Haircut, weight, clothes, personal appearance … your boss is watching you

How much they sleep, what they weigh and how long your hair is – a survey of Britain's bosses has found that they are monitoring almost all aspects of their own lives, as well as some of the personal habits of their staff.

Researchers asked 1,000 chief executives and managing directors of companies of all sizes what aspects of their home and office life they kept track of. Almost six out of 10 said they kept tabs on their employees' timekeeping and punctuality, while a similar number watched how tidy they were around the workplace. A third (31%) were checking what employees wore to work, and 27% said personal grooming, including hair length, was on their radar. This was watched more carefully by bosses in service sector providers such as retail and catering, but even in farming 14% of heads were monitoring workers' appearance. Hours spent on the internet and cigarette and toilet breaks were tracked by more than one in 10 managers.

The monitoring of staff may be unsurprising, but the survey results also suggested that some bosses are unable to switch off when they get home. Not content with just tracking their outgoings, energy use and budgets – which the majority said they did in one form or other – some said they kept detailed records of their sleeping patterns. Of those questioned, 48 said they kept a written record of how they had slept, while 69 used an app to keep track of their dozing and 46 said they had a spreadsheet of their time under the duvet. Weight and exercise were recorded in a spreadsheet by 81 company heads, while 174 used an app and 143 kept written records.

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Energy firm E.ON which commissioned the research, said more than three-quarters of those questioned were revealed to be "highly engaged personal trackers of workplace performance", while 70% of respondents said tracking behaviour permeated their home lives. More than a third said it was "in their nature" to do so.

Anthony Ainsworth, E.ON's business energy director, said: "Through our research we identified some key character traits when it comes to tracking business data, ranging from the obsessive to the nonchalant.

"We found more than three-quarters of bosses are highly engaged in performance monitoring in their workplaces, either personally or by delegating to others."

Many of those surveyed said they thought their success – both at work and at home – was linked to their ability to stay on top of daily details. More than half said it helped them feel more in control and more than a quarter said they felt calmer as a result.

Professor Cary Cooper, professor of organisational psychology and health at Lancaster University Management School, said he wasn't surprised by the findings. "CEO's do tend to be very concerned about the stress of their job and what impact it will have on their health," he said. "You can understand why they would want to monitor things like how much exercise they've had, what they've eaten."

Cooper said he expected there to have been more monitoring in the workplace since the financial crisis. "A lot of companies are leaner and bosses will be keen to make sure that they've got the right people doing the right jobs. They will also be looking to see 'do they appear stressed', 'are they coping well'."

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Fashion really does matter

A couple of interesting books arrived on my desk the other week – and you know how much I love a book, right? The first, Why Fashion Matters, is written by Frances Corner, head of London College of Fashion (LCF). LCF gave us the inspirational Mirror Mirror conference last year and run the annual Better Lives series of lectures. One of this year's talks tackled ageism in fashion – one "ism" among the many that populate life in 2014.

Why Fashion Matters, which comprises 101 statements and questions, is, in itself, provocative. Almost every week in the comments on this column there is a remark along the lines of: "Why are you writing about fashion when there's so much war/famine/disease/poverty in the world?" Well, obviously these are the fashion pages so of course I'm going to write about … hang on … oh yes, fashion. The simple fact is that fashion, or more accurately style, infiltrates every life, wherever we live, and whatever we do. It always has. From the design of a tea towel to the floor coverings in a Mongolian ger – fashion, design, style, art – it's all linked. Fashion generates billions of pounds, dollars, euros and yen in a never-ending cycle of consumerism. It also provides millions of jobs. So yes, it matters.

On the subject of employment, this week sees the anniversary of the collapse of the Rana Plaza factory, which shocked us into taking a long, hard look at cheap manufacture. This and other important qestions are raised in Why Fashion Matters. Is it a good thing that fast fashion and a six-week turnaround in stock is convincing companies to move production closer to home? What will happen to those balancing on the knife-edge of poverty who rely on the income that overseas production generates? We should be improving conditions and wages rather than pulling out altogether. But then what about the carbon footprint of shipping clothing halfway around the world? Apparently "the clothes of the average British household have produced carbon emissions equivalent to driving the average modern car some 6,000 miles and consumed enough water to fill 1,000 bathtubs to capacity". The Holy Grail is something called closed loop manufacture, where everything made is biodegradable and recyclable and creates no waste. In the meantime we need to break the cycle of the quick-fix purchase.

