Talk of the Town: Innovative way to carry a tune

IT could be this season's must-have - a suit that really does have soul, or funk, or jazz.

Edinburgh tailoring company A Suit That Fits has taken a big leap forward with a new option to its perfectly-cut lines - an MP3 tunnel. This allows music-lovers to plug in their headphones and drop their MP3 player through a small opening that will slide the device through a tunnel and into an easily accessible pocket at the bottom of the jacket.

The addition costs 8, although some naysayers might suggest that 8 for a hole in the top of your jacket and a tiny extra pocket is extravagant.

Hard times leave some canny shoppers fizzing

EVERYONE knows about the "downsizing" trend among supermarket shoppers.

Those of us who did shop at Sainsbury's have now supposedly switched to Tesco, Tesco shoppers have moved to Asda, and so on, with the discount stores like Lidl and Aldi mopping up.

Clearly, some Waitrose customers are not immune to the draw of downsizing, hence the launch of the "affordable" Essential Waitrose range. But others who shop at the upmarket store seem to be breezing through the downturn. It has reported a 20 per cent rise in champagne sales at its three Scottish stores, in Stockbridge, Morningside and Glasgow.

Forbidden fruit

THEY are usually announcing discoveries that can help cure diseases and shed light on little-known medical mysteries.

But Edinburgh University researchers have discovered why some people are shaped like apples, and others like pears.

A protein has been pinpointed which influences how fat is stored in the body, and may explain the various shapes people's bodies take as they grow. The findings could help fight obesity in future.

What they don't offer is any way to resist the temptation to consume the fat in the first place.

A bushel and specs

THEY are more renowned for their sponsorship of football referees, but it seems Specsavers have now become supporters of the arts.

Dispensary assistant Mary O'Gorman has proved she's got the "specs appeal" by taking to the stage in the musical extravaganza, Guys and Dolls, playing the lead role of Sarah Brown.

And to help her out the opticians on Morningside Road donated a pair of glasses to help her role in the Bohemians Lyric Opera Company production at the Church Hill Theatre in Morningside.