Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-12-29

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HIRING DRESS SUITS.
do you know why the President did not
wear dress suit at the reception last New
Years." asked fashionable merchant tailor OF a
STAR reporter the other day. NO, suppose
you don't. Wei, I'll tell you. 1t is in perfect
taste to wear a black Prince Albert coat on any
occasion. but gentleman as particular about
the conventionalites of fashion as Mr.. Arthur is
not likely to appear in any but full dress Goa;
at New Years reception from choice No. Il
wasn't to appear democratic Mr.. Arthur is not
the man to disregard etiquette for so trivial con-
sideration. No. il wasn't that A day or two before
New Years Alec, the Presidents body servant
took the dress suit out of its summer quarters
and. finding it free from moth had il pressed
and aired. and il lay in faultlcss folds in the
dressing room. ready to be doomed hy the Presi-
dent on the occasion OF his first New Years at
the White House. On New Years morning
the President rose late. and hurriedly began his
toilet. after light breakfast While standing
before his glass he could not but notice how
much stOuter he had grown during his residence
in the White House. His pants went on hard
but with some effort he brought the ends of the
waist band together. Then for the coat Strange
msglylngS took possession OF him a. he looked
at his robust form in the glass and then at the
moderate sized coat, held up by the collar in the
hands OF his faithful body servant. But casting
aside all doubt. he backed up to the coat and
thrust his hands into the arm-holes. Up to the
elbows it went all right; but there il stopped
and despite the greatest efforts OF the President
seconded by those of Alec, il would 90 no
further. 1t was no use; he had out-grown the
coat. He stepped out in the middle of the
room and holding the garment out at arms
length. contemplatedit for moment then shook
his head and handed it back SAYING: Its no
use. Alec, that coat was made for Mr.. Arthur,
not for the President. Get out MY Prince
Albert; its too late to get another dress coat
now Thus it came about that Mr. Arthur
wore Prince Albert on New Years"
THE PROPER THING.
"Ain't Prince Alberts the proper thing to wear
on New Years-before o'clock" asked the re-
porter.
Not for one desiring TO pay strict regard to
the dictates of fashion. As have said, a Prince
Albert is suitable to wear on any occasion bat
Tor person who wears dress suit at all there
is no more proper time to have it on than when
making New Years calls. The matter was dis
cussed a great deal when the President appeared
TO receive his guests in a Prince Albert The
point was raised that the calls on New Years
were morning calls. and a dress coat should not
be worn before dinner. The real secret of the
case not being known, il was said that Mr. Ar
thur. from strict sense of proprietv had re-
Trained from putting on dress coat before din
ner But. of course, this was ali nonsense. No
New Years call is not morning call: it is not
SO considered in society, and dress coat is the
proper thing to wear"
do the styles in dress coats change much:"
~ es, the styles change. but not as often as
in other suits. The average change is every
i've years, though some who are very particular
get suits much more frequently, debating some
slight change in the expression or set, according
to their own notions"
I'm what do the changes in style consist"
questioned the reporter
''0h. its hard to tell you just what the changes
are" replied the tailor, unwinding his legs and
laying his goose aside There is an idescrba-
bic something in the set of the garment that is
very apparent to an experienced eye. Look at
this coat (holding up new swallow-tail he had
Just finished pressing); it is perfect There is a
style about 1t by which You could distinguish il
from any other in ball room. Its the curve of
the tall here; the fold Of the collar there; the cut
OF the lapel; the set Of the shoulders; thous-
and little nothngs that 90 to make up great
difference: man who has any regard for style
notices all these things. and would not be seen
with an old fashioned dress coat on"
Are there many who get new suits every
YEAR," asked the scribe.
mo. think probably there are none who do
Inst before New Years the suits are generally
brought out to be pressed. This pressing keeps
us pretty busy just at this season Every one
is getting out their dress suit for New Years
and they are being brought In here by the dozen
to be pressed. We don't do the pressing here,
out we nave IL done by our jQurneymen"
Are men generally very particular about the
fit OF dress suit?"
Eyes; very. There must be great deal OF
care taken in the cut Of dress suit. It must
never be In either extreme. If extremely tight
pants are in fashion. the dress pants must be
moderately tight. and the same moderation
must be observed towards the other extreme.
The coat must always dt gracefully to the form.
and must be cut in style peculiarly adapted to
the wearer"
who are the leaders Of fashion among the
men In Washington society" asked the scribe.
well, don't know" replied the tailor, az
don't believe there are any who may be said to
keep strictly up to the fashion. Washington is |
getting more fashionable every season. and
while there are probably none who observe |
every particular variance of fashion, there are a |
great number who are very particular about their
dress, and always keep within certain lines Some /
eighteen or twenty years ago the department
clerks were the leaders OF fashion. The depart |
ment clerk was then the typical society man.
and was always in the height of fashion. Now.
the government clerks are the most unfashiona-
able men In the city. Ipresume the members of .
the foreign legations take the lead now but they |
have notions peculiar TO their respective coun-
tries. and cannot be said to represent American |
HIRING DRESS SUITS.
Speaking about dress SUITS" said the re-