Also: what is the perfect gift if you are staying at a friend’s house? And the point of a cummerbund explained….

The questions keep on coming. This week we cover appropriate gifts to take when staying at someone’s home, when it is OK to wear a double-breasted coat unbuttoned and what exactly is the point of a cummerbund.

You know the form by now. Post your questions via our social media channels or email them directly to dan.rookwood@mrporter.com and we’ll see you next Friday with the answers to three of the best.

I enjoyed your recent article on “The New Rules of Black Tie”. However, you could have explained the point of a cummerbund…

**From Mr Chris Harold, via email **

Allow me to right this egregious wrong, Mr Harold. Cummerbunds seem somewhat overlooked these days – I neglected to include them in the aforementioned article, MR PORTER currently doesn’t sell any – which might disappoint black-tie traditionalists. Some consider it an out-moded affectation, but its purpose is to cover your waist and prevent your shirt from poking through your jacket. The other, more common ways of doing this are either to wear a double-breasted jacket or a waistcoat (aka a vest). Back in the day, trousers were high-waisted but the modern-day cut is such that even with a waistcoat, the shirt can sometimes spill forth untidily between the two, which is to be avoided.

What is the point of covering the waist? It’s to create a more flattering aesthetic. It means that the only part of the shirt on display is the powerful V at the chest, framed by the lapels. (If you do elect to wear a cummerbund, its material ought to agree with that of the lapels – silk with silk; grosgrain with grosgrain.) For some, the cummerbund acts as a sort of sartorial girdle to visually suppress the waist – which the corpulent could find useful after a heavy meal. The effect is to emphasise the shoulders and lengthen the legs, flattering the figure overall.

Although cummerbunds are only worn with eveningwear, if at all, their purpose is useful to keep in mind when wearing tailoring of all kinds: to wit, try not to allow any shirt fabric to billow at the waist. It interrupts the silhouette.

I’m looking to invest in a camel coat in the next few weeks. I love the look of double-breasted overcoats but have two concerns. Firstly, I’m afraid the double-breasted style could be too formal to be worn casually, too. Secondly, I would like to wear the coat unbuttoned – is this acceptable?

**From Mr Pierre Bounin, via email **

I applaud your intentions to add a camel overcoat to your arsenal – every man should have one. I confess I have two camels: one single-breasted (similar to this from Ami or this from Enlist), one double-breasted. I get more wear out of the single-breasted coat because it is more versatile and is easier to wear casually. However, I much prefer my DB and it always gets compliments.

There is always something elevated about buttoning a DB coat, of course. Yes, it is more formal, but it makes you look smarter. However, there is a certain insouciant swagger about leaving it undone. So, how do you know when it is permissible to do so? The answer is in the drape and the gape.

Simply put, the more relaxed the double-breasted coat, the easier (and more acceptable) it is to wear unbuttoned. It will drape like a dressing gown or a robe. The more constructed the coat, and the stiffer its cloth, the more it will gape open when left unbuttoned. And this usually doesn’t look quite so good.

Consider the subtle yet important difference between this constructed double-breasted camel coat from Prada, which would gape open, and this similar yet slouchier number from Salle Privée that drapes, as you’ll see from the second image in the carousel. For you, I would recommend something like the latter.

**My extended family has been generous enough to let me travel and stay with them throughout my first trip to Europe. I would like to get them a gift and would appreciate any recommendations you have. **

**From Mr Travis Harrison, via email **

A good (and therefore re-invited) house guest always bookends his or her stay with gifts and follows up with a handwritten thank you note. Rule of thumb: the longer your stay, the better the gifts. Supermarket flowers and a randomly-selected bottle of plonk. Thumbs down. You’re better than that. Choose something that will ensure your visit lives long in the memory – for all the right reasons.

MR PORTER has a wide array of gifts on offer but let me narrow the selection and guide you towards our home department. Tom Dixon is a reliable port of call for reasonably priced homewares. Take, for example, this set of brass trays or this stovetop coffeemaker.

If your hosts like wine, you could get them a decanter or an elegant bottle opener from L’Atelier du Vin.

Also check out Soho Home, the line of homewares from Soho House. This crystal set looks more expensive than it actually is. Or what about a cashmere throw for the family sofa?

If the family has a dog, you could consider this dog leash, collar and toy from Shinola. (Who knew MR PORTER sells dog leads?)

Scented candles and diffusers are also usually a fairly safe bet – and we currently have a selection of 49 on offer. What about this set of three from Cire Trudon, or this set from Tom Dixon?

And a set of handwash and handcream from Aesop is never ever wrong. Two thumbs up. You’re welcome back anytime.