of getting rid of creases from jackets and trousers is using a good steam iron. I have gone on at length before about the amazing Laurastar irons, but a good quality steam iron will enable you to quickly blast out any wrinkles and creases within seconds. Watch this video from Laurastar as to how their irons work wonders
• If your suit gets stained, use a rinsed out cloth to try to remove the stain. Water and friction work best on most things and you should always try this method before resorting to dry-cleaning

The Peacock is exactly the sort of hotel that I will choose to own & run when I get the time and patience to go into the hotel business. It has chosen quality over quantity and has clearly honed its service. The hotel is owned by Lord Edward Manners (slightly jealous of the surname), who resides in Haddon Hall.

The Peacock at Rowsley

For those who have read my restaurant review of Room in Manchester you will be familiar with the type of review I write; for those who haven’t, a quick précis. Too many reviews of restaurants and hotels focus on the food or the comfort of the beds, maybe even the décor – in short, they are written by those who don’t really know what they are looking for when it comes to service and household standards. One reader of my latest review said I was being ‘too picky’ – but to me, there is no such thing as too picky. When you are presenting something that is purporting to be luxury or first-rate then you automatically open yourself up to nitpickers like me. So here we go…

I arrived at the hotel having driven the one and a bit hour’s drive from the centre of Manchester and immediately sat down for a late lunch in the bar, eating a really rather delicious Croque-monsieur.

The downstairs cloakroom was clean enough, however the waste paper bin for the paper hand towels struck me: it was far too tall for the space in which it had been placed. It was to the left of the far left sink and needed to be about 12 inches shorter so it could fit under either the sink or the table displaying pamphlets of local attractions. I also was a bit concerned about said pamphlets (good word). Not only had the A4 flyers curled at both sides to look not very appealing (due to the moisture of the room and open window) but I questioned whether having such a table in the gentleman’s bathroom was quite right. Some men don’t wash their hands after (or don’t do it properly) and then if they go to pick up a leaflet, look it at, before replacing then they are only spreading germs and dirt. Not the most heinous of crime at all, but something to consider.

A room at The Peacock at Rowsley

My room was very comfortable and spacious. The hotel has 16 bedrooms and each is decorated with cohesion and uniformity whilst retaining their own personality.

Upon entering my room the first thing I noticed was what appeared on first glance to be the skinned Dulux dog to the side of the bed. What it was, in fact, was just a little rug. Supposedly the logic is it’s soft and fluffy and when you climb in or out of bed your feet momentarily pass through a furry bliss. But not me. I avoid this on two reasons: 1) I couldn’t shake the Dulux dog image, 2) think of the dirt the rug may contain!!! Even though I am sure the rug is regularly washed (should be done in-between each new guest arrival), the thought of stepping on it and then carrying any germs picked up and into the bed is too much for me and the two guests in my party.

I was pleased to see the towels on the towel rail were folded in the style that I teach to clients (which is the same method used in the Royal Household). What did surprise me was the loo paper. Upon arrival the loo roll had been ‘pointed’ (as it customary) but the roll was two thirds empty. Maybe this is part of an economy drive, but really a guest should arrive to a new, full roll. (The half-used rolls then go into the staff loos).

The wardrobes had a nice pull out rack, but only had three hangers on each. I imagine the hotel is used to guests staying only a couple of nights at most, but I felt a few more hangers should have been present.

Other things I noticed:

• Television & DVD controls needed cleaning in-between the buttons
• Tops of picture frames and exposed pipes needed a more thorough dust
• No need for chocolate on the pillow (naff)
• Good turn down service – they had written ‘Sweet dreams’ on the weather report for the next day, which I quite liked
• Free Wifi (I am sick of hotels/cafes trying to charge guests for this)
• In dining areas, the dishes were stacked at table when cleared (tsk, tsk)

The service in the bar was very good for dinner, and breakfast in the dining room was good too. The waiters wore footmen’s gloves to serve plates, which is a good idea to avoid fingerprints being transferred onto plates although there is a way to hold plates securely to avoid the use of gloves. The gloves were ill fitting on a majority of waiters which caused me to worry that they may cause otherwise careful staff to be a tad clumsy, although I was proved wrong.

Nearby Chatsworth House

The Peacock is a good hotel. It is very comfortable; the welcome by staff was convivial without being too pally. I would recommend the hotel to anyone who wishes to see Derbyshire (Chatsworth House – one of the grandest historic houses in England) is a matter of minutes away by car, and would stay at the hotel again… although I hope they review their policy on the dead Dulux dog.

