dear annie

You are my last hope. My wonderful boyfriend, whom I love more than shopping, is 25 in May and I have my heart set on wearing a slinky, halter-neck catsuit for the event, something in black jersey or Lycra (not rubber - I found one of those). Can you point me in the direction of one, money no object (he's paying).

Sam Horne, Epsom, Surrey

Saucy girl, and you not caring how much it is! I have had a devilish week. I am getting hideous, hideous, food cravings and spend all my time eating processed ham and 70 per cent cocoa-content chocolate. At this rate, I shall be a sumo wrestler by the summer. Being too busy eating to do high-level research, I have had to loosen the tight reins I keep on the column and beg my nice Zoe to help me. She, in turn, handed most of it over to her nice helper, Sarah Jane. This is what my pixies found for you: Vicky Martin, 15 St Christopher's Place, London W1 (enq: 0181 960 5319) have one in poly Lycra. It's a halter-neck with a deep V and bootleg trousers, called the "pussy-cat" suit, pounds 85. Oasis have one at their branches (enq: 01865 881986) in crepe jersey, which has a wide leg and a keyhole neck, pounds 46.99. And to really get your boy's wallet excited, Pallant, a relatively new label, have one in jersey, which sounds lovely and slinky, pounds 575, from 162 Sloane Street, London SW1 (tel: 0171 245 1145).

I really enjoy your column - clothes advice for real people at last! For work, I wear chain-store, Calvin Klein-type underwear, for comfort. But I also prefer stockings to tights, and they need to be held up. My two plain suspender belts, bought years ago, are well past retirement age. The only replacements I can find are frivolous, frilly things, which, apart from being uncomfortable, would look very silly with grey-ribbed cotton. I'd be quite prepared to go with a Soviet shot-putter look for something that stayed up without digging in. Can you help?

FP, Putney, London

You shy thing, asking me to put just your initials! M&S used to do a great Tactel one which was very simple, but they don't anymore. Hanro don't do simple suspenders, but do have a plain fitted brief with control at the front and detachable sussies for pounds 39.50, black or white from Harrods. Berlei do a plain suspender belt in their Answers range, in pearl, black or white, sizes S-XL, pounds 12.99, call 01525 850088.

My husband's buttery, soft-leather bomber jacket, made by Andrew Marc, was stolen. The jacket was bought in the United States, but we would like to know whether Andrew Marc is sold in any stores in the United Kingdom. My husband needs an estimate for replacement value for insurance purposes and he would also like to buy another similar to it. Could you track down this brand and tell us who distributes or what store carries them?

Robin Myers, London SW9

We have searched everywhere, including the British Leather Council, for this company, yet all our leads led to planet nowhere. Can any of you nice people out there help? Write in.

I have been inundated with letters with regard to Sarah Beer's problem (16 March) about bras for AA cups. I cannot print them all, but thank you to everyone. PB of North London got an incy wincy bra at Diesel in Covent Garden for pounds 25. Eileen Williamson of Perth suggested going without one at all... Annie Lester of Dawnley got two from Bhs (style numbers 244 546 and 743 550) and also likes the M&S padded bra model 4956624. Stephanie Ross of Herefordshire raves about her Calvin Klein's "little lacy, underwired" number, approximately pounds 17 from her local House of Fraser store... and Mrs SJ Gill of Swansea, and Jo and Mrs C Warner of Bradford, suggested Little Women - who also got in touch direct (thank you) - who seem to be the hot fave. They do a great catalogue/ brochure thing (call 01203 673400) and have 20 different styles, all available in AA! Thanks also to Tessa Young, hope this info helps you, too, and I will endeavour to continue to champion this cause.

Orangee lipstick: Mrs Feuchtwanger rang me and told me that it was "one's first lipstick when one was a teenager and it got past headmistresses and parents". Oh, I feel a film coming on... Finally, my suggestion, for what it's worth, as I am famous for eating off my lipgloss, is Clinique's Glosswear with Brush SPF8, which must be the most unromantic name for a lipgloss ever. It's subtle and great for people like me who are frightened of lipstick, costs pounds 8 and comes in lots of nice colours. Call 0171 409 6951, if you can't find a stockist near you.

Finally: a happy birthday dedication (I'm a DJ!!) to one of my most loyal readers: Trevor of London. Bless.