New looks to knock their socks off

What do you think about wearing ankle socks with high heels and a floaty tea dress? I've seen this in more than one fashion magazine lately and think it's pretty cute. - S.R.
I think it's pretty cute, too - if you're 14. Okay, maybe if you're under the age of 28 and have coltish legs. Otherwise I think you look as silly as Minnie Mouse. But I do love that pretty dresses are having their fashion moment and that some of them even have sleeves. Someone's been listening to us older gals.
If you don't want to wear opaque stockings with them - always a safe choice when it's cold out - you can do like Kate and wear sheer pantyhose. According to one British newspaper, the Duchess of Cambridge is single-handedly responsible for a huge increase in sales of nude hosiery in the United Kingdom, and the trend is catching on here.
Or you can put some bronzer on your legs and leave them bare. Bare legs were really popular with the fashion pack in Paris and New York over the past few winters, although one imagines most of them have never experienced the sort of cold that can hit anywhere in Canada.
Finally, if you don't want colour on your legs but can't bear the thought of going bare, you could also try nude fishnets.
Every Sunday at church I see at least two men in my congregation wearing socks with sandals. Am I being un-Christian by getting upset at this? - M.T.
I'm afraid the answer is yes. Your question brought to mind the bumper sticker that asks, "What Would Jesus Do?" And I hope the answer is Jesus wouldn't get upset by what anyone wears to church. He's just happy you're there. Jesus himself probably wore socks with his sandals; the ancient Greeks did, and by the fifth century AD, holy people were wearing socks to symbolize purity (no matter that they were made from matted animal skin; socks as we know them weren't invented until many, many years later).
Yes, I know, we don't live in biblical times and styles evolve. And I do agree with you that this is one of those odd male sartorial practices - right up there with wearing shorts that are too short, square-toed shoes, and cellphone clips - that give one pause.
But another reason we should not throw stones is because your fellow congregants were responsible for one of this summer's biggest trends. The lookbooks of Burberry, Elizabeth and James, J. Crew, and Club Monaco all featured this nerdy affectation, which on the right person can look quite charming. Not to mention it allows you to wear your sandals well into fall. And it isn't just for comely girls; check out Dior Homme's cheeky Gladiator Sandals, which featured a removable cotton sock. The next time you see someone wearing something completely wrong, take note: You just might be witnessing the beginning of a new fashion trend.