Service: 4/5
Cleanliness: 3/5
Comfort: 4/5
Atmosphere: 5/5

So many restaurant reviews focus too much on the food. A critique of the service is often limited to a couple of lines, maybe a short paragraph at most. Good service is becoming a rare species in Britain. My colleagues and I have found that trying to get British hoteliers, restaurateurs and store managers to realise that customer service is crucial is like trying to sell sand to the Arabs. Complacency has developed within the service industry, and in turn I feel that the clientele have lowered their expectations and almost given in to trying to fight for a good ‘customer experience’.

Entrance to Manchester's Room restaurant

I recently dined for the second time at ‘Room’, which purports to be one of Manchester’s leading restaurants. Room is located in Spring Gardens, one of several restaurants within literal spitting distance of each other. With such close competition, one would think that the restaurants would have to try even harder to get things right. In Room’s case, this is sadly not the case.

The building is lovely, as indeed most of the buildings in the centre of Manchester are. A former gentleman’s club, the actual restaurant is just one big, high-ceilinged room. The ceiling is carved wood with very intricate features in points; two massive lampshades and bulbs hang down and gently light the restaurant. Although I am still not sure about the quasi-William Morris wallpaper, the décor is quite nice, with the exception of the stairs leading up to the restaurant, which has plastic treads reminiscent of a school staircase.

The interior of Room restaurant

Upon arrival the hostess and a man wearing one of those now trendy (I think?) flat-caps greeted us. The obvious ‘gentleman don’t wear hats indoors’ rule aside, the welcome was welcoming although nothing special. The man asked us whether the three of us would like to share a coat hanger; being British and not wanting to create a fuss, we said yes. Our coats were all very smart coats – one of which was quite expensive and having other coats sit on top of it is not a good idea. But what stunned me was his lackluster approach to putting the coats on the hanger. He hadn’t even bothered to get the shoulders over the hanger and I had to re-place them, as he was about to hang two other coats over the top, which would have creased the bottom coat.

Upon entering the restaurant proper, I was struck by a funny smell, which I had noticed the first time I ate at Room a few weeks ago. The smell mercifully dissipated as we walked over to the far side of the restaurant.

Our waiter – who should have been clean-shaven or at least had a tidy beard (a bug-bear of mine) – persisted in calling us ‘guys’ throughout the meal, which normally I’d be fine with (so many restaurants do it, sadly) but due to the other misdemeanors I was on ultra-critical form.

We had to wait 25 minutes before our drinks came to the table. An apology was offered (last bottle of wine in the cellar) although 25 minutes to search for a bottle of wine without alerting us to why we were waiting… ? Our first courses arrived before any drinks had been brought to us. Extraordinary.

I had the pate & brioche toast (£6.50), which to be fair was delicious. I had this dish the first time I came to Room and experienced deja vu when there was more pate than toast (this is not a fault exclusive to Room – so may restaurants world-over don’t serve enough bread/melba toast meaning there is a large portion of pate that goes uneaten).

The main courses came, and again – delicious. The food is clearly not Room’s problem, although one diner did say that the chips from the ‘Posh Fish & Chips’ were a bit too hard. I had the Beef Wellington (£17.50, plus sides), which like all of Room’s food is ‘deconstructed’ and does not look (or taste) anything like the dishes from which they take their name. As I said, I am not reviewing the food as I am not a chef or foodie and as such I will not attempt a detailed critique. But maybe the chef could rename the dishes, as using well-known names gives diners a pre-conceived idea as to what is coming – only to have equally as delicious but very different food arriving.

Some of the dishes came on slates, which I must say does make it look quirky and quite smart, but they are totally impractical from a service point of view. Like with hospitals nowadays not being run by doctors & nurses, Room’s table settings were clearly bought by someone who has not been a waiter (or ‘table host’ as they are called in Room). Both waiters who cleared our table struggled to pick the slates up, as unlike a conventional plate, there is nowhere to pick up – instead the slates go flush against the table and the method the waiters used was both inelegant and indescribable.

The bill came, although was presented not in any book or with any covering, which was bizarre. A minor transgression but at this point I was noticing everything (including the diners on the next table who were getting a bit too merry and boisterous for my liking).

Upon leaving we once again met the hat-clad man who handed back our coats in one ham-fisted go. Rather than helping the lady of our party on with her coat, he just stood there watching, leaving me to aid (not that I mind in the slightest but at a restaurant at these prices, that is the level of service you should be getting).

