dear annie

Hello. As regular readers may know, my wife is away this week, so I am making a guest appearance.

I am a shorter than average student and a couple of weeks ago bought a very nice pair of white trousers, which fit well and were cheap, but as a result are also quite see-through. I can't take them back as I've already hemmed them up, so I need a new pair of knickers that either won't show or won't look stupid underneath and are also comfortable. I have tried asking my friends for advice, and they suggested either a G-string, which I think looks terrible, or gold/flesh coloured knickers, which sound better. But the only ones I can find are bucket-type pants which look like something my gran would wear. In any case, I don't have much time to shop around at the moment as I'm supposed to be revising for my exams.

Anna, Hertfordshire

Difficult to answer this one, Anna, because as you may know, men of my age will only ever be seen moving around lingerie departments with their eyes fixed at a point in the middle distance, their gaze drifting neither up nor down, just straight ahead, muttering "lovely dear".Therefore, my only experience of recent underwear trends is through my wife's collection of smalls, which are of course lovely - and dear. With regard to the see- through trousers, though, I may be of more help. In my youth, I remember going to see the group Talking Heads, the bass player of which was a rather fetching young lady called Tina Weymouth. It was her habit to wear completely transparent PVC jeans, in the pockets of which could be seen her keys, loose change, bus pass, plectrums etc. She would also effect to wear very pretty lacy knickers - a most pleasing combination. Try it. Call it punk retro if you like.

Designer stubble - what are we calling it these days? Is it in or out?

Peter Scourfield, via e-mail

We have always called it slovenliness, Peter.

I like tights with support and a nicely tanned-looking colour. The problem is, the colour always comes off after being handwashed a few times and goes rather pale. How can I keep the darker colour for ever?

Pale Legs, London

Good heavens! What savage method of handwashing do you employ? Even my beloved Annie was moved to dispense with her heirloom Tuscan washboard with the advent of Fairy Snow, but I did catch her in a river beating her smalls against a rock, American Indian style, while on a recent holiday in Devon. But I digress. I seem to remember as a small boy, during the interminable wait at the supermarket checkout, I would become transfixed by the packets of tights which were always displayed next to the various items of confectionery placed temptingly at child head-height. They only came in two colours - charcoal and American tan - the latter shade beloved by figure skaters and Danny La Rue. I think these should be robust enough to survive your washing technique, even at today's lower temperatures. Another thought - you could try using the war-time trick of painting your legs with tea (preferably ceylon, no milk) to simulate American tan, and for the charcoal you could use, er, charcoal.

A while ago I heard about a warehouse for second-hand clothes opening up in Wood Green, north London - a kind of huge Oxfam. Is this true or is there anywhere like that in the London area?

Georgina Ross, London

Ah! Wood Green, place of my birth and teenage stamping ground! A carefree adolescent wandering aimlessly up and down the high street clutching a can of Double Diamond in one hand and a bag of Hula Hoops in the other. Happy days. The high street is not as it once was though, Georgina, since the tragic fire in Bartons, once the largest department store in north London, according to my dear mama who still lives in its leafy environs. Bartons was replaced by a gigantic Toys R Us, but no sign as yet of the emporium of previously enjoyed gladrags of which you speak. I think there is one called Q in Coldharbour Lane in Brixton. I have always felt that second-hand clothes shops engender a feeling not dissimilar to rummaging around in a stranger's house in their cupboard under the stairs. Come to think of it, if you are in the Wood Green area you could do a lot worse than drop in on my mother, who has never been known to throw anything away in her life.

Well there you have it. Normal service will be resumed next week, as will my pumpkin ravioli. Thank you for having me.

Send your fashion problems to:

Dear Annie, Independent on Sunday, 1 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5DL, or fax them on: 0171 293 2043.

Email: annie@independent.co.uk

Annie regrets that she cannot enter into personal correspondence