Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-09
EMBELLISHMENTS CLOTHES.
Dressing for Dinner and National
Character.

London Correspondence New York Sun.
The contention Of the man who makes
the frequent changing Of clothes a religious
ly observed ritual is something like this:
Neither fashion, in the accepted sense of
the word, nor personal vanity has any
thing to do with it. The great master of
Trinity College. Cambridge, DR.. Thompson,
was blamed by an envious one for "devot-
ing what time he could spare from the neg
lect of his duties to the adornment of his
person." This was putting the case against
changing in the sourest terms. The master
of Trinity was probably a saner man than
his grabbed critic. The Justification of his
proceedings lay in their wholesome effect
on his physical and nervous system Like
the generality of his kind, he had to keep
that system in hand The mere breaks in
his day occupied in the process of changing
the half hour or less taken to dress for
dinner-the exponent of the system declares
are all to the good. He puts any of his
days business concerns aside with his days
business clothes. In fresh attire he has a
fresh outlook. AS a tonic to his skin he
finds nothing better than to get out of one
set of underwear into another. 1t points
to phenomenon that sometimes puzzles the
onlooker as justifying his system.
There is the rule that every broker on
the London stock exchange must wear a
silk hat and that every barrister practic-
ing in the courts must appear in black coat
and waistcoat. The new broker who enters
the exchange in other headgear will find it
wreck in very few seconds, and the
novice at the bar who gets up to address
the judge in white waistcoat or a gray
suit has been known to get this admonition
from the bench, Il cannot hear you In that
dress" and the client has to suffer until his
lawyer dons the regulation garb. The rule
is as firmly established as the clergyman's
black broadcloth and plain white neck
band. The wearing of similar clothes in
transacting similar business by those who
alone are legally entitled to do it-be it
dealing in stocks or arguing law cases
brings those concerned. says this dress
philosopher. on a correct professional plat
form. 1t brings them eye to eye in regard
AS one who Is an enthusiast, besides a
thinker. he maintains that all the Wanted
Anglo-Saxon greatness is founded on the
sagacious instinct for repeatedly changing
clothes. He will himself analyze the mat
ter In his private smoking room. having not
only dressed for dinner earlier in the even
ing, but put aside his black tail for a dandy
maroon smoking jacket. 1t is the apotheosis
of the cult.
All this has a very direct bearing on
England's terrible fiscal problem. 1t has
not been handled so far-it would be heart
less to turn a fresh phase of their troubles
before a distracted public. 1t is circum-
stance that should give great aid and COM
fort to the dry goods business. The more
clothes everybody buys and wears, even
the very poor. the greater will nation be-
come. No need to put tariff barriers
against foreign imports, In the interest of
fuller enjoyment for the workingman here.
just everybody buy lots of suits, change
them often and get others often; then
wages and employment will boom and the
empire be saved.