The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-07-07
M E N, w o M E IN
 A ND T HI IN c s

Ine thermometer was ranging around the 100 mark, and man and beast were panting for breath as the pitiless sun beat down upon the as- phalt which had assumed rubbery feel under the feet as Sam Erckert hove in sight.
 He was coatless and collarless, and going at funeral gait, as he sight ed me. Hello, Doc" said he, why don't you start coat shucking cam paign and give the fellows who have to work in these dog days a chance to at least get as comfortable as pos- sible without having to swelter un- der burden of clothes?"
 l realize that the "shirtwaist" man had short shrift, for somehow he failed to get by. Possibly it was be- cause the crowd who adopted the fad as a class were looked upon as dudes" but I see no reason why busnoss men downtown should not go about the streets in such weather as this in their shirt sleeves without causing unfavorable comment.
 I understand that at some of the outing parties it is perfectly permis- sible for the gentlemen to lay aside their coats provided they wear belts and not suspenders. Now, there is a reason for this discrimination on the part of the ladies, as 1t makes no difference how careful one may be it is hard to keep the latter as tidy as the former. A snappy look ing belt with an ornamental buckle gives a better finishing touch to summer mans outfit.
 I could feel that Sam's idea was a sensible one, as I was melting down a high stiff linen collar, that abomi- nation of twentieth centwry dress, and perspiring in spite of the light ness of weight of mohair suit. am at loss to know why the soft collar is not more generally used. I suppose the reason is that most men think that the stiff ones make them look better, for somehow it takes a good dresser and good locker to look we'll in the soft ones, so I have been told by a lady who is. close observer.
 I think if there ever was an ex- cuse for wearing a sport shirt" it is now. Just looking at 1t from an impartial standpoint it seems to me so far as the male population is con- cerned. is the sport shirt" and yet if man past 30 is bold enough to don one he must be thick skinned to stand the guying of the fellows who want to know if he still thinks he is boy. A sport shirt" and 8 belt to circle the waist line to give finish and hold up a pair of light weight trousers would go far way to solv- ing the problem of dress for extreme summer weather.
 I was down at Montgomery during the Bob Jones revival, and Bob" was in action with his coat off, but he was not conspicuous, for nearly every man in the large tabernacle had shed his. It was the sensible thing both do. pr. J. R. Hobbs, pastor of the First Baptist church here, stated that any of his hearers might feel at per feet liberty to come to his services coatless.
 Tuesday afternoon I had an en- gagement to meet my namesake at the Bijou, and he showed up, lad of 16 summers, without his coat, but he is six feet two inches tall. The ticket man as we started to go in on the lower floor politely stated that 1t was not permitted to enter without wearing coat; but that we might go up in the balcony. As I live at Mountain Terrace, and it was too long trip for Frank to go home for his coat, I laughingly said: I'd just as soon see the show from upstairs" am not telling this as criticism on friend James, the manager, but just to let those who want to see show in comfort know that it is permis- sible at Loew's Bijou to shuck ones coat if he gets balcony seat.
 
 hope I will not give offense to any of my fastidious readers if here and now confess that I am digging this story out coatless, my apology being that the mercury is playing strange freaks with the thermometers. and unless Old Sol behaves himself he is liable to break the instrument as a friend who has just come in off the streets tells me that at corner drug store one has registered as far as it can, and Is liable to bust. cAm1EzNM1A0xeH