Common as a tea towel

A new Northern Hemisphere seasonal tradition has taken firm hold: debating what's "common" according to an annual master list drawn up by a celebrity designer.

- Jane Clifton

Nicky Haslam's November list of all things naff is issued on a tea towel - or "drying-up cloth", as he calls it - which commands the uncommon price of £40 (NZ$83).

While rude, arbitrary and an almighty cheek, given that styling oneself a "designer" might be considered common and a "celebrity designer" positively vulgar, the Haslam towel has become an institution by inspiring many enthusiastic commoners to mentally marshal their own hot/not lists.

For the susceptible, the list is useful for Christmas budgeting, including, as it does, sundry costly items they can now cross off: cockapoos, craft gin, French ski trips.

For the snobberyresistant, it's a bit of fun to see how many sins they've committed according to the common-o-meter.