Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-03-17
MEMS FASHIONS.
WHAT CONSTITUTES A CORRECT
BUSINESS SUIT.
The Different Styles of Dress foI
Various Callings and for the
Numerous Occasions.

on mems dress in this country, has pub
lished a pamphlet on the style Of mems
wear, which is worth quoting from, partic-
ularly directions for business suits. For
this purpose fashion indicates two general
general STYLES, the sack and the cutaway.
Sack coats are made to button with one,
two or four buttons The long roll sack is
a graceful garment, but less worn in winter
than in summer. The vest to go with it
should have a collar For other sack
coats the wearing of a collar on the vest is
optional The latest sack coat is double
breasted, having five buttons on a side and
closing pretty high, as it is probably in
tended to be worn without an overcoat in
moderately cold weather. It Is square,
cornered, and has pocket-haps except on
the breast pocket. These suits are made
chiefly of rough cloths, SaXony, tweed,
cheyiots, or something not at all slick.
Plain colors, stripes and checks are all
worn, some very pronounced figures being
suitable for young men. Sack suits should
be made of the same pattern of goods
throughout.
The cutaway frock is, however, the fav-
orite for business use for all ages. 1t is
neat and manly, yet convenient and COM
Portable. The principal change this year
in style is in lower cut, leaving more
space in the shirt front to display the wide
four-in-hand scarfs now prevailing. The
front of this coat should be made soft, that
the lapel may roll to eight or nine inches
below its point. There are either three or
four buttons, they being in the latter case
closer together and occupying in the ag-
gregate no more space.
The vest for the cutaway coat may be
with or without collar If the goods be
quite heavy collar is apt to be cumber-
some. 1t is somewhat more dressy, how
ever.
Getaway suits may be of the same goods
Throughout, but the fancy match" is the
more stylish thing. The coat and vest
should be of quieter pattern, even for
young men. than is allowable for sack suits.
The various rough-srlrfaced goods, known
as Scotch goods, or more particularly as
tweeds, chevio:s, bannockburns, thibets and
what are called wool diagonals, have the
preference. They afford a strong contrast
to the serges and finer goods used for dress
occasions. and so exhibit their appropriate
ness for store and street. The diagonals
used enrich the figure of the thin man,
while not adding perceptiblyto the rotund-
ity of the stouter person. As to patterns,
there is awide range of choice, neat stripes,
small checks, dark solid colors and long
line of beautiful mixtures. Scotch grays
are always suitable for business suits.
The trousers have experienced no great
alteration of late. For man five feet
eight inches in hight the rule is: Knee,
twenty inches, and foot eighteen, slightly
shaped over the boot The material should
be rough cloth. usually striped. A dark
rich stone color with a faint stripe is COM
mended. There are many varieties of
gray, drab and warmer colored stripes, in
termingled with black, that are stylish.
Being in Scotch goods the stripes blend
into one another, producing a soft effect.
But whatever the color or pattern of the
trousers, the greatest care should be taken
to have them harmonic, by agreeable con-
trast, with the coat and vest. for if mis-
take be made at this point the whole suit
will be a failure.
The shirt is usually plain white, but
this is often varied, particularly in the
warm season, by colored percales Flannel
shirts made great progress last summer in
public favor, and are clearly destined for
great run the coming season. Previous
to last summer flannels had been used only
for outing and recreation purposes, and the
change then made was their adoption by
many people for business wear during the
heated term.
The collar most in use is the standing
one with points folded back, but much
latitude is allowed, no rule being observed.
The cuffs are either square, with link but
tons, or reservible, with square or round
corners.
The four-in-hand tie is the favorite,
more so than ever before, and the made-up
Teck scarfs are closely modelled after its
appearance when tied. Flat scarfs are
more or less worn, and are Just as fashion
able, especially for winter In selecting
cravats the important thing is not to buy
some particular color which may be i'm
agined to be the prevailing one, but to
secure such as will harmonic with the
clothing and the complexion. Herein is
where most men fail, and the difficulty of
the task is the measure of its Importance
1t is scarcely desirable that the tie should
be like the suit 1t is better to make an
agreeable contrast, but whether a strong or
gentle one can best be determined by ex-
pertinent. Some compilations will endure
almost any color, while others are sensi-
tive-as for instance, a sallow complexion,
which is painfully intensified by the use of
green neckwear, is relieved and toned up
by the deep shades of red.
Little jewelry is worn. The watch
chain should not be too heavy The fiat
scarf should always be enriched with pin.
The four-in-hand is largely worn with
small pin, which is usually stuck in the
side near the top. The wearing OF the pin
is optional, and, as it serves no purpose of
utility, because the knot in the scarf serves
of itself to hold it in place, it is by many
considered bad taste to wear it, there be-
ing law of taste in respect to scarf Jew
elry that it shall only be worn when serv-
ing some clear purpose. Nevertheless the
fashion of wearing pins with four-in-hand
scarfs has come into general use, and may
be accepted as correct.
The Derby hat is the proper headwear
for business hours. 1t is neither preten-
tious of dress nor slovenly, but it is neat
and convenient. A novelty introduced is
dark shade of stone color, but a man to
wear one of these must be of the spick-and-
span style, as any cloudiness of attire
would be emphasized if it should exist in
connection with this "billy-cock" hat.
Gloves of medium dark tone, with
black or Substituting, or what is called
spear points," are suitable in the morn
ing, while fabric gloves are popular in cold
weather.
The overcoat to be worn with business
suit is of the sack variety. The latest
style is box " coat, which does not take
the form but hangs straight from the
shoulders. 1t is easy and stylish. 1t is
made in kersey or melton, with collar of
the same, or with the collar faced with
velvet, or of fur beaver with velvet collar.
There are many varieties of fur beaver,
their names being determined by the style
of the nap. The Montagnac is the finest,
with a pile curly and silken Another
overcoat cloth this season is rough goods
in wide diagonal. 1t was used many years
ago, is now revived, and is quite stylish
and effective. Both double and single
breasts are used, but the latter is prefer
able. In kersey and melton coats the edge
is usually stitched; in fur beavers it is
finished with a corded braid, let in between
the two thicknesses of cloth. Solid colors