The first time I came to Room I left with a weird feeling not knowing what I thought of the place but decided to give it a second go. My second go has now passed and I left feeling mightily unimpressed. Yes, the food is good but the service leaves a lot to be desired. For the prices you pay (which are normal for a London restaurant but higher-end for Manchester) you expect good service. I do wonder whether this is all just noted by me and me alone, but having trained (now) first-class service staff world-over, I am probably more susceptible to noticing the hiccoughs. All the problems (and there were more I have left out of this review!) are easily fixed and like so many other restaurants, Room needs to take the time to train their staff and iron out a few of their rather severe creases.

Service: 4/10
Food: 7/10
Atmosphere: 7/10

If you are looking to make a fresh start and right a past wrong then why not start with reviewing your policy on thank you letters. An alarming majority of people now eschew sending written thanks to their nearest and dearest who have spent their hard earned money on presents. Some will half-heartedly try to express their thanks by sending a thank you text or email. I can’t imagine doing such a thing. I am coming out in hives as I write. That said, I suppose they are better than nothing.

I am certain that one of the main reasons for the decline in thank you letter writing is that people simply don’t know how to start. This will most likely be down to parents failing to enforce the writing of such letters from an early age.

My parents always told me that I would never receive presents if I didn’t thank gift givers. Being a shallow, materialistic child this was an unbearable prospect and so, sometimes battling against a mirage of unwillingness, I duly wrote them. Now, I find them no effort whatsoever and it takes me about two minutes per letter and thirty seconds per envelope.

Here are my tips for writing perfect and gratitude-filled thank you letters.

• Keep a list of who gave you what as you open presents on the day as this will make sure you don’t forget anyone
• Use good quality writing paper (never ‘notepaper’) with matching envelopes
• For social correspondence writing paper can be around A5 size
• Stick to blue or black ink from a fountain pen
• Write your address at the top if the writing paper has no pre-printed letterhead
• Avoid starting the letter (after ‘Dear X’) with the words ‘thank you’. This is not a solecism but from a stylistic point of view it can seem a tad prosaic. Opt for something like, ‘It was very nice of you to buy me the Le Creuset serving dish…’ But don’t forget to actually say thank you within the letter!
• For Christmas, send out letters as soon after the event as possible when a normal postal service resumes but no later than two weeks. That said, a later thank you letter is better than none at all. Or a text!

But this little worn, and to some people – little known, dress code has its rules, just like any other. It used to be the standard dress for evening dinners in the age of Downton Abbey, as indeed we see on the hit costume drama. Black Tie then came in (from America) and the aristocracy decided that it was a lot less hassle to wear every evening than White Tie.

Lord Grantham from Downton Abbey

Working from top to bottom, the gentleman should wear…

Bow tie The clue is in the title of the dress code – a white bow tie (hand-tied) is correct. Make sure your hands are spotless before tying as the brilliant white of the tie will show every mark unforgivingly

Shirt A white, winged collar (sometimes detachable from the dress shirt) should adorn the top of the dress shirt, which should be fastened with studs. I have white mother of pearl studs for such an occasion. Cuffs should be double-cuffed (i.e. cufflinks)

Jacket The black (sometimes midnight blue) tailcoat is double-breasted although never fastened and should just show a hint of the white waistcoat beneath

Decorations These may be worn if the invitation decrees – always on the wearer’s left lapel

Waistcoat This is white, made from a pique cotton and is fastened

Trousers Black and tapered with two pieces of braid running down the side of each leg (unlike Black Tie trousers, which should have just one). They should be held in place with the aid of braces, not a belt

Socks Long black silk evening socks are preferable, although merino wool is an acceptable modern alternative

Shoes Patent black and Oxford-style

Unlike with Black Tie where one sometimes sees people trying to inject colour in the outfit, one should not even contemplate such a solecism with this dress code.

Ladies have some rules to follow, although the design, patterns and materials of their gowns will change with the fashions of the age. Dresses should be sweeping and to the floor, but hair should not be. This should be restrained to avoid knocking out dancing partners. Long white gloves should be worn at all times, except when dining. Tiaras may be worn if the occasion warrants them.

The short answer is that no one was wrong. In Britain – and some other countries, there are two different types of salute. The Army and the Royal Air Force, who do not generally wear white gloves as part of the uniform will salute with the palm facing forward, as the Prince of Wales is doing in the picture below.

The Prince of Wales salutes

The Navy, who are typically found in white gloves when in their dress uniform, will salute with the palm facing down so not to show dirty palms. The Duke of Edinburgh, being a Naval man, saluted in this style earlier today.

