I’m amused by the comments of Zak Maoui, the style director of Esquire magazine, on going shirtless in hot weather outside of the beach (Summer etiquette: 47 essential rules – from sex to sunloungers to shopping in swimming trunks, 14 July). I’m guessing he’s not visited Scotland recently. As soon as the sun comes out here it’s a kind of macho obligation for certain young guys to parade round topless (“taps aff” in the local parlance), but there’s nothing stylishy louche about their torsos.
Siobhan McGovern
Edinburgh
• Mariah Humbert, an etiquette expert, advises: “Wear a trouser, or a longer skirt or dress.” A trouser? Can we expect to see office workers wearing half of a pair of trousers in the near future? What about a short, a pant or a sunglass?
Helen Swallow
Luxembourg
• Surely it would make more sense to release all Palestine Action prisoners if there is a shortage of prison space (Scrapping early release for sex offenders could leave no capacity in jails, says David Lammy, 12 July).
Margaret Vandecasteele
Cupar, Fife
• Dr Roger Merry (Letters, 12 July) asks what “decoding” and “automaticity” mean, as used in an earlier letter about reading. A child who can decode can work out what most words say. Automaticity means they can read most material without giving thought to the process. You would hope most children might manage both by the time they go to secondary school.
David Hart
Chesterfield, Derbyshire
• You do not explain modern terms to your grandchildren, Dr Merry. They explain them to you.
George Redman
New Eltham, London
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