Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-05
ROBES DE LUKE.
Advancing Civilization Brings Keener
Regard for Good Dress.

From the Haberdasher
Advancing civilization brings with 1t a
keener appreciation Of the creature conn
forts, a nicer regard for the little refine
ments of dress and manner Of living. A
bathless race is generally a decadent race,
for cleanliness begets self-respect, self-re-
spect breeds ambition and ambition Is the
driving wheel that sends a nation spinning
onward toward the Utopian goal. We as a
nation have left the bathless and log cabin
age behind child sheds it's swaddling
clothes. We have learned that comfort
in living is made UP Of little things and in
our appreciation of those little things and
our ability to make them subservient to
our uses we yield to no other nation, how
ever proud its pedigree. 1t used to be that
the enjoyment of certain luxuries was con-
fined to the wealthy class. but today even
the middle classes and. to some extent
those low in the social scale. share in this
enjoyment. The average American with
only a moderate income lives in a style
that makes the visiting foreigner sit bolt
upright and rub his eyes. Things that he
regarded as concomitants Of luxurious nv-
ing the American regards as every day
comforts that he would no more dispense
with than with the telephone on his Office
desk, the typewriting machine beside It,
or the dozen and one devices which enable
him to transact business conveniently and
eXpeditiously.
This growing tendency toward more lux
urious living has been noted with gratifi-
cation by the makers Of house coats smok-
Ing jackets. breakfast coats. shaving suits,
lounging robes. bath gowns or by whatever
name one may choose to describe these
home garments. and the most costly and
sumptuous fabrics. the finest Innings and
trimmings and the highest degree Of artis-
tic handiwork are employed in their pro-
duction. The prices for the best imported
garments range from SIS upward into the
hundreds and. curiously enough, the cost
seems to be in no wise prohibitory. More
are sold today than ever before, and as
the workmanship is Of the carefulest 1t
is necessarily slow and consequently the
output Is limited. The most exclusive
shops take these goods and sell them the
year round, though. of course. the demand
is briskest toward holiday time. when they
make truly royal gifts.
In smoking Jackets all silk matelasse is
much favored. The garments are silk lined.
trimmed with silk cord and come in many
snowy designs. including the rich Persians.
They retail at $40 apiece. Silk and worsted
Jackets with plain stitched edge. satin lined.
and silk faced shawl collar sell for $50.
For velvet Jackets or breakfast coats
as they are also designated. silk lined and
with tuxedo collar. $25 Is asked. Broad
cloth jackets OF wine color. also seal
brown, myrtle green and navy blue. with
satin binding, from SIS upward. English
suiting cloth Jackets. silk cord trimmed and
frogged. fetch from $12 upward.
Bath robes come in imported camers hair
cloth with black silk velvet facing on col
lar. cuffs and pockets. silk cord trimmed
and with silk frogs and silk girdle These
retail at $685. Silk matelasse and brocaded
dressing gowns are satin lined and have
silk cord. silk frogs and silk girdles. They
cost SEQ apiece.
One would naturally fancy that the sales
of such costly garments would be sporadic,
but while the demand comes mainly from
shops with an exclusive clientele, quite
few are sold to large department stores
throughout the country and. odd to relate,
to some department stores that haven't
reputation for handling high-class goods.