Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-11-22

various shades of gray.
| am continually being asked what
styles of overcoats will be the smartest
for this autumn and winter; whether
the raglan will continue to be worn,
and whether there Is anything dis
tinctly new in shape and finish. To
answer the last question first; there
are several new coats, but they can
hardly be called distinct, because they
combine to some extent the charater-
istics of older styles. This must neces-
sarily be SO.
For instance, at one of the fashion
able tailors is coat made Of rather
heavy dark brown material, SINGLE
breasted, with fly bnttoning. In length
it is about aS inches, and it has raglan
shoulder seams, yoke, or rather
double stitching iu four pointed soal-
lops across the front, running up to
the shoulder scam near the sleeve seams
on both sidss; and broad box seam
down the middle of the back from the
collar to the bottom edge.
There are, besides this model a num-
Der of coats combining the general
styles of the raglan and the ThotndylSe,
all much the same 10 general shape,
but differing somewhat in the yoke
effects, in the seams, and in the placing
and set of the pockets. They have, 80
far as | know, no di stinct names and
are special rather than general fashions.
The coat generally known as the
Chesterfield Is also cut and finished in
several ways. 1t may be rather short,
and hang only an inch or two below
the knees, and be fairly close fitting,
| or very long and with loose full
| hnnlx This hmm al vl t,aav haua al 4
at the back or be made without slit d.
may have square set side pockets with
flaps and a breast pocket without flap.
or slit side, pockets set vertically and
no breast pocket. The sleeves may have
turned back cuffs, or be finished plain
with only the usual stitching. Again,
there are shorter box.cut Chesterfields,
with single.stitched, double stitched,
or strapped seams; there are double-
breasted boX-cut coats, and there are
various styles of coat having a distinct
cut-in at the waist and long skirts
falling moderately straight, or with
somewhat of flare.
The covert, il of correct material,
and OF proper cut and finish, although
making nofgreat claim to smartpess, ia
still a useful light coat, which is still
worn by smartly dressed men over sack
jackets and dinner coats. The Inverness,
en- the other hand. has gone entirely
out Of fashion, and is now rarely seen.
Coat models in which waist and skirts
are clearly defined as, for instance, tht
kennel coat, are becoming to some men,
and, If correctly made, they are correct
as to fashian. During last winter and
spring the kennel was decidedly il
vogue.
Personally, / do not care for the GOA
with the box plat down the back, men
toned above, or for the other combina
tions of the Thot ndyke and raglan. with
their intricate arrange meuts of seams
but the plain yoked coats, made rathe
loose and long, are often modish, snc
the raglan for rain or storm coat il
good.
There is still some difficulty in givint
the precise standing of the raglan il
the scale of this years fashions. 1t Il
undoubtedly worn by well-dressed men
, but for fair-weather dress garment i
is not as smart as it was last autumn
Its sudden popularity and therefor,
, resulting commences probably explain
, The reason of the change. As countr,
| coat, for driving, or as a rainyday coat
, made of waterproof material, it is a.
!
none better. For such use it Shout,
he made very long to protect the ley
/ from wind and rain. l have seen som
! exceedingly good looking cloths know
d as English raglan coating. imaorte
/ from London for this particular pur
J pose. They are in several designs O
' patterns and finished to be waterproof
9 II is hard to say which of the coat
/. mentioned is the most smart, but in m
a opinion that fer all around wear, sup
: posing man can have only one coat
the long, loose single breasted Chester
+. field is the best. 1t ia much worn b
q smartly dressed men, or perhaps shout
v say. the many men whom have see
I wearing it have looked extremel
a smartly dressed. Generally speaking
# overcoats of all types, except. of COURSE
r such as are intended to be very short
:. like the covert coat, have most styl
n when cut very long. The Chesterfield
o is equally good for day or evenin
s wear, with derby as well as hig
Il hat