My Favorite Suit  

Union Suit Fans in the Limelight is devoted to those individuals who entertain us by performing in their union suits. Famous and not so famous, actors and singers, musical instrument players and, at least in one case, a public speaker. That’s right, a guy who delivers delightful discourses to his audiences. One memorable night he gave a speech commemorating his favorite suit. 

When I was a young boy, I was faced with having to appear on stage in our school auditorium in front of fellow students, parents and teachers. I was to give an account on the life of the great inventor, Thomas Edison. At 14 years old, I was a mess. I was anxious, to say the least, of speaking in front of a hundred people. 

Fortunately for me, my dad was a member of the local Toastmasters club, a support group focused on helping people, scared to death of public speaking. You know the type; perhaps you are one. A lot of people are.

The one thing I've remembered about my toastmastering dad was that nervous newcomers to Toastmasters were encouraged, when giving speeches, to think of themselves as the only person in the room who was wearing clothes. And, to imagine their audience sitting there in just their underwear. 

So the night of my speech, my plan was to see myself with all my clothes on and everybody else, young and old, would be sitting there in only their underwear: boxer shorts, long johns, tighty whites (called briefs back then) and even union suits like grandpa wore! And the little girl that I had a crush on? Well, that night she was fully dressed, not in her unmentionables. That would come later as we grew older. And you know what? It worked! It actually worked! Oh, sure, I was nervous but not nearly as I would have been if the audience hadn't been sitting there in their underwear, listening to my little speech. 

So when Lonestar Mike emailed me a Toastmaster video, it not only struck my funny bone, it hit home.

The orator, Craig Hadner, was the president of the Pikes Peak Toastmasters, located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. One memorable evening, he gave a speech titled "My Favorite Suit."

 

As one of the leaders, his job was to teach and encourage members of his club to speak in front of audiences. Many members had joined to get over nervous tension in order to give a better, more comfortable talk.

But tonight, ToastMaster Craig turned the tables on my dad’s face saving advice by giving his speech to an audience who remained fully clothed while he stood before them in his underwear, his long underwear, his “favorite suit"….  

 

Union suits were Craigs favorite suit (and underwear for that matter) 

for three reasons...

It's Fashionable!

It's Warm!

And, It's Very Functional!

Craig had worn his union suit so often, he had lost buttons on the front of his suit as well as from the rear flap...  

...but his union suit was still fashionalbe, warm and functional!  

Congrats Craig on a speech well done delivered in front of an in-house, appreciative audience and thanks for sharing your fashionable long-handled underwear on YouTube and with us on the Union Suit Fans in the Limelight blog.

You'll want to see Craig's entire video on YouTube. click below and enjoy...

https://youtu.be/0KxjYUkOTdM?si=TJUCR8xwx2pBdOX4  

A big shout out to Lonestar Mike who introduced us to Toastmaster Craig and his favorite (Union) Suit, Thanks Mike!