Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-11-14
BRAINS AND TAILORS.
The Sort of Clothes Well-known Authors
and Actors Wear.
From Once q Week.

From once Week.
Men of brains are not usually credited with
being good dressers, yet no exquisites could
pay moro attention to their appearance than
Edgar Saltus and Edgar Fawcett. Both dress
well and carefully, the former with a certain
foreignness of taste, of fashionable Partisan.
Henry James, also I. Is. Aldrich and Edmund
Clarence Stedman are not only neat but ele-
giant in their daily apparel
Frank Stockton always looks as if he had Just
got into a new suit of clothes, but he has not
the same art of wearing them SO as to show
them of to the best advantage.
As TO the majority of literary men-William
ID. Howells, Richard Watson Glider. John Hab-
berton, H. IA. Boyesen. William Henry Bishop,
Henry NJ. Alden, Oliver L. Bunce and many
others-they seem to be satisfied If their
clothes are comfortable and fairly well
brushed; they pay no attention TO the minor do
tails of fashion.
Since the death Of his father, Brander Mat
thews wears nothing but solemn black Black
also, though for no funeral reason, is the GUS
tomary suit of II. c. Bunner, the editor of Puck,
who looks like a minister rather than wicked
humorist. In his very early days Harry Har-
land was disposed to be rather careless in his
attire, but since his marriage he seems 10 have
learned the real value Of clothes.
The older men, as Moncure ID. Conway and
Richard Henry Stoddard naturally yield scant
tribute to the dictates of fashion. Their con-
temporary, Walt Whitman, is the most pictur-
esque figure in American literature His gray
suit Of homespun, always exquisitely clean with
all its LONELINESS, his turn-down collar, expos
ing his throat and his large sombrero hat make
the tall figure, the massive shoulders and the
splendid face surrounded with its white halo Of
hair and beard OF the venerable patriarch more
striking than ever, and he cannot drive out
(alas, he no longer walks) without arresting the
attention of all. Another unconventional figure
is Joaquin Miller, who affects the cowboy style
and looks very well in il.
John Greenleaf Whittier dresses plainly and
simply in the traditional Quaker garb.
Bill Nye used TO be one of the m ost unpretep-
tious dressers in the whole literary guild bus
to the surprise of his friends he has recently
returned from Paris an altered mana dandy
a dude, SO TO speak, SO that no more beautiful
object can be seen upon Broadway today than
Bill himself, arrayed In all the glory OF his for
eign raiment.
Ii you turn TO the actors YOU find Henry
Irving, Lawrence Barrett, Herbert Kelley and
William Terriss among the men who give great
care and attention TO their toilet Edwin
Booth and Wilson Barrett are far less particu-
lar, though they have a certain individuality OF
taste which makes them more than ever strik-
ing In their street appearance. Steele Mackaye
dresses In good tastey though never in the ex-
treme Of fashion, and his likeness TO Edgar
Allan Poe grows every day more and more re-
markable.
Maurice Barrymore disdains the arts of the
toilet TO enhance his remarkable personal
beauty: Edward Henley, who looks as much
like John Ruskin as Mackaye does like Poe, 10
q picturesque and striking figure in his black
clothes and black Grape coat. John Kellerd
dresses In much the same style.
Sidney Drew is another very careful dresser,
though he effects occasional extravagancos OF
costume. John Drew's clothes always 1T him
very well and are ususually quiet and unprctend-
ing. Henry Dixey and Nat Goodwin dress win
elaborate splcndor-they are fine birds who ~.
sumo gayer and gaudier plumage than " usual
with most Of their confreres- Bob hiiiisro
costumes are matters OF history ana neeo no.
be dilated upon here.