Clothes For Traveling Light

This Roman porter is not so overloaded as he looks. The seven pieces of luggage he is carrying, balanced with Italian finesse, weigh less than 132 pounds. Yet they contain a complete, unstinted wardrobe for two traveling Americans. The clothes were selected by SPORTS ILLUSTRATED'S fashion editors to be worn by Mr. and Mrs. Robert J. Taft (no relation to the late Senator) of New York City on a trip to Rome, the site of this summer's Olympic Games. They demonstrate, on these eight pages, how the American concept of easy-to-pack, easy-to-Care-for clothes has not only made the steamer trunk obsolete, but the American on the go the world's best-dressed traveler.

The Tafts sailed to Europe but flew home. So, to keep within the 66-pound first-class flight allowance, they chose the lightest luggage they could find. Bob Taft took two two-suiters ($65 each) and a 21-inch case ($49.50) of leather-bound tan car-top canvas. Joan Taft's luggage, of cowhide-. trimmed, tapestry-printed, pyroxylin-coated cotton, includes a hatbox ($35), a carryall ($32.50), a 26-inch case ($65) and a 29-inch case ($79.50). All are by Wings, and all seven weigh only 45 pounds empty. The men's luggage is at Bullock's, Los Angeles; women's at Carson Pirie Scott, Chicago. All are at Mark Cross, New York City.

A shipboard life of leisurely activities

The clothes on these pages were selected for a sunny eastward crossing, Olympics bound, and for the leisurely life on Roman beaches and at Roman swimming clubs later. The traditional sports blazer is a key article in the wardrobes of both Bob and Joan Taft. Bob's blazer teams with white trousers aboard ship, with plaid trousers for lunch ashore, with gray for informal cocktails. Joan's goes with slacks on the ship or with a pleated skirt later on. Sweaters for each, a print sportshirt for Bob, and a quick-drying swimsuit and pullover for Joan are all easy-care clothes that will hold their own wherever Uncle Sam's informal ambassadors appear.

Trapshooting at sea from the fantail, Bob Taft wears a white summer-weight, cable-stitch pullover ($50) by Gino Paoli (Peerless, Sarasota, Fla.); Joan wears a cashmere cardigan ($38) by Hadley ( Bergdorf Goodman; I. Magnin).

Aboard ship blazers combine with white slacks. Joan's brown wool jersey ($65), her Arnel sharkskin slacks ($18) are by Ellen Brooke ( Lord & Taylor; Neiman-Marcus). Bob's summer blazer ($32.50) is Orion and rayon, from Gordon-Ford (Mark, Fore & Strike); Dacron-cotton slacks ($16.50) from Corbin (Arthur M. Rosenberg, New Haven); cordovan moccasins ($30) from Frank Bros.

Joan's poolside pullover ($25) matches her elasticized Paisley maillot ($23), both from P&M (The Casual Shop, Hicksville, N.Y.).

Bob's silk-scarf shirt ($27.50) is typical of new school of bright print shirts which are being worn with style from Capri to Palm Beach. This one is a Chateau Madrid pattern from Merrill-Sharpe (Bullock's, Pasadena; Neusteter's, Denver).

For Roman days

Once in Rome, the Tafts are prepared for its tropical midsummer days with a cool, crisp wardrobe chosen for Olympic spectating, for shopping, for sightseeing, for lunching in a city more famous for its food than its air conditioning. All of Joan's clothes are in golden tones, so that her travel raincoat and her accessories are interchangeable. Bob's suit, like his shirts and underwear ( Manhattan's new Kodel and cotton), is of a wash-wear blend. His reversible raincoat is for day or evening wear.