The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-14
First Spring Suits.
No Extremes in Fashion, But rlaterials Are New.

New spring clothes that are now ap-
pering indicate that fashion will be
less severe in her demands upon men
than she has been in the past. Almost
anything will be permissible. Aside
from the fancy vests, with which the
public has already been made acquaint-
ed, there will be no extremes either in
material Or cut
Tailors say that the favorite mate
rails for spring clothing will be plain
or mixed fabrics, or fabrics whose
stripes. checks or plaids are so softly
and tremendously cOlored that, while
they are bright and lively in appear
ance, they are neat and quiet in eff
/ feet The gayest will be admired even
by those men who prefer palmer goods
f. The materials show chevfots. wor-
E5steds. hOmespuns and tweeds in fancy
suitings. These range in design from
mixtures to notifies, from fine to broad
stripes. from small checks to broad
piaids. or combinations Of browns. reds
blues and green's.
or these, the cheviOts will probably
1 be the most popular While grays and
Quleter cOlOrs are in the greatest de-
mand the SartOriaI Art Journal says
that there has been a large demand by
( the tailors for the more daring COM
binatiOns. WOrsteds are next in pop
ularity, and they are preferred in
Scotch effects. Unfinished Worsteds in
checks are a novelty that is likely to
be popular. ,Serges in blacks and blues
.retain their, popularity of last year for
sack suits. .,...
EXTREMES IN CUT AVOIDED.
Extremes are avoided in the cut of
the garments. Coats will be neither
loose nor tight, the shoulders will be Of
about the natural width, and vests will
give to the body an apparent length in
harmony with the full height. Trousers
Will be wide enough for convenience,
but they will show the curve Of the
leg.
The roll of the single-breasted coat
will be wide, though the notch will be
small; collars will be long. The dou-
bIe-breasted frock will have a taper
ing effect, and the double breasted vest
will have peaked lapel roll. Trousers
are to be cut SO as to fall over the
instep without a front hollow.
It was thought that the influence Of
cycling and outdoor games would lead
to a relaxation III mems dress, but the
disposition seems to be to draw the
lines more closely between day dress
and neglige costume. While sack suits
of comfortable cut are demanded for
business the dress for social duties is
more strict than ever. The result has
been that the man who considers it
social duty always to appear we'll dress
~
tailor, and demands that his costume
shall be In harmony with the work or
pleasure in which he is engaged. So
he must have a cycling suit when cy-
cling, a golfing suit when playing golf,
a yachting suit when sailing-aIl in
addition to the full and semidress
clothes and the business suits which
are a part Of every well-dressed mans
wardrobe.
The new styles show the double
breasted sack for business wear, every
part Of which indicates comfort, con-
venience and utility. There is the long
wasted. shOrt-skirted cutaway frock,
which has about 1t a commercial air,
the cutaway frock of dark material.
But the double breasted frOck, with
a richness of roll, a fullness Of skirt
and general dignity will be more worn
than ever before this spring. The we'll
dressed man must wear it at every so
cial function of any kind when the sun
is above the horizon. 1t is the only
garment which is full dress or semi
dress for affairs during the daytime,
and even for morning weddings it is
now considered the only proper coat
For that purpose, however, it is usual
ly made from a gray or mixed wOrsted
or cheviot. For afternoon wear 1t
must be of black or very dark worsted
or soft wool fabric.
STYLES IN FROCk SUITS.
The length of the frock coat during
the present season will average from
thirty-seven to thirty-eight inches for
afternoon wear, while for morning
wear it should be an inch shorter. AS
for all coats. the shoulders will be
moderately broad. and they will be well
followed near the neck and slightly
rounded near the arm. The collar will
be very long and will meet the top of
the lapels flush. The lapels will have
decidedly peaked effect The but
tons on the breast will be spread much
farther apart, giving a decidedly taper
ing effect. Five buttonholes will be on
the lapels, and they will roll from the
third. The roll viii be silk faced to
the buttonhele.
The vest may be either single or
double breasted, the former being pre-
ferred for morning wear. If single