San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-09-16
AN AMERICAN PICKS UP POINTS ON
MEMS DRESS IN LONDON.

The other morning as was walking down
Piccadilly, heavy shower Of rain came down
and retreated into the entrance of the Bur-
lington Arcade, the nearest and most agree
able place of refuge. Among two or three
others who had also sought shelter was an
English clubman whom l knew. He was a
typical London man-about-town of the dissi-
pated kind. The rain continued and we stood
for some time talking about things over here
Most of the men who passed by US were
well dressed. One, for instance, wore fair
ly well fitting black diagonal cutaway coat,
said that he was a less well dressed member
of the same class as my companion. But the
latter remarked:
THAT mans a butler; his clothes look all
right, you know, but he wears fiat made up
scarf of bad pattern, thick soled boots and
he hasn't pair of gloves or a stick or UNI
orella. That is enough to show what he is"
JUDGING MAN BY HIS CLOTHES.
Can you tell me what man ought not to
wear if he wishes to be considered a gentle
man in Londonr asked the dissipated one.
"Well," he said, Il am not in the habit of
charging upon dress, but, as you are an
American, I'll tell you something about what
sition may wear almost anything, but it is
very difficult to say what man should not
wear who wishes to be conspicuous by his
good taste in dress although it is easy TO say
what he might with advantage wear. First
of all a mans clothing should be neat, prop
erly brushed and his coat buttoned up
Never walk along the street with your coat
open, however hot the weather may be or
2 i.l- +I,o oil of ba Naor rrl,
on both hands properly buttoned. Don't
carry them in your hand. 1t is allowable to
wear your hat on one side of your head or
over your eyes, but don't tilt il Uac..@,>rdS
Let the creascs in front and at the back Of
your trousers always be distinct
Never for any reason or under any cir
cumlstances walk about the West End Of Lon
don with anything but a silk hat on your
head. And in the name of heaven don't wear
frock coat and low hat as some of your coun-
trymen do. That is an atrocity You may
see actors walking about here in brown hats
and check suits, but don't think they know
how to dress The ordinary run of actors are
thoroughly despised by the best class of Eng
lishmen, although the middle classes think so
much of their dress and appearance. Avoid
looking like an actor if you wish to be con-
sidered gentleman here.
The colors in your clothes should be har-
monious, but not necessarily quiet. Neck
wear is of very great Importance in dress
Never let your cravat be small, fat, incon-
spicuous or too quiet Scarfs now should
never be stiffed with cardboard and ready
made up. Always tie them yourself whether
in a cravat, knot or bow Loudness in
the pattern may be excused if it is fantastic
NJ or ;crbf oil
less you can take them very high indeed, like
Prince Albert Victor, Lord Cairns and one
or two other persons of eminence A man
should have his own particular kind of collar
if possible but should not wear such absurd
tiles as collars with square shaped pieces
turned down in front. There are hundred
small but distinct differences in collars
Prince Albert Victor wears the tallest and
shiniest collars of anybody have met"
LAYING IN A SUPPLY
Then he suggested that | should stroll
round with him to his tailors in Saville
row. There he ordered five frock coats and
ten pairs of trousers. AS he nodded to an
other swell who was passing out of the shop
he remarked to me that there was a tendency
now for man to get as much color as pos
sible about him. Thus his friend had on a
red striped shirt, a knot scarf of several other
colors, the silk lining of his coat showed in
two large shiny triangles, and he wore a
fancy waistcoat Of rough stuff covered with
red and blue lines.
Now" he said, "a man needn't have all
his clothes perfectly new, although it is best
to do so. Look at that man. He knows how
to wear old clothes. He is no doubt hard up,
but no article of his dress is so new as to show
up the decay of the others"
The person in question was clean and well
built, and struck one at first as well dressed
man. But on looking into detail it was to be
seen that his frock coat was old and losing
color, his top hat had been ironed many
times, and his linen, though perfectly clean,
was frayed. His trousers were carefully
pressed, but beginning to get ragged at the
bottom. My friend continued:
There's a man across the street who
doesn't understand the art Of wearing old
clothes at all. His clothes are apparently
about the same age and condition as the
others, but he has OH a new black satin scarf
which draws attention to the faded color Of
his hat and coat. That small thing just makes
all the difference and he is obviously shabby.
His hair and mustache are not carefully
brushed, thing which people notice without
thinking of it. Observe, too, how the man
who knows how to wear old clothes walks.
His coat is buttoned, his figure is upright and
he walks straight ahead without turning his
head aside to look at anything.
ANY one who comes right in his way,
however, receives a very direct and dazzling
stare through his single eyeglass. Every
well dressed man should wear rimless single
eyeglass Only we'll dressed men, by the