The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1952-01-25
Trend In Male
Attire Toward
Simplicity
. Departure From
Conventional
Tailoring And
Haberdashery
BY RELMAN NORM
For Hal Bowel kEE:
lFor Hal Boyle

NEW YORK .RL-LOOklng GOVT
one wing Of the news roon here,
! am observing q tableau q PRO
test. nj 81 !
& There are between 20 and 30
men in range of vision. About two
thirds of them are coatless, with
shirt sleeves rolled. Some are
working, 0pen-throated, having un-
5uttoned their collars and slipped
The neckties downward a few inch.
IS, as well.
Oh, my brother, as Hal Boyle
would say, here is a pitifuI little
rebellion!
Here is an eloquent expression
OF what men think of the modern
male costume. Here is the gfim
effort to escape from the "busi-
ness suit and its accessories,
which feature built-in discomfort,
squeezing and strangulation, guar
anteed to last. Mems clothes are
the supreme idiocy of the goth
Century.
For instance, consider your neck
and throat y
An inordfnate amount of tender
care and attention has been iav-
isited Oh them BY Tie, tailor, the
sfIirt-maker, and The fiecktie sales
man Your tie 1h:als , 1t least three
folds 6f cloth, your shirt four, and
your coat collar modest two,
brt thick and heavy.
This adds up to nine layers of
wool, cotton and silk or substitutes,
tightly wrapped, scratching, stran-
cling, blocking .arterial traffic, in
creasing body temperature and
raising proper he'll.
Fully dressed, you are Juggling
around between 10 and Is pounds
OF fabric and leather. This is at
least three times the weight Of
the average costume of woman.
Moreover, ii is neither hand
some---take a look at the drab,
total impression created by a mass
of men-nor is it functional. If
IL were, men wouldn't get out Of
their coats, ties and collars at the
first opportunity.
So, why this costume?
]. used to think it was the result
of vast conspiracy between the
cloth-makers, tailors, designers,
middlemen, etc. Obviously, the
more fabric, leather and gadgets
they can pile on the male chassis,
the better for the stockholders.
But designers tell me that isn't
a fact. They say that many peo-
pie, bob men and women, have
had a try at devising more SEN
sible dress for men. None has ever
taken hold.
For instance, the Australian
bush jacket" is an eminently
practical garment. II combines
the functions of the shirt and the
coat. II has short sleeves, an open
throat and is worn outside the
trousers. II is about coat-length
and loosely belted at the waist.
10 lets a man breathe around the
equator and the neck and shout
siers.
Versions of II have been attempt
ed in stfis country. the designers
say, but they were never success.
full.
Nobody knows the reason. There
Is a suspicion that the average
man is far too timid to break away
from convention. But IL may be
the little woman who insists that
her man look as much as possible
like all other men, and through
pressure, silent and otherwise.
ccitipresscs him into the sartiihe old
mold, year after YEAR lsssf
The ubfsiy hbpefiiie SIM have
noted SEEMS to 7 have 6rikinated
In talifofnfa, around Hollywood,
where the hecktie Is disappearing
rapidly, even in offices. Maybe the
trend viii spread.
Personally. believe a wonder
iul campaign plank is inherent in
this for 1852.
A man who promised reforms
In mems clothing ought TO sweep
The, country. OF course, he would
be sticking his neck out, and this
Is not good politics.