Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-05
FROM ACROSS THE SEA
HINTS ON MEMS DRESS FROM
ENGLISH METROPOLIS.
The Wonderful White Suit-Decadence
of the Panama-White Shirts for
General Wear.


novelty to record in the matter of lounge
suits. Jackets for ordinary wear are not
| made with the rolled lapel for the very
good reason that they are intended to be
worn buttoned. 1t is only outing" jackets
that retain this style. But have seen one
rev thing in materials for these suits. 1t
was blue cloth, very much the color of an
ordinary indigo serge, but it was not a
serge, it had a slight, practically invisible,
pattern in it-one of these unnoticed weav-
| ings which have so great effect on the
surface appearance of a cloth. But the dis
tInguisning feature Of this material was
red square in very fine lines, crossing each
other at & two-inch interval. The total eff
feet IS remarkably good, and while the
| thing can hardly be said to be on the mar
ket yet, SO that 1t assuredly cannot be re
corded as actually fashionable, should
| think that 1t might meet with good deal
of acceptance. But in one form of outing
suit there is decided innovation to be men
toned.
When the really hot weather comes this
summer it will be found that the high-class
river suit will no longer be made of flannel.
or rather of fiannel-tinshed angola, but of
serge or cashmere; and that both trousers
and JACKET will be pure white. 1t will be OBJ
served that 1 say nothing about The waist
coat. because on the river a waistcoat is the
mark Of the beast Only trippers wear
waistcoats on the Thames. The white suits
Will be made with the corners good deal
rounded, as indeed the corners of all jackets
are gradually tending to be made, and the
flaps of the pockets will also be much
rounded. Some of these flaps are made &C
tually Semi-circular-a weird effect; but
there Is no need to go all that length. There
will be no external handkerchief pocket-an
omission which l think regrettable, though
1t makes for smartness. Some tailorS are
emitting the ticket pocket. but this is
mistake; men want a place to carry
matches and there is no real objection in
heSe 1.yS of eyuuiaitply thin match boxes
against ticket-pocket made inside on the
left at about the height of the hip. Mother
| o pearl buttons, not too large are used, and
the lapoeis are rolled low. The trousers are
slightly looser than those worn with other
suits, and fairly long, as they will be worn
turned Up. Brown boots, SO much in evil
dence last year, will not be worn with this
suit, but white buckskn or white canvas
ones. Of course this suit will go admir-
ably with the rather Snowy shirtings which,
as l some time ago predicted here, are so
much the fashion this summer The proper
collar IS a fold with upright fronts if pre-
ferred, and certainly with rounded corners,
and the proper cravat a knot in black or
very dark blue, without any pattern. This,
l fancy, eXhaustS the subject of river dress.
Colored Shirts.
Although highly colored shirts are to be
worn on the river do not see any reason
for thinking that other than white shirts
will be worn in ordinary dress this year.
| Even soft-fronted white ones, or plain fam
mel shirts. are now not at all good wear
with a morning coat. But l notice that
some men wearing white shirts with
pleated front with the morning coat, and
a very cool and comfortable device this will
be when the warm weather sets In. With
a frock coat, however, stiff white shirt
must be worn All shirts are still made
with the .;iii-round' cuffs, and there is
not the least sign of this pattern being
abandoned as, indeed there is no reason
yrrl,1- x.tf t,i1 br ffx, ptNy
they soil quickly especially when an En-
glsh laundry has got in it's wicked work
on them) and they are apt to catch in the
sleeve lining of the coat when the latter is
being put on. On the other hand, the
old style of full-rounded cuffs looks
slovenly, while the small-round style has
both convenience and appearance to recon-
mend 1t to the public taste and comfort.
Being on the subject it may well be
mentioned that the best hat to be worn on
the River Thames this summer will be a
straw, with somewhat higher crown than
usual. and a black riband AS had occa-
sion to remark as early as last summer, the
Panama has outlived its greatest vogue.
To say this is not to imply that many peo-
pie and even many smart people, will not
| be wearing Panamas They often will. But
| the Panama has been so greatly vulgarized
| by cheap copies that even though the ex-
| pensiveness Of a real Panama may make
| some men who have invested In such hat
| reluctant to leave off wearing it until they
are obliged to, a strawyard will be the hat
| for the really smart crowd a Henley and in
| the upper reaches during the river season
| which sets in after Henley-which is early
| In July.
For Sports.
| For golf and other land sports the Nor
| folk suit continues to be the most approved
| outfit, and it is worn with low fold col
| lar and a colored knot. Harris tweed Is the
! most satisfactory material and browns and
| heather mixtures are the colors. though,
| indeed, there is ample latitude. The jacket
| is now often made with the pleats carried
| no farther down than the belt, but cannot
| say l care very much for the alteration,
which is accompanied by considerable
| roundng-of of the corners. A breast
| pocket under the pleat, cut vertically is
| common; but the usual side patch-pockets
| are retained. The knickerbockers made
| with this suit are now of the cloth entirely;
| we no longer put box-cloth ends on any
| thing except riding brooches of whipcord.
| The stockings worn are of rough Scotch
| knit, and without pattern.
There is not much that is new in the de-
| partment called "cravatana." The puff
| and the Ascot are the alternatives for frock
| coat wear; puffs and sometimes knots are
| worn with the black morning coat; knots
| with the fancy morning coat and the
| jacket; bows nowhere except, of course
| with evening dress. very agreeable
range of cravat silks especially for loose
ended knots and puffs, has been introduced
| and is finding favor with very exclusive
rich. dull-surfaced, hand-loomed silk of a
| smoke gray ground color rather warmer
| in tint than gray suede glove; and it has
| moderate-sized design-spot pattern, the
| spots being entirely separated, and not join
| ed by any intersecting line pattern. The
| effect, especially with a black or gray
morning coat, IS extremely pleasing, and l
| should not be surprised to see quite a rage
| spring up for this thing the season goes
| along.
Collars
In collars the most important thing to be
recorded is the distinct differentiation which
| has established itself in regard to the wing
shape. The wing collar is the formal collar
! of this years London spring season, and
| the wings themselves are larger than they
| were last year by nearly IS per cent,
| though they are not folded any further
| back In other words, If the collar were
| laid out fat the wings would be seen to
| project beyond the end lines of the tabs.
| Thus the opening at the middle of the
| neck between the wings, Is small, but the
| wings themselves are fairly large. But the
point of differentiation Is in the shape of
the corners, and l wish to make it very
clear. These corners can be either sharp or
| rounded The round-cornered wing collar