The Twin City star., 1918-10-26
CLOTHES. OF OUR
SAILOR LADD|ES
apparel Is Supplied to Face All
Kinds of Weather.
CLING To BLACK KERCHIEFS
Jselies Must Know How to Care for
Their clotssing and Do Their Own
lau1dry Work il Nee
essary.

essary.
From the Comraittee on Public Informa-
ton, Washington. D. CO.
Shltting seas and changing climes
have made the sailor man familiar
with every ASPECT Of the combat with
weather. Trained to face nature in
the open, he is ready for her vagaries,
whether they be Of the inlandlike
peacefulness or the storm tossed waves
OF an ocean in all it's fury. He knows
now to dress to meet every condition,
and the navy not only has him suffi-
ciently clad, hut has the clothes in his
sea bag and ready for use when he
needs them.
The "gOb" likes the cut of his
clothes and he has a roll and jaunti-
ness about him at all times that pro-
claims his calling. Fashions come
and 60 and orders may change the
habiliments Of the soldier, but not so
with the man of the sea. His are
eternally blue, the pattern never va
ries and tradition still holds her own
In their making. Years ago in the
days OF wooden sailing ships when sea-
men had to climb masts and dangle
from the stretched-out ends of yard
arms to do their rudest reefing, con-
venience and custom made necessary
the bell-shaped lower ends of the trous-
ers. And time and manner OF con-
struction Of ships have never wrought
q change.
The sailor, too, clings to his black
SILK handkerchief, draped around his
low-necked blouse tied across his
breast. Latter days have. made obso-
lete the white lanyard that went about
his neck, but the silken ,'kerchief still
remains. Tradition tells that this
handkerchief, thus worn, originated
with the British tar, for the blacks
once worn in this fashion by men of
the English navy as mark of mourn
ing for Lord Nelson have never been
removed.
And the sailor has to give a good
deal of attention to this part Of his cos
tune. The handkerchief is square and
four times the usual size. Early morn
Ing or just before the call for shore
leave is sounded there is heard on
shipboard a Tapping that sounds like
waves striking the sides of the ship.
This happens when Jack is getting the
wrinkles out of his neckwear. The
handkerchief is stretched out and, q
man taking a good hold on either side,
it is given an up-and-down shaking un-
til it is smooth and glossy. He then
folds it in 'three-cornered way and,
putting it about his neck, ties the ends
in knot that only real sailorman
knows.
Fussy About His Hats.
The sailor is also just trif1e fussy
about his hats, and he has three of
them. No one has exactly understood
the balance a seaman can get with one
of the circular pancake caps he perches
at almost any angle on his head. This
capsis ornamented with the band bear
ing the name of his ship or station or
simply the gilded inscription ~. s.
Navy" and he is always buying a
new one, for the Jack who is alleged
to have q sweetheart in every port
must have a band for every one of
them as a souvenir and sentimental
reminder for the girl he leaves behind
him.
The sailor also has knitted cap for
winter wear, one that can be pulled
down over his ears to cover nearly all
Of his face-something he needs for
deck work, for the continuous watch
from the ships rail for the sneaking
submarine or to shield him from the
crows nest. But Of them all it is his
little white hat that he loves the most.
With the same skill and equal nom
chalance he can perch this on his head
at any angle, always with the appear
ance of just about to tumble off but
never falling. This hat he can wash
and from the top there is a little
string, he calls "stop" so that he can
hang it out on wash day.
When a boy tosses off his home
clothes for the last time he is given a
complete outfit by the navy. Every
bit Of it is regulation" He must
know just how to fold and store away
each bit according to set and immov-
able rules, and each piece must have
hfs name marked on it with indelible
ink. It must always be scrupulously
clean and neat. Some Of the ships
have laundry, and If no. he must
wash it himself. There are also ships
tailors, but he must, nevertheless,
know how to sew, to darn aud to mend
Here is just what sailors wardrobe
includes: Overshirt, two uDdress jump
ers, dress jumper, three white undress
Jumpers, blue trousers, four white
trousers. dungarees (overalls), jersey