Evening star., 1898-10-22
FOR UP-1O-DATE WOMEN
What to Wear While Playing the Noble Game
of Golf
Clothes Must Fit Comfortably and Be
Stylish, TOO-COats Better
Than Capes.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
| NEW YORK. October 20 1895
/ The first view of the golf links is most
disappointing. One sees few correctly ap-
| pointed women. Many Of the best players
| affect an Intidy air, or, to be more just, are
| so interested in the gone and pursue it so
! industriously that the best cloths succumb
| to the hard usage they receive and
take on drlggled air. At first glance the
| men seem to adhere more closely to ones
| idea of the traditional uniform, for :heir
! bright red waistcoats enliven the land
| scape. But a nearer view reveals the fact
| that not one man IN ten wears golf stock
| ings and knickerbockers Most of them
| wear long trousers which are of such ire
| proachable pattern that they would har-
| monize well with frock coat.
| After careful observation one discovers
| that much of this carelessness TO attire
! is due to a desire to look little like a
| novice as possible. Good players often
| wear all of the attire proper to and re-
| served for the game of golf alone. So a
safe course to follow would be to play
| your maiden games in skirt which rea ch-
| ed the ankles in front and dropped enough
| behind to catch the dew and dampness of
| the turf; cotton shirt waist of nondescript
| color, with the sleeves rolled UP above the
| elbows, and any outing hat in your ward
| robe which had seen service enough to
| take from it the reproach Of newness.
After a knowledge of the game has been
gained and the novitate is safely past. 1t
| is best to dress correctly and neatly for
golf as for the hunt-and for the latter
sport no deviation from neat and suitable
attire is ever seen
Fer all outdoor exercise dainty feminine
tundergarments are discarded. Laces and
| muslin are not suited to the work in hand.
| Union garments of silk, silk and wool or
of lightweight natural wool in the beige
| or castor color are best. over this may be
| drawn black tights or knickerbockers of
silk or mohair or any preferred material.
| Boned waists are preferable to corsets. but
| If the latter are worn they should be very
| short and elastic. AS the weather grows
colder the elastic Jersey flannel corset COW
| ers are of great value under the shirt waist.
| For, though one may begin the game on
| cold day with warm coat or cape over the
| shirt waist yet soon the warmth of the
| work will make it necessary to discard
| wraps. Not only is the freedom of the
| arms necessary, but 1t is a mistake to sup
| pose that the game of golf is a leisurely
one. Many miles are covered at d brisk
pace by good players, as natural curiosity
prompts one always to hurry forward to
| find the lie of the ball
| Skirts Heavy. but Short.
Golf skirts are made, as last year. of
heavy, doubIe-faced material. They grow
| longer and longer. and unless women make
| a stand they will soon reach the ground.
| They are often worn below the ankles now.
| The sensible set of women. however, wear
| enc skilt for both golf and cycling, which
| is at least six inches from the ground. l.
| is not as a rule made of the heavy double
| faced Scotch flannel. as this has been found
| quite too heavy for coats, although it
makes magnificent golf oapes. and coat
| is necessity with a wheeling costume.
There is little superffuouS fulneSs in the
| front of the golf skirts. If used for thai
| alone they are often gored In front and
circular in the back, If for bicycling
20
| skirts The latter are apt to keep their
, contour best.
Golf capes or red or green cloth golf
jackets are worn over the inevitable shirt
| waist. The golf capes are much longer
| than of yore. quite three-quarters length
| and are usually ntted in the back al
| though it is doubtful whether fitted cape
! is quite as convenient for play as the loose
| one, even when thrown back from the arms
| by means of the crossed straps. However,
| as was mentioned above, playing in
| coat or cape is not often necessary. and it
| is better to dress warmly enough to avoid
| it. Gilt buttons. with the initials of ones
| club upon them and revereS faced with
| the club color are a feature of both coats
| and capes. The red golf coats are by far
the most attractive bits Of color on the
| links. They are perfectly plain, not very
| long and must be fitted with great care
| Those who are fortunate enough to have
| figure which is fitted by the ordinary Gus
| tom cut clothing can purchase them ready
! made, and have the buttons and coiors of
| their own club put on. This is not only
| less expensive, out is nuch the WlSeSt plan
| unless one can afford the very best of
| tailors. Custom work is cut on good and
| generous lines, but the tailor is rare who
| does not entirely depart from his rule of
| long and generous lines when fitting a wo-
! man. Usually he has a theory that she
! wants everything skin tight. and nothing is
| more out of place and inartistic in cloth
| garments than d drawn or tight look.
| Coats of Brilliant Hues
The green golf coats made exactly
|
those who find the brilliant red too trying
| to their style of beauty.
| very striking costume for golf has
| plaid skirt and a coat of plain material
| fitted like the basque Of riding habit. 1t
| is very smart, indeed The objection to a
| coat with fitted fronts for golf is. however
| that one cannot wear a tight waist r.nder
| 1t, and thus the contour is apt to be spoiled.
| But although tight waists to play IN are
| out of the question. there is rhe golf waist
coat for women. made exactly ike the
| mems golf waistcuats. with sleeves and
| back of satin or silk and knitted or worstel
| fronts.
In spite of all attempts at innovation the
| shirt waist reigns supreme the golf
! waist par excellence. For the swing one
| Is carefully taught to give the club de-
| pends to great extent, the long g-distanca
| plays, and this swing can never be acquired
| if the arm is cramped in the socket. Fian-
| mel, velveteen or any warm, light-w eight
| material viii make suitable waists Plaid
| ana red HanneiS continue as heretofore TO
| be most used. OF course plain flannel waists
| are worn with plaid skirts and PLAID wais-s
| with plain flannel skirts, providing enc af-
| fects plaid waists at all.
Plaid Tests Good Taste.
| Plaids require discreet handling, and loud
| plaids. although the very smartest patterns
| on tall, slender people, should be eschewed
| by short or stout women. Almost every
one en- wear plads which are not very
| pronounced and as rule a plaid pattern
| is far more durable than a plain one 1t
! spots less and does not wear dingy look,
! "''"''~N exposed to wind and weather
, .Dc..--i.ig of exposure to the elements re-
! Copyright. 1898, Life Publishing Company