MEN'S DRESS REFORM.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 182, 3 August 1929, Page 8

MEN'S DRESS REFORM.

Savile Row and the tailoring aiad outfitting, trade generally is pot disposed io take the proposals of the latest Dress Reform Party—too seriously, even though it be inspired by'such., notables as Dean Inge, Dr. C. W. Saleeby, 1 Mr. Guy Ivendal 1, Mr. Richard * Sickert, - Mr. - Ernest Thes'iger; Dr. -Leonard. Williams and Dr. A. C. Jordan (says •tho-- "ObserYeV , ji-.; <; The ci;r oii>the side of formality in somo things, biit. in thci' matter '.of revolutionary "dress reform for men it can always muster a live sense of-huinouft" The editor of the "Outfitter," for- example, was one long smile when he talked to an "Observer" representative. "Frankly,"- he said, "I don't think the ; scheme has -the, remotest chance of success. The trade is too strongly recognised-in all parts of the world as the supreme authority on sartorial matters for it to regard the thing as more than a joke. S People cou*e to London from the four corners of the earth expecting to find there something whieli is : Wth stylish and' sarie. 1 We do hot-want'to lose : our prestige as • the fashion leaders of the world. But'opennecked shirts-and sliorts'for normal Wear! Well; I ask you ——! . For one thing, there is that little matter of superfluous hair. The ladies' who w&ar full evening, dress and sleeveless frocks have their own methods of dealing with this little problem as it affects the p6rtion of the-body under;,fthe arms. Ate' Dean Inge and' Mr. Sickert and 'the, others prepared .to follow > suit with i their; cheats: and kneesf> i " ' ' *' "Some time ago when there was -some--to-do about young.business men turning up to the office in sportswear on Satxirday^mornings,• we >tried to imagine what a bank manager jvoukl think "if his cashiers reported for .duty in shorts purely as a joke. ,Now it ebmes to us a serious gestion for every day of the - week! Well, visualise for yourself,- say, commercial travellers in shorts "calling on the heads of emporiums, and having 1 to run the gauntlet of office boys and girls eri'route. . .; . Besides," is the -beaiity of the average • male form. such vin 1929 that iit • could withstand the test of open shirts andvsliorts and so forth? ■ Think, too, of the collar, tie and hat manufacturers who would be thrown out of work! And are woollen stockings, even . with shorts, necessarily, more, hygienic than our present half-, hose with trousers?:;l think not.. "No," the editor-0f the . "Outfitter? 5 Concluded'; ("free and easy clothes are all very well in their place—for, sports wear and recreation and so Oh/ If one wore them every day in the week half their'attraction woiild be gone. ; lf only for tlicy' sake of a changej. >ve. should jvant to potter about and greenhouse in strict morning at t ire, with spats. ... ..."