WELLINGTON MEN AND BEACH SHORTS

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 94, 15 January 1935, Page 10

WELLINGTON MEN AND BEACH SHORTS

Garment in Poor Demand BATHERS AFRAID OF LAW OR THEIR FIGURES A message, from Christchurch published in “The Dominion” yesterday stated that shorts for beach wear by men were becoming increasingly popular. It was reported by retailers that their sales of the garment had trebled since last season. Inquiry among Wellington clothing houses yesterday disclosed that the demand for woollen shorts by men _ inthis city is very limited, there being little call for the new fashion. On the other hand there has been a phenomenal run on the regular bathing suit, and it has not been equalled for many years. The manager of one of the largest concerns said his store had had very little inquiry for the woollen shorts, but wonderful business had been done in the standard backless bathing suits. “There is a lot of rot being talked about the demand for these shorts,” he said. “We have had so few inquiries that we have found it not worth the trouble of stocking them.” The head of a second large concern contributed this: “The call for shorts has been very modest. When the great heat wave developed shortly before Christmas we sold perhaps half a dozen, but we did wonderful business in the ordinary kind of costume. Until this year, however, we never keptj woollen shorts for men.” Is Wellington Conservative? “I think men are a bit scared of them because the legal position has never been stated. Further, it is my opinion that most men desire a bit of cover.” This retailer went on to say that his shop had ordered a few of the shorts before Christmas and had sold perhaps half a dozen. He was pleased to say that he had no more in stock. He admitted, however, that if it were published that these could be used on city beaches as well as on more remote resorts a call might come for them. “Wellingtofr is a conservative place, but I understand Auckland and Christchurch have had a good run—so has Timaru, where I saw a fair number of men wearing beach shorts,” the shopkeeper added.* The testimony of a third manager bore out the statements that beach shorts for men were slow-selling in Wellington. “We have sold a few,” he said, “but nothing like the number of full-length backless suits which have left our shelves this summer.” He was of opinion that if the men really wanted shorts they would demand them, as the cost was about half that of the ordinary costume. Those who did buy shorts were mostly young men, their elders adhering to the more conservative style. “I was at .Wanganui recently,” he said, “and I saw perhaps 500 men bathers. Numbers of them were wearing their costumes rolled down. It may be that next year, when these costumes become worn or holey, shorts will be purchased in place of the present shoulder-to-thigh suits.” Going a Bit Too Far. Still another clothier agreed that shorts were not universally favoured in Wellington. He could not understand why Christchurch should be apparently leading the fashion, because he was under the impression that there was more prudery there than elsewhere in New Zealand. In any event, he considered the users of shorts were going a bit too far. Finally, a fifth said this: “The number of men who buy shorts is infinitessimal, compared with those who want the full costume. Shorts .might be all right for the young ma'rtians of the beaches, but when a man gets on a bit he doesn’t look exactly becoming in the abbreviated outfit. Middle-aged gentlemen lose a lot of dignity in the ordinary swimming suit, but when they affect shorts —why, I wish they could see themselves as others see them.” Girls and women, he proceeded, were going in for short pants (not woollen swimming and sun-bathing ones) for beach and sports wear. He would venture to add that such shorts looked pretty if worn by girls with slim figures, but ... ah! it was a queer world.