Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-11-27
ABOUT MEMS DRESS.
Economy and Style United-Some Sen.
sible Suggestions.

10 oress wen q man need not have SO many
different suits Of clothes as is generally sup
posed, particularly if he knows how to take
care of what he buys.
dress suit is one of the best investments in
social way that young man with social aspi-
rations can make. When he wants to 60 out
in the evening, and has ON dress suit, nicely
fitting shirt, and a white lawn tie and neat
shoes he may enjoy the satisfaction Of know
ing that he is properly dressed for any society in
the world. Dress suits are not expensive, be
cause they last for years. Formerly they were
made Of black broadchth, but of recent years
narrow, black, diagonal, or even a fine home
spun is much used.
Evening dress coats do not vary much from
year to year, except in the length of the tails
not notable variance. Men advanced in life
do not often have the lapels faced with silk
Any one below forty may have them faced with
that material. Trousers (never say pants with
dress suits are never made tight. One may
have black silk braid down the side seam or
not. just as he pie ases. The fashion in these
suits varies most in regard to the cut of the
opening of the waistcoat (never say vest).
Formerly it was cut in a V shape, but lately it
is cut like U. Three buttons are enough on
a wastcoat
dress suit should never be put on before
O'Clock. 1t can be worn at any evening enter
tainment no matter what its character may be,
whether many or few persons are present. In
fact, man who has dress suit never needs to
wear anything else in the evening to be prop
erly dressed in society.
For business and afternoon entertainments,
one suit with care will answer both purposes,
viz: a black cutaway. either of diagonal or of
the slightly rough cloth now much used, with
waistcoat of the same, and pair of trousers,
not light-colored, but ''lightish." with modest
stripe or check. Obviously. a suit of this kind
can be worn at business and in it man is well
enough dressed for an afternoon wedding re-
ception, or tea. 1t is we'll also to have an extra
pair OF trousers to put on after business hours.
They are, indeed, almost indispensable if one
is not to be seen with baggy knees
II a sack suit is ordered it should be a very
dark blue or black Scotch tweed, or homespun.
1t will easily last two summers if one gets an
extra pair of trousers at the same time. The
underlying principle of this purchase, as of all
economical buying of clothes, is to buy dark
colored material. A dark suit can be worn on
any kind of day, and early or late in the sea-
son; but light clothes are in good taste only
when the sun shines and the weather is very
bright. Trousers, particularly, should be mod
est in color and pattern. Never, under any
circumstances, unless you are actually de-
formed have padding put in the shoulders of
coats or anywhere else.
Unless a man is very tough it is necessary in
the climate of the northern United States to
have two overcoats-one for midwinter, made
OF rough cloth and one for the cold days of
fall and spring, made of diagonal or plain stuff.
Both should be of dark color-very dark blue
or brown is the best-and made as sack over
coats. Overcoats with capes and long tails
and other variations are all liable to 60 out
OF fashion before they are worn out. If care
is taken to keep the buttons and button holes
OF these garments in good repair they will
not become shabby for long time. 1t may
be remarked here in regard to coats of all
kinds that it is not well to have them bound
with silk braid. 1t wears shiny or wears off
entirely and makes the coat look shabby before
it is really 80.
A mans appearance in great measure de-
ponds upon the care which he takes of his
clothes. Goats should always be hung on a
little frame support that goes from shoulder
to shoulder. The little loop at the back of the
neck on a coat should never be used to hang it
up by when the garment is to remain for more
than few moments.
Trousers, after being carefully brushed.
should be turned inside out and hung by the
strap behind, or from two pegs by the strap
and the front of the trousers Thus the folds
made by wearing will be reversed and fall back
into place. 1t is not possible entirely to pre-
vent trousers from bagging at the knee; but
the evil can be remedied, or prevented in part
by having two pair Of trousers and by wearing
them alternately two or three days at a time.
well-dressed man is always particular
about his hats and shoes. One may have his
shoes half-soled, but they should never be
stitched. If possible, one should have a tall
silk hat and derby. A silk hat is to a man
what a best bonnet is to a woman 1t is in
dispensable with a double-breasted frock coat
and 1t Is very correct to wear it with cutaway
but not with a sack coat. The derby hat, on
the contrary. always looks well with sack
coat, or a cutaway when one is at business. 1t
may be worn in the evening with dress suit
when it is merely seen in the street, or getting
in or out of a carriage at a theater. Hats Of
all kinds when laid aside should rest on the
crown or on the side; never on the brim with
the crown up. Resting on the brim puts the
hat out of shape. light hat is never q good
investment for a man who wants to dress
economically, on the principle that, while you
can wear black hat at any time, light-colored
covering for the head does not look well on q
dark or rainy day.
The only time to wear soft hat is in travel
ing or at sports in the country, and then the
crown should be low, the brim narrow and the
felt so soft that it can be folded up easily.
In purchasing neckwear, the same principle
OF buying My dark-colored stuffs when one
wants to dress well. but inexpensively, pre-
walls. silk or satin scarf of dark blue, or
brown, or purple, or black, with small col
ored dot or figure, is proper on all occasions,
business or social, except, of course, when full
dress Is required. 1t is most agreeable to be
able to have scarfs of many colors and styles,
but 1t costs much money to have them, and the
rest OF ones wardrobe needs to be pretty elab-
crate to support gorgeous neckwear.
The four-in-hand may be tied tightly or
loosely, as suits the taste, and may be wide or
narrow In winter the wider ones are worn
and in summer the narrower ones. In putting
them on 1t is often necessary to tighten them
up after they have been put in place They are
looking just right when the collar-button is
covered, as it always should be. It is the
height of vulgarity to have jeweled collar
button.
Nothing should be worn with evening dress
but tie of white lawn tied by yourself. Ties
already made up into bows, which fasten at the
back OF the neck, never look well, and should
be avoided on the principle that one should not
have anything bogus or ready made about his
DRESS
cravat that is meant to look as if tied should
actually be tied, and little skill is all that is
necessary to accomplish it. Indeed. it is better
TO have white lawn tie badly tied than to
wear one ready made. Three-quarters of an
inch to an inch is about the average width.
handkerchief should never be used as an
ornament, nor should a corner of this be
allowed to stick out Of ones coat pocket, II is
concession to nature that should be kept ont
OF sight as much as possible
A word about jewelry: If one has a pair of
plain, gold-linked sleeve-buttons and set of
gold and white enameled studs, he has all the
lewelry that gentleman need to have, and ali
that is proper to wear unless he has q large
wardrobe and can afford Injuries.
Cultivate the habit of wearing gloves when
ever there is an excuse for it. They keep the
hands clean, and add tn ones comfort and TO
the appearance of comfort in the winter. A
man with his hands stuck into the sides Of his