Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-19
KING EDWARDS TAILoRs
The British Monarch is Declared TO Be
the Best Dressed Man in Europe.


The relations between royalties and their
tradesmen are naturally invested with con-
siderable secrecy. and it is by no means an
easy matter to get glimpse of a king In
the role of a customer A snort time ago,
however, the writer was foctunite enough
u meet gentleman who for some years
was one of King Edwards tailors. and to
learn from him certain IacIs which can
sea- Ceiy fail to prove inreresting and
which there can be no harm IN publishing
King Edward" this ger tleman said
may well DE called the best-dressed man
III Europe, for have never known any one
who has such a genius-genius is the only
word that describes his gift-fpr knowing
what 10 wear and how to wear 1t Under
other conditions he might certainly have
made name and a fortune by his sartcrial
skill.
While other men will spend half an hour
in choosing a pattern for a pair of trous-
ers, the prince. as he was in my time. would
select dozen IN as many minutes, and
each one was faultleSs IN tlsie 1t used
10 be my duty to wait on him by appoint
ment at Marlborough House with patterns
and L can truly say that I vas never. de-
tanned more than minutes or a quarter
of an hour, although in that short time he
would choose patterns for perhaps a hun
dred pounds worth of clothes
Eleven o'clock in the morning was the
lnvarlable time. and on the very first stroke
of the hour the prince would enter The
room from his library, and. after a CHEEKY
Good morning. get to wo.k in the most
business-like way imagina ole. His punc-
tuality, by the way, was something maZ-
ing; never knew him to be n minut, late
Once, indeed it was just two minutes past
ii by my watch when he made his appear
ance and L thought for once ha 4 caught
the prince mapping. But found later that
1t was my watch and not mis- royal high
ness that was wrong
BY the way. ought to tell you Of how
he once quietly rebuked me for unpunc-ual-
lty had been detained in the street by an
old friend l hadn't seen for many years,
and reached Marlborough House ten min
ing me; but, to my relief, all lie said was,
Good morning Mr.. -. You see ! have
beaten you this time Of course 1 ex-
planned the reason for my lateness. and he
mace the klndest inquiries about my friend
Occasionally, as he chose fist one pat
tern and then another, he would 90 me the
honor or consulting me. Don't You think
this will make up well. Mr. - or .'This
is pretty cloth, don't you think So? and
1t was by no means merely out of petite
ness that Endorsed his choice for il was
always unmpea chable
He would often too drop in NJ nv n,,ca
to look at any new patterns l might have
and would bring one or both of his song
with him. He never attempted to influence
ms sons choice: but | always noticed that
they followed his lead and chose the same
patterns as himself-in which they were
very wise On these occasions be would
frequently have a long chat with me on
would discuss the relative merits Of chew
lots and saxonies pilot cloths and beavers
diasonals and vicunas, and the anowledee
he showed of all the techn;c.lirias of NV
art used to amaze me.
Of course the king pays Il good price for
ms clothes, but by means the saroy
prices commonly believed and he aIwa,rs
gets good value for his money. In eact, If
you to order the same things Won
Woul ave to pay just the same prices
FOR l-ousers, for instance, lie paws from 81
10 90 shllllngs pair; frock coat and vest
will cost him to 10 guineas: an evening
suit perhaps . guineaS more, and a tweed
suit, guineaS
His wardrobe as you may imagine. is
very extensive He rarely wears pair of
trousers more than three or four times and
he must get through a hun lred pajrs a
year. He orders a dozen evening suits year
~ and other clothes in like proportion: so
that his clothes, apart from uniforms. must
make big hole in thousand pounds a
year.
AS for the kings uniforms, 1 scarcely
thlnk he himself could give offhand the
NUMBER or them though he could describe
each of them down to the minutest item
ana could tell at glance If any detail were
wrong. In fact, l should say the king has
almost the most remarkable memory in
England for many things. His uniforms. I
should imagine, number nearly a hundred
ana should put down their cost at some
thing like 10000
Fortunately, the king is rapid dresser,
and can get out of and into his cl,shcs In
remarkably quick time. Indeed, of all the
customers have ever had, not one has dis
played such dexterity in this way IS the
king. In his younger days ne ha rather a
weakness for pronounced clothes but for
many years his taste has been irreproach-
able for neatneSS. The simpler his clothes
are the better ne likes them, and of them
all lie prefers his yachting suits of blue
serge or a quiet tweed suit while to FRI ok
coats and evening suits he IS by no means
partial