The Duke of Edinburgh salutes naval style

Ladies who are not in the military but are accompanying people who are should bow their heads, as the Duchess of Cambridge did when travelling back from Westminster Abbey with her new husband after April’s Royal Wedding.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

Finally, a salute should only happen when one is in military uniform.

Firstly, if there is a dress code in place for the event, stick to it! No one is above dress codes. You simply cannot turn up wearing whatever takes your fancy: this is the height of bad sartorial manners. If you are unhappy with the dress code, then decline the invitation.

The spring of each year sees the interminable cycle of awards ceremonies begin and such events always depress me as the men start messing around with what is a perfectly smart dress-code to begin with – if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Perhaps the male actors, singers and television personalities feel upstaged by the women, who for each ceremony get to wear a colourful dress, which the men may think deflects attention away from what they are wearing. So they start to wheel out skinny ties (which will be top of my list to put into Room 101), or just plain black neck ties (which, to me, shows ignorance that ‘Black Tie’ does not mean a neck tie).

William at a Black Tie event

So what to wear for the gentlemen?

Working from top to bottom…

Hair This should be washed and brushed. Similarly, you should be clean-shaven (unless you always have a beard or moustache). There is no point going to a smart event if your head and face looks like it hasn’t seen a comb in years

Shirt A white shirt with a turned down collar is called for with Black Tie. Winged collars, often mistakenly worn, are the reserve of the White Tie dress code. The shirt should be a dress shirt, which are generally slightly thicker in material, with a pique or frilled front.  Button down collars are a no-no. Dress shirts can be fastened with buttons or with studs. Cuffs can be standard or double-cuff, depending on preference

Bow tie As I mentioned above, Black Tie does not mean a black neck tie. They are for funerals. Bow ties should be hand-tied in my opinion (Her Majesty is said to be able to spot a ‘fake’, pre-tied bow tie a mile off – as can I. We’re quite similar.) If you cannot tie one, then I suggest you learn, or try to look good in a pre-tied one

Jacket Black. Lapels can be notched or shawl. Jackets can be single or double breasted. Double breasted jackets (of any variety) often look best on very slim men. Dinner jackets are never fastened when single-breasted

Pocket square If you wish to wear a ‘top pocket handkerchief’ then you may do so. In white

Cummerbund Nowadays, these are optional and if worn should be worn with the folds pointing upwards. It goes around the waist

Braces Don’t wear a belt, even if hidden by a cummerbund. Instead opt for braces, preferably black, if you need to keep your trousers up

Trousers These should match the material of the jacket and are usually tapered slightly

Socks Black silk evening socks are technically correct but these are not widely sold and most people are opting to wear conventional wool or cotton socks

Shoes Well-polished, smart black shoes are perfectly acceptable. If you have black patent leather shoes by all means wear them to Black Tie events. I do!

Finally for the gentlemen, a question I get asked a fair bit: ‘can I inject some colour into Black Tie?’ My advice is to try to steer clear of playing with the monochrome colour palate of Black Tie, however boring you think it may be. Where people have added a red cummerbund, or bright blue socks it has generally looked a bit tacky. One has to be a highly skilled fashionista to break the dress code with style.

As for what the women should wear: evening dresses are correct. They shouldn’t really be floor-length, this used to be reserved for just White Tie events, but this rule has been relaxed. Inject as much colour as you so wish, ladies: it doesn’t matter what colour you wear as your male partner will only be in black and white which means you will stand out, without clashing with him, and (hopefully) look radiant.

Click here to read the rest of this article on The Huffington Post.

Here is my simple guide on how to launder your shirts properly, to ensure you look your best at all times.

1) Wash shirts as per laundry symbols. Most shirts range from a 40 degrees C wash to a 60 degrees C. Make sure you have removed any collar bones/stays and cufflinks before washing

2) Do not tumble dry! Hang shirts up to air dry, fastening the top button (this will keep the collar in shape)

3) Iron your shirts when damp. They should not be bone dry (if they are, use a spray-bottle of ironing water) but they should not be soaking wet either

4) Iron shirts with coloured patterns on inside out as this will help prevent the colour from fading

5) Iron in the following order: collar, yoke (shoulders), cuffs, sleeves, back, front left side, front right side (for these last two section there is no right or wrong as to which front side you iron first)

6) Air the shirts for a couple of hours before putting away in your wardrobe. Make sure you hang shirts on proper hangers with the top button fastened (as I said above, it will help keep the collar in shape)

A good iron is recommended, although the above applies to whichever iron you use. I have a Laurastar iron, which are by far the most superior and effective.