Evening star., 1960-10-21
7 TuiIcoot
Hubbub
Goes On

NEW YORK, Oct. 81 (AP).
-Horrified cloak and suffers
recoiled in anguish when Vice
President Richard M. Nixon
suggested abolishing white tie
and tails.
But it seems that in this
sU-called age Of the common
man, some very uncommon
men indeed line up with Mr..
Nixon on what promises 70
become the scratehiest issue
In clothesland.
Some others, firm in their
fondness for stylish elegance,
regard Mr.. Nixon's attack on
the tailcoat as a base canard.
Stripped of all political
bumbast, technical jargon
and campaign verbiage, the
issue boils down simply 10
this:
What lies ahead for formal
male attire in America?
What's to become Of the
time-honored tailcoat?
The Future?
Whats the future Of the
boiled shirt. top hat. studs,
wing collars, dance pumps
and satin lapels which have
for generations been the mark
Of the man in high society?
A couple of high-society
veterans who can tell tweedy
from Shoddy at so PAGES
came up with this answer
today: No future, nothing.
finished, out, through.
Oddly. the conflicting views
contained q vehemence lack
ing last Wednesday night
when Republican Presidential
Candidate Nixon quipped to
his Democratic rival, Senator
John F. Kennedy, alta formal
dinner:
"1'll make a deal with you,
Whoever is elected President
will abolish white ties. And
these shirts ought to have
zippers. It's agony"
Agony was also what some
leading tailcoat manufac-
turers and dealers felt when
they read about that remark.
VOlley Of Protests
on went a volley of pro-
tests. One predicted dire
political consequences for Mr..
Nixon in the garment in
dustry. Another said Mr..
Nixon should be ashamed of
such style criticism. One
manufacturer suggested that
possibly the Vice President
had suffered from a poor At.
But much-married Million
aire playboy Tommy Manville
lined up promptly with Mr..
Nixon:
II haven't worn q white
tie since 1896 when I was in
Europe" he recalled, adding:
They are absolutely out
and belong to the horse age.
Even head walters don't
wear them any more. Teen
ayers rent them for debutante
balls and they look awful
because they don't At. I'm
for abolishing them entirely"
Serge Obelensky, famous
New York hotelmall. widely
regarded as a kingpin Of
cafe society, also voiced as
sent:
Nobody really wears white
tie any more in this country
anyway. In Europe, you'll
need one. I prefer a black tie
anyway because it's Just more
comfortable"
A Bit Antiquated
out In Chicago, a few other
social lights returned the
same verdict.
II feel that tailcoats are o
little bit antiquated." said
Byron Harvey, chairman Of
q restaurant chain.
mo one should get worked
up about Clothes" commented
j. Harris Ward, president Of
the Commonwealth Edison
Co.
But an attorney, A. Brad.
ley Eben, put his tongue in
his cheek and took another
view:
II regard Mr.. Nixon's COM
ment as q demagogic appeal
designed to obtain the vote
Of all those who don't own a
set Of tails"
And Columnist Herb Caen,
the San Francisco Chronicles
chronicler Of night life on the
bay, cracked:
"A man who hates white
tie and tails can't be all bad.
But after all, how many peo-
pie can afford them? I con-
slider this another Nixon at
tack on q capitalist front
minority"