SHOPPING FOR THE WELL-DRESSED MAN

A Knitted Outdoor Sleeping Suit, Some New Hats and Other Articles of Interest

Robert Lloyd Trevor

To set your minds at ease upon the point, let me immediately assure you that the gentleman in the uppermost picture is not reclining watchfully upon a package of bouillon cubes in the ice-bound north. He is merely demon strating a new knitted sleeping suit, designed by Mr. Anthony Fiala, the distinguished explorer, for use by persons who choose to sleep outdoors all the year round. Starting more or less as a fad, dome years ago, this habit of outdoor sleeping has grown steadily in popularity.

Strange as it may seem, people have discovered that fresh air is as beneficial at night as in the daytime; and it is rare nowadays that a house is designed sans sleeping porch. The one great drawback, however, has been that, in order not to be frostbitten in mid-Winter, outdoor sleepers have been forced— through lack of a suitable substitute—to smother themselves in heaps of quilts, overcoats, and blankets. This new llama wool suit does away with that necessity, of the most sensible of our modern improvements, and I shall be happy to put readers who are interested in it—or in any article mentioned on these pages—in touch with the shops where it may be purchased. More,—I will gladly do their buying for them—should they so desire.

NOT so many years ago, the overcoat was an appalling thing. It was viewed with a sort of mute dread, and its use was postponed by all men until the rigor of Winter made it an absolute necessity. At that time the overcoat was a fatiguing harness, tight, thick, padded, and absurdly heavy. To wear one for an hour was the equivalent, in energy expended, of a handsome day's work. Just at the right moment, however, some unsung genius evolved the "warmth without weight" idea. It revolutionized the entire theory of clothes-making, and is the direct source of the attractive coat pictured below. This coat is made, like a sweater, of knitted wool. It is guiltless of padding or stiffening of any kind; it may be rolled up and packed without injury into a small space; it weighs but a few ounces; it is porous enough to admit air (but not rain), and it is warm, comfortable and in appearance all that could be desired.

IN my September article I promised to show this month some soft hats typical of the best ideals in modern hat-making. To the casual observer all hats may seem alike. That is not surprising. Fundamentally all hats are alike. But anyone who has ever bought hats will tell you that they vary; that some will keep their shape, while others quickly become ugly, amorphous, blots on the landscape. The explanation is that in poor hats the shape is temporarily imparted to the material by means of a wooden block and a hot iron; whereas in good hats the felt is hand-modelled into a permanent form, which no amount of rain can melt away. The specimens here presented are of the hand-modelled variety. They are unquestionably up-to-date, and they possess one novel feature,—which adds to their distinction: the under surface of the brim and a narrow overlapping border are darker in tone than the upper surface. The effect is most attractive and—to impose on a much abused word— recherche. Furthermore, these hats are made in various shapes and shades, which makes it possible to adopt my last month's suggestion of buying two of them, or more, to harmonize with two or more suits. Remember that contrasts, as well as matched colors, are effective.

THE tired business man—to exhume another abused term — is apt to like nothing better than to potter about the house in old clothes. Unfortunately, however, this does not always fit in with the rest of family's theory of the ideal earthly scheme. It isn't the actual lounging that is objected to, so much as the appearance of the lounger, which may give the eager neighbors a peg upon which to hang much extravagant talk. As a solution of the problem of how to lounge in comfort and at the same time to present an appearance beyond wifely cavil, I take pleasure in introducing the suit shown on page 61. It is made of a washable crash, in many combinations of color, and should be the means of promoting the cause of peace in many a household.

Continued on page 92

Continued from page 61

DESPITE the agitation launched against tobacco by a large er number of righteous citizens, there are still in this country a goodly sprinkling, of people who smoke.

This is proved beyond a doubt by the fact that one retail shop in New York received not long ago in the course of a single day's business the astounding sum of over $14,000 in small amounts of cash. Add to that the information that last year factories in the United States alone produced more than ninetynine billion cigarettes, and it seems reasonable to assume that not a few worthy gentlemen have yellow stains on their fingers. This last consideration—I confess it freely—is my sole excuse for boring you with statistics which really belong elsewhere.

Stained fingers arc an abomination. And with a preventative so readily accessible, they have no conceiv-

able justification. Cigar and cigarette holders of sorts are within the reach of the slenderest income. On the other hand, men who feel so inclined can spend large sums on them. For the moderate minded man, however, here is an attractive set at a moderate price. It consists of a cigarette and a cigar holder, in a leather case, made of an easily cleaned composition, mildly ornamented with a design in silver deposit.

WHILE on the subject of smoking, allow me to draw your attention to a pipe that has commendable qualities. The chief objection to a pipe usually lies in the difficulty attendant upon keeping it clean. One finishes the operation, as a rule, fit only for a quick jump into a hot bath with Cologne in it. There have been many patent pipes, the inventors of which have claimed a solution of the difficulty. I have tried them all—to my chagrin—and it is only recently that I have found one that really lives up to its advance notices. As you can see from the photograph, it contains an aluminum tube, in which the condensed tar collects. (The brown mess is not nicotine, which is colorless.) The tube is easily scoured, and may be bought by the dozen and enewed as often as one may wish. Aside from its "patent" feature this particular pipe is notable for being made of Italian briar root, which is a great deal harder than the French or English varieties.

Since this is the back of the magazine, I feel I may venture to whisper a word concerning an improvement, for the nether portion of underclothes, shown in the lower left-hand picture. If you recognize the garment you will understand the accessory. It is an adjustable band to tighten the waist, without the use of safety-pins.

For motorists, here is an excellent invention: a refrigerator basket. The outside is made of imported reed, strongly woven. The inside is lined with nickel-plated zinc. Between the zinc and the reed are layers of felt, which is a non-conductor of heat. At one end is a thoroughly water-tight compartment for ice. This compartment can be removed bodily so that the portion occupied by food may be cleaned. Due to its insulation, the basket can be kept cold by a small piece of ice for twenty-four hours. Its advantages are too obvious to require further comment.

If by any chance you happen to have drifted out of touch with the shops or the fashions, a postcard to Vanity Fair will bring you the answer to any question. And if you are for any reason unable personally to buy the things you want, the Vanity Fair Shoppers will gladly do your buying for you.