Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-22
STYLES IN MEMS WEAR
DANGER OF EXCESSIVE CoNSER.
vATISM POINTED OUT.
Just What Exclusiveness in Dress
Means and the Difficulty In Preserv-
ing It-Solid Colors Reign.
From the Hsberdes her.


Alike in the essentials and tie incidentais
of dress. the winter is 10 be season of
extreme moderation. Coiors in both suit
ings. cravatings and shrtings are subdued.
and there is marked leaning toward solid
shades rather than mixtures. The familiar
deep browns and the newer grays i'm jacket
and morning suits well evidence the drift
or the mode. Really. We have reached the
safe and sane pe-iod in dress when softness
ana richness OF color and fabric gn
preme. There is danger, however, that
fashion become too nondescript and be
shorn OF a certain positive quality which IS
necessary to give it distinctiveness. Hence
l will be glad If spring brings revival Of
brighter colors and cheerier effects Already
there Is proneness to wear craVats cf
more characterize design in filner and
more lustrous silks. and stripes plads ana
checks in suitingS are beginning to reasseri
themselves. If | We're asked tn name tie
chief attribute of correct dress | would
say-ap preparedness. 1t isn't the man vnp
goes to the cighty-dollar Tailor or has hts
shirts cut by the dozen who is well dressed.
for some of the most slaring examples OF
how not to do it are to be found among the
well-born, the well-connected and the we'll
TODD. 1t is the man who dresses appro-
priately to occasion and circumstance. VINO
has a perception of the fitness of things.
intutive or acquired. that has mastered
the problem of correct dress. Therefore |
have always counseled my readers to study
themselves, find what IS most becoming %
them. and stick to 1t. Following every turn
and twist of fashion may he fascinating.
but 1T leads man to make fright or
himself, for all things cannot in reason be
suited to one man. He who changes tho
shape of his hat every time me makers
change the shape of theirs misses utterly
the fundamental law of fitness in dress and
becomingness to each individual.
Exclusiveness.
One of the principal reasons why tho
mode is constantly changing IS the nimble-
ness of the second-class tailor haberdasher
and bootmaker in adopting, or. to he more
precise, adapting. exclusive ideas. To the
man of cultivated taste exciusiveness is the
be- all and end-all of clothes; he must dress
differently from the masses. not alone I'm
the big things, but In the little things as
we'll To illustrate. the skirted frock
overcoat is being done to death just now
the avenues with alphabetical APP
pendix. and therefore the best-dressed men
are dropping 1t in favor of the plain over
sack. a few seasons ago the broad fold
ed-in four-in-hand was introduced an
exclusive form, which, IL was believed was
proof against the copyists, because IL took
a deal of material to make il. Today fold
ed-in fOur-in-hands are sold IN the shops
for 30 cents and Popularity claims them
as its own. Now the wel-dresScd man is
going back to silk lined four-in- hands but
the crowd will follow and once more a
has been quite vulgarzed.
We Americans have grown into ardent
sportsmen and no other race, save the
English. can pit its prGwess on the field
against ours. The fashions In clothes for
games, while not arbitrary those
which apply to ordinary dress are never
theless, weIl-defined The skater usually
wears knickers. a brightly colorcd knitted
jacket, long stockings. Shetland wool cap
and knit gloves. This is simple and APP
propriate costume not without IA touch Of
picturesqueness. There ar" special skating
shoes made to hold the skates firmly ANA
yet soft enough round the ankle to give
ease and suppleness of movement Riding
and polo leggings are varinTsly fashioned
of calfskin, piSskin, oOz" leather and OF
boXcloth.
Shirts and Cuffs
Fold cuffs are now being put upon all tho
fine white shirts for wear with the evening
Jacket, and the Jacket is wholly informal
the fold cuff is appropriate. II Is bad form,
though on the white shirt eor wear with
the tail coat, regardless of who sponsors
it. The pearl studs WORT in the bosom Of
the evening shirt this winter are large,
and too is the white tie. which is rd-
juSted into full. broad knot and lies
straight across the collar. on the white
evening waistcoat pearl or enamelcd but
tons not clothcoVered ones. are used. Nari-
Gus fa brics are brought our each season for
the white waistcoat but nothing looks bet
ter than spotleSs duck pquc or self-figurei
newer
show figured bodies With plain bosomS and
cuffs An odd novelty in an evening glove
is a white glace family stitched on the
back with yellow silk. Though it cannot
be dOgmatically laid dCUn that the white
waistcoat is improper with the evening
jacket. yet there is "A sentiment in favor OF
reserving white for formal evening dress
and wearing a gray Waistcoat with the
jacket. This is now most always done.
For horseback riding the "Eqlli-Dede''
coat which | described AT the time OF It's
Introduction. is smart. II hangs straight
from the riders shoulders somewhat after
the manner of a skirt and trails over the
saddle. The cut of the garment IS decidedly
English. For shooting or winter golfng
there is the so-called 'yrlit' coat I'm APP
pearance like a cape. with which Knockers
are worn. A capital idea in shooting clothes
are ''game-feather tweeiS" which come in
the shades OF autumn foliage and in coli
ors akin to the plumage of birds and are
designed to mask the hunter from his game.
Knitted jackets are much in favor Just
now for all outdoor uses. and they may
be had with silk wool sleeves or sleeve
less. Cardigan jackets are seldom used for
any purpose.
For Motoring.
Motoring in winter demands fur over
coats of dogskin, goatskin or coonskin
with gloves. boots and caps to match.
Leather jackets waistcoats and trousers in
black and tan are not pretty, though very
comfy" Leather caps may be had with
or without side flaps. Buckskin is tn, hest
leather for motoring gloves Shetland hand
knit half mitts are excellent for any sport
which requires the hand 10 he protected
and yet the fingers left free. Seal. raccuon
and bearskin caps are snug for tramping
and shooting in the mountains. / like the
Tam OShantcr for skating particularly on
young man, ii is Of the pretti.st
and most picturesque of all the headcov-
erings that can be worn.
The growth of motoring from n sport of
he. far 10 a CT Of l.
some distinctive mode of dress necessary
for the present multiplicity of types OF
garments is confusing. One seldom sees
a motorfst who is suitably or becomngly
dressed and none who looks comforta bic
and at ease in his clothes. The trouble is
that We have dressed too much according
tn and