Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-06
FROM ACROSS THE SEA
STYLUS IN MEMS DRESS FROM
ENGLISH METRoPoLIs
Some Outing Suits for the Coming
Summer-Evening Dress, Mater
ials and Details.

frock and full dress morning suits the same
almost unvarying material, fancy stripe
cashmere. 1t is refreshing to be able to
chronicle coming change During the
summer to which we are looking forward I
anticipate that some very highly placed
leaders of fashion will give their sanction
to checked patterns for formal trousers,
and that their lead will be taken up by a
considerable number of London society
men. The result will be a marked popular
demand. l do not suppose that this change
Is going to be universal. There are good
reasons for the long vogue en1oyed bv
striped materials. Lines following the d.
rection of the limb have very great advan-
tages from the point of view of the aesthe-
tician. They make for a becoming effect in
trousers. But all the same, the time for q
variation has come.
Jackets.
Jackets. as l have predicted long ago,
show tendency to revert to the older form
at the lower corners, and the long roll to
the lapel which was SO much run into the
ground last year shows signs of decadence.
AS matter of fact this collar was intro
duced for river and lawn-tennis jackets;
and for these it will. during the coming
summer at all events, continue to be cor
rect. though not Indispensable. But by an
alteration for which 1t Is to be feared that
rolled lapel was extended also to ordinary
jackets, and even to morning coats the last
garment very ill-adapted for 1t. Presently,
IN the winter, came the spectacle Of men
outtoning single-breasted jackets and morn
ing coats by the bottom button, In order to
get an overcoat over them without deform-
ing the fronts; and presently deluding
themselves with the idea that 1t was well
to be seen In houses and drawing-rooms
with coats thus fastened. a grisly spectacle!
Even now. some morning coats are made
with the rolled lapel and some jackets for
general use. But the men whose habits
matter have gone back to the old shape;
and in fact 1t may be easily seen that
coat or jacket that is to be worn but
toned cannot well have a rolled collar.
Now the temporary unseemliness of open
coats has vanished. the rolled lapel cannot
be long In working itself out.
Outing Suits.
1t is desirable to warn readers of this let
ter against the statement, widely published
In London. that the river and walking suits
Of the present year will revert to the pat
tern having a dark self OF mixture back
ground and thin line over 1t. AS a matter
of fact do not at all expect that stripes
will be greatly In evidence The era of the
checked pattern is opening. / think that
the most likely color scheme is silver-gray:
but something must necessarily depend
upon the kind of summer that we get. If
1t Is fine and warm and sunny there Is lit
tie doubt that my prediction of silvery
gray will turn out right. If, on the other
hand, we should have another somber rain
sodden year. darker colors. probably black
and white mixtures and good deal of fine
finished serge. of the weave called here by
the name "Estemena," will be worn. In any
case outing shirts will be bold in design and
rurEing to stripes. The latter factor of the
situation, which had become inevitable
some weeks ago. might have saved the peo-
pie who have gone their pile on striped
suitings from ridiculous error. Stripes
of one kind in the suit, and of another kind
In the shirt could hardly come into use to-
gether. Regarding the materials for these
suits the only thing that calls for remark
is that true flannel is hardly ever If at all.
used. / doubt If 1t ever was. This year the
hannel-finished angolas which the public
calls flannel will have little silk in them;
l fear that the cheaper grades will have
mercerized Egyptian cotton instead. But
in this connection I shall be grateful to
readers who will remember my prediction
that light weights of cashmere will be
good deal seen this year, replacing the not
wholly satisfactory angolas.
Cravats.
Cravats this season run to considerable
variety. For frock coat wear, and the frock
coat isn't obsolete. just because the morn
ing coat now ranks with 1t as full dress,
some very handsome Spitalfelds and Mac
clesf1eld silks in wide ended shapes for ty
ing puffs are being worn. They have rich
and lustrous all-over pattern, with neat
white as well as in colors. has a great
vogue. With morning coat. whether of
the full dress or the informal kind, a knot
is now entirely correct, and 1t need not be
plain self-cOlored one; many very seemly
sailors are in dark gray or black with
white pattern. For jackets, as the latter
have a pretty conspicuous pattern. knots OF
one plain color continue to be worn. There
~ 49, n
kind of loosely woven silk. described of
English weaving (but 1t Is certainly not
hand woven), with considerable rib effect.
This has sold we'll; but do not think that
it can have given much satisfaction to Its
wearers, as the texture lacks solidarity. and
the knot therefore presents bad effect.
Still less do l like some heavy German
silks. weighted with cotton in the warp
and with all the metallic adulteration that
the dye stuffs will stand to boot and then
unblushingly sold as Spitalields. American
import houses will do well to look out for
this fraud, a bare-faced one.
Motor Costumes.
Motor garments are beginning to have
certain fashion to govern them. Just now,
the long paletot with Prussian collar is still
being worn. 1t is made very loose. the
back having considerable draping. 1t Is
double breasted and buttons close to the
collar. which very often is covered with
form to wear astrakhan or Persian lamb on
an automobile. But this is essentially
heavy weather garment. In the summer
expect to something much smarter.
Probably a frock dust coat in a light
weight of cashmere will be about as dressy
as anything. 1t will no doubt come we'll
down to the middle of the calf. and have
large. roomy tapped pockets over the hips.
as well as two breast pockets On motor
you need all the pockets you can carry. 1t
would be convenient to make this coat with
covered buttons: plain horn or bone ones
would look rather garish Very likely some
enthusiastic motorists will have the idea to
get unbleached linen dust coats made for
the hot weather, though these will proba-
bly, be made of a looser and less formal cut
than the garment above.
AS to evening suits there is little to be
said. The leading tailors are making such
suits of what are called dress worsteds.
The material for an evening suit seldom
rests with any one but the tailor. Men. as
a rule think that there is only one kind of
dress suit clotn. OF course leaders OF the
fashion know better. They have devoted
thought to their appearance. and no detail
that can contribute to complete success Is
overlooked by them. 1t is only silly people
who scoff at such men as dudes and dam