Columnist Lisa Ferguson: Sun Lite for May 12, 2003

Lisa Ferguson

Monday, May 12, 2003 | 8:11 a.m.

Fashionably foolish

Hey, fella, have you taken a good look at yourself lately in the mirror? Do you like what you see? Well, even if you do, chances are the lady in your life doesn't.

Hence the title of a new book by author Ken Karpinksi: "Mistakes Men Make That Women Hate: 101 Style Tips for Men" (Capitol Books, $9.95).

So what makes this Ken guy Mr. Know-It-All when it comes to the female take on male fashion faux pas? Well, besides having penned another pair of image-focused tomes ("The Winner's Style" and "Red Socks Don't Work"), Karpinski was once employed as a men's clothing buyer and wardrobe consultant for the Nordstrom and Woodward and Lothrop retail chains; and he has trained image consultants around the globe to help them identify and nip in the bud the dressing issues of their male clients. Enough said.

Borrowing from the "redneck" bit by comedian Jeff Foxworthy, here are a few points made in "Mistakes Men Make." You might be an image idiot if:

Hair's to you

Whoa! What's that sticky goop you're slathering all over the remains of your hair, big guy? A slave to styling products, you say. At least you're not alone.

According to a recent survey sponsored by the Sally Beauty Company (which has stores in Las Vegas), styling gel and hair spray are must-have hair-care products for the exactly 1,019 American adults polled.

Naturally, the men and women queried said what they put on their hair isn't nearly as important as how their 'dos look and feel. More than a quarter of the people claim to loathe the volume of their hair; women dig the texture of their hair more than men; and more guys than gals are at peace with their hair color.

So much for honesty and compassion: 11 percent of those polled said their hair is their best quality. Guess it really is better to look good than to feel good.

Hand it over

But how do your fingers look while running through your or, preferably, someone else's locks? Now that's the $1,000 question.

Really, your dazzling digits along with the rest of your hands could be worth $1,000. That's how much moola the winner of the Cutex Perfect 10 National Hand Model Search will receive. Also up for grabs: a year's supply of Cutex nail-polish remover; and consideration for representation by New York's Parts Models agency for hand-modeling gigs.

Think you can win the contest hands down? If you're age 18 or older, download the official entry form at cutexnails.com. Submit it, along with a photo of your hand, by Dec. 31 in care of Cutex Perfect 10, P.O. Box 265, Mount Kisco, NY, 10549.