Evening star., 1947-08-22
This and That
By Charles Z. Tracepell.

Whether male Washingtonians will ever 60
completely coatless in summer, as they do in
the South and West, is a question. but there
Is little doubt that they are getting around
to 1t.
We can recall the time-and 1t doesn't seem
50 long ago-when to 60 hatless in the Ma
tional Capital was to be regarded with sus-
picion. Most observers regarded hatless males
as eccentric, to say the least, or plain crazy,
at the most.
The cult for fresh air and especially sun tan
has long permitted the small fry to 60 with
little clothes during the hot months, but
deep conservatism has made 1t completely
unorthodox for ONCE workers to initiate them
The time will come, however, when most
men go without coats in summer. 1t is more
comfortable, just as good looking, and COM
pletely the thing" provided every one agrees
to it.
The truth seems to be that there is no real
reason in the world for wearing coats during
the heat any more than there is to wear a hat
most of the year.
Hats and coats, at least in summer are relics
of the horse-and-buggy days, when orthodoxy
in dress reigned to the detriment of common
sense.
Nudist cults are the extreme. One does not
have to 60 that far to be comfortable. Taking
off the coat when the Thermometer suggests
it is just another way of joining the revolt
Of the young against conventionalism.
Nothing is more senseless than the habit OF
wearing q coat in the morning-and coming
home with 1t slung over the arm.
Why bother with it at all?
It reminds old timers of the way daring
males OF yeSteryear went around with hat in
hand, rather than discarding it altogether
What they wanted to do, of course, was to
60 without a hat but convention called for
hat, so they had one at hand any way.
Since the masculine portion Of the COM
munity Is the most conservative. 1t required
years for these same persons to get to the
point where they biithely left the hat at home.
At FIRST hat manufacturers were afraid that
the hatless vogue. as they called it, would ruin
their business, but time has shown how wrong
they were
There are more hats made and sold today
than ever, because men like hats. They feel
"all dressed up" In a hat, just as a woman does
in a corset. .-
Even if they now dare to go hatless at least
part of the year, they insist on having good
ones at home, ready for the revival of formal
ism, more commonly called autumn.
There is something about the first cool day
that calls for hat. except with these ruthless
young bloods who have made sort of cult OF
their own out of the matter of going hat
less. -..
No amount of censure from the nose,
throat and ear specialists VIII convince them
that there is any danger of getting sinus
trouble from going hatless-and umbrella
less-in snow, sleet and rain.
They may be afraid Of sinus, but more of
their fellows structures. So they go hat1ess.
Old timers, the sort who have only partially
revolted, may 90 back to hats when autumn
comes, but the brave boys go right through the
winter too. a-
Regardless, they stand in the rain; the water
soaks their hair, and they slick 1t back, doing
what comes naturally.
Maybe in time the coat revolt will follow
The coat. as standard part Of male attire,
is less needed than the hat.
The coat is binding, hot, wrinkled. perspira-
ton soaked, and none too good looking in the
heat.
1t has no real excuse for being. A fine white
shirt is sufficient. from all viewpoints
Even keymen are allowing their interiors to
come into their presence without coat.
II this keeps up. the time may come when
the man wearing q coat will look AZ strange
On our strests Is the man without hat once
did.