Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-11-14
MEN AND THEIR DRESS.
A WOMAN GIVES THE MALES
POINTS ABOUT APPAREL.
Too Few Pay the Proper Attention to the
Colors When They Select Ties,
Shirts, Hats and Suits

Some men dress to please women. Some
won't. Some think they can't. Some
would If they could. In the hope, there
fore, of encouraging, converting. convinc-
ing and enlightening our brothers. we in
tend TO give a few hints on what men ought
to do, or abstain from doing, if they wish
to look their best. To say that men do not
alter the fashion of their clothes would be
fallacy. True, the change is a subtle and
gradual one, very different from the sud
den radical alterations IN which women in
duige. We need only compare the cut of
mems coats. waistcoats, trousers and hats
of twenty years ago with that of the pres
ent day to appreciate the notifications that
have crept in and finally established them
selves
OF course we all know that clothes do
not make the man, but they certainly be-
tray the attitude of his mind, and that is
why women care little if mans clothes
are old if they are clean and carefully put
on, and, above all, suited to the occasion.
However much we may like our compan-
ion for himself and his sterling qualities,
we would not enjoy walking with him in
the park on Sunday if he wore a straw
hat, nor to 90 to Henley with him should
ne appear with high nat on. No, becom-
ing attire is important, but suitability is
more so. New clothes are far from being
necessary TO a mans good appearance.
An old suit, well brushed and carefully
put on, often looks far more chic than
clothes fresh from the tailor's hands, but
it goes without saying that collars and
cuffs should be sans puer ct sans reproche.
THE COLOR OF SUITS
When men order new clothes their at
tention is mainly directed to the shape of
their shoulders, the size of both their
chests-i. e., the chest proprement dit, and
the lower chest, called by some the bump
of benevolence-or the general appearance
of their legs and feet; but they never seem
TO think of their complexion, nor of the
color of their eyes and hair. If they did,
we poor women would be spared many
heartache, or rather. eyeache, over i'll as
sorted coors and unbecoming shades.
Thus some fatal impulse generally seems
to prompt all fair compleXioued sons of
Albion TO indulge in pink or red shirts and
salmon colored ties, yet those are the very
coIors they should never wear.
Nearly every other shade that is known
is becoming to them; blue, both dark and
light, cream, white, gray, mauve-that is,
the blue shade of mauve, heliotrope, brown,
etc. But no, their obstinacy is surprising;
they must ruin their good looks and appear
on all possible occasions in pink shirts and
ties. These same fair lords of the creation
OF course wear smoking suits-that Is |
believe what taiIors call those manly gar
ments which correspond to our tea gowns
then, if possible, they should be of light
gold brown color. When men realize how
becoming that shade is to fair hair and
blue eyes they will always contrive to have
a coat Of that color in their trousseau
But we must not forget the claims of
dark men, whom the golden haired among
US find SO fascinating They never LOOK
better than in what, it is to be hoped, will
henceforth become the discarded pink and
red shirts and ties of their rivals White,
red, peacock blue. one or two shades of
green-which, however, would be best
avoided-the pink shade of mauve, light
shades of gray, all these will suit dark
man, and, did he but know it, he would
look perfectly irresistible in q lemon col
ored tie and waistcoat: but, above all, be
should beware of slate gray and of brown.
TREATMENT OF THE HAIR
If only colored shirts about town were
the thing what charming opportunities
they would give for iudicious blending of
shades. A mauve shirt, with tie to match,
would look lovely with black or dark
gray suit. Combinations could be endless
ly varied, and thus great scope for indi
viduality of taste become possible. What
powerful weapon, for example. it would
give man, in his endeevors to secure the
favorable notice of the woman he loves, if
he could speak his devotion by donning
the colors matching with her fayorite
shades, so that when they were together
she would be bound to his side by the hap
by blending of their respective costumes.
The hair is also very important factor
in this question of how to look well Yet
men often make very sad mistakes with
their heads. The couture should always
be arranged to suit the contour of the face.
If the forehead is high and broad, the hair
should be worn well off the temples. The
higher a mans forehead is the more IN
covered it should be If the hair is dis
posed to wave slightly, 1t should not be
ruthlessly oiled till it sticks to the head,
neither ought it to look wild and un
brushed and on no accounts should it ever
be allowed to overlap the collar at the
back.
The early appearance of badness need
never depress man; mental culture is al
ways held responsible for it, and that idea
lends subtle charm to the bare spot it
never had before. Ii, however, the weak
ness is one of maturity let not men fall
into the too common error of trying to
hide it by the carefully trained lock of
hair. which, starting horizontally from be-
hind one ear, is made to do duty over the
blanched spot, and finally ends its long ca
reer as straight fringe or a curled loop
over the opposite ear. 1t is transparent
device in more senses than one. and at
once gives a man that look of antique in
juvenality which women always specially
abhor.
THE CHOICE OF HATS
This cunning arrangement Of hair has
caused moments of grievous embarrass-
ment, as in the case of an otherwise very
nice man who, when in the act of propos-
ing to a charming lady in romantic
glade had his hat suddenly blown away
His long curl caught by the wind, uncoiled
itself and hung in wild disorder down the
discomfitted lovers back and about his
face Under such circumstance what