Before the week is out ...

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blobject

the victory of ergonomics over aesthetics in cases like the Nissan Micra and ibook

SARTORIAL ELEGANCE doesn't come cheap, but it can come easy. The latest clothing site for men is www.dressmart.com, which aims to recreate the traditional gentleman's outfitters. You can choose outfits from a range including Gieves & Hawkes, Thomas Pink, Cerruti 1881, Mulberry and Links of London; everything from underwear to cuff links. And if you've got the dress nouse of William Hague and aren't sure which tie to wear with which suit, the style guru, a sort of on-line John Inman, will happily suggest one for you. But the best thing about this site is the after-sales service - once you've stepped out in your new gear the express laundry service will have it cleaned, pressed and on your desk in less than three hours.

hear this

THE WORLD craves its furry icons - now that Flat Eric is no more, a replacement is needed. Welcome then the dancing hamsters. They began life on the Hamsterdance.com website, strutting their stuff to a tune from Disney's Robin Hood, and soon caught the ear of veteran talent-spotter John Peel. Cue a record sampled by The Cuban Boys, and now Radio 1 listeners can't get enough of these super furry animals. The catchy ditty looks set to be the millennium party song and could well make the Christmas Number One spot. A silly dance that we'll all be embarrassed to perform at the office party will follow. Come back Orville - all is forgiven.

`Cognoscenti v. Intelligentsia' by the Cuban Boys is released on 13 December.

do this

IF YOU'RE a sucker for modern design, from Art Nouveau to the present day, then the 20th Century exhibition at Olympia is a must. The show features an immense array of furniture, art and jewellery by leading artists and designers from all periods, plus a programme of lectures by experts such as furniture maker John Makepeace, who designed the "Serendipity" chair (pictured), to be launched at the show. Should your tastes be more mohican than Bauhaus you'll find plenty of anarchy in the Design for Outrage section, which celebrates the glorious iconography of punk.

20th Century at Olympia, 24-28 Nov 1999 (tel: 0171 370 8837).

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IF YOU'RE wondering what it's like to be the most famous Englishman in New York and a gay icon, actor and author to boot, just ask Quentin Crisp. In his prime at 91, Mr Crisp has decided to spread a little seasonal good cheer in Britain with a one-man show. "It's not really a performance," he says, "I go on stage and say what I think." Afterwards, the audience can ask questions - how about "Is it true, that your New York flat has not been dusted for over 30 years?" But before you start jotting, get a ticket - demand is fierce, and the only available performances are Brighton and Birmingham.

An Evening with Quentin Crisp, 29 Nov, Gardner Arts Centre, University of Sussex (tel: 01273 685 861) and 3-4 Dec, Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham (tel: 0121 440 3838).