Picking the Superhero T-shirt for you

Whether it's being able to fly, move at the speed of light or lift houses off fallen babies, every man has at one point or other dreamt of having a superpower. Something that makes them stand out from the crowd, something that makes them a little better.

And, sure, their dress sense isn't always the best. Capes are always cool - although perhaps impractical in the line of fighting crime - but wearing tights is often a social no-no for men. Pants on top of tights is another matter altogether.

Covering your face with a mask, and making that mask look intimidating to give you the psychological edge over villains, may work on television but in real life it makes you look suspicious to security guards and draws unwanted attention and finger points from people on the street.

However, dressing up like a comic star needn't always be embarrassing. No longer do you need to wear skin-tight lycra - which really isn't flattering if you don't have the superhero's physique - to show off your devotion and love for those who continually put themselves at risk and save lives and cities.

In fact, such is the love for superheroes these days that nearly all clothing retailers now stock T-shirts with logos adorning the front. Whether you go for one of the common heroes - Superman, Batman and Spiderman - or one of the more obscure - Bananaman, He Man and Donatello - you're bound to be able to find something suitable.

The only problem is that with the popularity of these characters other people will be trying to pay homage as well. There's nothing worse than buying a new T-shirt and suddenly seeing it everywhere you go - it's the same sort of buyer's remorse that hits every time someone purchases a new car. If this doesn't bother you - you can easily use it to identify other fans and maybe start a club with them - then the advice is to go ahead with your purchase. If you'd rather maintain an individual love to your chosen superhero, perhaps go out on the streets deliberately trying to spot others wearing the T-shirt and if you see many, think about either supporting another of the superheroes or customising the T-shirt once you've bought it to make sure people take notice.

Of course, if you're really dedicated, there's nothing to stop you donning the full costume, just be warned that you may get funny looks wearing tights and underwear as an out garment.