The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-12-26
THE BfsT-DRfssED MEN.
View York Gambler Closely Press
the Society Men.
The sporting Mas Credit Always
Good-Londen Sets the Fash
ion I'm Clothes
gew York san.

takes the lead IN point d the general
fit, finish and costumes Of his ward
robe but II il doubtful If be would
pass a. the best dressed man in New
York. for the reason that be Is neither
graceful or elegant. He il big and
brawny, but. unfortunately. he Is
also becoming fat. and fat man never
can pose a. an ATOMS 10 New York
II i. generally conceded that Berry
Wall has retired frsm his throne a.
monarch 81 daaedom. This i partly
because he Is married and settled
down. and also because the girth Of
his waist i increasing with such re-
markahIe rapidity. that perfect lit Of
his clothes j. no longer possibility.
Mr.. WALL hongrs were w0n easily
lie i one OF the few men about town
who never cOurted notoFiety, but really
disiiked 10 see his name in the papers,
and the dignity Of the King Of the
Dudes" was thrust upon him. Hence
be feels no sentimental misgiyings
about his dethronenent.
Robert billiard, who II by long odds
the most vigorous and original Of the
rival claimants 10 Mr. Walls throne,
has been absent from Sew York 20
much Of late that people have forgot
ten him. Mr. billiards. success ~ a
leader Of fashion was more or less
hammered by the fact that he vas an
actor
This il true Of other men in the
dramatic profession. For instance,
Herbert Kelley II well known on
Broadway. and. though his clothes TT
him with a great degree OF nicely. he
il by no means leader OF fashion.
His clothes are not made in New
York. bat there Is nothing English
about them. He has followed the
prevailing American method OF hay-
ing the clothes fit the man instead Of
at the style
Viewed from "A strictly fashionable
point John Drew Is perhaps the hest
dressed OF our local leading men, hut
his attire has not created much excite
ment OF late, because he has not been
appearing in what are technically
known as ''dressy" pieces.
The only actor who ever really held
a position OF importance as leader Of
fashion was Charles Coghlan. He was
essentially a dress-coa; actor az one
time, and he devoted so much time
and attention to his attire that be cas-
ily achieved prominence among the
really very large number of men in
New York with whom clothes is the
most important feature. Since Mr..
Coghlan's disappearance from the
metropolitan stage young man
named Othmar has suddenly bios
somed out with a tremendous spurt
ia the matter OF clothes. He is heay-
ily handicapped by nature, since his fig
ure Is thin and bent. bat the variety
and scope OF his garments are very
great. This j. particularly the case
with his coats. He has seven or eight
light drab and mauye-tinted box
coats, which create sensation every
time that he drives IN Central park.
T.. H. Sothern deyotes a great deal
OF attention To his clothes. His tailor
is on Union square, and he has made
a study Of the young comedians fig
ure. There is no fault in the frame
work anywhere that has not been care
fully considered by the tailor. and the
comedians clothes occupy good
share Of his time when preparing for
any new piece on the stage.
Sothern's tailor also dresses Dixey
and Goodwin, and vet neither is a
well-dresSed man. They don't know
how to wear their clothes, and don I
care a rap one way or the other
Goodwin's clothes are snowy and
sometimes loud, and he has a great
many suits, but there is invariably
something theatrical about his appear
ance.
Actors go about the question OF
clothes in a manner that would startle
an ordinary man. 1t is their business
10 look well on the stage. and they
study the subject carefully. Any
tailor who tries to give them points
must be exceedingly expert. n rule,
but. singulariy enough, II is only the
dress-coat or society actors Of the
Sothern Kelley type who display
their Carefulness in the matter OF
raiment
Men like Creighton Webb, Fred
erick Vanderbilt and Orme Wilson
dress very quietly, though we'll As a
rule, society men are not lavish in
the matter Of dress, for the reason
that they rise late and seldom have
occasion for more than two suits a
day. They pat on the regulation
frock coat for a drive or a walk in the
afternoon, and are always in evening
dress by O'Clock.
II is probable that II an uptown
Jury were 10 sit upon the-qucstion of
the attire Of New Workers. the gam
hlerS would come pretty near winning
the chief prizes Nearly all Of them
% to the crack tailor OF the town, and
they are known as his best customers
Pat Sheedy. the gambler. for instance.
is man who buys eight or ten suits
% clothes a year with great regularity.
whether he is In aiiluence OF poverty.
The same Is true OF Duffy. the New
Orleans gambler, and several other of
the crack Western sports. These men
may he utterly without funds for two
or three years, but their credit IS per.
feCtly good at the taiiOr'S. He knows
that he is sure 70 get the money as
soon as they strike luck again.
Dave Johnson j. probably the best
dressed man ameng the gamblers. for
he never runs To extremes. lie j.
mistaken Ter Il prosperous man or
banker by nine-tenths OF the people
who meet him on Broadway Men
like Edward Gilmore, T.. :. Stokes
and Capt Common are Away well
dressed and for the very simple
reason that they have for a long whils
been customers Of the best tailor in
New York lie has . standing order
TO send Thorn a certain number of
suits OF clothes every year. They are
always well clad, though they devote
no particular attention 10 dress.
The same d true uf Commits
siouer Hess and Senator Gibbs.
Robert Garrett, ol the baltimore &
Ohio railroad, is a remarkable man IN
some respects, when viewed from a
tBiior's standpoint lie has ALWAYS
hal an Irresistible love for sack coats
Of the pepper snd salt or darN gray nat
tern. lie must have have had - o.
leo suits of them in bis wardrobe
Whenever he came % NeW York "a
Sprnd a few days. hi> servant would
mack 10 or l. Ol thcsc suit. in has
trunks. along with one drrsS suit and
an overcoat Mr. Garrett wogld wan
der around town and APP
pear everywhere an What r.
usually known a. business clothes
The fashions are uuQuestionably set
in London. Men these make life
study nj the subject OF dress. and their
influence Is acCordiugly felt al over
the world Men in Paris so "a Lon
don to get their clothc~, lust q Amer
leans do. bat. Curiou-ly enough. the
same state Of things has come about
ia Paris that obtains in New York.
The Frcn, h tailor srr more sue,ses -
ful in fitting thaR the En l. a. Thi. Is
also true az American tsilor~. Kerry