The record-union., 1897-12-27
BEST DRESSED MEN.
New Yorkers Admitted to Lead the
Band.

An, Well, you Know" said Nat Good
win, as he rubbed on dab of cold cream
In vigorous endeavor to get the grease
paint off his face, II don't set up to be
the glass of fashion and the mold of
FORM although my friends say that
am generally well dressed AS to de-
voting a large part of my time to the
study OF the proper necktie or the latest
creases in trousers, that is all Tommy
ROT. isn't it?
The best dressed man. claim' said
Mr.: Goodwin, shaking his clothes brush
gravely at me, "is the one whose entire
costume Is so harmonious that no part
of it stands out above the rest You re-
cognize him az being we'll dressed just
as you do well-dressed woman, with
out noting any particular item Of the
toilet
"The most important rules" Mr..
Goodwin grew red in the face as he ap-
piled the brushes to his faxen locks,
ARE first to select a good material; Sec
ond to choose subdued color and quiet
pattern: third to go to a good tailor and
make sure Of a decent fit; fourth to avoid
jewelry and fifth to choose the accessor-
les Of his toilet-the neckties, gloves and
shoes--with view to their not attract
ing attention" H..
These sage remarks Mr.. Goodwin de-
livered while his man tied his shoes and
made him ready for the street.
WHO are the best-dressed men? New
Workers, of course. Well-bred men are
the same the world over. In habits, man
ners and dress YOU see little difference,
but the New York man is generally ad-
mitted to lead the hand.
Collectively, the Englishmen dress
better than the Americans. An average
Englishnan Of station would consider
1t indecent to wear a Derby hat with a
frock coat. But Individually. the New
York clubman is better dressed per-
son than the Englishman of the swag-
ger set
You can get better materials for half
the money in England. but the cut and
fit are better on this side of The water.
How many suits of clothes does a
well-dressed man need a year? All,
should say dozen. There is the morn
ing or business suit, the afternoon cos
tune, with frock coat and silk hat, the
evening dress, travelling suit, a bicycle
or golf rig, perhaps riding costume and
yachting suit besides the changes in
weight for the different seasons"
About the cost?"
well, some Of my friends find $1,000
a year barely sufficient. / am no cri-
terion, you know, for / have to buy SO
many clothes for the stage.
mo, no. never wear my stage clothes
in private life, nor my Nat Goodwin
clothes on the stage. If / walked from.
the street to the footlights without
changing my costume, could not iden-
tify myself with the part. Clothes have
a great effect upon the personality.
Il suppose that / have as many as
twenty five suits of clothes, haven't +,
Clark?" queried Mr.. Goodwin Of his
man.
You have fully hundred. sir" said
the valet, carefully fitting forms into
the patent-leather shoes which Mr.
Goodwin had worn.
"Yes. I bought my clothes in London
last summer" continued Nat. II
bought evening clothes there"
MY hats? Oh, I always buy them
here in New York. have worn the same
black silk hat for twelve years, until
this fall when my friends guyed me
out Of it. They said looked like a Lon
don cabby and fancy I did.
well, as to note paper for a man?
Of coruse, it should be plain and heavy,
but my favorite style is hotel paper. 1t
LIS chap and convenient" and Nat Good
win picked up his stick, raised his hat
and denarted New York World