"I am a feminist and a fashion enthusiast" is another statement frequently tossed about the comment thread. Djurdja Bartlett asks: "Why has the left historically had such a hostile relationship to fashion?" That's a good question because femininity, fashion and feminism are not mutually exclusive and neither are politics, intellectual engagement and fashion. Wherever you position yourself politically, fashion, or style, still matters. Style and colour of dress are used to signify what you stand for – the purple, white and green of the suffragettes, the scarlet flags of communism, true blue Toryism or the (falsely) optimistic yellow of the LibDems – and they can also signify where you come from. National dress is often easier to identify than a national flag. We choose to dress ourselves in a way that makes us happy and expresses who we are. That is why I object to special clothing ranges for older people, because those clothes are not (necessarily) our choice. It is hard to express yourself in beige.

Two-thirds of the way through and my brain is fizzing like Alka-Seltzer, but this book isn't just about mind-boggling statistics and worrying predictions. For instance, I didn't know that red high heels signified you were in favour at the court of Louis XIV. Meanwhile, Yohji Yamamoto asserts that "scars, failures and disorder … advance creativity and originality" and that "perfection is ugly" – certainly true of the anodyne airbrushed look everyone is told constitutes beauty in 2014. Whatever you think about any of this, Why Fashion Matters applies the mental jump leads and makes you think about what you wear, how you wear it and where it came from.

That second book I mentioned? Coming up Trumps is a memoir by Baroness Trumpington and a conversational telling of a life well lived. The story moves from her time as a land girl on Lloyd George's farm to working at Bletchley Park, then takes in the moment when she stuck two fingers up at Tom King in the House of Lords for an ageist remark. It also includes how she became one of the Fabulous Fashionistas at 90 years old, her appearance on Have I Got News for You and what it was like to tease Jack Whitehall. All in all, it's the most enjoyable thing I've read in a long time.

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Urban chic

IN THE decade since the inception of their label AM:PM, designer couple Ankur and Priyanka Modi have taken their penchant for subtle prints, clean silhouettes and modern colour stories and created a brand synonymous with the words “contemporary” and “understated”. It’s this predilection for understatement that has seen their second retail outpost in Mumbai — at Palladium Mall, Lower Parel — open with next to no fanfare. We spoke to the dynamic duo about their fourth standalone store and taking their label online. Edited excerpts:

Who, according to you, is the AM:PM woman?

Priyanka: A woman of substance, who wants to establish her presence effortlessly and discreetly. An elegant and sophisticated woman who plays more than one role in life, and wants to go through her day wearing something fashionable, yet appropriate.

With one store at D7 in Khar, is the Palladium store designed to tap into a wider Mumbai market?

Ankur: AM:PM opened its first store in Mumbai at D7 nearly three years ago. Located in the tony suburb of Khar (West), it has consistently seen a growing clientele, which includes repeat and new customers, visiting NRIs and a surging number of women who aspire to buy and wear luxury designer clothing. But due to Mumbai being spread out in a certain way, we noticed a lot of potential customers, who are based in South Mumbai, didn’t want to make the trip to the suburbs. Hence, we decided to open at Palladium, which is centrally located and eases customer access.

Will the collections on offer in Delhi and Mumbai differ in any way?

Priyanka: AM:PM retails its entire collection at all its standalone stores, and hence the collections in both cities will be the same. This is to make sure that any customer walking into an AM:PM store does not miss out on any of our designs.

And what can we expect in terms of accessories?

Ankur: We’ve been doing very well with the line of scarves that we’ve done over the last couple of seasons. We’ll continue to retail them from Palladium too.

Having recently launched an e-commerce website, do you believe online is the future of retail?

