Dear Answer Angel Ellen: I am seeing a lot of women with long hair — straight or curly — in a ponytail. What I am curious about is that the ponytails are adorned, every inch or two, with what appears to be colored clasps, or other decorative “things.”

What are these called, are they expensive and where can I get some?

--Monica M.

Dear Monica M.: First off, I had to figure the name that has evolved for these items. They’re ponytail “cuffs” and they made quite an appearance on fashionable women in and around the recent fashion shows in New York and Europe. Consider them the hair version of those purse charms that are so popular.

Find the cuffs on the low end at Amazon (amazon.com, $7 for 2), Etsy (etsy.com, 3 for $14.11), Walmart (walmart.com, 7 for $11.49) or sky-high end: Khaite (farfetch.com, $580) and Lelet (nordstrom.com, $198). They come in metals, real and imitation, but also faux tortoise shell, bejeweled or in simple plastic in a huge array of colors. Many are C-shaped and attached to a black stretchy hair elastic.

Dear Answer Angel Ellen: My job requires me to wear a suit. My problem is that my shirt, a traditional button up men’s dress shirt, always looks sloppy when it comes untucked. I spend enough money on my clothing that I want to look my best.

Is there a solution to my problem or do I just have to keep stuffing the shirt back in, which is not a solution at all. Yes, I am a bit overweight but hefty military men seem to always look sharp with their shirts tightly tucked in. What am I missing?

--Paul L. W.

Dear Paul: There are readily available tools to keep that shirt tightly tucked. Shirtstays.com provides “military quality shirt stays” made in the U.S.A. in three different styles at $19.99. There are multiple other companies selling similar items starting at under $10.

These things remind me of suspenders but instead of holding your pants up, they hold your shirt down. They come in many different styles involving either clip-on hardware to hold the shirt in place or “grips,” which are gizmos that also used to hold up women’s hosiery when wearing garter belts. (Google it.)

They attach your shirt to your socks (!) or form a stirrup around your foot. If these “shirtstays” (amazon.com, $11.36 and up) sound a bit too fussy, complicated or weird, there are many brands of unisex devices also designed to address this issue. But really, most of them are just an adjustable rubber belt that holds the shirt in place (amazon.com, $16.99 and up). However, they aren’t foolproof and if you raise your arms, the belt often shows. These work best for those who have a larger belly that acts as a stopper for the belt rising upward.

Reader Rant 1

From Eileen C: “Why do slippers only come in whole sizes? I wear a 7½ shoe. Size 7 slippers are too small; size 8 are too big.” (From Ellen: Women’s shoe sizes, sadly, are inconsistent. A size 8 in some brands is a 9 in other brands and 8 is a 7½ , etc. Maddening!)

Reader Rant 2

Christina B. is alarmed by the “disrespect for fine dining. A restaurant wants to create an experience and they want you to play the part. For heaven sakes, wear your best. I am so disappointed when I see a patron in sweatpants and/or slides. If you’re going to pay top dollar at a restaurant, please respect the restaurant and the patrons who put time into their outfits.” And related to Christina’s gripe, Sue Q. writes: “I know fashion has become casual, but a trend I’ve noticed recently really has me scratching my head. On TV newscasts, particularly the sports segment, the sports announcers are dressed in suits and ties, but are wearing sneakers! To me this looks absurd, especially a dark suit with white sneakers. At least wear dark shoes that aren’t so obviously sneakers!”

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