The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-09-02
SOME SHIRT WAIST IDEAS.
Fort Worth Physician Gives His
Views About New Fad.


Fort Worth, Texas, August S1.-Dr II,
c. Whitehead has the following to say
about the shirt waist fad:
Despite the jeers and unfavorable crit
icisms with which the shirt waist man
has been greeted, he has grown in num-
bers in the same proportion as ne has
grown in notoriety. until the expressive
term of the latest fad is used to des-
ignate his unusual manner of dress. In
reality, however, it is something more
than fad, something more than wnim
OF dress, something more than the effort
of an eiieminate aud orainless man TO
initiate the manner and dress OF the gent
Ter sex.
1T is the expression Of solemn pro-
test assuming the proportions of re-
volt against d custom OF dress not adapt
ed TO our climate that compels man 10
cruelty and unnecessarily punish himself
seven months in the year
1t is an effort on the part of the true
gentleman TO adopt a form of dress
adapted to our climate, giving bodily com"
fort, conforming to the laws of health,
neat in appearance and suitable alike TO
either business or social occasions. 1t Is
movement that will give birth to the
comfortable, we'll dressed, sensible coat
less man, The much talked OF shirt
waist does not meet all of these require
ments. Its use is but an effort to attain
the desired end. The force OF the move
ment is in the demand for the abolition
of the use of the uncomfortable and SUI
periluous coat and vest during the hot
| season.
The protection and comfort OF the body
is the first object to be attained in the
manner and material of dress, and with
| out sacrificing either comfort or proter-
Iticn there should be no less care or eff
| fort to have the garment as neat, hand
somo and servlceable as possible.
| From the standpoint of either protec-
tion or comfort of the body no argument
can be advanced in support OF the use
OF TIE coat and vest during our long
hot season. That they are necessary to
properly conceal the untidy and insight 3.
| ly means of supporting our clothing Is
| true, whether these supports be the
shoulder suspender or the equally ohjec..
tionable waist belt
THE ladies in their dress completely
conceal all means of supporting their
clothing. and they justly claim the right
TO insist that we do the same. At least
one-half of all men. and especially those
advanced in years, can not tolerate a
contraction at the waist sufficiently tight
to properly support the lower garments.
by temporarily constructing the waist
with the hands one will observe that In
every respiratory movement there Will
be an expansion and contraction OF that
part of the body as great as that of the
chest wall itself 1t is both a natural
land necessary movement, and should not
be interfered with by a constructing belt
In addition to the discomfort of this
means of support the clothing Is disar-
ranged with every movement OF the uppa,
part of tho body and when the sitting
posture is assumed there can be no COM
lfort until the belt or tight walstband Is
loosened
"Tte shoulder suspender is no less oh
fashionable Or uncomfortable. II is not
The weight Of the garment that breaks
the suspender or repeatedly tears Off tbs
well fastened button. Il is the movement
of the upper part OF the body that pro-
duces the strain giving these results and
In order 10 avoid II we unconsciously re-
train from giving The body the free move
ment II should have The stopped should
nred man is a result OF his failure IN
nronerlv exercised and thereby develop
thst eet OF muscles whose function II
10 keen the body in the erect and natura
+, nosItiop The physical director in TIE
eynnasiuni would be quite as likely
siiow vou to wear youI oyercoat MS =
wear your suspenders while t7ksng III
eyereises for physical development. whhl
reo,,ire the free and unrestricted move
ment ot all parts Of the body fher
] are few men who do not take adsantag