Priyanka: Through our website AMPM.in, customers from over 170 countries can shop online and get our designs delivered to their doorstep. We definitely believe that in a world where time and space are fast becoming a luxury, online retail is where the future lies. The web store will cater to women around the world, who can shop for an aesthetic they desire, which isn’t easily available in their neighborhood, from the comfort of their homes.

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What fashion awaits older women on the British high street?

Remember how I said I'd go shopping? Well, I've been to Canary Wharf on a Saturday morning, which sounds like utter madness, but at weekends the Wharf is a surprisingly calm place because the people who work there aren't there, and given they're mostly bankers that can only be a good thing. At size 14, I'm a UK average, good for the purpose of this exercise. I set myself the task of looking for a dress that would work for an "afternoon into evening" event and I went to stores with similar pricing for a fair comparison. The news is both good and bad.

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Hobbs is the "go to" brand for many women looking for good-quality mid-range clothing. An assistant – let's call her Lucy - caught up with me within two minutes and in the nicest possible way took charge, sending me into the fitting rooms with six different dresses. Yes, the overhead lights made my cellulite look like the foothills of the Andes, but there was enough private space to look in the mirror without feeling self-conscious. I particularly liked the navy Harper dress, and Lucy very kindly took a photo on my phone to help me decide. She also brought me shoes and three belts, not necessarily to buy, but to help finish the look. I give Hobbs top marks for a very wearable collection and spectacularly good service with no hard sell.

I have history with LK Bennett. Previous purchases fill my wardrobe, most of them smart frocks, a few jackets – and shoes, lots of shoes. The website looks fabulous but the store itself felt a bit like one of those gallery private views where hardly anyone turns up. I've heard of stores only putting out specific sizes in store but never actually encountered it until now. The sizes on the rails were all 6 to 12 and although size 14 would be fetched from the stock room if I wanted to try something on (I asked) I felt sufficiently discouraged not to bother. I tried on the only two size-14 dresses I could find - Jackina, a three-quarter-length-sleeve printed silk dress and Trieste. They fitted but not well enough to make me want to buy them. Oh, LKB, what have you done? I used to love you so much, but if this was a marriage I'd be booking us in for counselling.

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As a rule, I like Whistles and again I've got several good pieces in my cupboards, although I find the sizing comes up a bit on the generous side so getting into the fitting room is vital. The other thing about Whistles is that not everything has what retailers call "hanger appeal", so it's worth trying something you wouldn't normally consider because you might be pleasantly surprised. That said, I really couldn't see much to get excited about this time unless you like strong blobby prints, which I don't, and there was very little that would cover the more mature knee if you were anything like normal height, which I'm not. Whatever age you are this is still, to my mind, a muddled collection and there's not much here for the older woman this season.

Reiss is another label I have often turned to in the past. This season, while there are some dresses that go to size 16, anything tailored or bodycon stops at 14; presumably anyone larger than that is too horrifying to contemplate. Almost all the frocks are too short and if they're too short on me, goodness only knows what someone of average height is going to do. The long dresses are, inevitably, too long. I need a good 15in lopping off the bottom. Disappointing.

What a relief then to finally stumble into Cos – simple, straightforward, sensibly priced, running up to size 18 and also a good illustration of something that perhaps looks rubbish on the hanger but lovely on the body. I was very taken with a flared cotton dress, which suits my shape beautifully. I particularly like Cos for its use of cotton and silk, which is less sticky than the Hobbs synthetic mix. The shifts are a bit short, but would work well over knee-length leggings or capris. The dresses here provide a stylish blank canvas to embellish with your own personal touches.

I suppose this is pretty much what I expected, although now I'm beginning to wonder if I have literally outgrown some of the labels I've relied on in the past. Stores will, of course, have a typical customer in mind, but it's still a slap in the face to realise that "typical customer" often means a woman much younger, and slimmer, than I am and I still fundamentally disagree that older women specialist require clothing just for them.

Dare to sport tinted brows

This season, it's all about colouring your guybrows! Tint your brows in your favourite colour to add a different facial texture.

