The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-06-25
DRESS REFORM NEEDED.

Do we dress as we ought in the trop-
les? Are not our styles, in clothing
and headgear, governed more by the
fashion plate of London, Paris and New
York than they are by common sense?
We refer especially to mems clothing,
the women, God bless 'em, being law
unto themselves and of that sternly
sacrificial spirit which prompts them to
suffer in stays rather than take comfort
in hoiokus.
No man should wear dark-9colored
clothing and a stiff dark hat in Homo
lulu at any time between sunrise ana
sunset in the months from April TO
November inclusive, save only at fun-
erals Dark cloth and felt absorb heat,
white surfaces, whether of clottllng or
ships. cast it off, The black attire of
mourning is SO fixed by custom and so
infrequently worn by the average man,
that the hand of reform may as well
be. withheld from it; but why black at
any other time when the mercury rises
towards the nineties? 1t is even OBJ
jectionable after shutdown; for what
man can put himself into conven-
tional dress suit with stiff, starched
shirt and high collar and take a mo-
ments comfort? They order these
things better in Southern China and in
India where a sort of tuxedo, OF white
duck-or- combination of the tuxedo
and Elton jacket, with flaring lapels
opening upon a silk shirt and waist
band, is en- regale. Here we stick to
the clawhammer with the same; blind
Difference to custom that the first Eng
lish soldiers to invade India showed,
when they marched into the jungles
wearing thick red coats and high peak
ed hats, their legs encased in leather
and flannel.
It has always been a mystery to the
writer why the helmet hat is not popu-
lar in Honolulu OF all headgear for
the tropics it is the most healthful and
satisfactory and it's price is moderate,
In the looming crown, pierced for ven
tjlation, there is always current Of
air; the visor comes bending down to
shield the eyes with it's lining of green
CLOTH the hat rests lightly on the head.
When the army and navy of many
countries adopted it for SUMMER use
they set an example for tropical COM
munities which ought not to be
neglected by civilians
The high collar is about as comfort
able as clamp in "prickly heat
weather, and if all the world were trop-
ical it never would have been invented.
In cold climates it answers as a pro-
lection to the throat against cold winds
and sudden changes of temperature.
Here it irritates the skin by inducing
too profuse perspiration, the. latter
catching and holding the flying dust.
If linen collar is to be worn at all II
should be of the turn-down variety. The
high collar in the tropics is an sffront
to human comfort.
Walking in the tropics should be made
as easy as possible for the feet. A lit
tie hard work with ones pedal cover
ings is all right in cold climates, for it
helps keep the blood in circulation; bur
in the tropics less friction is desirable.
But how many people here wea. rub
Der heels on their shoes? These who
do glide along almost without foot-ef-
fort and incidentally their spines are
not Jared even when the ruboer-heel
men jump from moving street cars.
Why not dress to be comfortable
rather than fashionable?