MEN'S DRESS REFORM

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 51, 1 March 1930, Page 20

MEN'S DRESS REFORM

Campaigning: m:- England

; A men's ( dress reform party has been Established in England for tho purpose Jof educating men to wear far less and Zlfar different clothing. Shorts, the 3>arty- believes, would be more conducive sto health than trousers .or plus fours, -since they would expose a greater jpart of tho body to tho sun and air. ifciandals, it is held, would be the best ■possible footwear for men, and san-.'dal-formed shoes the next boat. Designs for the new garments, says an .^overseas paper, have already been made 'by the party in an attempt to confer '■upon men 'dress haviug the virtues that 'women have found in their light attire. ;Men, so far, have been self-conscious •and lacking in courage to be "different," it is said.

I At a recent lecture by Dr. A. C. 'Jordan, secretary of tho party, lantern slides were shown which illustrated the changes in men's dress that Shis party proposes. Among others was Jan imaginary portrait of Dean Inge in ja shorts suit which was (described as J" quite attractive and not suggesting floss of dignity." A,picture of King ;Hcnry VIII. playing tennis in a loose fvest and short stockings that left his ■legs uncovered was presented as a '•royal precedent for the adoption of 'more "sensible" clothing.

In his lecture Dr. Jordan made the following principal paints, -which are said to express the chief ideas of his

party :—

"To cover ii-> the body produces immorality by creating mystery., "A man's collar'and tie are preposterous; finnieky, and irritating, tight and ■. uncomfortable.

"Man's waistcoat and his braces are so Hgly that a man cannot take his coat off when he is toowaimi. ■;

"Trousers are ill-favoured and unsanitary monstrosities. - '

"There is no place and no excuse for the hideous.and ridiculous 'bags' known as 'plus fours;'

"Man's evening dress is the acme of beastliness; it carries the accumulated dirt of years. *

"Women" have .saved themselves^ but men have hardly begun to struggle against the monstcf of ugliness and un-« healthiness in dress. j_

"The slogan for man is: "Fewer clothes, lighter, clothes, cleaner clothes, brighter clothes.' " _ i'

The party's aim in dress reform is to approach as nearly as possible man's original unclothed state in nature/ Party leaders sco clothes as a necessary evil, valuable for warmth and for protection in most industrial pursuits, but otherwise useless.