Synthetics have come into their own. Their early test-tube feel and look have been eliminated and the last vestige of resistance on the part of manufacturers has been overcome. In fact, leading craftsmen now use them as a matter of course, so much so that a complete wardrobe of multihued masculine attire fashioned from synthetic fibers is now available.
This summer, color is the key word, an exciting spectrum of sunny-hued warm-weather (concluded on page 127)summer spectrum(continued from page 70) fashions. The cautious, subdued browns, blacks and grays of other seasons have been replaced by clean, bright, vibrant and dynamic shades.
An outstanding example of the big change to color is found in tailored sportswear, which this summer boasts vivid patterns and a broad choice of cool fabrics. Much of the season's sportswear is, happily, coordinated for you: The colors of jackets are superbly related to those of the slacks. Thus, the best values of each are enhanced and the guesswork is taken out of mixing and matching.
An exciting new range of reds, no longer limited to fire-engine shades, makes a bold entrance onto the fashion scene this summer.
Patterns run the gamut from stripes, plaids and checks to handsome solids. The scope of colors, in addition to the reds, is rich: Some of the best are the yellows, greens and blues.
To show how inspired the synthetic scene has become, let's take a look at what has happened to summer formalwear. The dressed-up synthetics are perfect choices in this area; the versatility of these fabrics allows them to be worn under the sun as well as under the stars. Seersucker, for example, may be seen in daytime sports jackets and also serves handsomely in evening formal dinner jackets, some of which are tailored with black satin-faced shawl collars.
The new wash-and-wear fabrics, with their complex molecular structures, definitely help suits, jackets and slacks hold their press and retain their original shape. Also, whether they're pure or blended with natural fibers, the problem of shrinking and stretching has been completely eliminated.
Other pluses abound as well: Synthetic swim trunks dry rapidly once you're out of the water. And socks of man-made fibers will retain their shape naturally and will not shrink, thus eliminating sock stretchers. Also, you can be confident that synthetics will always keep the fullness of their original color--there is no fading due to laundering.
Because of their wrinkle-resistant pack-ability, synthetics are ideally suited for travel. All you need do after unpacking is hang them up in a closet overnight and they look freshly pressed in the morning. Most spots will wash out of a synthetic fabric with a damp cloth, and leave not a trace of a stain nor a wrinkle.
All in all, the new synthetic summer-wear is now, in addition to its practicality, colorful, correct and cool--and it's ready to take the simmer out of summer and take you for a delightfully fashionable walk in the sun.
