The morning news., 1899-12-31
THE FRoCK COAT TOILET.
1T Is TO BE SEEN IN IT'S GLORY
JUST NOW AT AFTERNOON TEAS.


Buttons Are of Rose GoId-Dia-
mOnds Worn by the Very Smartest
Men.
New York. Dec. 2S.-Just at the moment
at those receptions held in honor of de-
butante girls, the greatest number of
fashionably dressed men can be found
gathered together. The frock coat toilet
is then to be seen in its highest glory.
and if present indications are significant
of the future, then the proper combina-
zion for the season is to be black coat
and trousers with white plque. tan or
grayish plaid waistcoat. Taking the aft
ernoon toilet in detail and from the ground
up shoes wholly of patent leather are
held in first esteem. Those with vamps
Of vanished leather and tops of duh
finished dongola are of secondary consid-
Grafton, but whether wholly or in part
of the glazed skin they all show round
English toes and are laced.
Afternoon trousers, let it be known by
the ambitious, never show their hens up
turned, but falling gracefully upon the
brightly lacquered shoe and some black
trousers have been seen showing a black
herring bone stripe woven through the
even mesh of the goods and conveying
the contrast effect to the gray trouser
without really varying the tone at all.
Last season the model frock coats fell
Just one inch or three-quarters in the
skirt below the knee. This winter thew
are but a shade longer, their rather
broad lapels are faced with black silk
and the modish man, in drawing room,
where he viii be expected to stand and
talk to women kind, keeps his frock but
toned close.
Few men indeed have ever acquired the
art of arriving In an amply full drawing
room on reception afternoon with an
air Of graceful composure that clearly
signifies their habitual intercourse with
fashionable society. Too many of the
sterner sex appear with less ease than a
lion tanner enters a wild beasts cage,
while those who assume an air of bland
composure thrust the left hand into the
trousers pockets and stand before the
hostess with the pseudo Chesterfieldan
swagger of a third-rate barn storming
actor in drawing room scene.
The Drawing Room Manner.
A graduate from the very up-to-date
school of fashionable department leaves
his hat, stick and coat in the hallway.
draws off his gray right hand glove, and
holding it in his left, appears snugly but
toned as to coat before his hostess. If
her hand is extended he presses it gently
in his own, bearing In minds as he does
so that she wears rings and that stern
gripping of her fingers will give her in
tensest pain. He keeps her fingers with
his clasp while bystander could count
four slowly, holding them at the level ex-
aetly at which she gave them and bowling
gracefully as he does So If the debutante
al her side is too occupied with her bou-
quets to offer her hand he BOWS in recog-
milton of her salutation; bow that is not
mere shrug nor an ugly lurching for
ward and elongation of the neck. but an
oDelsance that SavorS in its dignity and
precision of the German officers bow The
body IS inclined gracefully from the hips,
lhe mead bent in harmony and the hands
dropped easily at the sides, and an ex-
temely stately salutation is made when
friend is recognized across the room,
When introduced to woman who does not
oner her hand and in modified form
When feminine friend puts out her deli
cately sloved fingers for the firm mascu-
hhe pressure that must never be accompa-
med by a shake.
The man who stands in a private draw
ing room talking to women should forego
the obnoxious habit Of putting his hands
IN his pockets or standing with his arms
complimentary. With his hands behind
MS back or before him and holding the
enqs of his gloves his best and most dig
Hlned attitude Is maintained and after
passing into the dining room he may ap-
propriately open his coat to reveal the
spiendors Of his Immediately white waist
coat and his fob.
The New Gold.
model fob shows but length of fine
closely meshed fold links forming an open
worked band or rose finished gold about
lAe length and with a fob ribbon.
Al the bottom of the fob hangs a carved
Eoid ornament with a fiat base on which
are cut the arms or the initials of the
V"her' and the peculiar new rose finish
ON the gold gives the surface of the preci-
Gus metal the aspect of the costliest en-
eng done in pale coral pink.
from the fob an observant eye will
Hulekiy glance to the mcdish mans sleeve
INKS that are small medallion of colored
Snlseied gold. Rose, green. blue OF
brown, 1t is now possible to the makers
Vi JeWeiry to bring out any one of these
natural colorlngs in the yellow metal and
ms particular treatment or gold finds
great favor in the eyes OF the wei dressed
men, whose favorite pattern in sleeve links
snoWs on one medallion the owners in
.las or arms and on the others wo-
man head, the hair blown back and the
eyes lifted toward a star that takes the
form Of tiny. deep-set diamond.
The spHrI<Ier's Return.
Diamonds, by the way in spite Of all the
h"lFe conservatism of the average man,
FAelrate now and again into the jewel
,aSe OF The most careful beau, and this
winter for afternoon dress no neckue or
lament is so conspicuously ana frequently
@olh as a delicate horseshoe of small per-
1uy white brilnants. l would seem that
'e 'arge deeply colored neckties of the
aS2n' and most especially those for az
'n"on use, demand some ornament that
u introduce a contrast Of high light ana
.is me diamonds most assuredly do. Few
I " whose clothes signify great taste ia
mon, buy their neckties ready made
c1'erers 90 masculine wardrobes dis
10y squares OF silk and brocade Of divers
ana instead OF buying a he made
lne shopper chooses and purchases a
'l' OF rich red and black. or violet and
gray bioclded six and orders hls
'N' iherefrom he ls in consequence
i ~ a0meihing more exclusive in