The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-07-29
Comfortable Clothing

How to keep cool and still look neat Is problem for all of us this scorching weather. But it Is not so difficult for the business woman or other worker who spends. most of her day sitting at desk or oc- cupied at neat and inactive tasks like selling goods, clerking or office work In general. For the house. Keeper who may do everything from turning the mattress to doing q lamlly wash and mopping the kitch- en, how to be neat though busy is quite another matter.
 We can begin by saying that what ever the cut and lines of the Kitchen costume for hot weather, there must be no tie that binds anywhere, nor sleeves that pull, nor wristbands that are too tight. Housework rep resents considerable muscular acti- witty and it is foolish to dress for 1t IS If it were parlor job. The dress must permit the arms to be easily raised over the head as when the Wearer has to make a backhand stroke at the dust on the shelf, and no waistline with tight buttons will help her win the broad mattress jump as she turns It on a double bed
 The ideal housework dress is one- piece, short sieeved, low necked, and fairly short. It's prototype is the smock or peasant blouse, buttonless. going on over the head and adjusted to the figure by loose belt In whatever material developed, such a one-piece dress is 100 per cent Amer ican Tn neat appearance and efficiency for household duties. The clever woman can cut and make one for her self in half a day and by picking varied materials have dress for every purpose. For example, what could be heater for Blue Monday than 1aN hat 6 6o,-Iy or chambry? Or what more Service able than khaki sports dress on the same pattern In which to dust and SCOUT, scrub and clean? And when we come to cooking let's select neat stripe, perhaps blue and white, green and white, whatever appears cool and refreshing, in which to mix our may onnaise or cook the chops? And de- Veloped in cretonne and pictursQue prints relieved by pipings in con trasting colors we will charm friend husband and other husbands alike!
 The man whose wife appears with Ikirt and waist parting company or Iwathed in lose and dangling dress Ing jackets is entitled to a divorce without question! Hot weather de- hands considerable restraint in per- Bonal adjustments and a higher de- gree of nicety and fastidiousness in appearance and dress. The workers returning home after an exhausting day in shop or office are greatly af- fected by the housewife's appearance as she greets him at the door. If she appears hot, greasy and slovenly she will do little to make them feel cool refreshed and rested for the evening. But if she is fresh from shower, neat, and in an airy dress she will do much to increase the pleasure of the home coming.
 Some women find cooking tends to make them look mussy But much of this tendency can be overcome byl using very light cap on the hair. Make caps of cheesecloth scrim or voile for coolness and slip on to keen the hair from struggling during work. Shoes with flat heels or barefoot san dals are most comfortable to wear during general work. Never use the cast-off dancing slipper or high heel ed shoe unless you expect a turned ankle. The foundation of any cos tune is right-fitting corset, and while in hot weather the regulation styles may seem stiff and heavy, there is plenty of choice in the knit ted or elastic girdle or even the rub Der corset, which reduces while you sleep. Women who go in for ath- letics can find special athletic cor sets to meet their needs, and these are particularly adapted to the de- mands of the housewife as well, who 1 needs some support but who cannot endure the severity and length of the l usual models. Similarly. one-piece athletic underwear seems to win on | points of comfort, elasticity and ad- justment to the figure in motion.
 closing word about aprons 1
 Fortunately it Is long time since those past eras when women dis | figured themselves by wearing'the old plaid badge of servitude" around their waists, enlarging them and cut ting themselves In half. Today we 1 have host of bright and gay aprons l one-piece or neatly gored to wear for | amy purpose. The woman who makes | her cwa house dresses may take the | hint no make herseIr aprons for the | material so they will be less con- | spicuous; aprons with deep pockets l like bags are handy to slip on while | hanging up the wash, as clothespins can be dropped into the pockets; | utility cover all" of heavy goods may | have pockets for dusters. for work | gloves and other needfuls. much after | the fashion of the carpenters over- alls, which are provided with straps | and pockets for his entire kit.
 We may look neat and also keep | very cool and be extremely comfort | able while doing summer housework | If we will. We spend hours of time | on our street clothes, our visiting | costumes and our evening gowns why not little more thought and att tention to practical working togs for | our daily duties as the head fore- | woman of the home factory? Working somewhat like a fan is a ! round table of German invention | v~t~tstn