An Outfit for The

Extension Bulletin No. ·471 February 1953

An Outfit for the

4-H CLOTHING PLAN VIII JUNIOR MISS SERIES

Extension Service, Institute of Agricultural Sciences State College of Washington, Pullman, Washington LET'S CHOOSE AN OUTFIT Use good taste Look for good buys for the money Prepare pictures and fabric samples of an outfit

LET'S MAKE AN OUTFIT Make four units: Two major garments such as: sports jacket, slacks, shorts, pajamas, nightshirt, dressing robe, work garment, or shirt. Two accessories to complete your outfit, such as: necktie, handkerchief, scarf, gloves, sweater, socks, underwear shorts, scuffs, shop or chef's apron, or a cap.

LET'S USE LIFE PRESERVERS Wash and iron a shirt Fold a shirt and coat Press a pair of trousers and a tie Care for garments Be well groomed

LET'S KEEP SCORE Judge an outfit and exhibit it Give a method demonstration at a club meeting Plan a man's wardrobe needs for one year. Include a color harmony modeled after the Clothing Achievement Notebook Keep your records up to date Have a dress parade

2 An Outfit for

by Marjorie Lusk Extension Clothing Specialist

What 4-H girl is without at least one man in her life-someone in his teens or older? Maybe he's a brother or father-an uncie or a boy friend. Every fellow likes good-looking clothes, even if he pretends he doesn't. While clothes don't make the man, they advertise him. You have learned to plan your own wardrobe, so now you can help one of the men you admire. Use Good Taste A man can have a well-planned wardrobe, whatever he spends. Here are a few tips on buy ing his suit-a major investment. • Buy only the suits he needs. Replace as he outgrows them. • Look in a full-length mirror to see if the style, color, and fit are appropriate and becoming. Examine how it's cut and sewed. • Get along with few clothes by mixing and matching garments. Plaids, figures, and stripes are difficult to fit in.· Go easy with them. • Choose solid colors or small patterns so the coat can be combined with slacks for informal wear. Daring colors are for sportswear. • Double-breasted suits are dressier than single breasted suits. e Learn co judge good fabrics, both outside and inside ones. • Study the· manufacturer. Look for labels with facts. To know more about this subject, get a copy of Misc. Pub. 688, Buying Men's Suits at your Watch out for too much pattern. County Extension Office.

3 Brush up on color harmonies and choose garments that go together. • Look for pleasing color combinations on people, in stores, and in pictures. You develop your taste by observing and trying effects. • A white shirt looks well with any suit. A shirt with a col.or or pattern should repeat the suit color or be in harmony with it. A tie should con trast with or be bolder than the shirt. • Best with a gray suit are lighter gray or blue shirts. Ties of any color or com bination should match a man's mood or personal ity. • For brown suits try cream or tan shirts. Pale green or blue are next. W arch out for bright blue and most red ties. • Blue suits call for gray, cream, maroon, or a con trasting blue in shirts. Try the same colors in deeper shades for ties. • Rough-textured ties look best with a rough-textured suit. • Blend hose ~olors with suit, shoes, shirt, and tie. Choose garments that go together.

Look lor a Goocl Buy lor the Money Sooner or later your man must choose and pay for his own clothes. Men have the reputation of being poor shoppers. They often buy by price rather than value. Let's share our experience in comparing qualities to get the best buys for the money. You know, American women buy or advise men in buying 80 per cent of their clothing. A good guide for wise buys is a reliable dealer. He knows and is glad to explain the goods he sells. Learn all possible facts before selecting. The more whys, the more wise is the buyer. . Learn· about the new "wonder" fibers. Don't just wonder if they are all that's said about them. · Here are some facts to think about: Be sure a fabric or a finish w.ill give you the wear you want. You don't expect a wool bathing suit, wool socks or

4 slacks, or a wool coat to have the same uses. Any fabric that shrinks or fades disappoints. Learn how to clean, launder, and care for fabrics. You get more wear from garments that are made well and fit. Brand names are good guides. Here are some tips on buying special articles. Shirts which look well with a man's suit have: • A becoming collar style for his face and neck. • Firm, fully shrunk, color-fast fabrics. • Ample width and length for his figure. • Accurate· cut and stitching, well-made buttonholes. Buy shirts by neck and sleeve· length. Shorts for comfort and wear have: • Firmly woven or knitted fabrics, fully shrunk. • Firm waist elastic or sturdy plackets. • Accurate cut and stitching, reinforcements. • Center seams that neither bind nor chafe. Buy shorts by waist measure. Check leg and crotch lengths as well· as hip and leg widths. Paiamas or nightshirts. See shirts and shorts. Buy pajamas by chest measure-A ( 34), B ( 38), C ( 42), D ( 46). Buy nightshirts by neck measure, sizes 14 to 18. Hose for looks, comfort, and wear has: • Good yarn quality, fashioning or shaping, and fit. • Reip.forcement at top, heel, toe, and underfoot. Buy hose by shoe size-size 11 hose for 9 to 10 shoe, and 11 Yz hose for a 10 or 11 shoe. Foot width and thickness affect hose length. Shoes for looks, comfort, and wear have: • Good construction and materials inside and out. • A comfortable fit when you stand. Check width, length, instep sup- port. A snug heel doesn't gap or cut. A brown suit takes brown shoes, a blue or gray suit, black or brown. Neckties for the finishing touch have: • Solid or quiet designs with patterned suits or shirts. • Stripes or bold figures with plain shirts or small-patterned suits. • Sturdy materials that knot tightly and won't wrinkle easily. A bow tie may be worn for sports or business if it becomes the shape of the face. Plan an Illustrated Outfit To get a good idea of garments and accessories that go together, look in magazines, papers, and catalogues for pictures of an outfit for: • Dress • School or work • Sports • Lounging or nightwear

