Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-17
STYLES IN MEMS WEAR
COLOR rs TO BE VERY MUCH IN
EVIDENCE.
A Radical idea for Summer Afternoon
Dress, Making Use Of the
Dinner Jacket.
From the Haberiasber

alike and where even the least attempt at
originality Is frowned upon as a sartorial
solecism. Man has SO very much the worst
OF 1t In the matter Of variety in dress as
compared with the gentler sex, that any
little concessions that may be allowed on
the side Of either variety or color is most
acceptable. No matter how slight the vari-
alton from the standard of sombreness may
be, it becomes instantly noticeable. II in
diligence in these departures be encour-
aged, then fashions run riot, fads crop out,
and mans dress becomes little short Of
ridiculous. man cannot be too careful
of the liberties permitted by a very exact
ing mode. The air of simplicity and re-
fnement in attire must be preserved, and
this can be accomplished without entirely
eschewing all color. 1t is over-ornamenta-
tion delicate colors, over-indulgence in de-
cided colors, and the affectation of peculiar
arrangement and the cut of clothes that
makes man appear ridiculous. Com
pare the flashiy dressed man Of the race
track type to the well-groomed and con-
servatively attired merchant, and you In
stantly grasp the full meaning of the value
of proper dress Vivid hues in the cravat
or shirt, noticeable plaids in suitings, the
lavish display of jewelry or the wearing Of
garments Of peculiar cut are contrary to
the intent and the spirit of the mode, and
liberality in fashions If properly under
stood means the avoidance of these ex-
tremes and the conservation of those pre-
dominant Impressions made by well-bal-
anced garments that, while embodying
more or less color, do not assert 1t at the
cost Of every other consideration.
A New Idea.
There is an effort to introduce. the COM
Ing season, a new idea for afternoon wear.
This is nothing less than bringing in the
dinner jacket as an afternoon garment
The indorsers Of this new idea claim that
at the seaside, mountain and watering re-
,ol, No
the Bluff Point, the frock coat and silk hat
are entirely too uncomfortable to be worn,
and, therefore, must be ruled out as part
of the formal attire for day wear. The
new outfit would be made up of a dinner
jacket of soft black vicuna, with shawl
collar faced with silk, single-breasted
white waistcoat with gilt or black pearl
buttons, a very neatly striped, pleated neg
lige shirt. a highland collar and a tie of
dark hue, with an exceedingly neat pat
tern. The trousers would be of the same
material as the coat, and the shoes would
be low cut patent feathers, the half-hose
being of black silk with neat embroidery.
The hat would be split sennit sailor with
colored ribbon OF course this is a rather
radical suggestion, and I am not respon-
sible for it. There is, however, one very
good thing about it, and that is that 1t
would make dinner jacket really useful
However, speaking of the dinner Jacket,
reminds me that 1t Is about time that some
thing was said about it's proper place in
the summer wardrobe of man. / think
that 1t will be worn at hotel hops and small
dances and that it will be worn with the
coat should have ether gilt or black pearl
buttons, as the white. pearl buttons belong
exclusively to formal evening dress waist
coats. -1.U'. 'f''' " -''" "'H'
Handsome Belts.
There are a number of very handsome
things in belts for next summer, some Of
them costing as much as $40 apiece. Among
IL z4,x1a 40
of very fine Japanese leather in black
as well as tan. The belt is of the ring va
riety, the mountings being heavily gold
plated. Pigskin belts about one and one
quarter inch wide are to be extensively
worn. This is the genuine English pig,
stitched with yellow thread by saddler
hands. Watch Alberts as well as leather
fobs trimmed with gun metal. sterling sill
yer or gold will also be in favor.
One finds in the new shirtings not few
things which are novel and pleasing. 1t is
all very well to talk about the dignity of
neatness and quietness in mans apparel,
but when it is overdone, when one is con-
fined to black and white and gray, then
the advocacy Of gentility becomes cloak
for Puritianism and We hief' are likely to
revolt; in which case our Indulgence In
color becomes marked, and we go from the
extreme of -sombreness to tho extreme of
famboyancy. Therefore after a couple of
seasons of black and white and all white
shirtings, it is not at all surprising to find
great many dark grounds and quite brill
liant striped effects. In the new. pleated
shirts which, by the way, have very plain,
one-inch pleats, the solid eolors are. favored.
These are the new grays, sea greens, blues
and tans. The ox-bioods and the whites
are not counted among the favorites in the
smartest shops In the plain front shirts
the striped patterns are used, and 1t is the
plain front shirt which sells best. These
shirts are made with narrow cuffs which
have nipped-off points, and which are
stitched with the wide stitching. Instead
of the monogram of the wearer being en-
broidered on the left sleeve, the best trade
is now putting on the wearers crest or
single initial with the crest above 1t. For
golf, automobiiing, travelling and rough
country wear, the flannel shirts are still
chosen. The newest are in solid grays, or
in pnks, or they come in these colorS with
stripes in a contrasting shade. In the
striped patterns, white figures in some of
the best combinations as a ground color.
One need not fear to recommend in all the
color. The new tones and combinations
are beautiful and cannot be condemned on
the ground of loudness or unsuitabllity.
Collars and Cravats.
Practically the only collar that is shown
for spring and summer wear is the low or
rather medium height fold affair. These
will have outer folds that almost meet in
front and that are well rounded off at the
points Wide stitching is still prominent,
one or two very exclusive shops
have practically decided to go back to the
narrow stitching. But to me, this is rather
an unimportant detail.
The fold collar and the soft shirt will
go together and once the top
coat is laid aside they will be very much
in evidence The fold collar permits of the
wearing of but two types of cravat the tie
and the four-in-hand; and, unfortunately.
the forms in these two types are very lin
tied. The seasons tie will be perfectly
straight and with square ends, and will be
from one and three-quarters to two inches
wide. They will be made up softly and
will be tied tightly. The effects will be
very neat and the favorite materials will
be the new silk and linen cravatings and
the foulards. Four-in-hands will be in
various widths. but 1 think that the one
and three-quarter inch affair will be about
as narrow as they will be worn. OF course
there will be extremes, some of the freak
ish forms being less than an inch in width
but do not think that the shoe-string form
of cravat In any shape will appeal to we'll
dressed men. So long as fold collars are
worn, ties and four-in-hands of moderate
widths tightly tied, will prevail.
In half hose the trend is very decidedly
toward very neat effects and combinations
In dark co1orS There are two classes of