The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1924-07-03
DRESSING MEN FOR
COMFORT


so far In dressing women for com
fort, it seems an appropriate tim
to revise mems clothes to reliev
them of some of the distress from
which they have been suffering.
In women's clothes there has beel
complete reversiOn from the tigh
sleeves and the loose flowing sleeves
the scallops and sweat pads at thu
end of the sleeves to the shor
sleeves and the sleeveless dress will
the generous cut-away where the
sleeve was once sewed in; why no
follow suit for men.
Apparel that is considered correc
for men includes, in winter, the
shirt, with sleeve and seam at the
arm pit; the undershirt with sleeve
and seam, the vest and lining with
seam, the coat with lining and seam
at the arm pit and heavy padding
on the shoulder, and an overcoat
with lining, seams and padding, and
one would think this ought to be
enough to keep him plenty warm
and sweaty and thoroughly uncom-
Portable at the region where his arm
joins the body.
For summer the items are only
changed in the matter of underwear
and overcoat. Custom and good
manners require that he shall not
appear in the presence of ladies
without his coat and vest, for the
sight of shirt and suspenders is con-
sidered vulgar.
1t used to be that the sight of a
woman's arm was considered vul-
gar, but that condition has passed.
1t used to be that revealing a wo-
mans legs was vulgar, but it is no
longer SO, up to the knees, and the
line between the proper and the vul-
gar is flexible, and rising, for while
the knee is considered fair boun-
Diary for ordinary affairs. the thigh
is the limit for bathing, for athletics,
for chautauquas and other respect
able entertainments. What used to
be vulgar is beautiful, commonplace,
decent and efficient, besides being
convenient, comfortable and econom-
ical as to dress.
Perhaps shirt and suspenders are
not so vulgar now as they once were.
Somebody has invented the invisi
BILE suspenders to wear under the
shirt, and while they are not quite
so comfortable as the visible ones,
yet men are using them. In recent
years they have dared to roll up
their sleeves for out-of-door work
and to cut them off above the ell
bows for inside work that does not
bring them much in the company of
women. To go without the coat and
vest is still considered pioneering
To keep dressed correctly means dis
tress and copious sweating at the
arm pits, saturation of the clothes
all about the arms and almost daily
down the odor of souring perspira-
ton. Many men go about correctly
dressed but with a shocking odor
Of sour perspiration, and that is not |
considered vulgar AS
sanitation becomes more and more
the custom. and as health and COM
'ort come more into demand, some |
hing will probably be done about |
'emoving a lot of these non-essen-
.ials from mems clothes where the |
rms join the body. Men might take |
he tip from the experience of wo-
men, for they had heir run of
clothes with built-up shoulders and |
'houlders that stuck out, up and
lown, and have settled down to mere
oft drapery without frame. Mems
oats might be made thin about the
houlders, mere soft draping with
ut any of the binding, hindering
fleet 80 much felt when he reaches
writer. For winter wear man
rants warmth along the spine and
orearms, not under the arms. When
man is chilly he either walks up
0 the stove and puts out his fore
rms to absorb some heat or he turns
is back to it to get some heat from
fps to neck, and when clothes are
lade for him his natural aptitudes
ught to be considered
Men have pOked fun at women for
eing the slaves of fashion, but hard
nd fast rules have kept men sweat
lg and bleaching out through all
ne summers until endurance and
erves are passing. The thoughtful,
enerous woman, the woman who can
.ust her own state of mind not to
e offended or disturbed at the sight
shirt or suspenders or bare arms
I the man, can speed UP the pro-
ram OF health and comfort by in
ting her male friends to disrobe
the direction of comfort in hot
Gather, and when she dresses thin
II cold weather and keeps the !,
ouse heated accordingly, the hot
Gather program for the man ought .
be followed to the point of fnvit-
g him to take OF his coat.