These tints are all about 'brow resurrection' that reshape, fill and reconstruct sparse brows. Says hair expert Jawed Habib, "Tinted brows are the cool thing for men these days. They give you attitude. One rule to remember though: don't colour them too severe. Some men go for eyelash tints too, as it gives their face a new definition."

How to tint

If you are using colour on your brows for the first time, go to a professional. Globally, brow bars (salon) not only shape men's eyebrows but tint them too. Says stylist Sumit Israni, "Use a temporary dye that will last for 10 days. If you dye your hair, you can ask your stylist to dye your eyebrows too. Indian men have dark eyebrows, so they usually lighten them with colours like brown and blonde to bring softness to their face."

Why tints are popular

Men are also asking professionals to groom and tint their brows in the shade that matches the hair on the head. These tints are easy to apply and will last more than a month. Says men's eyebrow expert, Marco Benito, "The number of men using eyebrow tints has increased in the last three years. These men are inspired by celebs like Russell Brand and David Beckham, who also tint their brows."

UK-based eyebrow expert Vanita Parti admits that eyebrow tints are on the rise and tells us why, "Men are getting suave with eyebrow and eyelash tints; they are going in for lighter shades. It's a five - minute job, that can make you look tidier. Pampering the brows is becoming a must in men's grooming, especially for older men with greys."

Hot colours

Light brown, black, blackish-brown, blonde, red and light orange

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The 21 Fashion Mistakes You've Got To Stop Making

Dressing too small, trying to be someone you're not or stepping out with a camel toe, we've all been subject to these fashion blunders at least once and if you haven't, you're lying. Whether you've gone as mad as Miley or have just ventured into experimental dressing, know that's it's OK to make mistakes. It's how you learn from them that really counts. Oh yeah, we got deep.

1. Crocs

"Wow, that's a nice pair of crocs," said no one ever. Point made?

2. Exposed underwear

Where to start on underwear? It doesn't matter if it's a pair of peeking panties or a black bra strap, showing the world your négligée kinda defeats the object of it being underwear. And whilst we're on the subject, clear bra straps... WTF.

3. Showing too much

Assets. We've all got them but that doesn't mean they have to be on full display all of the time. A cleavage that winds up under you chin is going to attract all of the wrong kinds of attention and if you get your legs out as well? More fool you.

4. The VPL

You don't have to be Bridget Jones to have suffered with VPL syndrome. That's a visible panty line if you're wondering. It occurs when one's cheeks are intersected by the tight elastic of one's panties. Big knickers, Spanx, briefs... show them a tight trouser and they are the ultimate enemy. Our advice? Always check out your rear view before leaving the house and invest in a thong. Failing that you can always let your lady garden breathe for the day and go commando. Are you brave enough?

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5. Harem pants

There's nothing sexy about like looking like Aladdin in a nappy. Why oh why do we do it to ourselves?

6. The wrong underwear

Remember when a black bra under a white top was fashionable? Yeah, that never actually happened - we 90s kids just thought it did. Accept it and move on.

7. Style icon obsession

You know when you take a picture of a celebrity's hair into the salon and the stylist is looking at you as if to say, ain't no way I can make you look like that, well the same thing goes for fashion. Don't base your style on someone else, and definitely avoid all style advice from Pharrell. Jees.

8. Ankle swingers

If the boy you're seeing is too small for you when you're in heels do you just carrying on dating him? No. You get a new one. Same rule applies with your trousers. If they're swinging up by your ankles someone will throw something at you. For sure.

9. See through leggings

Oh does that say denier? I thought it said derrière and now you can see my butt. Don’t do it to yourself. And more importantly don’t do it to us because then we have to go through that whole, ‘Do we tell her you can see her bum cheeks or not?' dilemma? Toes. Curling.

10. Wearing your gym kit everywhere

We don’t care how hot your butt looks in your tight yoga pants, lycra is not every day attire. Unless you're Jen Selter.

