Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-06
not WEATHER DRESS FOR men
RIGID SUMNER REQUIREMENT
THAT Is INDEFENsIBLE.
Days as Warm 40 in the Tropics.
Linen Suits the Exception.
White Drilling" Not Worn.

From the Louisville Courier-Journal.
Hot weather causes many to walk
about the streets coatless. Usually
the coatless man carries his coat upon
his arm. 1t is rare that one has the cour-
age of his convictions to such degree
that he is willing to risk criticism by ap-
pearing without the uncomfortable gar
ment which the fashions of the country
and the period decree. When the 'shirt
waist man ventured timidly into the
marts few summers ago he was ruth
lessly id by relentless women-no-
tably women Of one type-who persisted
In regarding coatlessness as an affront to
their dignity. He shrank timidly back
into the steamy inside OF his padded up
per garment to swelter and repent his
rashness. His country has been called =
"shirt-sleeve' land for century or SO
and the land Of the free, but he did not
find 1t So The rule that he must wear a
coat is as rigid and unreasonable as the
Briton's rule that he must dress for din
ner In any and all circumstances, and In
any and all ATTITUDES. and In any and all
company, although he may breakfast In
his pajamas in the tropics IL he likes. and
although he does do SO without qualm
of modesty in the presence OF unOffended
womenfolk.
Woolens In Summer.
The problem of how to keep approx
mately cool In hot weather in this climate
has never been solved. 1t has been very
nearly. If not quite, as warm In Louisville
as 1t is in Havana, in Manila or Calcutta.
It has been assuredly as warm as 1t is
In Singapore. It has been much warmer
than 1t is In Honolulu. II 1t has not been
as hot as 1t Is In Rangoon, or even In
Alden, 1t has been very nearly as warm:
Yet throughout the tropics the coolest
white is worn habitually.
In the temperate zone. In an equal and
sometimes higher temperature. during
the hot months wooden coats. lined and
more or less heavily upholstered about
the shoulders, are the rule. The linen
ton that it attracts attention. The thin
white drilling Of the tropics is UNI
known. It is because we do not dress to
suit the temperature that an excessively
warm day in the temperate zone often
entails more suffering than the warmest
day. in the tropics. It is not at all I'M
usual to hear new arrival from the ca
nal zone declare that he never suffered
SO much from the heat as at home In the
United States. The resident OF the tenn
perate zone who visits the tropics for the
first time Is almost invariably surprised
to find the days not much warmer than
he has experienced at home and the
nights perhaps cooler
Upholstered Shoulders.
Since men are estopped by the. women
from casting aside their coats during the
hot weather there should be q more gen.
eral appreciation Of the relief afforded by
a change to suitable clothing. Possibly
the prices charged for washing washable
suits Of clothes account in part for the
fact that the wooden coat with the up
holstered shoulders Is borne with. At
any rate 1t is suffered as long as the suf-
ferer is able to stand the torture. Then
1t is carried upon his arm in the street.
1t is put on again whenshe reaches some
warmer place where the presence OF the
relentless feminine arbiter forces him to
swathe himself in blanketlike garment
and welter in his Precipitation miserably.