The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1884-02-02
AN INNOVATION ON FASHION.
HOW IL IL Proposed That tho Dress
Cont of the Eufure ShaI be Ont.


Many Of TIE CRITICS readers have doubt.
less noticed tho plates that have latoly ap.
peared In tho windows OF the leading tailor
Ing establishments illustrating q new and do.
cidedly unique cut for an evening DIRE ss-coat.
Tho youth In the picture who stands as the
frame on which the clothes are hung 10 blonde,
with the insipidIty Characteristic OF ouch por-
traiturea, his locks being brushed back from
his brow while a mouetache OF the kind seen
only in pictures, and generally only in fashion
plates, adorns or rather covers his upper lip.
loosely-tled cravat takes the place OF the
regulation tie. His coa', though, is the object
upon which the Spectators eye must sooner or
later fall and there rest. Instead OF being
cut from the neck down to the region OF the
bottom OF the vest, and then Mt right angles
back until II finds the coat.tails somewhere 10
the rear after the most approved style OF the
present, II descends upon the breast In
graceful curve until tho coat almost meets
when tho lines divergc again aud continue
without an angle to the tails. The coat IL
strongly suggestive OF the old court dress
without the lace and ruflles of those brave
days OF old. Another departure from the con.
ventional Is that the color OF the costume Is
what is known as "wlne COLOR" instead of
black.
When THE CRITIC man, who had been gazing
at the work OF art for some minutes, entered
one OF tho leading tailor's to get his views on
the proposed innovation, that worthy fairly
glowed with enthusiasm over the merits of the
new dress.
"ob, it is noble dress; you can soc that
plainly" he exclaimed. "It is a dress that will
commend itself TO the higher circles. 1t Will
mot be by sn he
away up are getting tired OF being dressed
Just like any one who can hire suit for two
or three dollars. There's no distinction You
see. Everybody rich or poor, can appear now
in swallow.tail coat. People have become
tired of appearing. in 1uet tho same dress as
NJ al v la ia mi a oil NIL
| black. whilo the ladies' In q ballroom appear
| in beautiful colors and the general effect is a
| pretty picture, the men all are seen In plain
black and look Just like 30 many blots; now,
| isn't IL cor"
| But TIRE CRITIC wouldn't commit himself
| further than TO remark that It might be 80.
''Of course II is So" the other resumed.
'"There have boon number OF suggestions in
| regard TO making q mans dress more pictur-
| eeque, and especially his ballroom costume.
| Knee-breeches have been suggested and Ia
| some cases they would undoubtedly look we'll.
| But, tell you, tho young men OF our day
haven't the development OF those OF old times.
| as manly and attractive as men used to look
| in knoe-breeches. The majority OF them, I
| think, would look badly. But this dress is
| one IN which anyone who looks we'll In evening
| dress at all-and It is not every one-would
| appear TO advantage. 1t does away with that
| ugly, straight line across the vest, and sub
| stitutes curve. 1t IL, as said, an attractive
| color. You see now 1t is lined-with cream
| colored satin; tho tie matches that, you see.
| But tl0 vest OF URuTeu Wullo btttlU IL III clc-
| CANT feature, which greatly adds 10 the
| whole. All, II Ia dress worthy OF any one"
| he murmured In ecstacy.
| "rhey viii be harder TO cut than the pres
| ent coat, / suppose" THE CRITIC ventured.
ooh, yes; they viii call for much moro
skill in the cutter. just see how those lines
| fall on tho figure, no wrinkles, all smooth"
"About the costp' THE CRITIC relinqulshing
| all hope Of ever purchasing such a gorgeous
4 garment.
| swell, the suit couldn't be made for less
than s75, and IT could be made to cost much
| more"
| "what do you think OF the prospect of their
\ being worn hero 2"
! "Weii, think In time they will come to be
| worn by tho Weather class; but such things
| grow very slowly In Washington. 1t Is
| strange, but It is fact, that the people here
| are very slow TO take up anything now. In
| new patterns, for instance, they Will go on
| getting the old ones long after they are out OF
| date. Here have goods two seasons old, YET
| will haye-morc call for them than for these
/ late patterns. So think they will be slow to
take up this now costume, but really think
they Will In time. This is the result OF many
efforts to mako picturesque costume. Poo
pie have been thinking about 1t for years, and
l don't see how this one can be improved on
SHOW do the tailors generally receive 1t p
"Oh, as n general thing, they like IL; bn
once in awhile you Will ind one, some Ole
fogy, who believes In tho old style, and thinks
nothing can DO better. OF course such mar
| has no eye for beauty"