At Ease

"Increased leisure is one of the greatest civilizers of man!" roared Benjamin Disraeli, the Earl of Beaconsfield, before a dozing House of Commons. It is reported that 72 members of that august body thereupon loosed an ear-busting cheer, and took off for the comfort of home, hearth, port and parlor wench to down a deeper draught of this Great Civilizer: leisure.

The soigné gentleman taking his ease in the armchair to our left has just slugged his way through tangled traffic after ten hours at the office. Product research reports, sales charts and an unwritten welcome speech to be delivered next week at the stockholders' meeting have accompanied him throughout the day, and it wasn't until 6:30 in the evening that the good Earl's gracious guide to living popped into his head ... right after his fourth Anacin-on-the-rocks.

Forsaking the bar at the University Club, the gentleman chooses to do nothing more taxing tonight than elevate a double Scotch, read a bit, and listen to a complete performance of Don Giovanni on FM--all in the gentle opulence of his own apartment. Naturally, he is the kind of a man who demands both good looks and comfort in his indoor leisure attire, so he chooses to lounge in a handwoven cotton madras dressing gown imported from India. A product of primitive handicraft and stunningly colored with native vegetable dyes, this robe acquires after several washings a mellow, inimitable blend of colors that makes it more prized than the new, unwashed model. Iridescent tones of green-blue, weathered-brick red and soft yellow produce an effect that is both rich and distinctive, yet the price is kept down to the sensible vicinity of $25.

In the same price range, we've seen exceptionally good-looking gingham robes available with striking overplaids of blue, green, yellow or red coupled with gray and white on a black background. If you prefer solid shades, you would choose an all-wool flannel or gabardine in navy, camel, charcoal, green or black, with contrasting piping around the collar, cuffs and pockets.

The popular trend to lightweight, leisurely indoor living is further reflected in dressing gowns of featherlight, warm-yet-washable Lanella flannel that come in a thundering highland regiment of authentic tartans: MacDonald, Campbell Dress, MacPherson, Royal Stewart, Cameron, Black Watch and Victoria. These retail in the $32 class. Lanella, it might interest you to know, comes into being much like a United Nations peace commission: it's composed of 50% Australian wool and 50% Egyptian cotton, woven in Switzerland for American consumption.

Still further up the scale of luxury are the wonderfully warm and weightless robes of wool jersey, available in solid shades of navy, gray or brown heather. Especially designed for the man who travels, these robes shed wrinkles in a wink, displace no more space in your suitcase than a copy of the Playboy Annual, cost in the fashionable neighborhood of $35. Still lighter weight are robes made of the perennially popular seersucker and wrinkle-shy oxford cloth--long time favorite fabric of the button-down shirt addicts.

For the formally informal evening of relaxation or light entertainment, we suggest a Chesterfield robe in a hounds-tooth check with velvet collar and pocket trim. Following through with the prominent collar interest this season is another robe with black shawl collar (like your dinner suits), black tie sash and cuffs; the rest of the robe is colored in violent blazer stripes of black, gray and gold, thereby lending a sporting air to take-it-easy hours. Stripes in men's lounging wear are sure to be popular, and we've already seen them in all sorts of imaginative combinations. Add to this the distinctive slash pockets in men's robes and you have the newest in leisure fare.

From the inscrutable East, the oriental influence comes to our shores via the silk pongee robe equipped with shawl collar. A dressing gown of pure silk or the finest pure cashmere lends the wearer an aura of unmatched elegance, but we deem it only fair to pass on the warning of price: $100 and up. Those clever Polynesians too have come up with their own version of the Hale Mu (house robe)--a one-size job that can be worn effectively by either man or woman (not, of course, at the same time), providing each is of fairly standard dimensions. The robe comes in three variations: with terry cloth lining, in solid terry cloth (both fine for a blotter-like (concluded on page 70)at ease(continued from page 59) effect after showers), or without terry cloth lining, in a violent Polynesian print, cardigan collar and modified kimono sleeves.

If you are expecting house guests, but still dread the thought of donning a dressy jacket, you might choose what is called a Host Coat, done up in a miniature tartan plaid with velvet peaked lapels. The regal smoking jacket is always in good taste for these occasions too, and we've tried them in a warm and friendly navy flannel, with light blue and white overplaid, plus shawl collar. Also new this season is a coordinated combination known as the Lounge Suit, in Viyella flannel; dark red predominates in the tartan jacket, while the slacks are navy blue. There is a subtle difference between Viyella and Lanella. Viyella is composed of 50% Australian wool and 50% Egyptian cotton, woven in England, not Switzerland, for American consumption.

To match the comfort and ease of your dressing gown or smoking jacket, you'll want to paddle around painlessly in a pair of classic calfskin opera slippers with leather soles (or soft padded soles for more stealth). They are available in solid shades of navy or deep maroon in the $10-15 price range. For crackling-crisp evenings by the February fire, nothing could be more comfortable than a pair of shearling-lined moccasins in a supple, soft chestnut-brown leather, costing just $12.

Not long ago, Playboy's Party Joke Editor neatly defined pajamas as "an item of clothing usually placed next to the bed in case of fire." A fine rule for tropical evenings, we say, but most frostier northern nights demand the use of some sort of functional sleeping gear. Now, to make sack time more exciting, the Continental influence has burst upon the relatively stable field of pajamas, leaving buttons, draw strings and placket closures rearranged as never before.

Since the basic design of PJs can't be changed too radically (we think the two piece model is still most practical; bottoms for you, top for a deserving friend), the fashion architects have concentrated on collar styles and lively patterns, and come up with some perky, eye-catching creations. Newer than next Tuesday are the multi-colored striped jobs (with stripes running horizontally, not vertically) coupled with the famous high-arch Italian collar. From what we've seen, the tops of these can practically be worn as sport shirts around town, and we're sure that many of our more avant compatriots have already taken that step. Lifted straight from the sport shirt is the horizontal button-opening front design now incorporated in the latest in sleep wear; the bottoms feature an elasticized back, with side tabs for a snug fit.