For the Well Dressed Man

Clothes and Accessories for the Great Out-doors

ROBERT LLOYD TREVOR

THAT part of the masculine world which cannot, for good and cogent reasons, be at war, has already begun to take its tennis racquets from their presses and try the speed of the spring greens. It is the season when the big world of out-doors calls most urgently, perhaps, of all the year. Certainly it is the season when, after the winter hibernation, one responds most eagerly and quickly to this call. I am not at all of the ranks of those who believe that men in America should eschew their sports as not in keeping with the war spirit. For the men who are too young for military service, out-door sports have an important function in bodily training. For those who are beyond military age, they have an almost equally important function in maintaining the soundness of body which is the pre-requisite for sound mind; especially at this time when sound and mature minds are so vitally needed for the front behind the front. And for men who, although they may be of jnilitary age, are unable to take arms, for valid reasons—and the proportion who bring forward reasons not valid is so small, one is thankful .to say, as to be almost contemptuously negligible—sport has also its vital importance for reasons of both mind and of body.

There are a dozen other things to be said for sport even in the midst of critical war days, and the English periodicals are plainly reflecting now the wish that sport in its various forms had not been so greatly abandoned in

Great Britain during the first two years of the war. But this is hardly the place, after all, for a discussion of a big question of wartime athletics. Let us assume that, we are going to have plenty of golf, tennis, motoring and the like, in this country this season and start from that premise.

THERE will be found in this issue, illustrations of some good types of clothes for outdoor wear and of the accessories which go with them, chosen from the many hundreds of special articles of this sort. For active games like tennis, for instance, the value of a light but warm coat to slip on between sets or on the way from court to club house, is apparent. An excelllent coat of this character, on the lines of the English wait or period coat, is among the illustrations this month. This coat is made of soft brown wool. It may be had in white if preferred, but there is always considerable difficulty in keeping white coats truly white unless one is the fortunate possessor of a man-servant who thoroughly understands the bleaching of such garments. This coat is made with large buttons, buttoning through and with roomy side pockets. The collar is also of ample dimensions, so that it can be turned up if desired.

Another very useful garment for tennis wear, either while warming up or during rest periods between sets, is a light-weight slip-on jersey. One made of Shetland wool without any sleeves is illustrated. This convenient slip-on can be had either in white or in khaki. The way in which it is finished, and the fact that it is sleeveless make it very comfortable to wear when actually at play either for tennis or golf, as there is no binding at the shoulders.

FOR tennis, of course, the conventional flannel trousers will continue their popularity this season. But many men will also wear white duck or twill trousers, which have the

advantage of great coolness and are comparatively easy to launder. Care should be exercised in the cut of tennis trousers so that there is no drag at the knees. This is a fault which can become exceedingly trying and annoying during a long match. Cheviot or flannel shirts with polo collars are, of course, adaptable to both golf and tennis, and for the latter game it is convenient, in the opinion of many men, to have the sleeves cut off at the elbow. This is a distinctly American fashion, as is the habit of rolling the sleeves far up. English players, as a rule, merely turn back the cuff and not a few of them leave the sleeve buttoned and do not interfere with it at all. This habit of wearing the sleeves long became familiar to the American tennis-going public during the Davis Cup matches, even the latest of which now seems to have been played so long ago.

Several types of good shoes for tennis may be had to suit the individual taste. White buck-

skin made with brogueing after the manner of one of the shoes illustrated in this issue is an example of a good type, or the buckskin may be perfectly plain, even without any tip. Other good white shoes are made with an instep strap of brown Russia leather. Heavy black rubber soles which, to look their best, should be varnished around the edges, form a pleasing contrast to the white shoes and have practical advantages as well.

FOR summer golf, a very comfortable form of suit is made of brown linen. This has the advantage of being cool and of very light weight. An example of this suit which is shown in these pages is made with a singlebreasted jacket with large side pockets and with two pockets in the seams which curve up over the shoulders. Knickerbockers are made to match and have a strap at the knee. Woolen stockings of fairly heavy weight will be found the most comfortable and may be had, of course, in many colors and patterns.

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Golf shoes are important accessories for the true enjoyment of the game. They should be comfortable and at the same time give a firm stance to the player. In one of the shoes illustrated in this issue there is an interesting patented modification at the instep which makes it very flexible at this point and thus enables the player to turn freely during the swing without any temptation to move his feet and probably spoil his shot. These shoes are nailed at both sole and heel. They may be had either in ankle height or as low oxfords. A soft shirt is, of course, an essential for comfortable golfing, and flannel will be found to be a very desirable material.

A cap of Shetland homespun, a soft hat which will stay on the head well, or a hat of leghorn straw made in Homburg shape, may be used to advantage for the golf links. The latter type of hat has the advantage of extreme lightweight and is not tiring to wear for a considerable period of time. In its selection, care should be taken that it is of such a kind that it can be well pulled down in case of a high breeze. This material, as well as the lighter straws of the panama type, will be used very extensively this season.

ONE will enjoy extensive motoring much more completely if one chooses his costume with an eye to practical conditions, than if he merely elects to wear his old clothes for motoring. Bag knickerbockers lend themselves very well to use in the motor car and there is illustrated in this issue a good type of knickerbocker suit which will be used for this purpose. It is made of brown twillet with single-breasted jacket and waistcoat. Spiral puttees of cotton twillet are worn instead of golf stockings and laced brown boots are used to finish off the costume at the ground. This type of suit will be found most comfortable for touring. It presents a stout defence against the stains of travel and dust and gives plenty of pocket room for the little articles which one always wants to take along but never can find room for in the car. A good cap to accompany such a suit is made of Shetland homespun and cut with a one-piece top. One of the convenient bits of baggage, if so small an article can be dignified by so imposing a name, for the motor tour, is a little jewel case of leather which is illustrated in these pages. This case is made to hold scarf pins, cuff links, and studs, and folds into small compass. It is a most useful article visit or traveling of well as for motoring.

OF course, there is an infinite variety of specialized costumes from which to choose one's sporting clothes, but there can be no greater mistake than to simply rely on a heterogeneous collection of old garments on the theory that anything is good enough to play a game of golf in. This theory undoubtedly exists still in this country, but we have learned so much of an opposite kind from our British cousins, that it is actually exemplified less and less. It is certainly a distinct mistake to look upon the sporting tailor who specializes in clothes for particular forms of out-door life, as unnecessary in the scheme of things.

IF you care to buy any articles illustrated in the Well Dressed Man Department Mr. Trevor will be delighted to tell you where they may be purchased. Simply indicate what you wish and mention the pages on which they are pictured. If you prefer, Mr. Trevor will direct the buying of any article for you. In that case, enclose your check drawn to the order of the Vanity Fair Publishing Company. There is no charge for these services.