Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-14
FROM ACROSS THE SEA
HINTS ON MEMS DRESS FROM THE
ENGLISH METROPOLIS.
The Tendency of Winter Trouserings-
Overcoats, Two Innovations and
Rumor-The Double Collar.


plete but there have since been couple OF
innovations and a rumor, of which fancy
that more may be heard. The first 1nnova-
ton is the new II rather the revived, snort
Chesterfield. Longer than a covert coat
and more loosely built, 1t comes down the
legs to point Immediately above the knee,
leaving the point of the latter articulation
quite free. 1t is single-breasted and has a
cloth collar. The back is loose and spread
ing the neck opening fairly high, and there
are no openings behind as in covert coat.
This makes it a little awkward to SIT down
in But it is not intended for sitting down.
1t is a walking coat, designed Tor winter
use. The materials used for making 1t are
the same as l predicted would be In use 1or
winter Chesterfields generally, and 1t may
be said in passing that what foretold last
month has proved to be quite accurate.
Long Overcoats.
The other innovation relates to long over
coats, especially those still made Tor men
who have become enamored of the material
of rough friczes and mixtures or herring
bone homespuns, of which, but only for
country wear, T.. ore are being made than
had altogether anticipated. The colors no"
used for such coats, which are entirely un-
silk hat, are exclusively black and gray
mixtures No perceptibe patterns and no
colors properly so called are used at all
In some of these coats an idea mentioned
by a long time ago in connection win
gray frock coats has been revived-a new
thing in the overcoat department, anu
therefore righteously classable as an 1nno-
walton. 1t is thin piping Of black VelVet
down the Single preasteO front. ana ro ,,
the wrist seams. l cannot pretend TO IKE
this idea, which seems to me REDUNDANT
and out of place, especially on coat in
tended for driving and outdoor sports
which must frequently be accompanied by
rain in this climate of ours; but there is
sort of feeling that If the homespun over
coat is to go on at all it must have some
sort Of new touch about it, and l suppose
this accounts for the idea.
Now I come to the rumor. AZ you KNOW.
q good many overcoats this winter Will De
made with whole backs but there Is sug-
gestion in the air that as an alternative 10
this they might be made with whole sides.
If may use the term In other words, II IS
proposed to try the effect of abolishing all
the vertical seams In the architecture of the
coat, except the seam down the middle OF
the back. I do not altogether like the quar-
ter of the trade from which this notion
emanates, though it has the critical sane
ton of good authority 1t cannot be
called West End innovation. But It may
prove a success and the west may take
it up.
AS the winter comes on, though we have
had no signs of really cold weather yet,
cold weather articles are being got ready,
and one thing which think will have run
is the antelope glove This glove is made
with the hair on 1t outside just as reindeer
gloves with the hair left on inside were
made last year. The latter did not prove
an entire success, as they made the hands
look too bulky like puddings,' as an ag-
grieved clubman said to me. The new glove
explains itself, and I think it will almost
entirely supersede seal fur gloves for mo-
toring.
Winter Trousers.
The tendency of the winter as regards
trousers for best suits will be in the dtrec-
ton of holder design without change Of
color or material; that is to say, gray and
blue-gray cashmere stripe will be the usual
choice, but the stripes will be broader. A
similar tendency to holiness of design will
mark the tweeds used for winter lounges.
about which 1 hope to have news to send
next month. Meantime 1t is to be noted
that there is a tendency to make lounge
Jackets less square and less forward
fronted' than last year, and the craze for
rolled 1apels will be found to be in abey-
ance. for very good and self-evldent rea-
sons in winter suits. which certainly re
quire to be buttoned especially as they Will
mostly be worn under an overcoat.
Single-breasted is a phrase which has &C.
Cured many times in the foregoing re-
marks. and have to apply 1t again to Win
ter Jackets and waistcoats. OF truth
there seems to be dead set against dou-
BILE -breasted garments of all kinds just now.
Even white evening waistcoats are made
single-breasted exclusively for the moment,
and the same applies to the fancy waist
coats which 1t Is so marked tendency Of
this winter to wear with jacket suits.
Plainly cut, collarless flannel waistcoats
mot knitted ones at the present time) are
being worn with all lounges, not as an ex-
elusive thing, for a ditto walstcoat is al
ways supplied, but as an alternative, and
many men in ordering suit will order SIX
waistcoats at the same time, one to match
no ind nf va n
mel Gilt buttons are obsolete, and the
Tattersall waistcoat proper has also shown
no signs of coming into general use.
Riding suits may be mentioned as an ex-
ception to the last remark. They have gen.
orally a high-cut, single-breasted Tattersall
waistcoat to them, and the breeches are
usually made of shepherds plaid or some
other check and not of the old favorite
whipcord, though the latter can perhaps
never be entirely ousted. 1t should be noted
that the ends of all riding breeches are now
made with silked laceholes and held to-
gether with silk laces, in place Of the old
buttons and buttonhoies. The riding coat
is made of stoutly milled vicuna. and has q
velvet collar so readers will perceive that
the equestrian outfit of these isles Is a
fairly gay affair at present.
The New Double Collar.
The same may be said of new double
collar which l came across some weeks
| ago, and which have only too much rea-
| son to accuse America of having produced.
| 1t was higher than most collars of the
| same form current in the English market,
| but of approximately the same shape,
| though 1t is never very easy to keep the
| fronts perpendicular Gas the present mode
| decrees) when a double collar is over two
! inches high. But it was in another respect
! that the collar / refer to innovated. 1t was
| i postpone the disclosure long pos
| sble that the readers nerves may brace
up-it was, in short. coloredi Make what
| you will of it. The colored double collar
| has arrived. And the effect, when the first
| shock had been sustained, was, after all
not so bad. Worn with a sporty sort of
| lounge suit. 1t positively didn't look amiss.
| AS for other uses of the double collar-the
white one-I again exhort the cultivated
readers of the Haberdasher not to pay
| heed to certain losels who would have them
| believe that the double collar is being worn
with tailed coats 1t is, but not by any one
who knows better and in spite of para
| graphs which have got into the papers,
| there is not the smallest shred, fragment
| title, iota or jot of sanction for the idea
| that the established rule which made the
| double collar once and for all. from the
moment of its regretted birth to this day OF
mercy, an undress garment. incompatible
alike with coat-tails and with tall hats. is
| abrogate.
| But there is one other salutary, IL unwrit-
ten characterization, that Is, In leg
II. 7 l~C,rN Cot ~ l,,Ilr