Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-28
STYLES IN MEMS WEAR
MODE OF THE MANY, FANCIES OF
THE FEW.
The Reign Of the Morning Coat and the
Future of the Frock-A
Peep Forward.
From the Haberdasher.

dress that Is diStinctively new until spring.
AT the opera the other night young man
who made a quick fortune on change APP
peared in an evening suit with the faintest
of stripes in the weave, but such things
cannot be held as mirroring the mode and
are only an extreme development OF IT.
For my own part, 1 have an acute distaste
of all innovations in evening clothes, and
my unvaryfng experience has been that
they die "a-bornfn." Moreover, what one
man. however wide his following, chooses
to wear does not constitute fashion which
represents in it's essence the matured con-
victfons of men of secure social position
and unquestioned taste. AS sign Of the
leaning toward greater freedom which is a
feature of dress today 1t may be noted
again that the morning coat is now very
generally worn instead of the frock on all
but the most punctilious occasions. This
includes forenoon weddings, afternoon calls
and assemblies not of a severely formal
character. This change Is to be welcomed.
for 1t strips dress of much of its "starchi-
ness" The frock coat will never lose caste
as long as there are those who prize the
beauty of simplicity. The frock. however.
is not becoming to all men, whereas the
morning coat is. 1t helps to make the man
of slight stature look tall and the tall man,
taller. What has been known hitherto as
the "cutaway" has been virtually elbowed
out by the morning coat, which is worn on
the same occasions as the outer and has has
besides broader usefulness. The pres
ent winter is noteworthy for exceeding
plainness of shade and fabric in clothes
and their accessories. fair indication by
the way. that spring suits, shirts. cravats,
handkerchiefs and hose will be more col
orful. Fashion swings uniformly from
grave to gay and backward. and the short
comings Of one season rarely fall to be
equalized during the next. AS a matter of
fact, the mode Is like wheel each turn
Of which brings around something that has
gone before. The possibilities of womans
80 to-, 10
mans dress are sharply defined. fash
ion Is born, lives dies and is reborn. The
mode draws its very SuStenance from con-
slant change, without which 1t would be-
come colorless.
The Mourning Mode.
Mourning has a mode of its own and
new waistcoat for lounge wear Is
made Of heavy flannel in check pattern
and has a tapped collar. edges and pocket
flaps and fastens with five black bone
buttons The undermost button and
buttonhole are not intended to be
used. Accompanying this undeniably strik-
ing, II bizarre, garment Is broad, black.
folded-in fourth hand, self-strtped, with
black pearl pin. 1 cannot say that fancy
this waistcoat, but 1t is interesting as de-
noting the lengths to which some men will
go in search of oddity. Black pearls are
not distincttvely mourning stones and are
much worn this season in preference to the
topaz. turquoise emerald and sapphire IN
four-in-hands and Ascots. Being expensive.
the black pearl Is secure against common
ness. But to fecur to mourning fashions.
extremes are always to be avoided. The
black suit, the deep black band on the hat
and the black cravat are virtually all the
indications of mourning that good taste
sanctions. Men of breeding do not parade
their grief-indeed, such a parade Is mex
pressibly vulgar. Difference must be paid
to custom and II Is paid with as little beat
ing of muff1ed drums and wearing of crepe
as possible. Black shirt studs and cuff
links are yet worn by some men in mourn
ing, though black studs and links with
up mourning modes. he who makes the evil
dences of mourning as unobtrusive as he
can Is following the surest of all the sure
guides-good taste.
The Loose Cut.
without doubt there is to be bit OF a
reaction against the present loose cut OF
clothes, though do not look for any ex-
IRENE changes next spring. As long as
muscle and sinew are the mark Of the man.
SO long must he have plenty OF room to
get about comfortably. I do not believe
that we will ever return to tight clothes,
and whatever changes may come in the
spring will be simply in the direction Of
modifying the present tendency toward ex-
aggerated looseness. Over-radicalism and
over-conservatism are alike undesirable in
dress; 1t Is the middle path which leads to
becomingness and good taste. The funda-
mental need or dress Is that II be comfort
able for the wearer. Uncomfortable clothes
are irrational clothes. and the period Of
scents and curling iron, when men endured
the anguish of rack and thumbscrew for
the sake of a fancfed elegance, has gone
never to return. We have outgrown such
false notions OF elegance" just as we have
outerown our swaddIing clothes. Fashion,
then a thing 10 be Knocked. IL today a thing
to be respected. We are pretty far yet from
the dress Utopia, but we are taking great
strides toward Il. Fashion accomplished
much when It laid down the principle that
broad shoulders and fui1ness and freedom
across the chest were demanded Of the
correctly cut coat Athletics r. only In the
pfnafore stage Of its development In this
country, and athletics IL q guard against
fr1l1s.
Solid Colors.
Solid colors held complete sway this win
ter. mostly brown and gray, and the suit
ings for spring which I have seen are al
most bold by contrast. Piaids and checks
are prominent and some very slightly
green's are also shown. Rough-surface
cloths win be distinctly ''fn It." principally
In the ever smart tweeds and dannels for
town as we'll as country wear. Hon1espuns
seem to be on the decline; but serges are
In their old place The fad for braid on