Playing with Fire

For better visibility during World War II, landing signal officers on U.S. aircraft carriers wore fluorescent-striped uniforms, wigwagged planes to landings with fluorescent "paddles." Most of the material was made under license from Cleveland's

Switzer Bros, (chemists), and the services bought about $12 million worth in two years. When peace came, Switzer tried out the brilliant dyes for caps, shirts and jackets. By last week, adolescents were fluorescent from coast to coast, as Switzer's "DayGlo" clothes became the newest fad. Items: shocking pink caps with kelly green brims, electric blue ties striped with cerise, black cowpoke shirts embroidered in fluorescent green. Some youngsters wore one sock of glowing orange, one of rasping raspberry, topped them off with high-visibility shoelaces in contrasting colors.

The makers of "Day-Glo," "Coldfire," "Emberglow," "Atomic Fire," etc. hope to extend the craze to adults. In Chicago last week, women were buying brilliant tangerine panties; matching illuminated brassieres were on the way. Men were buying electric-hued shirts stenciled with hunting scenes, were stocking up on chartreuse swimming trunks for the summer season. One welcome promise of relief for dazzled eyes: fluorescent materials will fade after 20 hours' exposure to sunlight, eventually turn dead white.

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