Civilian dress

SIR – The BBC’S arts editor Will Gompertz did not seem too impressed by its new series Civilisations (report, March 5).

I was – not only by the content, but by the contribution to civilisation made by Simon Schama in demonstrating so clearly the way in which the appearance of a nice jacket (and its wearer) can be so spoilt by an open-necked shirt. Michael Cheetham

Hurstpierpoint, West Sussex