For the Well Dressed Man

Mid-Summer Clothes and Some of Their Appropriate Accessories

ROBERT LLOYD TREVOR

MAN has learned, gradually to be sure, in the course of his experience of summer temperatures in the latitude of New York, that his comfort can be greatly enhanced by a judicious choice of the materials with which he clothes himself. He has also learned —and his experience in this regard is entirely in accord with the government's desire to conserve materials—that linings are quite unnecessary in a properly designed summer coat. He is, therefore, an advocate of skeletonization when it comes to the clothes that he must wear while the mercury is endeavoring to establish new records and give the Weather Bureau something interesting to talk about.

There is a good deal, also, of psychology about warm weather dressing, and the man who looks cool and knows he looks cool will actually feel cooler than his less fortunate brethren. Leaving aside the careful study which has been made of color in relation to the sun's heat and the adaptation of the knowledge thus gained to the weaving of fabrics for clothes, it is still possible to use a good deal of careful selection in the matter of the colors as well as materials for summer wear. The particular weaves, using red as a basis, which have been found so successful in warding off the intense sun's rays of the tropics, can be used, it is true, for special garments in this latitude and are very suitable for riding jackets, for instance, and the like. But these rather specialized things I hope to treat of some other time. In the present article I am merely seeking to indicate some of the more conventional fabrics which are suitable for our very warm weather.

ONE of the illustrations in these pages shows a suit suitable for both business wear in the city and for country wear. It not only is cool, but looks cool. This suit is made of lightweight gray flannel with a fine stripe of black. The jacket is single-breasted and has the usual three pockets, those in the skirt having flaps. With this suit a single-breasted waistcoat of tan linen may be worn; tan canvas spats; brown low boots, either brogued or plain; soft hat of taupe colored felt with dark brown band; white cheviot shirt; white, low turn-over collar, and a throw-over scarf of black or dark solid color.

Silk is one of the desirable materials obviously indicated for summer wear. The time was, not so very long ago, when a man was conspicuous—and to that degree in bad taste— when he wore a silk suit. But fortunately, there are indications that we are becoming more sensible in matters of dress as time goes on and silk is taking its rightful place as a material for summer clothes for men. An attractive suit, suitable for wear on the way to the country or when one arrives there, is indicated in one of this month's illustrations. It is made of tan Shantung silk, the coat completely skeletonized and cut in single-breasted model with two buttons. There are three pockets, all without flaps. The trousers, which should be cut rather large, may be loosely turned up.

FOR wear with this suit in the city or on the way out of town, brown low shoes would be suitable. For more sylvan surroundings, however, there may be substituted a country shoe of white buckskin trimmed with either brown Russia leather or black calfskin. A white silk shirt, collar of coarse linen, of very easy turnover model, and brown scarf would also be suitable, as would a boater hat of coarse straw, and, as a stick, a whangee or male bamboo.

Trousers of white English flannel are suitable for many of the uses of the country. They should be carefully cut so as not to drag at the knees, especially if they are to be used in active sport. For ordinary country wear they may well be accompanied by a loosely cut jacket made of plaid flannel of a gray tone, and a soft hat of the same material. White buckskin shoes, full brogued or with a wing tip, or leather trimmed buckskin shoes would be appropriate.

A good golf costume for late summer or early fall is the subject of another of the illustrations in this issue. This suit is made of brown camels hair, a material which is very easy and comfortable to wear. The jacket is an easy, singlebreasted model, cut with a fold back of the shoulders to give plenty of play to the arms, and has roomy pockets, which have a great deal more capacity than is indicated from the exterior of the coat. The knickerbockers are of the bag type, quite full and coming well down over the tops of the golf stockings. White buckskin shoes with a heavy black rubber sole may be worn, or, of course, nailed golf shoes of brown leather. The shirt might well be of blue cheviot with a turn over collar to match, or if one preferred, a white madras shirt with polo collar might be worn.

A light-weight cloth cap, with one piece top, completes the costume.

FOR motoring in the hot weather it is quite essential to have a dust coat which is both light in weight and of a material suited to the rather strenuous requirements of such a garment. An attractive coat of this kind is illustrated this month. It is made of tan pongee, very loosely cut so as to be no burden in driving and to give plenty of protection for the knees when one sits down. A distinctive feature is the use of brown leather at cuffs and as a binding material for the edge of the collar and for the generous side pockets. A coat of this kind looks very well and has the utilitarian advantages of lightness of weight and of shedding dust quite as easily as the proverbial duck's back sheds water.

If, as has been indicated, silk is an entirely suitable material for men's suits, it is even more true that it is eminently suitable for many accessories of dress. Silk of many types— and sometimes, be it said, of quite elaborate patterns, by no means to be encouraged — is used more and more as a material for shirtings. It is exceedingly cool and comfortable, of course, when put to such a use, especially when one's day is to be a leisurely one without too much strenuous exertion. For active exercise, madras and especially the wools would be found to meet the requirements more exactly! Silk, however, has a deservedly important and an increasingly important place in the realm of shirts.

Care should be exercised, in selecting the quality of silk, that it is not too frail for the service which is demanded of it. Needless to say, also, discrimination should be used in selecting those solid colors or quiet patterns* which do not in any way transgress the rules of good taste. For pajamas, silk is eminently suitable, and there is illustrated this month a very good type of silk pajama, collarless and made of tan pongee with an edging of blue or white.

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IN the matter of shirts other than silk, there is a very wide latitude of choice this season, cheviot and madras, as well as French batiste, being the leading materials. Plain and pleated bosoms may be had in a very wide variety of color and design. Some of the good, colored shirts are made with attached collars to match. Detached collars show an ever-increasing tendency toward low cut and comfortable design. Their points are well cut away at the inverted'"v," so that there is room for the knot of the scarf to show. Scarfs, of course, are legion in variety of color. Among the desirable ones are the block-printed silks of Eastern design, the solid colors and the multitudinous regimental stripes. Other attractive scarfs for summer wear are made of very light weight grenadine of open weave. This material ties easily and retains its shape well when used as a scarf.

Among the illustrations in this month's issue there are a number of low shoes which are suitable for country wear. It is noticeable that there is a good deal of increase in the popularity of brogueing for men's shoes. Full-brogued low boots of brown leather have a certain smartness which is undeniable. The last, in any case, should be comfortable and slightly squared at the toe. It should be a straight last of somewhat English type, so that there is not too much flare on the outside of the foot as compared to the inside. Certainly one of the secrets of looking well is careful attention to the extremities of the costume. In other words, a man with a well-cut and wellfitting suit, but with careless neckwear and boots, will not look nearly so wellgroomed as another, whose clothes themselves may not be so intelligently well designed or attractive, but whose boots fit well and are well kept, and whose neck is carefully and considerately dressed.

If you care to buy any articles illustrated in the Well Dressed Man's 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 chock drawn to the order of the Vanity Fair Publishing Company. There is no charge for these services.