5 Then find fabric samples to show good color and texture combinations. Mount these in a folder with a man's wardrobe plan for one year. Submit them with your project garments.

Now you are ready to make some of the garments you have chosen. Be sure they go together in an outfit. Make two major garments such as a sports jacket, pair of slacks, sport shirt, shorts, pajamas, nightshirt, work garment, or a dressing robe. Then, make two other articles to go with them, such as scuffs, a neck tie, handkerchief, underwear shorts, scarf, gloves, swearer, socks, a shop or chefs apron, a cap, or any other accessory to add to the outfit. Making men's clothes requires good sewing and pressing skills. Be on your toes to get a finished look that everyone admires. Every man enjoys a knitted sweater, a pair of socks, gloves, or scarf made by the nimble fingers of his number-one girl. Try it and see! ~et'4 Uu ~tie ~'eeU'Uie'U Wash anc/ Iron a Shirt See Ext. Bul. 353, A Simple Way to Iron a Shirt. Learn how to wash and iron a shirt easily and well. Fold a Shirt anc/ Coat See the same bulletin be ginning with Figure 20 for three methods of folding a shirt. Choose the best way to do it. To fold a coat, look at pages 5 and 6 in Ext. Bul. 456, Your College or Busi It pays to press! ness Outfit. Press a Pair ol Trousers anc/ a Tie Trousers first-There's nothing to home pressing if you. have a well-padded ironing board, a good press cloth, a steam iron or an iron with a regulator, a sponge, and a pan of water handy. Here's how: • Empty all pockets. A stray nickel may fall out.

6 • Whisk away loose dirt with a brush. Pay special attention to the cuffs. If necessary, remove spots. See Ext. Circ. 33, On The Spot. • Smooth out the pocket linings first. Then place the top of the trousers over the broad end of the board. With the dampened press cloth over the surface, press around the waist and over the pockets. • Now the knees. Place one trouser leg at a time lengthwise on the board with the knee front on top. Use plenty of steam on the knee pouch to press it flat. • Give the legs their treatment. Hold the trousers up to see where the creases go. Lay them lengthwise on the board, seam to seam, the entire length of the leg. Fold back the top leg. Press the underneath one lengthwise down the leg. Then reverse and do the other. • Don't press the trousers completely dry or you might shine the fabric. Air dry them with the cuffs caught into a trouser hanger, seat down ward. • If the seat is beginning to shine, rub it gently with a piece of fine emery paper. Go over the surface with a damp sponge. Then press. Now the tie-It's easy if you cut a form slightly smaller than the shape of the tie from a piece of heavy ca~dboard. Fit the form into the tie and press over it with a press cloth and a cool iron. The cardboard form prevents the marks from the seams showing on the right side. Be sure to smooth the linings out with your hand or by pressing before you begin on the right side of the tie. Put on a hanger to dry thoroughly before wearing.

Care lor Garments • Fused shirt collar-no starch • Shoes-a horn saves counters • Neckties-untie, don't yank e Knitted ties-roll, don't hang e Suits-Clean fabrics thrive • Big holes are hard to mend e Wear shrinkproof wool or man-made fibers for wear.

Mend a Jacket or Trousers. Study the mends in Misc. Pub. 482, Mending Men's Suits, to extend the life of these costly garments. Mending makes your clothes last longer.

7 Be Well Groomed One man gets by while another gets passed by. Both rate in ability and training. But one may be down on his looks. Let's have him check his daily grooming on these points: e Bath and deodorant -A daily scrub in the tub or shower removes traces of dead skin, dirt, and dried per spiration. Use a deodorant regularly to prevent body odors. e Face- Smooth and clean looking. A doctor will help you clear up acpe or pimples. A C

Judge an outfit and exhibit it. Give a method demonstration at a club meeting. Plan a man's wardrobe needs for one year. Include a color harmony modeled after the Clothing Achievement Notebook. Keep your records -up to date. Have a dress parade. Note: Your County Extension Agent can supply _you with copies of the Clothing Achievement Notebook.

Published and d istributed in furtherance of the Acts of May 8 and June 30, :914, by the State College of Wash ington Extension Service, E. V. Ell ington, Director, and the U. S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. (3500-1252)