This one’s for the guys: As you know, tailored jackets and sport coats come with a varying number of buttons.



So what are the rules for buttoning a jacket? Here is a tip from the new book “Nordstrom Guide to Men’s Style,” by consumer trend expert Tom Julian (Chronicle Books, $19.95):



“No matter how many buttons you elect to have on your jacket, you should always leave at least one of them unbuttoned— preferably the bottom one—unless you want to look like your mother dressed you.”



If you need any reminders that less is more, here’s a book with a great title: “40% Off is the New Black” (Andrews McMeel, $9.99).



Funny and inspirational, the book was written by Lisa Birnbach, Ann Hodgman and Patricia Marx. Among the friendly reasons why less is indeed more (pass them on!):



 Packing your own lunch saves calories, too.



 Your pets wouldn’t like you more if you were rich.



 Wanting something is often more fun than having it.



 Seashells are amazingly beautiful for something that costs nothing.



 You’ll feel better if you categorize everything you can’t afford as “tacky.”



Speaking of frugality, keep summer clothing brighter longer by turning clothes inside out when you wash them.



This helps protect buttons, trims and zippers, too.



If it’s summer, it’s seersucker time. A favorite among suit-clad Southern gentlemen in the 1930s, seersucker has endured through the decades. And no wonder.



According to Cotton Incorporated, “seersucker’s unique pattern has a puckered style that lifts off your skin, allowing air to circulate. The fabric’s vertical stripes help elongate the body—a flattering detail any woman can appreciate. And, in addition to the comfort and style that seersucker provides, it’s also one of the easiest fabrics to care for.”



This summer you will find it on skirts, shorts, tunics, blazers, dresses, neck ties, swim trunks and so much more—for men, women, boys and girls.



“The only real elegance is in the mind.If you’ve got that, therestcomesfromit.” —Diana Vreeland