11. Sweans

What do you get when you combine sweat pants (shudder) with jeans? Sweans. We might have known Miley Cyrus had something to do with this cross breeding garb. Dry your hair with them, dry your dog with them just don't go wearing them.

12. Pulling your trews up too far

This one's a delicate subject and it makes our eyes water just thinking about it. It's the dreaded camel toe. As much as we can vouch for pulling your trousers up to hold in your love handles, it can't be at the expense of your nether regions. In Khloe Kardashian's words CTC: Cover the camel.

13. The curtain print

Every girl loves a floral print but go too fussy and you run the risk of looking like granny's best uphostery. Not a good look. Unless you're auditioning for Mrs Doubtfire 2.

14. Fabric, so much fabric

If there's a sure fire way to get fashion fat it's with folds and folds of fabric. Big Fat Gypsy Wedding eat your heart out.

15. Soggy bottom

Is it just us or has everyone got a pair of jeans that give you a saggy, soggy bottom? Wear them more than once. Soggy bottom. Wash them. Soggy bottom. If only they kept their shape like they said they would... sigh.

16. Monochrome

Ok, so it's not the worst fashion crime to commit but next time you're wearing head to toe black and white just make sure you're not carrying a note pad and a wine glass. Waitress alert.

17. Cut out

Showing a little bit of skin isn't going to make headlines but when cut out becomes cut away that's when you've got serious problems on your hands. Like, grooming your private parts kinda problems. No one wants to see that!

18. Oversized

Sure, Victoria Beckham can pull off the oversized thing but for us mere mortals you run the risk of looking like human tent. Buying clothes that hang off you is just as bad as stuffing yourself into a smaller size.

19. Too small

As hard as it is to stop trying to squeeze into your sentimental favourites, if you have to lie down on the bed to do up your top button, then it's time to move on to an appropriately-sized wardrobe. Sniff sniff.

20. Immobility

That shiny PVC skirt you bought because you saw Kim Kardashian wearing it. Yeah. You can’t walk in it. You need five people to help you sit down, everyone can hear you squeaking down the corridor. And stairs? Don't even think about it.

21. Ill fitting shoes

If they're too big, too small, too painful - here's a clue - don't buy them. It's simple really. But still we'd rather walk round doing this just to keep those boots...

Calvin Klein rides 1990s revival with its revived Christy Turlington Eternity ad

In the 1990s, Calvin Klein's adverts ruled the billboards and Christy Turlington was – quite literally – the poster girl. The American model, one of the original Peter Lindbergh-lensed Supers, was on Calvin Klein's books from 1987. She starred in ads for ready-to-wear, underwear and perfume. Her ads for Eternity – often on a beach, often with an equally photogenic man – were stripped back, natural and, most importantly, sold perfume by the bucketload.

The Christy and Calvin classic is now back – in the hope that in can do the same for 2014. Calvin Klein has reissued the 1995 advert with a 25-year-old Turlington and male model Mark Vanderloo, fresh from a dip in the ocean, sporting the most 1990s hair ever. The tagline reads: "Time can't touch us. Celebrating 25 years."

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After last year, when Turlington, now 45, starred in a Calvin Klein underwear campaign, this revisiting of her previous outing is a clever move – one that encourages nostalgia from a generation that remembers the first time, and introduces a brand's heritage to a younger one.

The 1990s revival has clearly been noticed by the marketing execs at Calvin Klein. A recent social media campaign saw the brand send its classic underwear, with name in the waistband, to the likes of The Man Repeller's Leandra Medrine and model Miranda Kerr. They promptly posted scantily clad selfies of themselves wearing the underwear, with the hashtag #mycalvins – name-checking both the classic Brooke Shields 1981 ad, and Kate Moss and Mark Wahlberg in their undies, which followed just over a decade later.

This strategy has drifted into ready-to-wear too. The sweatshirts in the men's autumn/winter collection bearing the Obsession and Eternity logos were a stroke of genius, and a way to give this brand – maybe not on the radar of younger customers – a hip spin. Turlington's classic ad back on our billboards only adds to the message: the 1990s are back and Calvin reigns supreme once again.

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