Hot-Weather Dress Cools Travel Problem

Question: I will be leaving soon for Mexico and I need some hot-weather clothes. I am desperately seeking a dress that is covered enough to be appropriate for wear in the churches there. I’m 5 feet, 7 inches and wear Size 14. I’m fairly well proportioned and prefer tailored clothes.--D.L.

Answer: The dress illustrated here is a suiting-weight twill made of 55% silk and 45% cotton. It is available in white only, Sizes 4 to 14, for $57. The short sleeves will be cool to wear, and once you leave the church you can unbutton the top and bottom buttons. The dress is available at Royal Silk, Royal Silk Plaza, 45 E. Madison Ave., Clifton, N.J. 07011.

Q: Not realizing that my son had left bubble gum in the pocket of his best white cotton pants, I washed them. Alas, the pocket now boasts a fairly large and gummy pink spot. How do I get rid of it?--M.I.

A: The experts at the International Fabricare Institute say you should first chill the remaining gum, either by applying an ice cube to the spot or by putting the pants in a freezer. Once the spot is cold, scrape the gum off and launder the garment again. If that doesn’t work, take it to a dry cleaner, who can steam the gum off.

Q: My husband and I will be going to Europe in March and need those raincoats that fold up and store in travel pouches. Can you help us locate these items?--B.J.

A: “Somewhere between the torrents of Lago Agrio and the drizzles of Leningrad, we vowed we’d never again travel without a lightweight, packable raincoat. Ponchos, we’d learned, have a distressing tendency to flap around in gusts, and most ‘travel raincoats’ are sorry affairs that cling uselessly to one’s limbs.” This is the introduction the folks at the Banana Republic use to describe their waterproof travel coat that folds into a compact envelope. It’s made of a nylon fabric with a slightly “puckery” texture that discourages wrinkles and it weighs just 26 ounces. Priced at $89, this khaki coat comes with a matching hat, and the two can be stuffed into the matching envelope bag, thereby offering a comfortable, totable pillow. Sizes include Extra Small through Extra Large. Write Banana Republic, Box 7737, San Francisco, Calif. 94120.