Q I've ruined my green suede shoes after a night partying. The heels and side were covered in mud (the shoe, including the heel, is suede). I've tried brushing them, but I can still see a stain. Can I do anything to restore them?
Jade
A My advice is to go easy when cleaning suede - it's far more delicate than leather. I hope you let the mud dry before you tried to remove it, and used a suede brush (£3.75, from www.timpson.co.uk) to remove the dirt and gently brush up the suede. To remove the mud tidemark, hold your shoe in the steam from a kettle and brush the stain. This should work. If it's really ingrained, the safest option is to visit a shoe repairer for advice. I've lost far too many good shoes from ill-advised DIY cleaning, but I have been recommended Kiwi Suede & Nubuck Cleaner (available in most shoe shops).
Q I've spent the winter in big knits and coats in grey and black, so am excited to see that ruffles in candy shades are a hot trend for summer. But I'm 34, and realise that I could look like mutton dressed as lamb. How can I wear it well?
Marian
A I have a love/hate relationship with ruffles. I think they really work on some people, while others look as if they are drowning in a sea of fabric. One of my fashion colleagues is tall, has long dark hair with a very sharp fringe and loves to suffer a high heel; in my opinion, with a single ruffle-fronted chiffon black shirt and black tulip skirt she makes ruffles look modern and cool. But her height is key. I'm shorter and, I hate to admit it, older. In the same outfit I look like a Victorian maid who's forgotten her apron. Obviously I don't know how tall you are, but bear this in mind when trying on ruffles. I would avoid the ruffled Victorian-style tops at Just Cavalli and D&G's voluminous tiered ruffles. Look for dresses with ruffled skirts instead - like the structured frills seen at the Luella Bartley show, where dresses fit the figure and fanned out in ruffles at the skirt in beautiful pastel, fondant-icing colours.
· If you have a wardrobe question for Jo Jones, email her at [email protected]