“PLUS FOURS”

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 141, 11 March 1930, Page 2

“PLUS FOURS”

CLOTHES AND THE MAN

WAS SHAKESPEARE RIGHT? (By J.L.G.) Away back in the days of good Queen Bess there lived a writer of plays, by name William Shakespeare, who gave to the world many wise sayings. Some are supposed to be a guide to our daily life. For instance—but lam anticipating. What I want to know is; ‘‘Was Shakespeare right?" Does his wisdom hold good in 1030? / In one of his tragedies au aged courtier gives advice to his son about iu depart from under the parental roof. Amongst other good things he advised the" son to wear good clothes, ns people were prone to judge a man by the clothes he wore. And when one considers the elaborate styles affected by the male population in Shakespeare's day one can readily understand, the difficulties attending the designing of an ensemble which would be neat without being too bizarre. The advice, were it given to-day, would probably be given thuswise: “Well, goodbye, old boy. Look after the family name and sea that you don’t spend too much on new clothes; and if you think you’re pging to get another cheque before the end of next month you’re mistaken ; and—no, you can’t take the car! Hurry up, you’ve only got ten minutes left!”

But this by the way. What I warn, to know is, was .Shakespeare right when

he said “Tho apparel oft proclaims the man”? No one, of course, would mistake a man in clerical garb for a petty officer on a warship. A man wearing a wig and gown in a Law Court would obviously be a barrister, and a woman attired in the fashion of 1900 would rightly be accounted eccentric. Uniforms are usually self-explanatory, but it is in ordinary every-day costumes that one is misled. To explain. Years ago the name of a certain Mrs. Bloomer was on the lips of many women, and most men. Mrs. Bloomer—either with genuine desire to reform women's dress or to attract attention to herself—had designed a new kind of outfit for sporting wear. The design was a most daring—and according to the more mld-Victorian-minded, a thoroughly brazen—one. The new style simply shattered every known rule applying to modesty in attire. What should have been a skirt was really a pair of trousers—and this at a time when the fashions restricted 'the mention of garments and when women covered even their ankles. And yet, Mrs. Bloomer expected women to be seen' in public in such a costume as she had designed. Alas', she was many years ahead of her time. A few women cyclists adopted the new style, but it did not become popular. Everyone knows what, happened. The garment was named after Mrs. Bloomer and was later banished from the public gaze, So mpch for that. Tho years passed, and then came the war. Prices soared, the designers of ladies’ fashions put their heads together iu an endeavour to design a dress which would take less material, and would be less costly. The edict went forth, “legs and ankles must be shown,” And they were! Tho younger members of the fair sex decided that knees could be displayed without any lack of delicacy, and they were, too. Meanwhile, what were the men doing? A glance at the Oxford “bags” and the brilliant “Fairisles” of any of the Beau Brummels of the town, will supply the answer, ; /

Further reforms have since been made in the design of men’s clothes, noticeably amnng golfers. They wanted a distinctive costume, so delving back they found that a certain type of garment, slightly altered, would suit their purpose admirably. And 10, the much maligned creation of the late Sirs. Bloomer, banned by the more prudish-minded of pre-war days, made a sensational reappearance (with mollifications and alterations as to pattorn), this time to be worn by men. To-day they are known as “Plus Fours.” The vogue for these garments has spread rapidly, and on all sides and at all times, do we see them. Which brings mo back to my original question—Does the apparel proclaim the man? Certainly not I Just because a man wears “Plus Fours” it does not follow that he plays golf. It is quite likely that he has never been on a golf links in his life, and never intends to. But some men—in fact, a good number of them—think that the donning of a pair of “Plus Fours” gives them the appearance of a second Adonis. If they wore to study themselves full length before a mirror they might alter their ideas slightly. So you see, you cannot always judge a man by what he wears. I think Shakespeare’s courtier would have, been nearer the murk had he advised his son never to judge a book by its cover.