Sun Fun

The principality of Monaco boasts a wooded reserve for pigeon shooting, Prince Albert's oceanographical museum, a permanent exhibit of prehistoric trivia gleaned from the Grimaldi grottoes near Mentone and assorted Roman antiquities dug up around La Turbie (these, mind you, in addition to Grace Kelly and a somewhat posh gambling casino). It also serves as sports arena for a boodle of Mother Earth's most sun-loving gadabouts who, we're told, don't give a particular damn for pigeon shooting or, for that matter, what was cooking with the Roman legions circa 44 B.C.

Sunning, sailing, swimming and swilling the contents of a shakerful of frosty gimlet cocktails seems more in the Riviera scheme of things and, between pulls, one can glimpse many of the world's most richly decorated sportsmen.

We'll certainly admit that an awful lot of men's wearing apparel has been masquerading under the starry guise of the "Continental Look." A whole batch of it, frankly, was dreamed up many kilometers from the continent of Europe (or any continent that we know of) and could more easily and accurately be labeled Neo Robert Hall Impressionism. When you examine these fanciful items in the various men's stores, it's best to keep in mind that true European gentlemen are traditionally a conservative lot. Color acceptance, for them, has progressed neither as far nor as quickly as ours; in fact, not much beyond the basic shades of gray, brown and blue, and these, at their wildest, can be accepted only in neat geometric patterns or stripes. Much of what you see worn around the smartest spas on the French or Italian Riviera (as well as such Atlantic Coast resorts as Biarritz, Deauville or Le Touquet) was trundled there by a swarm of Americans, a small but sturdy band of Britishers and just a soupçon of daring Frenchmen and Italians. A good 95 percent of the merchandise was produced right smack in the garment center of New York City, but (concluded on page 68) Sun Fun (continued from page 53) there's nothing disheartening in that. A "Continental Look" there is, but it does not imply that Europe has suddenly blossomed into the men's fashion hub of the universe; what it does mean is that, more and more, Europe has become a wellspring of apparel inspiration and ideas — modified, adapted and produced to American standards. For your season in the sun, whether you bask at Far Rockaway or Rapallo, we've admired a whole gaggle of sport shirts, swimming gear, slacks, hats, caps, footwear — even handkerchiefs and watch bands — that reflect, then interpret, all that is good in Continental thinking.

Take, for example, the bathing suit top sport shirt looking every bit like the type so necessary on the modest beaches of the Twenties, but with several important changes. Quite popular in the Mediterranean area this season, the bathing suit top shirt is not worn in the surf, but rather as an auxiliary sports item, as a top for walking shorts or cotton slacks. We've seen it displayed with an open-front denim sport shirt right over it, so the stripe effect comes through. It can even be donned as a sleeveless sweater over a standard shirt for chilly evenings, or underneath a sport jacket for a different, casual look. It retails here for about $5, is made by such firms as Van Heusen and Gantner in a hardy combination of orlon and wool.

Another item we saw and liked is the handsome West India regimental stripe shirt woven of a matchless D. and J. Anderson cotton in a rich black and gold on red, selling for around $12. Also available are matching swim shorts with boxer back and a tailored fly front that sell for $8.95.

A really hot idea straight from the Riviera is the addition of a thin terry cloth lining to sport shirts, whether they be silk, cotton or one of the synthetic fabrics. The beauty of it all lies in the wonderful absorbent qualities of terry, making the shirt far more comfortable, shape retaining and better looking in a hot, dampish climate. The towelling is not incorporated for your beach wear only, but also functions brilliantly during those long afternoon drives when your shirt — if not your driving companion — has an uncomfortable tendency to cling. What, we ask, could be less dashing than a wet smear of perspiration spread liberally across your shirt back? Contrary to what you might expect, terry-lined sport shirts are not at all bulky and we'd say they'd be just as practical for golf, tennis or just about any other hot weather outdoor sport.

Easily the most popular type of boat or beach slacks worn on the Riviera is the casual cotton job, and we've seen it in striped chambray poplin ending in a tight fit at the mid-calf area, not unlike the female version of toreador pants which were, after all, first worn by men with a penchant for fighting bulls. These new models for men, interestingly enough, are also worn while surfboarding or water skiing, when coverage of the knees is so welcome. They cost a sensible $7, complete with rope belt and leg vents. Hats, to ward off a blazing sun, include the utmost in casual wear, the rakish raffia model, which may be worn untrimmed or brightly decorated to fit the wearer's whims. Leather sandals or canvas-topped Italian espadrilles, with or without thick rope soles, dominate the footwear scene. Roman designers have also taken a new grip on their own bambino, the mule, and re-introduced the stubborn cuss for general, outdoor sports wear — cut in calfskin with thin, gently padded soles.

We weren't kidding about the Continental influence even extending as far as handkerchiefs and watchbands.. The former includes some magnificent silks from France and Italy, done up in unusual, highly stylized tweed and patterned effects. Watchband ideas from revitalized Germany include solid-color, hand-braided nylon affairs that are inexpensive enough to warrant a change of band with each dominant shirt color you might be wearing from day to day.