The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1905-06-25

t is now impossible 70 ignore the
automobile. 1t has certainly come to
stay. and it has already supplanted
our faithful and overworked friend.
the horse in various directions 1t
is equally serriceable for pleasure or for
convenience and actual service. In the
latter sense. VIC need not consider it in
any story Of fashion. but when the auto
mobile is used for our pleasure trips,
either a short spin. or a long tour. then
We have TO consider our costume quite Sc
riousiy both in regard to the demands
Of wind and weather and also OF fashion
and the conventions. Here in California
our roads are not the best. and there is
no escaping the dust aud dirt. which will
fly into the tonneau. even though the
precaution of having a screen has been
duly taken. Even il the pace is what is
called a moderate one, the eyes must be
shielded from the wind and the dust. and
the face and hair must be protected, and
the dress must be covered. For long
tours there must also be some provision
made for rainy weather. The great con
si6eration has been to provide costumes
which will effect these desirable things
and at the same time be at least partially
prese rtable. and several inventions of
combination coats. etc. have been
brought out. Actual experience is, per-
haps, the best teacher, and it is certain
that advice is to be had on these sub
jects from tourists who have tried the. diff
ferent experiments 1t was only few
months ago that a Mr.. Wallace Brains
ford. a Utah millionaire, and his bride,
who was a Miss Grace Holmes, made
tour Of this State. Their tour was. very
unfortunately. undertaken during our
rainy season. and the dust quickly turned
10 mud, and bridal attire was impossible
Mrs. Brainsford decided that the best and
most serviceable coat for this sort of a
trip was one made Of heavy white rubber,
such as Miss Ethyl Hager. who is one of
our best chauffeuses, was the first to
wear.
a great advantage of this rubber coat
is that after a long and dusty trip II
can be washed clean with a wet sponge
and made to look lie new again. Besides
that. il IS warm, which is a very i'm
portant quality, when riding in a cool
wind that soon seems to penetrate any
ordinary clothing. This coat, which is
shown in one OF the illustrations, is very
long. reaching TO the bottom Of the skirt.
Ii hangs straight from the shoulders, and
the only ornamentation TO relieve it is
black velvet, which shows on the turn
over collars and on the cuffs and belt.
The belt. by the way. is made TO take
of whenever the coat requires 10 be
washed The lining of mis- coat is OF
white linen. 1t is heavy. OF course. but
il is warm and rainproof. two very inn
portant considerations for a garment de-
signed for long tours beyonu the limits of
shelter or convenient stopping places.
To protect the face and hair from the
dust there are hoods, which answer that
purpose. but which have ne disadvantage
Of being very hot and close. If the hood
is Of domestic manufacture. made at
home, probably the best material 10 use is
pongee or thin black SILK. although
neither Of these is of any service in case
Of rain. But in California no provision
need be made in summer for rainy
weather.
Now that so many women and girls are
learning 20 run their own machines, en-
tirely unaccompanied by a chauffeur, X
is quite interesting TO notice the ease and
skill that they display. But there is a
vast difference between steering a per-
fect-running car along a smooth roac
and knowing what TO do in the case of d
breakdown or a stoDDage. 1t Is frequent
~ like an occult disease. very difficult o,
diagnosis and uncertain in its treatment
IL may involve a knowledge of mechanics
that very few of as could hope TO attain
except by long course of study and
training and it is too likely that If an
accident should happen il would be at a
long distance from anywhere that aid
could be obtained. A punctured tire.
which is, perhaps. the simplest form OF
weakness that is liable TO occur, may be
unended easily enough. but ii takes time.
and IT is a hard and dirty job at best and
is hard on ones clothes, which will have
10 be Of some material that can stand
the strain
Mrs. Ned Dimond is an enthusiastic
automobiles and runs her large three
cylinder car very skilfully. But she has
given great deal OF time TO studying
her machine and she is now said to be
equal 10 any emergency.
A very serviceable automobile coat.
which is at the same time fashionable
and pretty. is made of red satin finishec
gossamer and lined with thin rubber. L;
has three capes. piped in white, and the
sleeves are full, with big turnback cuff